SHOE WITH SYSTEM FOR PREVENTING OR LIMITING ANKLE SPRAINS

• US 20080307674A1
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genius Gambini LLC
• Original Assignee: Christopher N. Dean
• Inventors: DEAN, CHRISTOPHER N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,849,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/89
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0031 provided with a pocket, e.g. for keys or a card
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/20 Ankle-joint supports or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/24 Insertions or other supports preventing the foot canting to one side , preventing supination or pronation

Abstract

A built-in or added-on extension is situated upon a side of a shoe so as to minimize or prevent injury caused by inversion of a foot/ankle during athletic or other activities. The extension protrudes laterally out from the side of the shoe and has a substantial horizontal component, with an outer surface portion(s) adapted in shape, size, and/or placement so that said portion(s) will impact the floor/ground upon inversion of the foot/ankle but that none of the extension impacts, rubs, slides, or otherwise contacts the ground/floor during normal activities of the wearer. Said impact/contact only occurs when there is significant ankle/foot inversion, that is, enough to potentially cause a mild lateral ankle sprain. The preferred extension cushions and/or stops inversion at an angle of inversion and/or at a time during the inversion wherein the wearer may recover and straighten his foot/ankle before serious injury to the ankle.

Claims

1. A system for limiting foot inversion for limiting ankle sprains, said system comprising:

a shoe having an upper with a lateral side surface that is generally vertical when a wearer of the shoe stands on a horizontal floor or ground, and wherein the shoe has a sole with a bottom having a bottom plane that is horizontal when the wearer stands on said horizontal floor or ground;

an extension protruding perpendicularly from said lateral side surface and having an abutment surface adapted to impact said floor or ground when the wearer'"'"'s foot inverts to move said lateral side surface toward said floor or ground;

wherein the lowermost surface of the extension is 0.5 or greater inches above the bottom plane of the bottom of the sole, and the extension has no portion that extends down to said bottom plane of the bottom of the sole.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said extension is adapted to impact said floor or ground when the wearer'"'"'s foot inverts to an extent within the range of 20-40 degrees from vertical.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the entirety of the extension is located 1 inch or more above said bottom plane.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the extension extends laterally from said lateral side surface a distance in the range of 2-4 inches.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein said extension is a spherical shape having a convex abutment surface.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein said extension is a cylindrical shape having a curved abutment surface.

7. A system as in claim 1, wherein said extension is a partial sphere shape having a convex abutment surface.

8. A system as in claim 1, wherein said extension comprises a pocket on said lateral side surface and an insert installed inside said pocket.

9. A system as in claim 1, wherein said extension is integral with said lateral side surface.

10. A system as in claim 1, wherein said extension comprises a member selected from the group consisting of:

a polystyrene foam sphere, a solid rubber ball, a hollow rubber ball, a closed cell foam member, a solid cylinder, a hollow cylinder, a solid rounded-end cone, a hollow rounded-end cone, a solid partial sphere, and a hollow partial sphere, an oval member, a hollow member containing gas at a pressure higher than the atmosphere around the shoe, and a hollow pocket in an upper of the shoe containing gas at a pressure higher than the atmosphere around the shoe.

11. An apparatus for limiting foot inversion for limiting ankle sprains, said apparatus comprising:

a shoe having an upper with a lateral side surface that is generally vertical when a wearer of the shoe stands on a horizontal floor or ground, and wherein the shoe has a sole with a bottom having a bottom plane that is horizontal when the wearer stands on said horizontal floor or ground;

an extension protruding from said lateral side surface and having an abutment surface that is laterally distanced from said side surface and raised up above said bottom plane of the sole so that said extension contacts said floor or ground only after the shoe side surface pivots from vertical at least 20 degrees toward the floor or ground, so that, when the wearer'"'"'s foot inverts, said extension limits the foot inversion.

12. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the entirety of the extension is located 1 inch or more above said bottom plane.

13. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the extension extends laterally from said lateral side surface a distance in the range of 2-4 inches.

14. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said extension is a spherical shape having a convex abutment surface.

15. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said extension is a cylindrical shape having a curved abutment surface.

16. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said extension is a partial sphere shape having a convex abutment surface.

17. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said extension comprises a pocket on said lateral side surface and an insert installed inside said pocket.

18. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said extension is integral with said lateral side surface.

19. A system as in claim 11, wherein said extension comprises a member selected from the group consisting of:

a polystyrene foam sphere, a solid rubber ball, a hollow rubber ball, a closed cell foam member, a solid cylinder, a hollow cylinder, a solid rounded-end cone, a hollow rounded-end cone, a solid partial sphere, and a hollow partial sphere, a solid oval member, a hollow oval member, a hollow member containing gas at a pressure higher than the atmosphere around the shoe, and a hollow pocket in an upper of the shoe containing gas at a pressure higher than the atmosphere around the shoe.

20. A method of limiting an ankle sprain, said method comprising:

providing an extension member that protrudes from the side surface of a shoe, wherein said extension member is adapted so that it does not contact the floor or ground upon which a wearer stands and moves when the heel is generally vertical;

inverting the foot so that the extension member moves toward and contacts the floor or ground when the foot has inverted 20 degrees or more;

wherein, when the extension member contacts said floor or ground, and contacts the floor or ground, said extension is adapted to substantially slow the inversion of the foot.

21. A method as in claim 20, wherein said extension member, within a fraction of a second after contacting the floor or ground, stops said inversion of the foot.

22. A method as in claim 20, wherein the entirety of the extension member is located 1 inch or more above said bottom plane.

23. A method as in claim 20, wherein the extension member extends laterally from said lateral side surface a distance in the range of 2-4 inches.

24. A method as in claim 20, wherein said extension member is a spherical shape having a convex abutment surface.

25. A method as in claim 20, wherein said extension member is a cylindrical shape having a curved abutment surface.

26. A method as in claim 20, wherein said extension member is a partial sphere shape having a convex abutment surface.

27. A method as in claim 20, wherein said extension member comprises a pocket on said lateral side surface and an insert installed inside said pocket.

28. A method as in claim 20, wherein said extension member is integral with said lateral side surface.

29. A method as in claim 20, wherein said extension member is selected from the group consisting of:

a polystyrene foam sphere, a solid rubber ball, a hollow rubber ball, a closed cell foam member, a solid cylinder, a hollow cylinder, a solid rounded-end cone, a hollow rounded-end cone, a solid partial sphere, and a hollow partial sphere, a solid oval member, a hollow oval member, a hollow member containing gas at a pressure higher than the atmosphere around the shoe, and a hollow pocket in an upper of the shoe containing gas at a pressure higher than the atmosphere around the shoe.