ANKLE INVERSION AND EVERSION PREVENTION SHOE

• US 20130245525A1
• Filed: 05/06/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC3 LLC
• Original Assignee: Ronnie E. Cromer Jr
• Inventors: Cromer, Ronnie E. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,776,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0111 for the feet or ankles

Abstract

An ankle inversion and eversion prevention athletic shoe has an upper foot support portion and a shoe bottom. The ankle inversion and eversion athletic shoe device is designed for preventing an athlete from spraining or turning or rolling an ankle during normal athletic competition or play or activities. The shoe includes a brace. The brace is located either behind the ankle on a heel of the shoe or on a side of said shoe in the general vicinity of the ankle. The brace includes an elongated arm and a floor contact surface designed to limit or control sliding of the foot to enable wearer time to regain composure, footing and balance. The brace provides the wearer time to regain his or her balance onto the shoe bottom, thus significantly limiting or precluding the typical and usually unavoidable ankle injury.

Claims

1. An athletic shoe to be worn on a foot of an athlete during an athletic activity, said athletic shoe comprising:

a. a shoe bottom;

b. an upper foot support secured to said shoe bottom; and

c. a shoe brace extending from behind said ankle proximate to a heel of said athletic shoe, said one shoe brace being positioned external to said athletic shoe, said shoe brace securely mounted to said athletic shoe, said shoe brace being made of a material having sufficient strength as to be able to support full weight of said athlete, should said athlete land off-balance upon said at least one shoe brace, said athletic shoe providing said athlete time to regain his or her balance onto said shoe bottom, thereby minimizing any ankle spraining, rolling, or turning, said at least one shoe brace being essentially rigid.

2. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein said shoe extends a sufficient distance from said bottom of said athletic shoe so as not to interfere with ability of wearer to compete aggressively unimpeded by said shoe.

3. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein said shoe brace extending at a downward angle and beyond the upper portion of said athletic shoe.

4. The athletic shoe of claim 1, further comprising a piece of anti-grip material positioned at an end of said shoe brace, said anti-grip material preventing said shoe from sliding or skidding while said wearer is regaining his or her footing.

5. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein said athletic shoe is designed to prevent ankle sprains or rolls caused by inversion or eversion of the ankle when the foot is inadvertently misplaced against an object or when a disproportionate amount of weight is placed on said ankle while said athlete is engaged in said athletic activity.

6. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein said shoe brace material is a piece of high strength durable plastic, polymer, rubber, or carbon fiber.

7. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein said shoe brace extends a sufficient distance and angle from said bottom of said athletic shoe so as not to interfere with ability of athlete to compete aggressively and unimpeded by said athletic shoe.

8. An athletic shoe to be worn on a foot of an athlete during an athletic activity, said athletic shoe comprising:

a. a shoe bottom;

b. an upper foot support secured to said shoe bottom; and

c. at least one shoe brace extending from a side of said athletic shoe, said at least one shoe brace being positioned external to said athletic shoe, said at least one shoe brace securely mounted to said athletic shoe, said at least one shoe brace being made of a material having sufficient strength as to be able to support full weight of said athlete, should said athlete land off-balance upon said at least one shoe brace, said athletic shoe providing said athlete time to regain his or her balance onto said shoe bottom, thereby minimizing any ankle spraining, rolling, or turning, said at least one shoe brace being essentially rigid.

9. The athletic shoe of claim 8, wherein said at least one shoe brace is but one shoe brace, said one shoe brace being positioned on an outer side of said athletic shoe, said shoe brace protecting an ankle of said athlete from ankle inversion.

10. The athletic shoe of claim 8, wherein said at least one shoe brace comprise two shoe braces, a first shoe brace protecting an ankle of said athlete from ankle inversion, a second shoe brace protecting an ankle of said athlete from ankle eversion.

11. The athletic shoe of claim 8, wherein said shoe extends a sufficient distance from said bottom of said athletic shoe so as not to interfere with ability of wearer to compete aggressively unimpeded by said shoe.

12. The athletic shoe of claim 8, wherein said shoe brace extends at a downward angle and beyond the upper portion of said athletic shoe.

13. The athletic shoe of claim 8, further comprising a piece of anti-grip material positioned at an end of said shoe brace, said anti-grip material preventing said shoe from sliding or skidding while said wearer is regaining his or her footing.

14. The athletic shoe of claim 8, wherein said athletic shoe is designed to prevent ankle sprains or rolls caused by inversion or eversion of the ankle when the foot is inadvertently misplaced against an object or when a disproportionate amount of weight is placed on said ankle while said athlete is engaged in said athletic activity.

15. The athletic shoe of claim 8, wherein said shoe brace material is a piece of high strength durable plastic, polymer, rubber, or carbon fiber.

16. The athletic shoe of claim 8, wherein said shoe brace extends a sufficient distance and angle from said bottom of said athletic shoe so as not to interfere with ability of athlete to compete aggressively and unimpeded by said athletic shoe.

17. A shoe brace for mounting onto a shoe of a wearer, said shoe having a shoe upper portion and a shoe bottom, said shoe brace comprising:

a. an elongated arm made of an essentially rigid material; and

b. a piece of anti-grip material positioned at an end of said elongated arm, said anti-grip material preventing said shoe from sliding or skidding while said wearer is regaining his or her footing;

whereby said shoe brace is positioned in use that is external to said shoe upper portion, said shoe brace being securely attachable to said shoe, said elongated arm being made of a material that enables said elongated arm to be mounted over or into a heel of said shoe; and

whereby said elongated arm material has sufficient strength as to be able to support full weight of said wearer should said wearer land off-balance upon said elongated arm, said shoe brace providing said wearer time to regain his or her balance onto said shoe bottom, thereby minimizing any ankle spraining, rolling, or turning.

18. The shoe brace of claim 17, wherein said shoe brace extends at a downward angle relative to when mounted to said shoe

19. The shoe brace of claim 17, wherein said shoe brace extends beyond the upper portion of said athletic shoe.

20. The shoe brace of claim 17, wherein said elongated arm material is a piece of high strength durable plastic, polymer, rubber, or carbon fiber.