Protection devices for use in shoes or other products
First Claim
1. An article of apparel, comprising:
- a housing sized to retain a protection device, the housing being arranged adjacent a portion of a body of a user; and
a protection device positioned within the housing, the protection device comprising;
a first layer of material having first and second opposing surfaces and a series of frustum-shaped recesses formed along at least one of the first and second surfaces, wherein the series of frustum-shaped recesses includes a first frustum-shaped recess with a first depth and width and a second frustum-shaped recess with a second, different depth and width; and
a second layer of material attached to the first layer and having a rigidity that is higher than a rigidity of the first layer, the first layer being shaped to conform to the portion of the user'"'"'s body, such that the protection device is arranged to provide protection for the portion of the user'"'"'s body against injurious events.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A variety of devices for protecting a user'"'"'s foot from injury are disclosed. In one embodiment, the device may be a metatarsal protection device, which may include a first layer of material having top and bottom surfaces, with at least one of such surfaces including a series of cones or a pattern of hexagons thereon. The metatarsal protection device may also include a second relatively rigid layer of material overlying the first layer, and the first layer may be shaped to conform to the metatarsal region of the user'"'"'s foot, such that the device is configured to protect the metatarsal region against injury. Other configurations and variations of a metatarsal protection device are also disclosed, as are other uses for the principles of the invention(s) disclosed herein (e.g., protection devices for other areas of the foot, etc).
42 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An article of apparel, comprising:
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a housing sized to retain a protection device, the housing being arranged adjacent a portion of a body of a user; and a protection device positioned within the housing, the protection device comprising; a first layer of material having first and second opposing surfaces and a series of frustum-shaped recesses formed along at least one of the first and second surfaces, wherein the series of frustum-shaped recesses includes a first frustum-shaped recess with a first depth and width and a second frustum-shaped recess with a second, different depth and width; and a second layer of material attached to the first layer and having a rigidity that is higher than a rigidity of the first layer, the first layer being shaped to conform to the portion of the user'"'"'s body, such that the protection device is arranged to provide protection for the portion of the user'"'"'s body against injurious events. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An article of apparel, comprising:
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a housing sized to retain a protection device, the housing being arranged adjacent a portion of a body of a user; and a protection device positioned within the housing, the protection device comprising first and second layers of material, the second layer of material being attached to the first layer of material and having a rigidity that is higher than a rigidity of the first layer, wherein the second layer of material includes first and second opposing surfaces, and a series of frustum-shaped recesses is formed along at least one of the first and second surfaces, the first layer of material being shaped to conform to a portion of a user'"'"'s body to provide protection against injurious events. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An article of apparel, comprising:
a protection device comprising first and second layers of material, the second layer of material being attached to the first layer of material and having a rigidity that is higher than a rigidity of the first layer, wherein the first and second layers of material each includes first and second opposing surfaces, respectively, and a series of frustum-shaped recesses is formed along at least one of the first and second surfaces of either the first or the second layer of material, wherein the series of frustum-shaped recesses includes a first frustum-shaped recess with a first depth and width and a second frustum-shaped recess with a second, different depth and width, the first layer of material being shaped to conform to a portion of a user'"'"'s body to provide protection against injurious events. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
Specification