|
(11) | EP 2 443 951 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
| (54) | Multiple use anatomic sandal |
| (57) A multiple use anatomic sandal that consists of: 1) A bottom-sole (detail nr.1 In the figures) made out of expanded polyurethane with specific gravity 35%-40% or similar material. The sole has an internal support in the form of a shank (detail nr.4 in the figures) or a rubber strap in order to hold its shape, and a interior anatomic curve on the surface that provides space for the flexing of the toes during walking (detial nr.5 in the figures). There is also an external anatomic curve on the sole (detail nr.6 in the figures). 2) Straps, that wrap around preordained positiong-guides (detail nr.3 in the figures). |
[0001] This invention refers to a multiple-use anatomic sandal design, whose main characteristic is the fact that the bottom-sole closely follows the foot throughout each movement, regardless of where the user may walk.
[0002] The shoe and sandal manufacturing technology so far employed has never produced either such a product or a similar one, i.e., the basic feature of all known sandals is the fact that the foot has to drag the bottom- sole in order to direct it at each step towards the correct position. Moreover, the bottom-soles known on the market so far, do not offer the necessary space for the flexing of the toes, which occurs during walking. This fact makes walking tiring after only a short time.
[0003] Furthermore, the outer curve of the bottom-sole is accentuated and facilitates walking up to a point, however, out of technical reasons and in order to maintain its shape it is manufactured out of inflexible materials. As a consequence walking is not only uncomfortable but may also become dangerous, since the inflexible material used is more likely to slip.
[0004] All the above disadvantages are overcome through my invention of this new type of sandal. To be more specific, the newly invented sandal has a bottom sole that closely follows the foot throughout each movement, wherever its user may walk, whether it is at home or on the street, on sand, rocks, even while swimming In the sea.
[0005] This is achieved on the one hand through the two specially designed anatomic curves, i.e. the inner and outer walking curves, and on the other hand through the original manufacturing technique and the original way of connecting the sandal straps to the foot and the bottom sole.
[0006] My invention will become comprehensible to specialists of the current technique while examining the figures that are in the appendix of the present description and in which the industrial application of the invention is illustrated.
[0011] In the fifth figure (5) there is a variation of my invention, with a fixed width strap that attaches to the bottom - sole's curve at an adequate distance in relation to the ground, so as to be protected from contact with the ground during walking.
[0012] In order to give an example of the ways in which this invention may be applied the different parts of the sandal are being numbered, so that it may become clear how this invention works, while looking at the figures in the appendix, which have been made taking into account the relative size of each part as compared to other parts. Detailed description of the figures follows.
Figure 1
[0013] The sandal, in this example of ways in which the invention may be applied (figure 1), consists of an anatomic bottom sole - bottom nr. 1 and the upper's straps nr. 2. The bottom sole nr. 1 is made out of soft expanded polyurethane with specific gravity of 35%-40% or out of similar material, and has an interior anatomic curve nr. 5 at the point where the toes flex and an exterior anatomic curve nr. 6. The interior anatomic curve nr.5 provides free space for the movement of the toes during walking and ensures their constant contact with the bottom sole nr. 1. Since the bottom sole nr. 1 is made of soft expanded polyurethane, the exterior anatomic curve nr. 6 of the bottom-sole nr.1 helps walking and makes it relaxing.
Figure 2
[0014] The bottom sole has an interior support nr. 4 so that the flexibility of the bottom sole nr. 1 should contribute to the comfortable walking of the user but without endangering the stability of the structure. This interior support nr. 4 may either have the form of a shank which is placed in certain positions inside the bottom sole nr, 1 and more specifically inside the manufacturing mold, temporarily floating, until the mold has been filled with the sole material or has the form of a rubber strap under tension which is placed in the same positions. The rubber strap after the material has been poured in the mold returns to its original length thus maintained the curve of the sole. In this way the curve of the users sole gets perfectly synchronized with the curve of the bottom sole nr. 1.
[0015] The bottom-sole nr. 1, has preordained positioning guides 3 through which the straps nr. 2 are passed. To be more specific, it has a pair of opposite positioning-guides nr. 3 at the sides of the bottom sole 1, one at the back part (the heel) and one at the bottom part of the sole (see figure 5, detail nr.7). Through the preordained positioning-guides nr. 3, there pass the straps nr. 2, wrapping the foot and the bottom sole together in one full circle, which ensures perfect stability. In this way, strap 2 ends up at the heel and gets through the back positioning -guide, being under strain, and In cooperation with the curve of the bottom sole enables the bottom sole to follow the foot without effort.
[0016] The application of the above invention is not limited to the above example. It may be applied to other upper models making use of materials that have the characteristics of those mentioned in this description.
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
1. An anatomic multiple use sandal consisting of an anatomic bottom-sole 1, made of expanded
polyurethane of specific gravity 36%-40% or a similar material, and which has inside
a support 4 in the form of a shank, and on the outside the interior anatomic curve
5 at the place where the toes flex and the exterior anatomic curve 6, and the strap
2, which passes through specific positioning guides 3 and ties the foot to the bottom
sole 1.
2. An anatomic multiple use sandal as described in claim 1, which, due to the Interior
anatomic curve 5 of the bottom sole 1, ensures free space for the movement of the
toes during walking and stable contact of the foot sole with the bottom sole 1.
3. An anatomic multiple use sandal as described In claim 1, which makes walking comfortable,
due to the exterior anatomic curve 6 of the bottom sole 1, which is made of soft expanded
polyurethane.
4. An anatomic multiple use sandal as described in claim 1, whose inside support 4 when
in the shape of a shank is placed in a certain position inside the bottom sole 1 temporarily
floating, until the mold of the bottom sole has been filled with material.
5. An anatomic multiple use sandal as described in claim 1, whose inside support 4, when
in the shape of a rubber strap 9, is placed in position stretched but later after
pouring the material of the bottom sole into the mold regains its normal shape and
as a result the curve of the users foot gets perfectly synchronized to the curve of
the bottom sole 1.
6. An anatomic multiple use sandal as described in claim 1, which has a pair of positioning
guides at the sides, a positioning guide 3 at the back part (heel) and one positiong
guide 3 at the bottom part of the sole, through which the strap 2 passes, wrapping
the foot to the bottom sole, In a full circle, in such a way that strap 2 ends up
at the heel, goes through the positiong guide 3, under tension, and in cooperation
with curves 5 & 6 of the bottom sole enables the bottom sole to follow the foot without
effort.