Patent ID: 9572396
Date: 2017-02-21
CPC Classifications: A43B

Claim:
1. A shoe of a type arranged and configured for use in an athletic activity proportionately arranged, sized and configured to receive a human foot, comprising: a. a sole extending along a bottom portion of the shoe; b. an upper, operatively connected to the sole, the upper including a toebox along a forward portion thereof configured to operatively enclose toes of the foot; wherein the upper and toebox have at least a portion thereof constructed of a relatively unstretchable material; c. said upper or toebox defining a cutout formed through said relatively unstretchable material; said cutout being positioned at a key shoe-foot engagement area generally aligned in juxtaposition with a toe, bunion or bunionette of said foot so as to be generally centrally engaged by an outwardly moving portion of the foot as it moves within and relative to the shoe; said cutout being configured to define a passageway through said upper or toebox material sized to allow passage of at least a leading moving portion of the toe, bunion or bunionette therethrough to an extent such that said leading toe, bunion or bunionette portion extends through and beyond the outer peripheral surface of the upper or toebox; d. a layer of stretchable material secured to the upper or toebox so as to extend across at least a maximum peripheral opening extent of the cutout, and having elasticity sufficient to enable the leading moving portion of the toe, bunion or bunionette to advance into and through the cutout passageway while imparting damping resistance to the advancing leading moving portion of the toe, bunion or bunionette; said elasticity of the stretchable material being significantly higher than that of the upper or toebox material surrounding the cutout; and e. wherein said cutout comprises at least in part, a plurality of intersecting cuts through said relatively unstretchable material such that said relatively unstretchable material is arranged between adjacent ones of said intersecting cuts in a manner so as to be pivotably movable to enlarge or reduce the size of said passageway in response to movement of said layer of stretchable material.