Abstract:
An athletic sock in the form of a standard cotton sports sock includes a longitudinal slit defining opposed edges that can be fastened and unfastened for stretching the athletic sock over athletic protective equipment disposed on the individual&#39;s lower leg, and for removal therefrom. Each edge includes a closure member that can be hook and loop fasteners or a zipper to facilitate the stretching of the sock over the athletic protective equipment, and the closure members can brought into mating engagement for securing the sock onto the lower leg and comfortably upon the athletic protective equipment and can be disengaged for sock removal. In addition, the sock can be used as a medical compression sock adjustably securable for obtaining the desired tightness, looseness and comfort of the sock on the individual&#39;s lower leg.

Description:
[0001]     This application is a Continuation-In-Part application of application Ser. No. 11/035,351 filed on Jan. 14, 2005. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention pertains to athletic footwear, and more particularly pertains to an athletic sock that includes a fastenable and unfastenable slit that facilitates the stretching and fitting of the athletic sock over the athletic protective equipment disposed on the individual&#39;s lower leg and foot.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Shin guards and shin pads are the primary athletic protective equipment in those sports where the primary contention over the physical object that defines the sport is about the players&#39; legs, knees and feet. Such sports include soccer, field hockey, ice hockey and floor hockey. The shin guards and pads predominantly protect the players&#39; shins from being struck during play as such contact can result in cuts, bruises and broken. bones. Shin guards and pads include a foot strap that conforms to the individual&#39;s foot and through which the foot is inserted, and one or more flexible straps that encompass the individual&#39;s lower leg for securing the shin guard thereto.  
         [0004]     Shin guards and pads are generally disposed against the players&#39; lower leg, and are covered by a form fitting and tight fitting sock that extends up to the knee region. The sock is tight fitting in order to assist in maintaining the position of the shin guard or pad on the player&#39;s lower leg and over the shin, as any shifting of the guard or pad may expose the player&#39;s shin to injury. However, the tight fitting nature of the sock greatly impedes the easy pulling of the sock over the shin guard or pad and considerable effort must be exerted in pulling and stretching the sock over the shin guard and up to the knee area. This is an especial difficulty for youthful athletes that require assistance from their parents in pulling their athletic socks over their shin guards. The difficulty is amplified by the generally awkward angle the parent or adult must take in pulling and stretching the athletic sock over the shin guard. Parental aggravation and frustration is increased if the parent is hurried and must quickly pull the tight fitting sock over the shin guard—often with less than full cooperation from the child.  
         [0005]     Thus, the prior art discloses various. types of athletic footwear and equipment for placement and protection on the individual&#39;s lower leg and foot.  
         [0006]     For example, the Castiglia patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,315) discloses a shin guard that includes a tubular member fitting about the lower leg adjacent the shin of the wearer, and a tapered rigid member that conforms to and protects the fibula of the wearer.  
         [0007]     The Jones patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,126) discloses an athletic sock that includes a full-length tubular knit sock fitting on the lower leg and foot of the wearer, and a partial sock fitting over the front of the full-length sock and between which a shin pad is nested.  
         [0008]     The Woodson et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,791) discloses a knitted sock that includes a sock portion fitting onto the wearer&#39;s lower leg and foot with the sock portion having an upper cuff layer attached thereto. An outer storage compartment sock layer is circumferentially attached adjacent the lower end of the sock portion and when the cuff layer is folded down about the outer storage compartment sock layer, an interior storage compartment for the storage of items is formed.  
         [0009]     The Hicks patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,817) discloses a tubular sports sock having an elastic top disposed intermediate of a cuff and the foot portion of the sock. With a shin guard placed against the sock and below the elastic top, the cuff is folded downward over the shin guard past the elastic top and adjacent the foot portion to circumferentially. enclose and hold the shin guard therebetween.  
         [0010]     The Lindaman patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,945) discloses a sock for securing the position of shin guards and includes a pair of upper and a pair of lower fasteners for securing the shin guard between the fasteners and to the sock.  
         [0011]     The Bear patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,844) discloses an external shin guard strap for holding the shin guard in place and includes at least one pair of straps that are placed contiguous to the athletic sock over and above the shin guard that is enclosed between the wearer&#39;s leg and the inner surface of the sock for maintaining the position of the shin guard.  
         [0012]     Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices, there remains a need for an athletic sock that facilitates the easy and quick disposition of the sock over the shin guards or pads, and easy and quick removal therefrom.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The present invention comprehends an athletic sports sock that facilitates and expedites the process of slipping the athletic sock onto the individual&#39;s foot and then stretching the athletic sock over the athletic protective equipment disposed about the ankle and shin region. The athletic sports sock of the present invention is designed to minimize and avoid the struggle of pulling on an athletic sock over shin guards, especially in regard to the struggle every parent has hitherto encountered with pulling a standard tight-fitting athletic sock over the child&#39;s shin guard.  
         [0014]     Thus, the improved athletic sock of the present invention includes a cuff, a major leg portion, an ankle/shin portion, and a foot portion, and is further defined by an internal surface and an external surface. The sock includes a longitudinal slit that extends from the cuff down to the ankle/shin portion of the sock, and the slit defines an opening that expedites and eases the process of pulling and stretching the sock onto and over the shin guard or shin pad. The slit defines two opposed longitudinal edges with each edge having a strip member that can be fastened to and unfastened from the other strip member for opening the slit to expedite the insertion or removal of the individual&#39;s foot into the sock, and for closing the slit after the sock has been stretched up over the shin guard. In addition, the athletic sock can include a zipper for fastening and unfastening the sock halves defined by the slit so that the sock can be placed upon and over the shin guard and lower leg and removed therefrom. The sock of the present invention can also be used as a medical compression sock for the treatment and alleviation of certain medical conditions, especially those that involve lower leg and foot circulatory ailments as well as providing comfort and protection for the lower leg and foot after surgery.  
         [0015]     It is an objective of the present invention to provide an athletic sock that facilitates the stretching and fitting of the athletic sock over the athletic protective equipment such as the shin guard or the shin pad.  
         [0016]     It is another objective of the present invention to provide an athletic sock that includes features that makes it easier for both parents and children to fit the athletic sock over the athletic protective equipment such as the shin guard or the shin pad.  
         [0017]     It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide an athletic sock that saves time and eliminates the aggravation for both parents and children alike when pulling and stretching the athletic sock over the athletic protective equipment during the process of putting on the athletic sock.  
         [0018]     It is still yet another objective of the present invention to provide an athletic sock that can be used with athletic protective equipment used in such sports as soccer, field hockey, ice hockey and floor hockey.  
         [0019]     Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an athletic sock that is capable of adjustable securement upon the athletic protective equipment in order to achieve a maximally comfortable fit on the wearer&#39;s lower leg.  
         [0020]     Still yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an athletic sock that includes features that allow the sock to be used as a medical compression sock for both home and hospital use.  
         [0021]     These and other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon a perusal of the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures and appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the fastenable and unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating the disposition of the athletic sock on the lower leg and foot of the individual for encompassing and holding in place a shin guard disposed between the athletic sock and the individual&#39;s shin;  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the fastenable and unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating the athletic sock in the unfastened position to facilitate the stretching of the athletic sock over the shin guard;  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the fastenable and unfastenable athletic sock of present invention taken along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1  showing the fastening of the opposed edges of the slit of the sock thereby securing the athletic sock to the wearer&#39;s lower leg after the sock has been stretched and pulled over the shin guard;  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the fastenable and unfastenable athletic sock of the present.invention illustrating an alternative embodiment wherein the sock is used as a medical compression sock;  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the fastenable and unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating the unfastened disposition of the sock when the sock is used as a medical compression sock;  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the fastenable and unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating a second preferred embodiment of the closure means for the athletic sock that includes a zipper extending down the back of the sock from the upper cuff end to the ankle/shin portion;  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a partial perspective view of the fastenable and unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating the zipper closing the sock commencing at the upper cuff end and proceeding toward the ankle/shin portion of the athletic sock; and  
         [0029]      FIG. 8  is a rear elevational view of the fastenable and unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating the longitudinal extension of the zipper along the back of the athletic sock with the zipper closing the sock from the upper cuff end down to the ankle/shin portion. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0030]     Illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8  is an athletic sock  10  that can be easily and quickly fastened and unfastened for expediting the process of stretching and fitting the athletic sock  10  onto and over a piece of athletic equipment that primarily will be a shin guard or shin pad  12 . The athletic sock  10  fits onto the individual&#39;s lower leg  14  and fully covers the foot, the ankle, the shin, the shin guard  12  protecting the shin, and is pulled up to the knee area  16 . The shin guard  12  conforms to the lower leg  14  of the individual for protecting the shin from injury. The shin guard  12  generally includes a flexible foot strap  18  through which the foot is inserted and which helps to maintain the position of the shin guard  12  on the lower leg  14 .  
         [0031]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the athletic sock  10  of the present invention is a standard stretchable cotton sports sock that includes a foot portion  20  for receiving the individual&#39;s foot, an ankle/shin portion  22 , and a leg portion  24 . An upper end or cuff  26  is pulled up to the knee area  16 . The athletic sock  10  also includes a continuous inner sock surface  28  that is disposed contiguous to the individual&#39;s foot, ankle, shin and lower leg  14 , and a continuous external sock surface  30 .  
         [0032]     As shown in  FIGS. 2, 3  and  5 , the sock  10  includes a longitudinal slit or opening  32  that extends downward from the upper end  26  to the ankle portion  22 . The slit  32  provides for the opening of the sock  10  to ease and expedite the stretching and fitting of the sock  10  over the shin guard  12  and on the lower leg  14  of the individual. While it is possible for the slit  32  to be horizontally disposed on the sock  10 , in the preferred embodiment the slit  32  vertically extends on the sock  10 . The slit  32  defines two opposed longitudinal edges  34  that can be brought into contiguous overlapping disposition for closing the slit  32  and securing the sock  10  over the shin guard  12 ; and the edges  34  can be pulled and moved away from each other during the process of slipping the sock  10  onto the individual&#39;s lower leg  14  and for removal of the sock  10  therefrom.  
         [0033]     A closure means is positioned at the edges  34  defined by the slit  32 , and for attaching and detaching the edges  34  to open and close the slit  32 . More specifically the closure means includes two strip members  36  that can be fastened together and unfastened from each other. Each strip member  36  includes a hook and loop fastening. element known by the common trade name Velcro R . More specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 2, 3  and  5 , one strip member  36  is mounted to the external surface  30  of the sock  10  adjacent one edge  34 , and the other strip member  36  is mounted to the interior surface  28  of the sock  10  adjacent the other edge  34 . The edges  34  can overlap for facilitating the closing of the slit  32  and for facilitating the attachment or detachment of the strip members  36  to or from each other.  
         [0034]     In order to obtain a comfortable fitting of the sock  10  upon the shin guard  12  and on the lower leg  14 , the strip members  36  are adjustably securable to each other. Thus the strip member  36  on the external surface  30  of the sock  10  is generally wider than the strip member  36  on the interior surface  30  of the sock  10 . This allows for the adjustable positioning and then securement of the interior strip member  36  to the exterior strip member  36  for achieving a comfortable fit on the individual&#39;s lower leg  14 —so as to comfortably fit either a child or adult—and upon the particular type of shin guard  12  being worn.  
         [0035]      FIG. 5  illustrates the athletic sock  10  of the present invention used as a medical compression sock for treating physical ailments such as circulatory ailments. When used as a compression sock, the sock  10  can be used for protecting the foot and lower leg  14  after an injury or surgery. The adjustable securement of the sock  10  allows it to comfortably accommodate any splints or bandages that may be placed on the lower leg  14  and foot, and also to accommodate any swelling occurring in the lower leg  14  or foot.  
         [0036]     Illustrated in  FIGS. 6-8  is an alternative embodiment for the closure means from that shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . In place of the attachable and detachable strip members  36  of  FIGS. 1-5 , the closure means shown in  FIGS. 6-8 . includes a fastenable and unfastenable zipper  38 . The zipper  38  extends downward from the upper cuff end  26  to the ankle/shin portion  22 . The zipper  38  is mounted to the rear portion  40  of the sock  10  and includes a slide  42  and a first and a second set of opposed longitudinally extending teeth  44 . The extension of both sets of teeth  44  is commensurate with the longitudinal extension of each edge  34  that defines the slit  32  of the sock  10 , and each set of teeth  44  is consecutively arranged on and secured to the respective longitudinal edge  34  of the slit  32 . The slide  42  is reciprocably movable up and down upon the sets of teeth  44  for fastening the teeth  44  together and closing the slit  32  and securing the sock  10  on the foot and over the shin guard  12  and lower leg  14  and for unfastening the teeth  44  so that the sock  10  can be adjusted or removed. The slit  32  in effect divides the sock  10  into a pair of sock halves  46 . Unlike the edges  34  of the sock  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the sock halves  46  don&#39;t need to overlap to provide for the closing and opening of the zipper  38 . The slide  42  engages the teeth  44  arranged along both edges  34  from the upper cuff end  26  and moves down the sock  10  thereby fastening the teeth  44  together, closing the slit  32  and securing both halves  46  of the sock  10  to each other. The slide  42  is pulled upward toward the upper cuff end  26  for disengaging the sets of teeth  44  and thereby unfastening the sock halves  46  either prior to placement of the sock  10  on the individual or for removal of the sock  10  from the shin guard  12  and the lower leg  14 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 6  shows the zipper  38  in the unfastened state with the edges  34  of the sock  10  spaced from each other thereby disclosing the slit  32  that separates the sock halves  46 .  FIG. 7  shows the zipper  38  in the fastened state with the slide  42  pulled down along the teeth  44  thereby fastening the teeth  44  together and closing the slit  32  so that the sock  10  is secured over the shin guard  12  and lower leg  14  of the individual. The slide  42  will come to a stop approximately one inch above the sneaker for an athletic sock proportioned to fit a child of about six years of age.  FIG. 8  shows the opposed edges  34  of the sock  10  being stretched and brought together at the upper cuff end  26  so that the slide  42  can initially engage the teeth  44  and the upper cuff end  26  of the sock  10  can stretch over the shin guard  12  thereby allowing the zipper  38  to easily and quickly fasten the sock halves  46  together. The slide  42  is then pulled down the length of the sock  10  securing the teeth  44  together and closing the slit  32  whereupon the halves  46  of the sock  10  are brought together and fastened to each other. The athletic sock  10  can be sized for various ages and sizes; for example, for a sock having an overall length of 18 inches, the zipper  38  should be approximately 11 inches, and the 18 inch overall sock length is inclusive of a foot portion that is approximately 6 inches long. Thus, the zipper  38  would be scaled proportionately for each different sock length.  
         [0038]     In use the individual would first place the shin guard  12  in position on the lower leg  14  for protecting the shin. The strip members  36  would be separated for opening the slit  32  thereby enabling the easy slipping of the sock  10  onto the foot. The sock  10  would then be stretched over the shin guard  12  and pulled up to a position adjacent the knee region  16 . The strip members  36  would then be brought into engagement for closing the slit  32  thus securing the sock  10  in position on the lower leg  14  and upon and over the shin guard  12 . The edge  34  having the strip member  36  mounted on the interior surface  28  of the sock  10  overlaps the edge  34  having the exterior mounted strip member  36 .  
         [0039]     There has been set forth in the drawings and specification a preferred embodiment of the invention, and numerous modifications, alterations and variations may be possible and practicable to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.