Abstract:
A sock support band comprising a closed loop having a width thickness, perimeter and opposing sides. The band has an elastic portion and an attachment portion. The attachment portion has hook material attachment means on one side for direct attachment to adjacent sock material.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of sporting equipment and more particularly to a reusable sock support band for securing sport hosiery, such as a hockey sock. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to securing sports hosiery worn by athletes and particularly those cases where protective padding placed inside the hosiery against the player&#39;s shin. The sport of hockey is used as an example but the invention has application to all such sports such as soccer, field hockey and, generally, sports where shin protection is worn. 
         [0003]    Hockey players, for example, use a variety of means to secure their hockey socks in place over their shin pads during play. These means include adhesive tape, hook and loop fasteners and various other strap-like attachment devices. 
         [0004]    One such attachment means is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,533 to Webb, issued Mar. 9, 2004, entitled “Hockey Sock Attachment Device”. The attachment device disclosed is affixed to a player&#39;s hockey shorts by hook and loop fasteners and attaches to the player&#39;s hockey socks by a garter clip. However, a drawback to this device is that the sock is only attached to the attachment device at one location and as such the sock is not supported all the way around the player&#39;s leg. Additionally, the device must be disconnected from the sock to accommodate the washing of the sock. 
         [0005]    A further attachment means is disclosed in “Pant for a Hockey Player” (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/541,525) wherein a patch of hook fasteners is provided on the front of the hockey shorts for affixing hockey socks to the hockey shorts. A drawback to this device is that the sock is only attached to the attachment device at one location and as such the sock is not supported all the way around the player&#39;s leg. Additionally, the device must be disconnected from the sock to accommodate the washing of the sock. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An object of the present invention is to provide a reusable sock support band for attachment to sports hosiery which exerts a supportive force on the sock around the circumference of the player&#39;s leg and eliminates the need for use of tape or other attachment devices and prevents the sock from slipping during use. Additionally, the sock support band provides support for protective equipment placed against the shin inside the sock during play. 
         [0007]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a reusable sock support band for sports hosiery which can remain attached thereto during the regular removal thereof and during washing of the sock. Once fitted on the sock, the sock support band according to this invention does not have to be reinstalled on the sock but rather remains attached thereto at a desired location for subsequent use. 
         [0008]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sock support band. The band is preferably a closed loop and has a first elastic attachment portion along the perimeter and a second attachment portion along the remaining perimeter. The attachment portion has hook material attachment means on one side of the band for direct attachment to the adjacent sock material. According to another aspect of the present invention the support band is an elongated strap with conventional buckle means on the ends for attachment of one end of the strap to the other. 
         [0009]    Yet another object of the present invention is to use the support band to retain a sock in place along the leg against the shin. Typically, there will be padding material between the shin and the sock. The use consists of pulling the support band with the attachment portion facing outwardly over the sock and then rotating the band 180 degrees so that the attachment portion faces inwardly in order to be secured to the sock material fabric at that location by means of the hook material. 
         [0010]    Further features of the invention will be described or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described in detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the sock support band in neutral orientation for placement over a sport sock, and; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the sock support band in engaged orientation for releasable attachment to a sport sock. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    A sock support band  1  according to the present invention is illustrated in the figures. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the sock support band  1  is a closed loop and has an elastic portion  3  along the perimeter and an attachment portion  2  along the remaining perimeter. The portions may be joined at their ends by any fastening means such as stitching  4  to create a closed loop or band. 
         [0015]    Alternatively, the sock support band may take the form of a strap having buckle attachment means to enable the strap to be converted to a loop. In this way, the buckle provides length adjustment for the loop. Examples of attachment means include cinch buckle type and tri-glide buckle type as is known in the art. 
         [0016]    The attachment portion  2  has opposing sides and is provided with sock hook material attachment means on one side  6  and a neutral backing  7  on the other side. The hook material attachment means  6  may be secured to the neutral backing  7  by any means known in the art. Alternatively, the hook material attachment means  6  may be manufactured integral with the neutral backing  7 . 
         [0017]    The hook material attachment means  6  may be comprised of any attachment means known in the art which can be selectively and easily releasably attached to a hockey sock. In the preferred embodiment the attachment element  6  is the male hook portion of a traditional hook and loop attachment material known commercially under the Velcro™ trademark. 
         [0018]    The neutral backing  7  may be made of any material known in the art that is suitable for securement to and support of the hook material attachment means  6 . The elastic portion  3  may be made of any material known in the art that tends to spring back into its original length after a deforming force is removed such as an elastic band. The elastic portion serves to secure the sock/pad combination in place against the shin and can be shortened or lengthened to accommodate various sizes. 
         [0019]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the sock support band  1  can be manipulated or reversed between a neutral orientation and an engaged orientation.  FIG. 1  illustrates the sock support band  1  in the neutral orientation, wherein the hook material attachment means is facing outwardly and away from the sock or band.  FIG. 2  illustrates the sock support band  1  in the engaged orientation, wherein the hook material attachment means  6  is facing inward towards the center of the band or towards the sock. 
         [0020]    Before the initial use of the sock support band the hockey player pulls the sock up into the desired place over top of the protective pad equipment worn against the shin. Once the sock has been pulled into place, the player manipulates the sock support band  1  into the neutral orientation, as shown in  FIG. 1  wherein the hook material attachment means are facing outwardly and the neutral backing is facing inward. 
         [0021]    In this orientation, the player pulls the sock support band  1  up to the desired height location over the sock. Once it reaches the desired location on the sock, the player secures the sock support band  1  in place by rotating the sock support band  1  into the attachment orientation, wherein the hook material attachment means is facing inward and brought into contact with the sock material for releasable engagement. The material properties of the elastic portion  3  allow for an increase in the perimeter of the band upon the application of a deforming force by the player for placement into the desired position on the leg. 
         [0022]    In the preferred embodiment, the perimeter length of the band, in the absence of a deforming force, is less than the perimeter length of the sock/pad/leg combination at the location where the sock support band  1  is to be placed. After the manipulation and placement of the sock support band  1  is complete, the elastic portion  3  shrinks and exerts a supportive force inwardly on the sock/pad combination maintaining a proper position on the player&#39;s leg. 
         [0023]    Typically, the sock material is knitted and is therefore adapted to mate and be engaged with the attachment hook attachment means on the band. In the cases where the sock is made out of a jersey type material, the sock itself may have to be adapted with a strip of loop material to enable the band hook attachment means to mate and be attached thereto. 
         [0024]    The sock can be removed according to the normal and known method of sock removal with the sock support band  1  remaining in the engaged orientation and thereby remaining attached to the sock material. The elastic properties of the elastic portion  3  allow for a temporary increase in loop length to accommodate the removal process and allow for the band to return to its original shape after the sock is removed from the hockey player&#39;s leg. 
         [0025]    The sock can then be washed according to known methods with the sock support band  1  remaining attached to the sock. In the preferred embodiment, the hook material attachment means are capable of withstanding the washing process and the strap will remain attached in the original location on the sock throughout the washing and drying process. 
         [0026]    For the subsequent use of the sock, the sock is pulled on into the desired position over the player&#39;s hockey equipment with the sock support band  1  in place. In this manner the sock can be removed, washed and re-worn multiple times without the need for the removal of the sock support band  1 . The sock support band  1  remains in the same location on the sock and provides the same supportive force each time. The sock support band  1  is removed from the sock by the manipulation of the sock support band  1  into the neutral orientation. The sock support band  1  can then be removed. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the center of the attachment portion  2  may be suitably marked with a centerline (not shown) on the mid-point hook material attachment means  6 . The centerline allows for the player to align the center of the hook material attachment means  6  as desired during the installation of the sock support band  1  of the leg. In the preferred embodiment the center line is marked by way of coloured sticking. However, any means known in the art may be used to mark the centerline. 
         [0028]    In a further embodiment, the attachment portion  2  and the elastic portion  3  are manufactured in a variety of lengths to allow for the assembly of sock support bands  1  of different sizes determined by the perimeter length of the closed loop. The difference between the perimeter of the band in the absence of a deforming force, and the perimeter of the sock/pad/leg combination at the location where the sock support band  1  is to be engaged directly affects the magnitude of the compressive force exerted on the sock by the sock support band  1 . A player is thereby able to control the magnitude of the supportive force exerted on their sock by selecting a sock support band  1  of desired size. 
         [0029]    In a further embodiment, the sock support band  1  is manufactured from coloured materials to allow for the matching of the strap to the player&#39;s sock or uniform. 
         [0030]    In a further embodiment, the hook material attachments means  6  may be manufactured from any material known in the art that springs back into a predetermined shape after a deforming force is removed. 
         [0031]    A further embodiment of the sock support band  1  is contemplated wherein the sock support band  1  is generally comprised of only one elongated strap portion. In this further embodiment the opposing ends of the single elongated strap portion are joined together by cinch buckle means to create a closed loop. Alternatively, a tri-glide connecting device may be used. 
         [0032]    Other advantages which are inherent to the band structure are obvious to one skilled in the art. The embodiments are described herein illustratively and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention as claimed. Variations of the foregoing embodiments will be evident to a person of ordinary skill and are intended by the inventor to be encompassed by the disclosure.