Patent Publication Number: US-2004049949-A1

Title: Protection for a sports shoe, particularly for a golf shoe

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to a protection for a sports shoe, particularly for a golf shoe.  
       [0002] It is known that a golfer, when performing the so-called “swing” motion to strike the ball, has one foot that is fixed and firmly placed on the ground, while the other foot floats and is therefore free to follow the execution of the action.  
       [0003] The mobility of the floating foot on the ground produces the inevitable and unwanted accumulation of grass and mud on the tip of the shoe; moreover, in this manner the shoe worn by the floating foot is particularly subject to wear or breakage.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004] The aim of the present invention is to obviate the cited drawbacks by providing a protection that preserves the shoe worn by the floating foot against accumulation of dirt on the tip and against localized wear.  
       [0005] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a protection that does not compromise the aesthetic qualities of the shoe.  
       [0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a protection structure that is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and relatively low in cost.  
       [0007] This aim and these and other objects are all achieved by the present protection for a sports shoe, particularly for a golf shoe, characterized in that it comprises a sheath that can be applied to the tip of the shoe and is provided with removable retention means to prevent its disengagement. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008] Further features of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of a protection for a sports shoe, particularly for a golf shoe, according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
     [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the protection for a sports shoe:  
     [0010]FIG. 2 is a partially sectional rear detail view of a portion of said protection;  
     [0011]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the protection;  
     [0012]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the protection according to the invention.  
     [0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the protection according to the invention.  
     [0014]FIG. 6 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the protection illustrated in FIG. 5. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0015] In the examples of embodiments that follow, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other examples of embodiments.  
     [0016] With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference numeral  1  generally designates a protection for a sports shoe, particularly for a golf shoe, according to the invention.  
     [0017] The protection comprises a sheath  2 , which can be applied to the tip of the shoe worn by the foot that, when performing the shot, acts as a floating foot; such sheath is provided with removable retention means that are adapted to prevent accidental disengagement from the shoe.  
     [0018] The sheath  2  is open in a downward region and is composed of an upper portion  3 , which is designed to cover the surface of the tip of the shoe, and a perimetric portion  4 , which is blended with the upper portion  3  and perpendicular thereto, and reaches substantially the sole of the shoe. Two mutually opposite lateral openings  5  are formed in the perimetric portion  4  of the sheath  2  and at the rear; in the specific case, the openings have a longitudinally flattened substantially rectangular geometry.  
     [0019] The sheath  2  is preferably made of elastically flexible synthetic material, suitable to adapt to the shape of the tip of the shoe once it is applied thereto.  
     [0020] Advantageously, such synthetic material is of the substantially transparent type, so as to not compromise the aesthetic qualities of the shoe, especially as regards its color, which must remain intact.  
     [0021] The means for removable retention of the sheath  2  are constituted by a band  6  made of elastically extendible material, in which the ends  7  of the band are inserted in the respective openings  5  and are locked thereat: the band  6  engages below the sole and, once accordingly placed under slight traction, constitutes a retention element against the spontaneous disengagement of the protection from the shoe (the golf shoe is generally provided, in its sole, with a plurality of surface protrusions or studs for gripping the ground that facilitate the retention of the band  6 , thus ensuring reliability in operation).  
     [0022] The band  6  has a substantially rectangular flattened transverse cross-section, with ends  7  that are inserted in the respective openings  5  preferably from the outside inward and are folded back: the ends  7  are locked by respective rivets  8 , which pass through the perimetric portion and are each located below the respective opening  5 .  
     [0023] The ends  7  of the band  6  form, by folding, respective lower flaps  9 , which adhere to the internal surface of the perimetric portion  4 , and thanks to the high coefficient of friction with respect to the surface of the shoe, are suitable to prevent relative movements between said sheath  2  and the shoe.  
     [0024] The use of the protection according to the invention is intuitive. It is easily applied to the tip of the shoe worn by the foot that floats during the shot, by making the band  6  pass below the sole: the band  6  is thus subjected to a slight traction, causes the adaptation of the sheath  2  to the shape of the tip of the shoe, and at the same time prevents said sheath  2  from being removed accidentally.  
     [0025] It is noted that the protection can be adapted to various models of sports shoes for golf, but can also be applied to shoes intended for different uses.  
     [0026] It has thus been shown that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects.  
     [0027] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.  
     [0028] For example, the band  6  can continue with a portion  6   a  beyond the end  7  located on the inner side of the shoe, reaching a further seat  10  provided with a rivet  11 , similarly to what occurs in the two ends  7 . In this manner, the additional band portion  6   a  helps to retain the tip of the protection on the shoe during use, preventing its lifting. The arrangement of the seat  10  is such as to ensure that during use the abrasive actions that occur on the band  6  at its transverse portion are minimal.  
     [0029] As an alternative, the sheath  2  can be anchored to the shoe by means of suitably arranged substantially L-shaped hooks  12 . Two of the hooks  12  must face each other and must be anchored to the points  13  and  14 ; the third hook is fixed proximate to the tip of the shoe on the outer side, in the position designated by the reference numeral  15 . The hooks  12 , by having their flap  16  arranged below the sole of the shoe, allow to couple the sheath  2  firmly to the shoe.  
     [0030] In a preferred embodiment of the protection according to the invention, the sheath  2 , preferably made of rubber, continues with a lower portion  17  that is connected to the perimetric portion  4 : the removable retention means are constituted by a plurality of circular holes  18  within which studs provided on the sole of the shoe are designed to engage.  
     [0031] This last embodiment is particularly advantageous, since it ensures an effective fixing of the protection on the shoe by way of the insertion of the studs in the holes  18  and of the friction of the rubber on the surface of said shoe.  
     [0032] All the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent ones.  
     [0033] In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.  
     [0034] The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No.BO2002U000085 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.