Abstract:
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for protecting a foot of a user. The apparatus may be applied to an article of footwear having laces worn by the user or may be integral therewith. The apparatus comprises a first tongue guard portion engageable with a first portion of said laces so as to lie adjacent thereto and a second tongue guard portion pivotally supported from the first tongue guard portion and biased so as to lie adjacent to a second portion of the laces. The first and second tongue guard portions may comprise a rigid exterior shell and an interior cushioning layer disposed thereunder. The method comprises securing the first tongue plate to the article of footwear so as to lie adjacent to the first portion of the laces and biasing the second tongue so as to lie adjacent to a second portion of the laces.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to guards in general and in particular to an apparatus for protecting the foot of a user wearing an article of footwear. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    In many activities, it is necessary to protect body parts from injury. For example, it is known that in many sports and work places, injuries can frequently occur to the feet of an athlete or worker. A common location for injury is on the top or side of the foot to the metatarsus bones. Such injuries often arise from impact due to dropping objects upon this region of the foot or side and top impacts during sporting activities such as ice hockey. Injuries, such as fractures to the metatarsal bones often require extensive rest time away from either the sporting activity or work to heal. These rest periods may cause significant lost revenue or productivity. 
         [0005]    During Ice hockey in particular it is known that injuries to the feet of the players are common due to impact of pucks, sticks and other players skates on the feet of the player. Although the ice hockey skates protect the foot of the player to a limited amount by a solid boot made of leather and plastic, foot injuries still occur frequently in hockey. In particular, the tongue or lacing portion of skates are often flexible so as to facilitate application to the feet as well as mobility of the wearer. Such flexible portions are often inadequate to protect the foot of the wearer from impacts upon such portion. Similarly, work boots often include a flexible leather tongue which is inadequate to prevent injury due to impact. 
         [0006]    Previous attempts have been made to protect the foot of a wearer from injury due to impact. Such attempts have not been satisfactory. Some previous attempts, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,230 to Crane et al. disclose the use of a releasably attachable support layer to the outside of a skate and a protective pad securable to the support layer. Such devices have added considerable size to the footwear, in particular to the width of the footwear. Such added width is undesirable for use in sports such as hockey where the additional width to a hockey skate would impede the skating motion of the player wearing such a device. Additionally, devices such as disclosed in Crane et al. typically include front and rear edges of the pads which would be subject to catching on each other during the motion of skating or walking by a user further impeding mobility of the wearer. 
         [0007]    An additional deficiency of a device as disclosed by Crane et al. is that the exterior padding would have limited impact dispersion and would only significantly reduce the degree of the impact if the padding was sufficiently thick. Accordingly, for a padding device such as Crane et al. to provide noticeable protection, it would need to be so thick as to further impede the movement of the wearer as discussed above. 
         [0008]    Other solutions have attempted to provide a cover of rigid plates to surround the footwear of as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,900 to Roberts or U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,663 to Moran. Such solutions have either required the rigid plates to be spaced apart from the footwear such as in the Roberts device or have complicated the process of putting on the footwear as is the case in the Moran device. Where the rigid plates are required to be spaced apart from the footwear, this will reduce such devices functionality due to decreasing the mobility of the wearer. In the case of devices such as Roberts, the increased complexity of putting on the footwear with such a device applied may decrease users willingness to use such a device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed an apparatus for protecting a foot of a user, the user wearing an article of footwear having laces. The apparatus comprises a first tongue guard portion engageable with a first portion of said laces so as to lie adjacent thereto and a second tongue guard portion pivotally supported from the first tongue guard portion so as to lie adjacent to a second portion of the laces. 
         [0010]    The second tongue guard portion may be biased against the article of footwear. The first and second tongue guard portions may have shapes corresponding to the shape of the first and second portions of the laces. Each of the first and second tongue guard portions may comprise a rigid exterior shell and an interior cushioning layer disposed thereunder. The shells of the first and second tongue guard portions may be molded. 
         [0011]    The first tongue guard portion may be locatable between the tongue and laces of the article of footwear. The second tongue guard portion may be biased against an exterior of the laces of the article of footwear. The second tongue guard portion may be locatable between the tongue and laces of the article of footwear. 
         [0012]    The first and second plates may be connected by a flexible connector. The flexible connector may be resilient. The flexible connector may comprise an elasticized fabric. 
         [0013]    The first tongue portion may be affixed to the article of footwear. The first tongue portion may be connectable to the article of footwear by a connector. The connector may comprise at least one bore extending through the first tongue guard portion at a first end thereof so as to pass the laces therethrough wherein the second tongue guard portion is supported from an opposed second end of the first tongue guard portion. The connector may comprise a flexible member extending between the article of footwear and a first end of the first tongue guard portion. 
         [0014]    The apparatus may further comprise a third tongue guard portion pivotally supported from the second tongue plate so as to lie adjacent to a third portion of the laces. The first tongue guard portion may be locatable over the laces and further includes side skirts extending to opposite sides of the article of footwear so as to enclose the article of footwear therein. The first portion of the laces may be disposed closer to a toe of the article of footwear than the second portion of the laces. 
         [0015]    According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed an article of footwear having laces and a first tongue guard portion located to lie adjacent to a first portion of the laces and a second tongue plate pivotally supported from the first tongue guard portion so as to lie adjacent to a second portion of the laces. 
         [0016]    According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a method for protecting a foot of a user comprising securing a first tongue plate to an article of footwear having laces adjacent a first portion of the laces so as to lie adjacent to the first portion of the laces and biasing a second tongue plate pivotally supported by the first tongue plate so as to lie adjacent to a second portion of the laces. 
         [0017]    Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention wherein similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view, 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a skate having an apparatus for protecting the foot of a wearer according to a first embodiment of the present invention applied thereto. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of  FIG. 2  as taken along the line  4 - 4 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  being applied to the skate. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a skate having the apparatus of  FIG. 1  permanently secured thereto according to a further embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of an apparatus for protecting the foot of a wearer according to a further embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an apparatus for protecting the foot of a user within an article of footwear according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown generally at  10  as applied to a skate  8 . As shown in the accompanying figures, the apparatus is illustrated as applied to a skate, such as for example, a hockey skate. It will be appreciated, however, that the apparatus  10  may be applied to any other article of footwear, such as, by way of non-limiting example, a work boot, shoe or any other article of footwear that may be worn by a user requiring protection from impacts. 
         [0027]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the apparatus  10  comprises first and second tongue guard portions or plates  12  and  14 , respectively flexibly connected to each other. The first plate comprises a curved plate member extending between first and second ends,  16  and  18 , respectively and first and second sides,  20  and  22 , respectively. The second plate  14  comprises a curved plate member extending between first and second ends,  24  and  26 , respectively and first and second sides,  28  and  30 , respectively. The first plate may also optionally include bores  38  proximate to the corers thereof formed by the junction of the first and second ends  16  and  18  with the first and second sides  20  and  22 . The bores are sized to receive laces of the article of footwear therethrough and may range in size between 5 and 10 mm (0.20 and 0.39 inches). The bores may be round, oval or any other suitable shape. Additionally, the first and second plates  12  and  14  may also include ribs or other strengthening structures therein as are commonly known in the art. 
         [0028]    The first and second plates  12  and  14  may be formed of a rigid impact resistant heat mouldable material. In particular, applicants have found that carbon fibre impregnated polypropylene such as distributed as XT Carbon Composite for Orthotics by A. Aleos Ltd. has been particularly useful. It will be appreciated, however that the first and second plate may also be formed of any rigid material, such as, without limitation, carbon impregnated thermoplastic resin composite materials or thermoplastic polymers, thermosetting polymers or metal. The first and second plates  12  and  14  may be up to 3.0 mm (0.12 inches) thick, with a thickness of 2.7 mm (0.11 inches) having been found particularly useful. 
         [0029]    The first and second plates  12  and  14  may include a layer of padding material applied to a bottom side thereof. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the padding material may have a thick portion  34  along the entire bottom side of the second plate  14 . The first plate  12  may have a corresponding thick portion  34  applied to the substantial majority of the bottom surface thereof. The first plate may also include a thinner portion  36  of padding material to the remainder of the bottom surface thereof. The padding material may be selected from any known type of padding material as are commonly known, such as, by way of non-limiting example, foam rubber, neoprene, polyethylene foam, urethane foam, gel packs, polyurethane, hair, wool, or cotton. The thick portion  34  of the padding material may be up to 2 mm (0.079 inches) thick while the thin portion  36  may be up to 1 mm (0.039 inches) thick. 
         [0030]    The first end  28  of the second plate  14  is flexibly connected to the second end  18  of the first plate by flexible biasing tension members  32 . The flexible biasing tension members any suitable flexible biasing member, such as elastics or elasticized fabrics and will bias the second plate  14  to a substantially end to end co-planar relationship with the first plate as illustrated in  FIGS. 1   2  and  3 . As illustrated, the apparatus  10  may include a plurality of elastics although it will be appreciated that a single elastic may also be suitable. The elastics  32  are secured to the first and second plates  12  and  14  in a stretched state so as to bias the second plate  14  against the skate  8  of the user when installed as described below. 
         [0031]    The first and second  12  and  14  plates are sized and shaped to correspond to the top or tongue portion of the skate  8 . It will be appreciated that for most skates, this shape will have an arcuate cross section with the downwardly curved arc across the plates between the first and second sides  20  and  22  and  28  and  30 , respectively. It will also be appreciated that the first and second plates  12  and  14  may have a lengthwise curvature to correspond to the curvature of the tongue portion of the skate which for many skates will be upwardly curved along the length of the first and second  12  and  14  plates. 
         [0032]    The guard may be formed from such a material that is provided in sheet form. In forming this guard, the material may be cut to the outline of the part that it is to form and thereafter heated and formed around a pattern. Optionally, the first and second plates  12  and  14  may be molded or otherwise formed by any other conventional means such as, thermoforming, casting or machining The first and second plates may then be connected together to form a basic guard for a particular footwear size. Thereafter, the guard may optionally be further customized by heating and pressing around a particular skate or shoe to fit more closely thereto. It will be appreciated that if the first and second plates  12  and  14  are formed of a thermoplastic material, they may be further heated and molded to suit the individual size and shape required by the user. 
         [0033]    With reference to  FIG. 4  in which the apparatus is illustrated as upside down, the elastic  32  is passed over the thin portion  36  and thereafter between the thick portion  34  and the first plate  12 . The elastic may then be stretched or otherwise elastically extended and secured between the thick portion  34  and the second plate  14 . In such an arrangement, the elastic will bias the second plate  14  into contact with the first plate and will elastically resist any movement of the second plates away from the first plate as well as resisting rotation of the second plate away from a substantially planar alignment with the first plate. The elastic  32  may be secured to the first and second plates  12  and  14  by any known means, such as, by way of non-limiting example, riveting or other suitable fasteners, utilizing adhesives or securing the elastic within a slot or other suitable structure on the first and second plates  12  and  14 . 
         [0034]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , the laces  6  of a skate  8  or other footwear article may be passed through the bores  38  proximate to the first end  16  of the first plate as illustrated. Thereafter the laces  6  may be laced into the skate as illustrated in  FIG. 5  in a conventional manner with the first plate disposed between the tongue and the laces of the skate such that the padding is proximate to the tongue and the first plate is proximate to the laces  6 . The laces may thereafter be laced into the skate in a conventional manner above the first plate until the first plate is covered thereby. Thereafter, the laces may be continued to be laced into the skate under the second plate  14  such that the laces are between the second plate and the tongue as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Optionally the first plate  12  may also be applied to the skate  8  such that the first plate  12  is located to outside of the laces with the laces between the padding of the first plate and the tongue. Additionally the second plate  14  may also be applied under the laces so as to be covered by the laces. 
         [0035]    In operation, a user may locate their foot within the skate having the apparatus  10  of the present disclosure applied thereto. It will be appreciated that while the user is placing their foot into the skate, the second plate  14  may be biasedly moved forward to permit the user&#39;s foot to pass therethrough. Thereafter the elastic  32  will bias the second plate  14  in a direction  40  so as to lie against the laces  6  of the skate  8 . 
         [0036]    In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus  10  may be permanently secured to the skate  8  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The first end  16  may be secured to the skate  8  to form a connection line  50  therewith. The first end  16  of the apparatus may be flexibly or rigidly secured to the skate, in particular to the toe cap or tongue of the skate. In such an embodiment, the laces may be passed over the first plate  12  of the apparatus and under the second plate  14 . It will be appreciated that the first plate  12  of the apparatus may optionally be connected to the skate through the use of biasing tension members similar to elastics  32  between the first and second plates  12  and  14 . Optionally, the first plate  12  may be secured to or formed integrally with the tongue of the skate. 
         [0037]    In a further embodiment the apparatus  10  may include a third tongue guard portion or plate  60  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The third plate  60  may be pivotally supported and extend from the second plate  14 . The third plate  60  may be biased against a third portion of the laces above the second portion of the laces by elastics similar to the elastics between the first and second plates  12  and  14 . It will be appreciated that although three plates are illustrated in  FIG. 7 , more than three plates may also be utilized in an end to end biased configuration so as to bias the plates against the skate of the wearer and thereby to retain the plates and the apparatus in close proximity thereto. 
         [0038]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.