ATHLETIC SHOE WITH ANKLE GUARDS
Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to athletic shoes. In particular, it
relates to athletic shoes which include hidden, integral ankle guards.
Athletes who engage in a number of sports suffer ankle injuries
due to the manner in which their feet contact the ground while they are running
or playing sports. The angle at which contact is made can be due to personal
issues, such as the manner in which the particular athlete places his (or her) foot;
it can be due to the athlete's muscle tone; the movement inherent in a particular
sport (e.g., side-to-side motion in tennis, as compared to straight ahead motion
in running); it can be due to the presence of other players whose own feet can
get in the way (e.g., basketball); it can be due to the playing surface on which
the sport is played (e.g., natural fields, such as football, baseball, hockey, or
lacrosse); or it can be due to the construction of the shoe, itself.
If a shoe is unstable, or if the surface on which the athlete plays is
uneven (even when such "unevenness" is a result of another athlete's foot being
in the way, as in basketball), the athlete's ankle is subject to lateral instability,
called "pronation". An athlete's ankle can rotate, either inward ("pronate"), or
outward ("supinate"), during activity. Either can result in a sprain or a more
serious injury if carried to an extreme.
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with the present invention, an athletic shoe has been
developed which includes hidden, internal support intended to limit pronation
and provide ankle guards to the athlete. The ankle guards are built in to the
shoes of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
ankle guards are incorporated into a modified heel counter, whereby the
modified heel counter includes both the ankle guards along with the standard
heel counter, and performs both functions. As it is desirable to have more
flexibility in the ankle guards than would normally be present in a heel counter,
the present invention is preferably made of a resilient, flexible plastic material.
Bried Description of the Drawing
In the Drawing:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an athletic shoe in accordance with
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the athletic shoe of FIG. 1 in which hidden
portions of the shoe are illustrated;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an athletic shoe, illustrating the heel
counter;
FIG. 3 A illustrates a traditional heel counter, of the type generally
found in shoes;
FIG. 3B illustrates a heel counter having a high back, for
additional support;
FIG. 3C illustrates a heel counter having a high back, along with a
first embodiment of the ankle supports of the present invention; and
FIG. 3D illustrates a heel counter having a high back, along with a
second embodiment of the ankle supports of the present invention.
Detailed Description of An Exemplary Embodiment
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in accordance with the present
invention, an improved athletic shoe 10, in accordance with the invention, has
been designed. The particular shoe 10 illustrated is a basketball shoe, although
that is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, but merely to provide an
embodiment capable of illustrating the invention.
The shoe 10 comprises an outer sole 12, which is the very bottom
of the shoe 10, and which is the portion of the shoe 10 which contacts the
ground. Depending on the particular sport for which the shoe 10 is intended, the
bottom surface 14 of the outer sole 12 may be relatively smooth, as in a tennis
shoe, or it may have a pattern consistent with the particular sport for which the
shoe is intended. Thus, the basketball shoe 10 illustrated will typically have a
different bottom surface 14 than would a shoe intended for tennis or running.
Nevertheless, the present invention can be suitably modified for use in a variety
of athletic shoes, as will be illustrated and explained.
With continued reference to FIGS. 1-2 the athletic shoe 10 further
comprises a midsole portion 16 (also called the "insole"). The midsole 16 of an
athletic shoe is the portion of the shoe 10 between the outer sole 12 and the
"foot bed" 18. The midsole 16 includes the cushioning, often foam, but also
typically including air pockets 20 and/or gel containing cavities. The midsole 16
is intended to deal with cushioning and stability.
As shown in FIG. 2, the shoe further comprises ankle guards 22, in
accordance with the present invention. The ankle guards 22 are inside the wall
of the shoe 10, and they extend down, and connect to, the heel counter, as will
be explained below.
With reference to FIGS. 3 and 3A-3D an exploded view of an
athletic shoe 10, illustrates a variety of heel counters 30, 40, 50, 60. The heel
counter 30, illustrated in FIG. 3A, is a traditional heel counter, in that it is made
of a stiff material intended to provide resist too much motion in the ankle.
However, to assist in that regard, an athletic shoe will often have a heel counter
40, having a high back 42, as shown in FIG. 3B. The heel counters 30 and 40 of
the prior art are generally made of a relatively stiff plastic so that they are able to
provide adequate support to the ankle.
In accordance with the present invention, heel counters 50 (FIG.
3C) and 60 (FIG. 3D) were developed. These heel counters 50, 60, each
incorporate high backs 52, 62, respectively. However, they also include the
ankle guard structure of the present invention. Thus, heel counter 50 has been
modified to include ankle guards 54, 56, which extend upward from the lower
portion 58 of the heel counter 50. The ankle supports 54, 56 serve to stiffen the
sides of the shoe 10 in the area around the ankle, thereby limiting pronation and
helping to resist ankle injuries. In accordance with the present invention, it is
preferable to avoid having so much stiffness that the shoe 10 is uncomfortable to
wear or that it will limit the athlete's range of motion unnecessarily.
Accordingly, the entire unit 50 is preferably made of a material which is
somewhat more flexible than the heel counters 30, 40 of the prior art.
With reference to FIG. 3D, the modified heel counter 60 includes
both a high back and ankle guards 64, 66 which angle up from the front portions
68, 70 of the heel counter toward the high back, thereby providing both ankle
guards 64, 66 and additional ankle support in the rear.