US20110185602A1

US20110185602A1 - Toe protection cap and footgear comprising toe protection cap

Info

Publication number: US20110185602A1
Application number: US12/859,960
Authority: US
Inventors: Karl Peter KURTH; Michael GROSBOEL
Original assignee: Mascot International A/S
Current assignee: Mascot International A/S
Priority date: 2009-08-21
Filing date: 2010-08-20
Publication date: 2011-08-04
Also published as: EP2298112A1; CN101991244A; CN101991244B; AU2010212295B2; AU2010212295A1; EP2286686A1; CA2713205A1

Abstract

A toe cap for shoes comprises an arcuate peripheral wall capable of covering a front part and two side parts of the toe cap, a top wall and a bottom wall capable of covering top and bottom parts, respectively, of the toe cap and being connected to the arcuate peripheral wall. The wall defines a rear opening for a user's toes to be accommodated in a space defined by said walls, and the top wall comprises a rearside edge having the shape of a letter “S”. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of European Patent Application No. 09 168 387.0, filed on Aug. 21, 2009, and of European Patent Application No. 09 174 685.9, filed on Oct. 30, 2009, the entire disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toe protection cap. In particular, the invention relates to a toe protection cap for providing improved ventilation to the toes of the wearer without a necessity of taking a significant loss of the toe protection cap in mechanical resistance to impacts or pushes. In another aspect, the invention relates to a toe protection cap for providing improved ventilation to the forefoot including the toes of the wearer without a necessity of taking a significant loss of the toe protection cap in mechanical resistance to impacts or pushes. The invention also relates to footgear, e. g. safety shoes, protective shoes, occupation shoes, sports shoes, to name only a few without wanting to restrict the term, comprising such a toe protection cap as a means for substantially preventing the toes of a wearer, or as a means for preventing the forefoot of a wearer including the toes of said wearer, from being hit by impacts or pushes by tools, constructional materials, debris, pieces of sports equipment etc.
2. Discussion of Background Information
The human foot, due to its adaptation to the erect movement of a human, is an anatomically and functionally highly complex part of the body. Even minor mechanical influences to the muscles or bones of the feet result into major discomfort or even pain, and a physical injury to the feet may even have the consequence that a person has to refrain from walking, and thereby loose the possibility of movement, for the time of completely healing the injury. Having these facts in view, the working environment always emphasized protecting the feet of workers reliably, for example by suitable shoes. Wearing safety shoes or safety boots is, hence, an obligatory requirement in many areas where a risk exists that the feet may be harmed, for example in the steel industry, building industry, in the gardening and landscaping fields, for firefighters and rescue service people as well as for soldiers.
Safety shoes usually are midheight footwear made of leather and/or rubber or other polymers as, for example, polyurethane or thermoplastic polyurethane. Safety boots reach a height sufficient for protecting the foot including a part of the lower leg; they are made, in most of the cases, either of leather or of rubber (where protection against water is needed). The sole of safety shoes/boots usually has an exposed profile for preventing the wearer from slipping and is often made of a high strength material in order to give the person wearing the shoe/boot a safe stand. In many cases, additional strengthening and puncture-preventing materials as, for example, steel plates or hard polymer parts made of, for example, Kevlar^Rof ParaAmide^Rare incorporated into the soles of safety shoes or safety boots.
From the safety point of view, the toes, and also the forefoot including the toes, usually are the best protected part of the foot: Safety shoes or safety boots are usually provided with a protective cap made of steel, aluminum or high-strength plastics at their forepart in order to protect the toes against injuries resulting from heavy objects falling down.
US-2005/0144809 A1 discloses a composite-reinforced toe cap for a shoe, which includes multiple composite fiber reinforcement layers and a larger fiber layer laminated between and extending out from the composite fiber reinforcement layers. The fiber layer is made of continuous strands. The composite fiber reinforcement layers are made of fiber-reinforced plastic composite materials, are laminated on the fiber layer to form a pre-product toe cap. A bonding coating is applied to the fiber layer that extends beyond the composite fiber reinforcement layer to form a binding. The pre-product is cured and has a binding that can be sewn to the sole, upper or tongue of a shoe.
US 2006/0213086 A1 discloses a metal toe cap for safety shoes which includes an arcuate peripheral wall that tapers forward, a top wall, and a bottom wall defining a rear opening for receiving the toes of a user. The peripheral wall and the top wall are connected by an upper arcuate transition section having a thickness that increases toward the top wall such that the top wall has a thickness greater than that of the peripheral wall. The impact-resisting property of the top wall is thus improved.
As many other known toe caps, these toe caps of the prior art have no ventilation in the front part of the toe cap, and hence, sweat or humidity cannot escape. This not only results into discomfort to the wearer of the shoe, but also creates ideal conditions for diseases and micro-organisms to develop.
Hence, it would be advantageous to be able to provide a toe cap for a shoe which allows sweat and humidity to escape from the inner space of the toe cap, without giving up stability and safety features of the toe cap.
It further would be advantageous to be able to provide a toe cap for a shoe allowing a reliable protection for the whole toe area of the foot of a user. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a toe cap for a shoe allowing a greater comfort to the wearer than with conventional toe caps for shoes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a toe cap (1) for shoes. The toe cap comprises an arcuate peripheral wall (3) capable of covering the front part (3 a) and the two side parts (3 b, 3 c) of the toe cap (1), a top wall (5) and a bottom wall (7) capable of covering the top and bottom parts (5 a, 7 a), respectively, of the toe cap (1) and being connected to said arcuate peripheral wall (3), said walls (3, 5 and 7) defining a rear opening (8) for a user's toes to be accommodated in the space defined by said walls (3, 5, 7). The top wall (5) comprises a rearside edge (5 b) having the shape of the letter “S”, thereby allowing a protection of all toes of a user.
In one aspect of the toe cap of the present invention, the top wall (5) may be provided with a number of holes (5 c) regularly or irregularly, preferably regularly, distributed throughout its surface.
In another aspect, some holes (5 c), preferably the majority of the holes (5 c), more preferably each hole (5 c) in the surface of the top wall (5) may be surrounded by a system of fillets (5 d) strengthening the toe cap (1). Further, the fillets (5 d) may form a hexagon around the hole (5 c), preferably around each hole (5 c), said hexagons forming a honeycomb structure at the top wall surface of the toe cap (1).
In yet another aspect of the toe cap, the top wall surface may comprise additional fillets (5 e) extending from one point or hole radially over the whole surface of the top wall (5), thereby additionally strengthening the toe cap structure.
In a still further aspect of the toe cap, the peripheral wall (3) may comprise strengthening fillets (3 d) on its side directed to the inner space.
In another aspect of the toe cap of the present invention, the bottom wall (7) may be formed of a fillet (7 b) extending along the connection of the bottom wall (7) to the peripheral wall (3), continuing at the rearside edge into a fillet (7 c) having the shape of a letter “S” and extending in parallel to the corresponding edge of the top wall (5), said filets (7 b, 7 c) being bridged by at least one further strengthening fillet (7 d). Further, the bottom wall fillets (7 b, 7 c, 7 d) may be provided with strengthening fillets (7 e) over their whole surface. For example, the bottom wall fillets (7 b, 7 c, 7 d) may be provided with honeycomb structure fillets (7 e).
In another aspect, the toe cap may be made of at least one material selected from plastics, reinforced plastics, metals and alloys of metals, for example, from steel and/or fiber-reinforced polyamide.
In yet another aspect, the toe cap of the present invention may be made as one upper half cap (1 a) and one lower half cap (1 b) and connected to the toe cap (1) before further use.
The present invention also provides a toe cap (1) for shoes that comprises an arcuate peripheral wall (3) capable of making up the front part (3 a) and the two side parts (3 b, 3 c) of the toe cap (1), a top wall (5) and a bottom wall (7) capable of making up the top and bottom parts (5 a, 7 a), respectively, of the toe cap (1) and being connected to said arcuate peripheral wall (3). The rear edges of said walls (3, 5 and 7) define a rear opening (8) for a user's toes to be accommodated in the space defined by said walls (3, 5, 7), and at least the top wall (5) comprises holes (5 c) regularly or irregularly distributed throughout its surface, and each hole (5 c) is surrounded by a system of fillets (5 d) strengthening the toe cap (1). The system of fillets (5 d) at least in said top wall (5) is present as a closed network structure having said holes as void spaces (5 c) between said fillets (5 d).
In one aspect of the toe cap, at least the top wall (5) may comprise holes (5 c) regularly distributed throughout its surface, said holes (5 c) being void spaces between said closed network structure of fillets (5 d) formed at least at the top wall (5) of said toe cap (1).
In another aspect, the top wall (5) may comprise holes (5 c) regularly distributed throughout its surface, said holes (5 c) being void spaces between said closed network structure of fillets (5 d) formed at the top wall (5) of said toe cap (1); or the top wall (5) and said arcuate peripheral wall (3) capable of making up the front part (3 a) and the two side parts (3 b, 3 c) of the toe cap (1) may comprise holes (5 c) regularly distributed throughout their surface, said holes (5 c) being void spaces between said closed network structure of fillets (5 d) formed at the top wall (5) and at the arcuate peripheral wall (3) of said toe cap (1).
In yet another aspect, the closed network structure of fillets (5 d) may form hexagons around each of the void spaces (5 c). For example, said hexagons may form a honeycomb-type closed network structure at least at the top wall surface of the toe cap (1), preferably at the top wall and/or arcuate peripheral wall surfaces, more preferably at the top wall surface and at the arcuate peripheral wall surface of the toe cap (1).
In a still further aspect of the toe cap, the top wall (5) may comprise a rearside edge (5 b) having the shape of a letter “S”, thereby allowing a protection of all toes of a user.
In another aspect, at least the top wall surface may comprise additional fillets (5 e) extending from one point at said rearside edge (5 b) radially across the whole surface at least of the top wall (5), thereby additionally strengthening the toe cap structure. For example, it may comprise additional fillets (5 e) extending from one point at said rearside edge (5 b) radially across the whole surface of the top wall (5) and of the arcuate peripheral wall (3), thereby additionally strengthening the toe cap structure. Preferably it may comprise additional fillets (5 e) extending from one point located substantially in the middle, relative to said side parts (3 b, 3 c) of the arcuate peripheral wall (3), at said rearside edge (5 b) radially across the whole surface of the top wall (5) and of the arcuate peripheral wall (3), thereby additionally strengthening the toe cap structure. Further, the number of such additional fillets (5 e) extending across the whole surface of the top wall (5) and of the arcuate peripheral wall (3) may be from about three and about five.
In another aspect of the toe cap, the toe cap may comprise additional fillets (50 along the upper and lower peripheral edges connecting the top and bottom walls (5, 7) to the arcuate peripheral wall (3). For example, the additional fillets (5 e, 5 f) may comprise grooves (5 g) running within, and in parallel to, the additional fillets (5 e, 5 f).
In yet another aspect, the bottom wall (7) of the toe cap may comprise or consist of a rim (7 b) extending from, and being connected to, the arcuate peripheral wall (3) along its front and two side parts (3 a, 3 b, 3 c) in a substantially perpendicular arrangement, said rim preferably being of a width allowing a convenient placement of the forefoot sole and underside of the toes on it, more preferably being of a width within a range of from about 0.5 to about 5 centimeters (cm).
In another aspect, the toe cap may be made of at least one material selected from plastics, reinforced plastics, metals and alloys of metals. For example, it may be made of steel and/or fiber-reinforced polyamide.
In yet another aspect, the toe cap may be made as one upper half cap (1 a) and one lower half cap (1 b) and connected to the toe cap (1) before further use.
The present invention also provides a toe cap (1) for shoes or boots or footgear that comprises an arcuate peripheral wall (3) capable of making up the front part (3 a) and the two side parts (3 b, 3 c) of the toe cap (1), a top wall (5) and a optionally a bottom wall (7) capable of making up the top (5 a) and (optionally) bottom (7 a) parts, respectively, of the toe cap (1) and being connected to said arcuate peripheral wall (3). The rear edges of said walls (3, 5, 7) define a rear opening (8) for a user's toes to be accommodated in the space defined by said walls (3, 5, 7). Further, at least the top wall (5) is made of at least three longitudinal fillets (5 p, 5 q, 5 r) extending from the tip (T) of the toe cap (1) radially to its rear edge, and at least one transverse fillet (5 t) extending substantially in the form of a segment of a circle around the tip (T) of said toe cap (1), and/or the arcuate peripheral wall (3) comprises at its side parts alternating vertical (3 p) and inclined (3 q) fillets connecting the upper and lower edges of the arcuate peripheral wall. The fillets (5 p, 5 q, 5 r, 5 t, 3 p, 3 q) leave between them regular or irregular holes or voids distributed at least throughout the toe cap top wall (5) and arcuate peripheral side wall (3) surfaces. The fillets strengthen the toe cap (1) along its lines of stabilizing force.
In one aspect of the toe cap, the top wall (5) may comprise a rearside edge (5 b) having the shape of a letter “S”, thereby allowing a protection of all toes of a user.
100311 In another aspect, only the top wall (5) may be made of at least three longitudinal fillets (5 p, 5 q, 5 r) extending from the tip (T) of the toe cap (1) radially to its rear edge. For example, the top wall (5) may be made of three longitudinal fillets (5 p, 5 q, 5 r) extending from the tip (T) of the toe cap (1) radially to its rear edge, and of at least one transverse fillet (5 t) extending substantially in the form of a segment of a circle around the tip (T) of said toe cap (1), preferably one transverse fillet (5 t) extending substantially in the form of a segment of a circle around the tip (T) of said toe cap (1).
In yet another aspect, the toe cap may be made of at least one material selected from plastics, reinforced plastics, metals and alloys of metals. For example, it may be made of steel and/or fiber-reinforced polyamide, more preferably from plastics, reinforced plastics, most preferably from fiber-reinforced polyamide.
The present invention also provides a footgear or shoe that comprises a toe cap (1) according to the present invention as set forth above (including the various aspects thereof). For example, the footgear or shoe may be a safety shoe, a protective shoe, an occupation shoe, or a sports shoe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a toe cap of the invention having holes and fillets surrounding the holes;

FIG. 2 shows a toe cap of the invention having no holes but having fillets;

FIG. 3 shows a magnified view to a part of the top wall 5 of the toe cap of the invention, from which the holes 5 c, the fillets 5 d and the additional fillets 5 e may be seen;

FIG. 4 shows a magnified view to the inner space of the toe cap of the invention defined by the peripheral, top and

bottom walls

3, 5 and 7, where the optional strengthening fillets 3 d on the inner side of the peripheral wall 3 directed to the inner space may be seen;

FIG. 5 a shows the bottom wall 7 of the toe cap of the invention formed as claimed in claim 7;

FIG. 5 b shows the toe cap of FIG. 2 (no holes) without the bottom wall, but showing at the inner side of the peripheral wall 3 the optional strengthening fillets 3 d;

FIG. 6 shows the toe cap (no holes on the top wall) of the present invention divided along the peripheral wall 3 into an top cap part and a bottom cap part so that the optional strengthening fillets 3 d may be seen;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view to a toe cap of the second aspect of the invention having, in the embodiment shown in the Figure, fillets at its top surface and at the surface of the arcuate peripheral wall capable of making up the front and side parts of the toe cap, said fillets surrounding the holes, which holes are void spaces between the fillets;

FIG. 8 shows the toe cap of the second aspect of the invention as shown in FIG. 7, but viewed from another perspective;

FIG. 9 shows a magnified view to the rear part opening of the toe cap according to the second aspect of the invention, said rear part being defined by the rear edges of the top wall and the rear edges of the side parts of the arcuate peripheral wall of the toe cap of the second aspect of the invention; in this rear side view, also the rim embodiment of the bottom wall of the toe cap may be seen;

FIG. 10 shows a magnified view, from the rear side, into the inner space of the toe cap of the second aspect of the invention defined by the rear edges of the peripheral and top walls; also in this rear side view, the rim embodiment of the bottom wall of the toe cap may be seen, too;

FIG. 11 shows a view to the toe cap of the second aspect of the present invention from the front side; in the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the fillets surrounding the void spaces as well as the additional fillets having included parallel grooves may be seen;

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view to a right foot toe cap of the third aspect of the invention having, in the embodiment shown in the Figure, longitudinal and transverse fillets at its top surface and having vertical and inclined fillets at the surface of the arcuate peripheral wall capable of making up the front and side parts of the toe cap, with the exception of the front part, said fillets surrounding the holes, which holes are void spaces between the fillets;

FIG. 13 shows a side perspective view of the toe cap of the present invention according to FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 shows a top side view of the toe cap of the present invention according to FIG. 12; and

FIG. 15 shows a view of the toe cap of the invention according to FIG. 12 from the rear side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.
As set forth above, the present invention provides, inter alia, a toe cap for shoes that comprises an arcuate peripheral wall capable of covering the front part and the two side parts of the toe cap, a top wall and a bottom wall capable of covering the top and bottom parts, respectively, of the toe cap and being connected to said arcuate peripheral wall, said walls defining a rear opening for a user's toes to be accommodated in the space defined by said walls, said top wall having a rearside edge having the shape of a letter “S”, thereby allowing a protection of all toes of a user.
Moreover, it was found in the present invention surprisingly that, without giving up stability and safety features of the toe protection cap, the holes may be made larger than in the toe protection caps proposed earlier, if the structure and arrangement of the fillets is maintained. Even the toe protection cap top wall surface areas filing the space between the fillets may be omitted by creating voids, thereby generating a very much improved ventilation, without that the stability and strength of the toe protection cap is diminished and with the effect that a safety of the forefoot and toes against falling tools/matters can be guaranteed. Even more surprisingly, it was found that also the front and side parts of the toe protection cap may be provided with a similar ventilation by a system of fillets and holes, or omitted toe protection cap front and/or side wall surface areas, between said fillets, without that a loss of the stability and strength of the toe protection cap had to be observed.
Hence, the present invention also provides a toe cap for a shoe or boot or footgear which allows sweat and humidity to escape from the inner space of the toe cap, without giving up stability and safety features of the toe cap.
Further, the present invention also provides a toe cap for a shoe allowing a reliable protection for the whole toe and forefoot area of the foot of a wearer or user. Moreover, it provides a toe cap for a shoe allowing a greater comfort to the wearer or user than with conventional toe caps for shoes.
Thus, the invention, in a second aspect, relates to a toe cap for shoes or boots or footgear comprising an arcuate peripheral wall capable of making up the front part and the two side parts of the toe cap, a top wall and a bottom wall capable of making up the top and bottom parts, respectively, of the toe cap and being connected to said arcuate peripheral wall, the rear edges of said walls defining a rear opening for a user's toes to be accommodated in the space defined by said walls, wherein at least said top wall is provided with a number of holes regularly or irregularly distributed throughout its surface, and each hole is surrounded by a system of fillets strengthening the toe cap, wherein said system of fillets at least in said top wall is present as a closed network structure having said holes as void spaces between said fillets.
In addition, it was found in the present invention surprisingly that, without giving up stability and safety features of the toe protection cap, the holes may be made even larger than in the toe protection caps proposed above, if a specific structure and arrangement of the fillets is installed. Even the toe protection cap top wall may comprise relatively large voids, thereby generating a very much improved ventilation, without that the stability and strength of the toe protection cap is diminished, and nevertheless, the safety of the forefoot and toes against falling tools/matters can be guaranteed. Even more surprisingly, it was found that also the front and side parts of the toe protection cap may be provided with a similar ventilation by a system of strong fillets and large holes, without that a loss of the stability and strength of the toe protection cap had to be observed.
Hence, the present invention also provides a toe cap for a shoe or boot or footgear which allows sweat and humidity to escape from the inner space of the toe cap through large ventilation holes, without giving up stability and safety features of the toe cap.
Further, the present invention provides a toe cap for a shoe allowing a reliable protection for the whole toe and forefoot area of the foot of a wearer or user, despite larger holes between the fillets. Moreover, the present invention provides a toe cap for a shoe allowing a greater comfort to the wearer or user than with conventional toe caps for shoes.
Thus, the invention, in a third aspect, relates to a toe cap for shoes or boots or footgear comprising an arcuate peripheral wall capable of making up the front part and the two side parts of the toe cap, a top wall and a optionally a bottom wall capable of making up the top and (optionally) bottom parts, respectively, of the toe cap and being connected to said arcuate peripheral wall, the rear edges of said walls defining a rear opening for a user's toes to be accommodated in the space defined by said walls, wherein at least said top wall is made of at least three longitudinal fillets extending from the tip of the toe cap radially to its rear edge and at least one transverse fillet extending substantially in the form of a segment of a circle around the tip of said toe cap, and the arcuate peripheral wall has at its side parts alternating vertical and inclined fillets connecting the upper and lower edges of said arcuate peripheral wall, said fillets leaving between them a number of regular or irregular holes/voids distributed at least throughout the toe cap top wall and arcuate peripheral side wall surfaces, wherein the fillets strengthen the toe cap along its lines of stabilizing force.
The invention also relates to shoes comprising a toe cap of the invention as described below in detail. Such shoes may be safety shoes, protective shoes, occupation shoes, sports shoes, to name only a few of shoes wherein the toe cap of the invention may be used, without, however, restricting the invention to those shoes.
The term “front”, when used in the present specification and claims, is understood to mean a point or side or edge or arcuate wall of the toe cap of the present invention, in its form as used in a shoe or boot, which is at the side of the toe cap housing the tiptoes and, hence, is adjacent to (and housed by) the front part of a shoe. On the other hand, the term “rear”, when used in the present specification and claims, is understood to mean a point or side or edge of the toe cap of the present invention, in its form as used in a shoe or boot, which is at the side of the toe cap opposite to the tiptoe side and, hence, is close to the proximal parts of the toes or even the ball of the foot.
In the same way, the “lower” or “bottom” wall of the toe cap is the wall on which, when in use, the foot of the user is positioned, while the “upper” or “top” wall of the toe cap is the wall opposite to the bottom wall of the toe cap; the upper side of the wearer's foot is adjacent to the toe cap's top wall. In embodiments of the toe cap of the present invention, the bottom wall of the toe cap may be absent or may be “reduced” to a small thin line of stabilizing toe cap material on the bottom side along, and adjacent to, the lower edges or the peripheral side wall.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a toe cap 1 for shoes. Toe caps are usually made of plastics or of a metal or metal alloy and are mounted in a front end of a shoe, for example of a safety shoe, to withstand external impact and thereby protect particularly the forefeet, i.e., the toes of a foot of a user of the shoe.
As shown in FIG. 1, the toe cap 1 of the invention comprises a peripheral wall 3 which is formed arcuate and which is capable of covering the front part 3 a and the two side parts (left hand and right hand side parts) 3 b, 3 c of the toe cap 1. The toe cap further comprises a top wall 5 and a bottom wall 7 which are capable of covering the top part 5 a and the bottom part 7 a of the toe cap 1. The top and bottom walls 5, 7 are connected to the arcuate peripheral wall 3 integrally so as to form the toe cap 1.
The arcuate peripheral wall 3, the top wall 5 and the bottom wall 7 together define a rear opening 8 of the toe cap 1, which rear opening 8 is for the accommodation of all the toes of one foot of the user, i.e. the toes of one foot of a user are accommodated in the inner space defined by said peripheral wall 3, top wall 5 and bottom wall 7.
In accordance with the invention, the rearside edge 5 b of the top wall 5, and preferably also the rearside edge of the bottom wall, has the shape of a letter “S”, which shape may be easily seen from FIGS. 1 and 2. The major advantage of such a shape similar to the letter “S” is the complete accommodation of all toes of one foot of the user wearing the shoe with the toe cap 1 of the invention within the toe cap in a convenient and non-restricted manner, in contrast to the prior art, where mainly the large toes were sufficiently protected, while the small toes were not.
In accordance with the invention, the toe cap 1 may be constructed not to have any holes at the top wall 5, as can be seen, for example, from FIG. 2. However, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the toe cap 1 is provided with a top wall 5 having at least one hole 5 c, preferably having a number of holes 5 c, even more preferably having a number of holes 5 c distributed throughout the whole surface of the top wall 5 either regularly or irregularly. The term “regularly”, as used in the description and claims is intended to mean that the holes have a substantially identical distance to the next-neighboring hole(s) throughout the top wall 5 of the toe cap 1. In contrast, a (partly or completely) irregular distribution of the holes means that the distances of one hole to the next-neighboring hole(s) may be more or less (or at least partly) different. A regular distribution of the holes 5 c is preferred. Such hole or holes 5 c may serve a ventilation of the toe area of the foot of the user wearing the shoe including the toe cap 1. Such a ventilation not only improves the convenience of wearing such a shoe with a toe protection cap 1, but also prevents an accumulation of sweat and/or humidity in the inner space of the toe cap 1. The latter may prevent the generation of bad smells due to a growth of smell-generating bacteria and the occurrence of diseases at the foot or, specifically, at the toes.
In order not to loose strength of the toe cap 1 against impact, some of the holes 5 c at the toe cap top wall 5, preferably the majority of the holes 5 c at the toe cap top wall 5, even more preferably each hole 5 c in the surface of the top wall 5 of the toe cap 1 are/is surrounded by a system of fillets 5 d. By providing the fillets 5 d around the hole(s) 5 c, the toe cap material loss, by the holes 5 c, is compensated, and a strengthening effect is obtained. Hence, the impact strength of the toe cap 1 is not deteriorated by providing the ventilation holes 5 c.
In an even more preferred embodiment of the invention, said fillets 5 d around the holes 5 c in the toe cap top wall surface form a hexagon around the hole 5 c or around each hole 5 c. More preferably, the hole is located in the middle of the fillet hexagon, which position provides a particular strength to the top wall 5. In such a preferred embodiment of the invention, said hexagons form a honeycomb structure at the top wall surface of the toe cap 1. Such a honeycomb structure is capable of strengthening the toe cap against impacts despite the provision of ventilation holes in the top wall surface of the toe cap 1. Thus, the same strength as in conventional toe caps can be obtained by providing the honeycomb structure of fillets 5 d around each ventilation hole(s) 5 c.
Furthermore, it is preferred in accordance with the present invention that said top wall surface has additional fillets 5 e extending from one point, especially from one hole, radially over the surface of the top wall 5. Such additional fillets 5 e may extend over the whole surface of the top wall 5 of the toe cap 1, and they extend preferably in a straight manner from one hole over the top wall surface, as can best be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. By such straight fillets 5 e, the toe cap structure may be strengthened additionally.
In an attempt to provide a toe cap 1 having less weight, material may be omitted at certain parts of the toe cap walls 3, 5, and 7. In order not to loose impact strength by omitting material, additional strengthening measures may be taken: In one optional (i.e. not necessary) embodiment of the invention, the arcuate peripheral wall 3 may be provided with strengthening fillets 3 d on its inside, i.e., on the side directed to the inner space of the toe cap 1 directed to the toes of the wearer. When providing such additional fillets (which may extend in the direction between the top and bottom walls 5, 7, of the toe cap 1), the strength of the toe cap 1 may be improved. A toe cap 1 without such fillets 3 d is preferred.
Omitting material, and thereby making the toe cap of the invention loose weight (which weight loss may be preferred for reasons of convenience of wearing the low weight toe cap 1), can be achieved, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the invention, by an embodiment wherein said bottom wall 7 is formed of a fillet 7 b extending along the connection of the bottom wall 7 to the peripheral wall 3, and continuing at the rear side edge into a fillet 7 c having the shape of a letter “S” and extending in parallel to the corresponding edge of the top wall 5, said filets 7 b, 7 c being bridged by at least one further strengthening fillet 7 d. There may be provided two or even more further strengthening fillets 7 d, but one additional strengthening fillet is particularly preferred. By such a structure which is shown in FIG. 5 a specifically, the overall weight of the toe cap 1 may be reduced, without taking a loss of impact strength.
Even more preferred, in accordance with the invention, due to a further improvement of the impact strength, is another embodiment wherein said bottom wall fillets 7 b, 7 c, 7 d are provided with strengthening fillets 7 e over their whole surface. Such strengthening fillets 7 e may be of any conceivable type, but preferably said bottom wall fillets 7 b, 7 c, 7 d are provided with honeycomb structure fillets 7 e, even more preferred over their whole surface. Advantageously, the impact strength of the toe cap 1 is improved further.
The material for toe caps 1 of the present invention may be selected by a skilled person in accordance with material selections made in the prior art, and the material may be adapted to the specific requirements in each single case. In accordance with the skill, a material may be used for manufacturing the toe caps 1 of the present invention which is selected from the group consisting of plastics, for example hard polymer materials like those used in the prior art, e. g. Kevlar^Ror ParaAmide^R(if a particular elasticity is required or desired, without giving up impact resistance/impact strength), reinforced plastics (e.g. fiber-reinforced plastics (glass fiber-reinforced or carbon fiber-reinforced or metal or metal oxide or metal boride or metal carbide or metal nitride whiskers-reinforced), metal powder-reinforced plastics), metal(s) or metal alloys. Particularly preferred are metals or metal alloys, e. g. aluminum or steel, or fiber-reinforced plastics. As reinforcing fibers for polymers of the plastics material, such fibers known from the prior art to achieve a plastics reinforcement may be used without restriction. Glass fibers, carbon fibers or whiskers made of metals, metal oxides, metal borides, metal carbides or metal nitrides or their mixtures are preferably used, and glass fibers and carbon fibers are particularly preferred. Even more preferably, in one exemplary and preferred embodiment of the invention, PA-6 (polyamide-6) may be used as the plastics material. Alternatively, steel (e. g. (without restriction) steel 8620 (e. g. of BASF AG) or steel 1050 SAE) may be used.
The process for manufacturing such embodiments of toe caps 1 as described above is not restricted, and a skilled person may select manufacturing processes in accordance with the requirements of each single case.
In an exemplary embodiment, a sheet of a metal or of a metal alloy, for example a steel sheet, may be punched from a larger piece of steel, and such a punched steel sheet is then deep-drawn or deep-pressed to obtain an integral body of the toe cap 1 of the invention. Such an integral body may then be subjected to further process steps, as for example polishing steps and steps of applying a surface coating, so as to obtain the final toe cap body.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the so-called MIM (metal injection molding) process is used for manufacturing the toe caps 1 of the invention. In the MIM process, a powder of the metal used as the material for the toe cap 1 is comminuted to a stage as fine as necessary (e. g. to metal particles having a size in the range of between 0.1 and 10 μm) and is admixed with suitable binders (e.g. waxes and/or polymers and/or cracking catalysts and/or solvents). In a preferred embodiment, a mixture containing 60 to 80% by weight of metal (e. g. the above-mentioned steels, but this does not restrict the invention; also other metal or metal alloy powders may be used) and 20 to 40% by weight of binder(s) is used. Such a mixture may be processed on conventional injection molding machines. A green body of the mixture used for injection molding is prepared. In a subsequent step, the green body is heated stepwise to temperatures in the range of, for example, 100 to 600° C., so as to thermally crack the binders (wax(es), polymer(s), catalyst(s), solvent(s)). As a result, a body of metal powder is obtained (so-called “brown body”). The brown body thus obtained is now sintered under controlled temperature/gas conditions (e. g. 600 to 1,400° C.; exemplary suitable gases: H₂, N₂, and/or Ar). A body now having, for example, >96% of the final density is obtained by such a sintering step. The surface of such a sintered body may be subjected to further processing steps as, for example, polishing steps and steps of applying a surface coating, so as to obtain the final toe cap body.
Toe caps of plastics materials, plastics materials comprising one type or several types of fibers (as defined above) may, for example, be manufactures by a usual injection molding process, as is well known to a person skilled in this technical field. Hence, the detailed description of the steps of such an injection molding process, its components and its conditions may be omitted here since they are known to a person in this technical field.
Of course, any other step conceivable to a skilled person for manufacturing such a toe cap body of the invention may be used.
In accordance with the invention, a toe cap 1 is inserted into a shoe in order to protect the shoe wearer's toes against impacts. Such impacts may be impacts due to the work of a tool used by the wearer or by anybody else in his/her environment, may be impacts by heavy things falling down, may be constructional materials, debris, pieces of sports equipment etc.
Hence, the invention also relates to shoes comprising a toe cap 1 as described above in detail. Such shoes may be safety shoes, protective shoes, occupation shoes, sports shoes, to name only a few of shoes wherein the toe cap of the invention may be used, without, however, restricting the invention to those shoes. In the European Union, such shoes are standardized, with respect to requirements they have to fulfill, in the industrial standards ISO EN 20345 (safety shoes), ISO EN 20346 (protective shoes) and ISO EN 20347 (occupation shoes).
Shoes provided with the toe caps 1 of the invention were tested first with respect to their strength to withstand to impacts by a heavy test object falling down on the shoe provided with the toe cap or to impacts by a tool swinging to the side of the toe cap, and were tested secondly with respect to the “foot climate” in the toe region due to a better ventilation of said region. The tests were conducted in accordance with standardized test methods.
It was found that the toe region, due to the presence of the toe cap 1 of the present invention, could be protected in an identically reliable manner as in cases of using conventional toe caps, so that the shoes passed the standardized tests.
On the other hand, the “foot climate” was found to be much better than in shoes having conventional toe caps, due to the fact that sweat and humidity could escape from the toe region and could not accumulate in that area. Hence, bad smells and diseases due to the action of microorganisms in the toe area could be prevented from occurring.
The above description of the invention by its exemplary and preferred embodiments does not restrict the invention to these embodiments described. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims found below.
Another second aspect of the toe cap of the present invention is now described in detail by referring to FIGS. 7 to 11, without, however, restricting the toe cap of the present invention, in its second aspect, to the embodiments shown in the FIGS. 7 to 11 and exemplarily explained while referring to the FIGS. 7 to 11.
Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a toe cap 1 for shoes. Toe caps are usually made of plastics or of a metal or metal alloy and are mounted in a front end of a shoe, for example of a safety shoe, to withstand external impact and thereby protect particularly the forefoot, i.e., the toes of a foot of a user of the shoe and the consecutive part of the foot adjacent to the toes.
When addressing the position of, and the views to, the toe cap of the present invention according to the second aspect, all indications of the position are defined, in the present specification and in the claims, in the position of use of the toe cap in the shoe. In accordance with such a definition, the “front” side of the toe cap is that part of the cap which is positioned at the front side of the shoe, or close to the toe tips of the user wearing the shoe with the toe cap. The rear side of the toe cap is the side positioned, during use of the toe cap, opposite to the front side and “showing” to the middle part of the foot; the user enters into the toe cap (when the toe cap is entered into, or fixed within, the shoe) from the toe cap's rear side. In the same way, the “lower” or “bottom” wall of the toe cap is the wall on which, when in use, the foot of the user is positioned, while the “upper” or “top” wall of the toe cap is the wall opposite to the bottom wall of the toe cap; the upper side of the wearer's foot is adjacent to the toe cap's top wall. In embodiments of the toe cap of the present invention, the bottom wall of the toe cap may be absent or may be “reduced” to a small thin line of stabilizing toe cap material on the bottom side along, and adjacent to, the lower edges or the peripheral side wall, which is positioned immediately above the sole of the shoe or boot when the toe cap is placed in the shoe/boot.
As shown in FIG. 7, the toe cap 1 of the invention comprises a peripheral wall 3 which is formed arcuate and which is capable of making up the front part 3 a and the two side parts (left hand and right hand side parts) 3 b, 3 c of the toe cap 1. The toe cap further comprises a top wall 5 and a bottom wall 7 which are capable of making up the top part 5 a and the bottom part 7 a of the toe cap 1. The top and bottom walls 5, 7 are extending to, and are connected to, the arcuate peripheral wall 3 integrally along the front side and the left and right side of the toe cap 1 so as to form the toe cap 1.
The rear edges of the arcuate peripheral wall 3, of the top wall 5 and of the bottom wall 7 together define a rear opening 8 of the toe cap 1. This rear opening 8 opens a space for the accommodation of all the toes of one foot of the user, i.e. the toes of one foot of a user are accommodated in the inner space defined by said peripheral wall 3, top wall 5 and bottom wall 7 (if any). The user's or wearer's foot enters the inner space defined by said peripheral wall 3 and the top and bottom walls (5, 7) by passing the rear opening 8.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rearside edge 5 b of the top wall 5, and preferably also the rearside edge of the bottom wall, if a bottom wall is present, has the shape of a letter “S”, which shape may be easily seen from FIGS. 7 and 8. The major advantage of such a shape similar to the letter “S” is the complete accommodation of all toes of one foot, and at least a part of the forefoot of the foot, of the user wearing the shoe with the toe cap 1 of the invention within the toe cap in a convenient and non-restricted manner. This is in contrast to the prior art, where mainly the large toes were sufficiently protected, while the small toes were not.
In accordance with the invention, the toe cap 1 is constructed as having a number of holes 5 c distributed at least throughout the whole surface of the top wall 5 either regularly or irregularly. The term “regularly”, as used in the description and claims is intended to mean that the holes have a substantially identical distance to the next-neighboring hole(s) throughout the top wall 5 of the toe cap 1. In contrast, a (partly or completely) irregular distribution of the holes means that the distances of one hole to the next-neighboring hole(s) may be more or less (or at least partly) different. A regular distribution of the holes 5 c is preferred. Such hole or holes 5 c may serve a ventilation of the toe and forefoot area of the foot of the user wearing the shoe including the toe cap 1. Such a ventilation not only improves the convenience of wearing such a shoe with a toe protection cap 1, but also prevents an accumulation of sweat and/or humidity in the inner space of the toe cap 1.The latter may prevent the generation of bad smells due to a growth of smell-generating bacteria and the occurrence of diseases at the foot or, specifically, at the toes.
In order not to loose strength of the toe cap 1 against impact, each hole 5 c at least in the surface of the top wall 5 of the toe cap 1 is surrounded by a system of fillets 5 d. By providing the fillets 5 d around the hole(s) 5 c, the toe cap material loss, by the holes 5 c, is compensated, and a strengthening effect is obtained. Hence, the impact strength of the toe cap 1 is not deteriorated by providing the ventilation holes 5 c.
In accordance with the invention, said system of fillets 5 d at least in said top wall 5 is existing as a closed network structure having said holes as void spaces between said fillets 5 d. The term “closed network structure”, as used in the present specification and claims, is defined to mean that the filets 5 d, at least in the top wall 5 of the toe cap of the invention, and preferably in the top wall 5 and in the arcuate peripheral wall 3 as well, are connected to each other in a structure-stabilizing manner and combined with each other so that, by establishing said “closed network structure”, a continuous system of fillets around said holes, or even around void spaces, is established the stability and strength of which is at least not substantially deteriorated, preferably is not deteriorated, compared to a structure having no holes surrounded by fillets formed at the top wall and/or the peripheral front and/or side walls.
In accordance with the invention, such a closed network structure has said holes 5 c as void spaces 5 c between said fillets 5 d. The term “void spaces”, as used throughout the present specification and claims, is defined to mean that the surface area or surface areas between the fillets 5 d, for example the surface area of the top wall 5 and/or the surface area of the arcuate peripheral wall 3 making up the front part 3 a and/or the right and left side parts 3 b, 3 c of the toe cap 1, is/are a void space or void spaces, i.e. have the material of the top wall 5 and/or of the arcuate peripheral wall 3 omitted between the fillets 5 d. This can best be seen from the present FIGS. 7, 8, 10 and 11. It is one particularly surprising result of the present invention that, despite the fact that the top wall material and/or arcuate peripheral wall material was omitted between the system of fillets making up the closed network structure of fillets 5 d of the toe cap 1 of the present invention according to the second aspect, no loss of strength of the overall toe cap 1 was observed, with the result that the toes and fore foot of a user wearing shoes with the included toe cap of the invention are not only ventilated in an excellent manner, but also are protected perfectly against impact by tools or falling debris.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, at least said top wall 5 of the toe cap 1 of the invention is provided with a number of holes 5 c regularly distributed throughout its surface. In such preferred embodiments, said holes 5 c are void spaces between said closed network structure of fillets 5 d formed at least at the top wall 5 of said toe cap 1.
In accordance with the present invention, it is even more preferred that said top wall 5, i.e. the top wall 5 only, is provided with a number of holes 5 c regularly distributed throughout its surface, said holes 5 c being void spaces between said closed network structure of fillets 5 d formed at the top wall 5 of said toe cap 1. Already with such an embodiment, a substantially improved ventilation of the user's toes and fore foot may be achieved, without decreasing the overall strength of the toe cap 1 against mechanical impact.
It is another preferred embodiment of the invention that said arcuate peripheral wall 3, i.e. the arcuate peripheral wall 3 only, is provided with a number of holes 5 c regularly distributed throughout its surface, said holes 5 c being void spaces between said closed network structure of fillets 5 d formed at the arcuate peripheral wall 5 of said toe cap 1. Already with such an embodiment, a substantially improved ventilation of the user's toes and fore foot may be achieved, without decreasing the overall strength of the toe cap 1 against mechanical impact.
In an alternative, albeit also preferred embodiment of the invention according to the second aspect, said top wall 5, and said arcuate peripheral wall 3 capable of making up the front part 3 a and the two side parts 3 b, 3 c of the toe cap 1 as well, are provided with a number of holes 5 c regularly distributed throughout their surface, said holes 5 c being void spaces between said closed network structure of fillets 5 d formed at the top wall 5 and at the arcuate peripheral wall 3 of said toe cap 1. In such an embodiment, the ventilation is even more improved. Surprisingly, the additional holes/void spaces 5 c in the arcuate peripheral wall 3 do not deteriorate the stability and strength features of the overall toe cap 1 at all.
In an even more preferred embodiment of the invention, said fillets 5 d around the holes or void spaces 5 c in the toe cap's top wall surface and/or in the toe cap's arcuate peripheral wall surface form a hexagon around each of the holes/void spaces 5 c. By arranging a larger number of hexagon arrangements of fillets 5 d adjacent to each other, the abovementioned closed network structure of fillets 5 d formed at the top wall 5 and/or at the arcuate peripheral wall 3 of said toe cap 1 is achieved, whereby each of such hexagons surrounds a void space formed at the respective surface of the toe cap 1. In other words: The hexagon type system of fillets 5 d surrounds areas of the top wall surface and/or arcuate peripheral wall surface, which areas are void spaces. In even more preferred embodiment of the invention, a larger number of adjacent hexagons of fillets 5 d form a honeycomb structure at the top wall surface and/or at the arcuate peripheral wall surface of the toe cap 1. Such a honeycomb structure is capable of strengthening the toe cap against impacts despite the provision of ventilation holes 5 c or void spaces 5 d in the top wall surface and/or in the arcuate peripheral wall surface of the toe cap 1. Thus, the same strength as in conventional toe caps can be obtained by providing the honeycomb structure of fillets 5 d around each ventilation hole(s) 5 c/void spaces 5 c for ventilation.
Furthermore, it is preferred in accordance with the present invention according to its second embodiment that said top wall surface and/or said arcuate peripheral wall surface has additional fillets 5 e extending from one point at said rear side edge 5 b of the top wall 5 and radially across the whole surface at least of the top wall 5.The term “radially extending”, as used in the present specification and claims, is defined to mean that said point, at the rear side edge 5 b of the top wall 5 of the toe cap 1, may be considered as being the center of a (theoretical) circle, and said additional fillets 5 e have the origin in said circle center and extend from said center throughout the top wall surface radially towards the rim of said (theoretical) circle. This can easily be seen from FIGS. 7, 8 and 11. By such additional fillets 5 e, the toe cap structure may be additionally strengthened.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention having additional benefits, there are additional fillets 5 e extending from one point at said rearside edge 5 b of the top wall surface radially across the whole surface of the top wall 5 and of the arcuate peripheral wall 3, thereby forming continuous additional fillets 5 e extending from their “origin” at the rearside edge of the top wall 5 of the toe cap 1. By such a structure, a further strengthening the toe cap structure can be achieved.
In accordance with the invention according to its second aspect, it is particularly preferred that the toe cap 1 has additional fillets 5 e extending from one point located substantially in the middle, relative to said side parts 3 b, 3 c of the arcuate peripheral wall 3, at said rearside edge 5 b radially across the whole surface of the top wall 5 and of the arcuate peripheral wall 3. By positioning the “origin” of the additional fillets 5 e in the middle of the rearside edge 5 b, relative to the side parts 3 b, 3 c of the arcuate peripheral wall 3, and allowing the additional fillets 5 e to extend from said origin point, the toe cap structure can be additionally strengthened.
The number of such additionally strengthening fillets 5 e is not particularly restricted, and a skilled person may select such number in accordance with the needs. It may be noted that an increasing number of such additional fillets 5 e may contribute to an improvement of the strength, but may also adversely influence the ventilation properties, since the space available for voids for ventilation decreases. However, in further preferred embodiments of the invention, the number of such additional fillets 5 e extending across the whole surface of the top wall 5 and of the arcuate peripheral wall 3, and particularly preferably extending in equal angular distances to each other, is between three and five, as can best be seen in FIGS. 7, 8 and 11. By such additional fillets 5 e arranged in equal angular distances to each other, the toe cap structure may be strengthened even further, and a good ventilation of the inner space of the toe cap according to the invention is nevertheless possible.
In an attempt to provide a toe cap 1 having less weight, material may be omitted at certain parts of the toe cap walls 3, 5, and 7. In order not to loose impact strength by omitting material, additional strengthening measures may be taken: In one optional (i.e. not necessary) embodiment of the invention, the arcuate peripheral wall 3 may be provided with strengthening fillets 3 d on its inside, i.e., on the side directed to the inner space of the toe cap 1 directed to the toes of the wearer, in case that no hexagon fillet—void structure is provided at the arcuate peripheral wall 3 of the toe cap 1 of the invention, although this is not a preferred embodiment. When providing such additional fillets (which may extend in the direction between the top and bottom walls 5, 7, of the toe cap 1), the strength of the toe cap 1 may be improved. A toe cap 1 without such fillets 3 d is preferred.
Omitting material, and thereby making the toe cap of the invention loose weight (which weight loss may be preferred for reasons of convenience of wearing the low weight toe cap 1), can be achieved, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the invention, by an embodiment wherein said bottom wall 7 consists of a rim 7 b extending from, and being connected to, the arcuate peripheral wall 3 along its front and two side parts 3 a, 3 b, 3 c in a substantially perpendicular arrangement. Such an embodiment may best be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, which clearly show that the “bottom wall” 7 is no longer a full area bottom wall 7 but is only a rim along the lower end of the arcuate peripheral wall 3 extending from said arcuate peripheral wall 3, along its front and side parts 3 a,3 b, 3 c, in an angle of more or less 90°, allowing a convenient placement of the front parts of the toes of the user and of the respective side parts of the outer (left and right) toes and of the fore foot on said rim 7 b.
In a further preferred embodiment, said rim 7 b is of a width allowing a convenient placement of the forefoot sole and underside of the toes on it, and in an even more preferred embodiment, the rim 7 b is of a width within a range of from 0.5 to 5 centimeters (cm), without restricting the invention to such a value or to any value in the above range. No loss of impact strength of the overall toe protection cap has to be taken by such an embodiment of the invention.
Advantageously, the impact strength of the toe cap 1 is improved further by a toe cap of the invention wherein additional fillets 5 f are provided along the upper and lower peripheral edges connecting the top and bottom walls 5, 7 to the arcuate peripheral wall 3. Such a preferred embodiment may best be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5. Such additional fillets 5 f may include fillets 5 f along the rear side edge of the top and bottom walls 5, 7 and/or along the rear side edge of the two side parts 3 b, 3 c of the arcuate peripheral wall 3, i.e. at the rear side edges forming the rear opening 8 of the toe cap 1. Such additional fillets 5 f advantageously contribute to an improvement of the strength of the toe cap 1 as a whole.
It is further preferred in accordance with the present invention that the additional fillets 5 e, 5 f may comprise grooves 5 g running within, and in parallel to, the additional fillets 5 e, 5 f. Such embodiments are shown in the FIGS. 7, 8 and 11. The grooves take away material from the additional fillets 5 e, 5 f, i.e. contribute to a reduction of the overall weight of the toe cap 1 of the invention, and they do not harm stability and strength properties of the toe cap 1.
The material for toe caps 1 of the present invention may be selected by a skilled person in accordance with material selections made in the prior art, and the material may be adapted to the specific requirements in each single case. In accordance with the skill, a material may be used for manufacturing the toe caps 1 of the present invention which is selected from the group consisting of plastics, for example hard polymer materials like those used in the prior art, e. g. Kevlar^Ror ParaAmide^R(if a particular elasticity is required or desired, without giving up impact resistance/impact strength), reinforced plastics (e.g. fiber-reinforced plastics (glass fiber-reinforced or carbon fiber-reinforced or metal or metal oxide or metal boride or metal carbide or metal nitride whiskers-reinforced), metal powder-reinforced plastics), metal(s) or metal alloys. Particularly preferred are metals or metal alloys, e. g. aluminum or steel, or fiber-reinforced plastics. As reinforcing fibers for polymers of the plastics material, such fibers known from the prior art to achieve a plastics reinforcement may be used without restriction. Glass fibers, carbon fibers or whiskers made of metals, metal oxides, metal borides, metal carbides or metal nitrides or their mixtures are preferably used, and glass fibers and carbon fibers are particularly preferred. Even more preferably, in one exemplary and preferred embodiment of the invention, PA-6 (polyamide-6) may be used as the plastics material. Alternatively, steel (e. g. (without restriction) steel 8620 (e. g. of BASF AG) or steel 1050 SAE) may be used.
The process for manufacturing such embodiments of toe caps 1 as described above is not restricted, and a skilled person may select manufacturing processes in accordance with the requirements of each single case.
In an exemplary embodiment, a sheet of a metal or of a metal alloy, for example a steel sheet, may be punched from a larger piece of steel, and such a punched steel sheet is then deep-drawn or deep-pressed to obtain an integral body of the toe cap 1 of the invention. Such an integral body may then be subjected to further process steps, as for example polishing steps and steps of applying a surface coating, so as to obtain the final toe cap body.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the so-called MIM (metal injection molding) process is used for manufacturing the toe caps 1 of the invention. In the MIM process, a powder of the metal used as the material for the toe cap 1 is comminuted to a stage as fine as necessary (e. g. to metal particles having a size in the range of between 0.1 and 10 μm) and is admixed with suitable binders (e.g. waxes and/or polymers and/or cracking catalysts and/or solvents). In a preferred embodiment, a mixture containing 60 to 80% by weight of metal (e. g. the above-mentioned steels, but this does not restrict the invention; also other metal or metal alloy powders may be used) and 20 to 40% by weight of binder(s) is used. Such a mixture may be processed on conventional injection molding machines. A green body of the mixture used for injection molding is prepared. In a subsequent step, the green body is heated stepwise to temperatures in the range of, for example, 100 to 600° C., so as to thermally crack the binders (wax(es), polymer(s), catalyst(s), solvent(s)). As a result, a body of metal powder is obtained (so-called “brown body”). The brown body thus obtained is now sintered under controlled temperature/gas conditions (e. g. 600 to 1,400° C.; exemplary suitable gases: H₂, N₂, and/or Ar). A body now having, for example, >96% of the final density is obtained by such a sintering step. The surface of such a sintered body may be subjected to further processing steps as, for example, polishing steps and steps of applying a surface coating, so as to obtain the final toe cap body.
Toe caps of plastics materials, plastics materials comprising one type or several types of fibers (as defined above) may, for example, be manufactured by a usual injection molding process, as is well known to a person skilled in this technical field. Hence, the detailed description of the steps of such an injection molding process, its components and its conditions may be omitted here since they are known to a person in this technical field.
Of course, any other step conceivable to a skilled person for manufacturing such a toe cap body of the invention may be used.
In accordance with the invention, a toe cap 1 is inserted into a shoe in order to protect the shoe wearer's toes against impacts. Such impacts may be impacts due to the work of a tool used by the wearer or by anybody else in his/her environment, may be impacts by heavy things falling down, may be constructional materials, debris, pieces of sports equipment etc.
Hence, the invention also relates to shoes comprising a toe cap 1 as described above in detail. Such shoes may be safety shoes, protective shoes, occupation shoes, sports shoes, to name only a few of shoes wherein the toe cap of the invention may be used, without, however, restricting the invention to those shoes. In the European Union, such shoes are standardized, with respect to requirements they have to fulfill, in the industrial standards ISO EN 20345 (safety shoes), ISO EN 20346 (protective shoes) and ISO EN 20347 (occupation shoes), for example.
Shoes provided with the toe caps 1 of the invention were tested first with respect to their strength to withstand to impacts by a heavy test object falling down on the shoe provided with the toe cap or to impacts by a tool swinging to the side of the toe cap, and were tested secondly with respect to the “foot climate” in the toe region due to a better ventilation of said region. The tests were conducted in accordance with standardized test methods.
It was found that the toe region, due to the presence of the toe cap 1 of the present invention, could be protected in an identically reliable manner as in cases of using conventional toe caps, so that the shoes passed the standardized tests.
On the other hand, the “foot climate” was found to be much better than in shoes having conventional toe caps, due to the fact that sweat and humidity could escape from the toe region and could not accumulate in that area. The results were even better than the results achieved with toe caps having holes mainly at the surface of the top wall. Hence, bad smells and diseases due to the action of microorganisms in the toe area could be prevented from occurring.
The above description of the invention by its exemplary and preferred embodiments does not restrict the invention to these embodiments described. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims found below.
Another (third) aspect of the toe cap of the present invention is now described in detail by referring to FIGS. 12 to 15, without, however, restricting the toe cap of the present invention, in its third aspect, to the embodiments shown in the FIGS. 12 to 15 and exemplarily explained while referring to the FIGS. 12 to 15.
Referring now to FIG. 12, there is shown a toe cap 1 for shoes, boots or other footgear. Toe caps are usually made of plastics or of a metal or metal alloy and are mounted in a front end of a shoe or boot, for example of a safety shoe, to withstand external impact and thereby protect particularly the forefoot, i.e., the toes of a foot of a user of the shoe and the consecutive part of the foot adjacent to the toes.
When addressing the position of, and the views to, the toe cap 1 of the present invention according to the third aspect, all indications of the position are defined, in the present specification and in the claims, when addressing also the third aspect of the invention, in the position of use of the toe cap 1 in the shoe. In accordance with such a definition, the “front” side or “front part” of the toe cap 1 is that part of the cap which is positioned at the front side of the shoe, or close to the toe tips of the user wearing the shoe with the toe cap. The rear side of the toe cap is the side positioned, during use of the toe cap, opposite to the front side and “showing” to the middle part of the foot. The user enters into the toe cap (when the toe cap is entered into, or fixed within, the shoe) from the toe cap's rear side.
In the same way, the “lower” or “bottom” wall of the toe cap is the wall on which, when in use, the foot of the user is positioned, while the “upper” or “top” wall of the toe cap is the wall opposite to the bottom wall of the toe cap; the upper side of the wearer's foot is adjacent to the toe cap's top wall. In embodiments of the toe cap of the present invention, the bottom wall of the toe cap may be absent or may be “reduced” to a small thin line of stabilizing toe cap material on the bottom side along, and adjacent to, the lower edges or the peripheral side wall, which is positioned immediately above the sole of the shoe or boot when the toe cap is placed in the shoe/boot.
As shown in FIG. 12, the toe cap 1 of the invention comprises a peripheral wall 3 which is formed arcuate and which is capable of making up the front part 3 a and the two side parts (left hand and right hand side parts) 3 b, 3 c of the toe cap 1. The toe cap further comprises a top wall 5 and a bottom wall 7 which are capable of making up the top part 5 a and the bottom part 7 a of the toe cap 1. The top and bottom walls 5, 7 are extending to, and are connected to, the arcuate peripheral wall 3 integrally along the front side and the left and right side of the toe cap 1 so as to form the toe cap 1.
The rear edges of the arcuate peripheral wall 3, of the top wall 5 and of the bottom wall 7 together define a rear opening 8 of the toe cap 1 which may best be seen in FIGS. 13 and 15. This rear opening 8 opens a space for the accommodation of all the toes of one foot of the user, i.e. the toes of one foot of a user are accommodated in the inner space defined by said peripheral wall 3, top wall 5 and bottom wall 7 (if any). The user's or wearer's foot enters the inner space defined by said peripheral wall 3 and the top and bottom walls (5, 7) by passing the rear opening 8.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rearside edge 5 b of the top wall 5, and preferably also the rearside edge of the bottom wall, if a bottom wall is present, has the shape of a letter “S”, which shape may be easily seen from FIGS. 13 and 14. The major advantage of such a shape similar to the letter “S” is the complete accommodation of all toes (including the small toes) of one foot, and at least a part of the forefoot of the foot, of the user wearing the shoe with the toe cap 1 of the invention within the toe cap in a convenient and non-restricted manner. This is in contrast to the prior art, where mainly the large toes were sufficiently protected, while the small toes were not, due to the rearside edge 5 b of the top wall 5 being a straight line leaving the major part of the small toes unprotected.
In accordance with the invention in its third aspect, the arcuate peripheral wall 3 makes up (or forms) the front part 3 a and the two (left and right) side parts 3 b and 3 c and has upper edges which are connected to, and merge into, the front, left and right edges of the top wall 5. These connecting and merging parts of the arcuate peripheral wall 3 and top wall 5 form stabilizing parts of the toe cap of the invention and proceed along lines of stabilizing force.
In the same way, if a bottom wall 7 is existing or if only narrow parts of toe cap material of a bottom wall 7 along the lower edges of the arcuate peripheral wall 3 are existing, the arcuate peripheral wall 3 has lower edges which are connected to, and merge into, the front, left and right edges of the bottom wall 7 or, alternatively, to/into said narrow parts of material substituting the bottom wall 7. These connecting and merging parts of the arcuate peripheral wall 3 and bottom wall 7 form stabilizing parts of the toe cap of the invention and proceed along lines of stabilizing force.
In addition, the arcuate peripheral wall 3, at its left and right edges merging to the rear edge 5 b of the top wall 5, has rear edges in the form of fillets connecting the top wall 5 and the bottom wall 3, if any.
In accordance with the present invention, in its third aspect, which can be seen from FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, at least the top wall 5, and preferably only the top wall 5, is made of at least three longitudinal fillets 5 p, 5 q, 5 r, preferably exactly of three longitudinal fillets 5 p, 5 q, 5 r, extending from the tip T of the toe cap 1 radially to its rear edge 5 b, and at least one transverse fillet 5 t extending substantially in the form of a segment of a circle around the tip T of said toe cap 1 as the center.
Alternatively or together with the feature described above, in accordance with the invention in its third aspect, the arcuate peripheral wall 3 has at its side parts alternating vertical 3 p and inclined 3 q fillets connecting the upper and lower edges of the arcuate peripheral wall 3. Similarly to this feature, the rear edges of the arcuate peripheral side wall may be considered as vertical fillets 3 p. The inclination angle of the inclined fillets 3 q may be selected by a skilled person according to the requirements of best stabilization and may be for example, but without restricting the invention to this angle, 45°, measured in relation to the horizontal plane on which the toe cap rests.
In accordance with the invention, in its third aspect, the fillets 5 p, 5 q, 5 r, 5 t, 3 p, 3 q leave between them a number of regular or irregular holes or voids distributed at least throughout the toe cap top wall 5 and arcuate peripheral side wall 3 surfaces. Such holes or voids (not having any toe cap material and, thereby, reducing the weight of the toe cap of the invention drastically, without giving up the toe cap's protection properties for the toes and forefoot of the user) may have any desirable shape, depending, of course, upon the width and course of the fillets described above. Triangular or rectangular/square shapes of the holes may be provided, but also irregular shapes are possible. The FIGS. 12 to 15 show only a selection of the shapes of the holes/voids, which, however, is not restricting.
By providing such fillets in the top 5 (and optionally bottom 7) walls and in the arcuate peripheral side wall, the fillets 5 p, 5 q, 5 r, 3 p and 3 q provided are strengthening the toe cap 1 along its lines of stabilizing force. In other words: If external forces are acting on a shoe or boot comprising a toe cap 1 of the present invention, particularly (but not exclusively) in its third aspect, the effect stabilizing the toe protection cap 1 within the shoe or boot, and thereby protecting the toes and forefoot of the wearer of the shoe/boot, makes use of the stabilizing forces existent exactly along the lines of the toe cap 1 which are formed by the edges and fillets existent in said area, and by the stabilizing effects of those fillets connecting these lines. By such stabilizing forces, a maximum special maintenance can be obtained with a minimum of material, thereby reducing weight of the toe cap 1 (which is favorable for the user) without giving up protection properties (thereby meeting all requirements set up by law, guidelines and rules governing the protection of the human body during working, sports etc.
The material for toe caps 1 of the present invention may be selected by a skilled person in accordance with material selections made in the prior art, and the material may be adapted to the specific requirements in each single case. In accordance with the skill, a material may be used for manufacturing the toe caps 1 of the present invention which is selected from the group consisting of plastics, for example hard polymer materials like those used in the prior art, e. g. Kevlar^Ror ParaAmide^R(if a particular elasticity is required or desired, without giving up impact resistance/impact strength), reinforced plastics (e.g. fiber-reinforced plastics (glass fiber-reinforced or carbon fiber-reinforced or metal or metal oxide or metal boride or metal carbide or metal nitride whiskers-reinforced), metal powder-reinforced plastics), metal(s) or metal alloys. Particularly preferred are metals or metal alloys, e. g. aluminum or steel, or fiber-reinforced plastics. As reinforcing fibers for polymers of the plastics material, such fibers known from the prior art to achieve a plastics reinforcement may be used without restriction. Glass fibers, carbon fibers or whiskers made of metals, metal oxides, metal borides, metal carbides or metal nitrides or their mixtures are preferably used, and glass fibers and carbon fibers are particularly preferred. Even more preferably, in one exemplary and preferred embodiment of the invention, PA-6 (polyamide-6) may be used as the plastics material. Alternatively, steel (e. g. (without restriction) steel 8620 (e. g. of BASF AG) or steel 1050 SAE) may be used.
The process for manufacturing such embodiments of toe caps 1 as described above is not restricted, and a skilled person may select manufacturing processes in accordance with the requirements of each single case.
In an exemplary embodiment, a sheet of a metal or of a metal alloy, for example a steel sheet, may be punched from a larger piece of steel, and such a punched steel sheet is then deep-drawn or deep-pressed to obtain an integral body of the toe cap 1 of the invention. Such an integral body may then be subjected to further process steps, as for example polishing steps and steps of applying a surface coating, so as to obtain the final toe cap body.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the so-called MIM (metal injection molding) process is used for manufacturing the toe caps 1 of the invention. This was described above specifically for the manufacture of the toe caps of the present invention in its second aspect, and the MIM process may be applied also for the manufacture of the toe caps of the invention in its third aspect in the same way, so that another description of the same process is obsolete here.
Toe caps of plastics materials, plastics materials comprising one type or several types of fibers (as defined above) may, for example, be manufactured by a usual injection molding process, as is well known to a person skilled in this technical field. Hence, the detailed description of the steps of such an injection molding process, its components and its conditions may be omitted here since they are known to a person in this technical field. In the present invention in its third process, the manufacture of the toe caps 1 made of any of the above plastics materials by an injection molding process is particularly preferred and advantageous due to its easy and convenient mass production results.
Of course, any other step conceivable to a skilled person for manufacturing such a toe cap body of the invention may be used.
In accordance with the invention, a toe cap 1 is inserted into a shoe in order to protect the shoe wearer's toes against impacts. Such impacts may be impacts due to the work of a tool used by the wearer or by anybody else in his/her environment, may be impacts by heavy things falling down, may be constructional materials, debris, pieces of sports equipment etc.
Hence, the invention also relates to shoes comprising a toe cap 1 as described above in detail. Such shoes may be safety shoes, protective shoes, occupation shoes, sports shoes, to name only a few of shoes wherein the toe cap of the invention may be used, without, however, restricting the invention to those shoes. In the European Union, such shoes are standardized, with respect to requirements they have to fulfill, in the industrial standards ISO EN 20345 (safety shoes), ISO EN 20346 (protective shoes) and ISO EN 20347 (occupation shoes), for example.
Shoes provided with the toe caps 1 of the invention were tested first with respect to their strength to withstand to impacts by a heavy test object falling down on the shoe provided with the toe cap or to impacts by a tool swinging to the side of the toe cap, and were tested secondly with respect to the “foot climate” in the toe region due to a better ventilation of said region. The tests were conducted in accordance with standardized test methods.
It was found that the toe region, due to the presence of the toe cap 1 of the present invention, could be protected in an indentically reliable manner as in cases of using conventional toe caps, so that the shoes passed the standardized tests.
On the other hand, the “foot climate” was found to be much better than in shoes having conventional toe caps, due to the fact that sweat and humidity could escape from the toe region and could not accumulate in that area. The results were even better than the results achieved with toe caps having holes mainly at the surface of the top wall. Hence, bad smells and diseases due to the action of microorganisms in the toe area could be prevented from occurring.
It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A toe cap for shoes, wherein the toe cap comprises an arcuate peripheral wall capable of covering a front part and two side parts of the toe cap, a top wall and a bottom wall capable of covering top and bottom parts, respectively, of the toe cap and being connected to the arcuate peripheral wall, said walls defining a rear opening for a user's toes to be accommodated in a space defined by said walls, and wherein the top wall comprises a rearside edge having the shape of a letter “S”.

2. The toe cap of claim 1, wherein said top wall comprises holes regularly or irregularly distributed throughout its surface.

3. The toe cap of claim 2, wherein at least some holes in the surface of the top wall are surrounded by a fillets to strengthen the toe cap.

4. The toe cap of claim 3, wherein the fillets form hexagons around the holes, said hexagons forming a honeycomb structure at the top wall surface of the toe cap.

5. The toe cap of claim 3, wherein the top wall surface comprises additional fillets extending from one point or hole radially over the entire surface of the top wall, thereby additionally strengthening the toe cap structure.

6. The toe cap of claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall comprises strengthening fillets on its side directed to an inner space.

7. The toe cap of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall is formed of a first fillet extending along a connection of the bottom wall to the peripheral wall, continuing at a rearside edge into a second fillet having a shape of a letter “S” and extending in parallel to a corresponding edge of the top wall, said first and second filets being bridged by at least one further strengthening fillet.

8. The toe cap of claim 7, wherein said bottom wall fillets are provided with strengthening fillets over their entire surface.

9. The toe cap of claim 8, wherein said bottom wall fillets are provided with honeycomb structure fillets.

10. The toe cap of claim 1, wherein the toe cap is made of at least one material selected from plastics, reinforced plastics, metals and metals alloys.

11. The toe cap of claim 10, wherein the toe cap is made of at least one of steel and fiber-reinforced polyamide.

12. The toe cap of claim 1, wherein the toe cap is made as one upper half cap and one lower half cap and connected to the toe cap before further use.

13. A toe cap for shoes, wherein the toe cap comprises an arcuate peripheral wall capable of making up a front part and two side parts of the toe cap, a top wall and a bottom wall capable of making up top and bottom parts, respectively, of the toe cap and being connected to the arcuate peripheral wall, rear edges of said walls defining a rear opening for a user's toes to be accommodated in a space defined by said walls, wherein at least the top wall comprises holes regularly or irregularly distributed throughout its surface, each hole being surrounded by fillets strengthening the toe cap, and wherein said fillets at least in said top wall are present as a closed network structure comprising said holes as void spaces between the fillets.

14. The toe cap of claim 13, wherein at least the top wall comprises holes regularly distributed throughout its surface, said holes representing void spaces between a closed network structure of fillets formed at least at the top wall of the toe cap.

15. The toe cap of claim 13, wherein the top wall comprises holes regularly distributed throughout its surface, said holes representing void spaces between a closed network structure of fillets formed at the top wall of the toe cap; or wherein the top wall and the arcuate peripheral wall capable of making up a front part and two side parts of the toe cap comprise holes regularly distributed throughout their surfaces, said holes representing void spaces between a closed network structure of fillets formed at the top wall and at the arcuate peripheral wall of the toe cap.

16. The toe cap of claim 13, wherein a closed network structure of fillets forms hexagons around each void space.

17. The toe cap of claim 13, wherein the top wall comprise a rearside edge having a shape of a letter “S”.

18. The toe cap of claim 13, wherein at least the top wall surface has additional fillets extending from one point at a rearside edge radially across the entire surface of at least the top wall, thereby additionally strengthening the toe cap structure.

19. The toe cap of claim 13, wherein the toe cap further comprises additional fillets along upper and lower peripheral edges connecting the top and bottom walls to the arcuate peripheral wall.

20. The toe cap of claim 19, wherein the additional fillets comprise grooves running within, and in parallel to, the additional fillets.

21. The toe cap of claim 13, wherein the bottom wall comprises a rim extending from, and being connected to, the arcuate peripheral wall along its front and two side parts in a substantially perpendicular arrangement.

22. The toe cap of claim 13, wherein the toe cap is made of at least one material selected from plastics, reinforced plastics, metals and alloys of metals.

23. The toe cap of claim 13, wherein the toe cap is made as one upper half cap and one lower half cap and connected to the toe cap before further use.

24. A toe cap (1) for shoes or boots or footgear, wherein the toe cap comprises an arcuate peripheral wall capable of making up a front part and two side parts of the toe cap, a top wall and a optionally a bottom wall capable of making up top and (optionally) bottom parts, respectively, of the toe cap and being connected to the arcuate peripheral wall, rear edges of said walls defining a rear opening for a user's toes to be accommodated in a space defined by said walls, wherein at least the top wall comprises at least three longitudinal fillets extending from a tip of the toe cap radially to its rear edge, and at least one transverse fillet extending substantially in a form of a segment of a circle around the tip of the toe cap, and/or the arcuate peripheral wall comprises at its side parts alternating vertical and inclined fillets connecting upper and lower edges of the arcuate peripheral wall, said fillets leaving between them regular or irregular holes or voids distributed at least throughout toe cap top wall and arcuate peripheral side wall surfaces, and wherein the fillets strengthen the toe cap along its lines of stabilizing force.

25. The toe cap of claim 24, wherein the top wall comprises a rearside edge having a shape of a letter “S”.

26. The toe cap of claim 24, wherein only the top wall is made of at least three longitudinal fillets extending from the tip of the toe cap radially to its rear edge.

27. The toe cap of claim 24, wherein the toe cap is made of at least one material selected from plastics, reinforced plastics, metals and alloys of metals.

28. A footgear or shoe comprising the toe cap of claim 1.

29. The footgear or shoe of claim 28, wherein the footgear or shoe is a safety shoe, a protective shoe, an occupation shoe, or a sports shoe.