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  Article of manufacture for ballet shoes and shanksUSPTO Application #: 20060143945Title: Article of manufacture for ballet shoes and shanks Abstract: An article of manufacture for ballet shoes and shank, with a shank for a ballet shoe, with improved durability, that is formed of flexible thermoplastic material and is adapted to be located in the sole of the ballet shoe between an inner liner and an outer sole. The flexibility and support characteristics of the shank may be tailored to a particular dancer by varying the type, and/or thickness of material, or by varying the thickness of material along the shank. (end of abstract) Agent: Craig S. Walker - Macomb, MI, US Inventor: Craig Steven Walker USPTO Applicaton #: 20060143945 - Class: 036008300 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Boots And Shoes, Dancing The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060143945. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is based on provisional application Ser. No. 60/641,583, filed on Jan. 4, 2005. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not Applicable DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX [0003] Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] This invention relates generally to the field of footwear and more specifically to an article of manufacture for ballet shoes and shanks. [0005] The present invention relates to ballet shoes and, more particularly, to the shanks employed with ballet shoes. [0006] FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 illustrate the typical ballet shoe's construction. A typical ballet shoe (also sometimes referred to as a ballet Pointe, ballet slipper, or toe shoe) 17 has a upper 16 that is formed from a soft fabric of layers of generally soft materials, and a layered sole 18. The sole 18 of the ballet shoe 17 typically includes an inner liner layer 14, made of soft leather, that comes in contact with the foot (or stocking), and on outer sole layer 11, made of relatively soft leather or canvas, that contacts the floor. Between the inner and outer layers 14, 11 are a shank 13 and optional stiffeners 12 and 12a. The shank 13 is conventionally made of leather or a leather board material (a laminated leather-like cardboard material). The stiffeners 12 and 12a are smaller in surface area the the shank 13, and is affixed to the shank 13 to provide increased stiffness in the localized area it covers. These four or five layers are typically held together by adhesives, and sometimes nails or stitching. [0007] The stiffener and the shank of a ballet shoe need to flex in order to conform to the foot of the dancer, but also need to provide a small amount of stiffness in order to provide support for the foot. The foot support is needed to help dancers "roll-up into toe" and other dance moves typical to a ballet routine. A concern with the durability of ballet shoes arises because the shank portion of the sole typically wears out in a very short period of time. That is, the shank weakens (or breaks) such that it no longer provides the support required by the dancer. Once this occurs, the ballet shoes are worthless. This is compounded by the fact that the shanks must be broken-in for some period before the shoes have the flexible characteristics desired by the dancer. For example, a dancer may require three hours to break-in a new pair of ballet shoes, but only be able to use the shoes for about eight hours before the shank breaks. Consequently, a ballet dancer ends up spending a great deal of time and money purchasing and breaking-in new ballet shoes. [0008] One attempt to overcome this concern with the durability of the shank is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,901,453 and 5,035,069. In these patents, integral toe boxes and shanks made of particular thermoplastic elastomer materials are disclosed. However, while attempting to increase durability with these integral toe boxes and shanks, undesirable characteristics are created. Namely, some dancers find the integral plastic toe boxes and pre-shaped shank uncomfortable and unacceptable. Also, since the toe box and shank are integral, this must be formed in a mold, which may be more expensive than desirable. Moreover, the particular thermoplastic elastomer materials (a thermoplastic polymeric material with a softening point between 120 and 220 degrees Fahrenheit) employed for the integral toe box and shank are relatively stiff, which is undesirable unless the shank is actually formed to accommodate the foot of the particular dancer wearing the shoe. The forming process requires heating of the shank to between 120 and 220 degrees Fahrenheit, in order to soften the material, and then bending it to try to more closely match the shape of the foot before the material cools. This has proven to be a generally undesirable process, and, in reality, amounts to the dancer still having to "break-in" the shoes. [0009] Thus, it is desirable to have a ballet shoe with a shank that provides the right combination of stiffness, flexibility and support, while overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The primary object of the invention is to increase the useful life of the ballet shoe by improving the durability of the ballet shoe shank. [0011] Another object of the invention is to improve the desired flexibility and support of the ballet shoe shank. [0012] A further object of the invention is to provide a ballet shoe shank that requires little or no "break-in" before use. [0013] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a ballet shoe shank that delivers consistent and dependable support through out the life of the ballet shoes. [0014] Still yet another object of the invention is to provide a ballet shoe shank that will not fail (break) during a performance. [0015] Another object of the invention is to provide a one piece ballet shoe shank to replace the current laminated shank and stiffeners. [0016] A further object of the invention is to provide a ballet shoe shank that can be assembled into the shoe using conventional methods of manufacture. [0017] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed an article of manufacture for ballet shoes and shanks. The ballet shoe, comprising of a shank for a ballet shoe that is formed of flexible thermoplastic material and is adapted to be located in the sole of the ballet shoe between an inner liner and an outer sole, and a way to control the desired flexibility and support using various types and thickness of thermoplastic materials. [0018] An advantage of an embodiment of the present invention is that the ballet shoe shank has greater durability than a conventional shank, thus increasing the useful life of the ballet shoe. Moreover, with this increased durability, the shank is much less likely to fail during any given performance, thus possibly giving a dancer more confidence while performing. [0019] Another advantage of an embodiment of the present invention is that the ballet shoe, with the improved durability shoe shank, can be assembled in a similar manner to the conventional manufacturing method of ballet shoes. Thus, major changes to the manufacture of ballet shoes would not have to be undertaken to employ the improved durability shank. Moreover, some embodiments of the shank may allow it to be cut from sheets of thermoplastic materials rather than requiring a mold, thus minimizing the cost of the shank and, consequently, the shoe. Continue reading... Full patent description for Article of manufacture for ballet shoes and shanks Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Article of manufacture for ballet shoes and shanks patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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