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  Dance footwearUSPTO Application #: 20060288609Title: Dance footwear Abstract: A covering for a foot comprising a flexible body portion configured to conform to and cup the foot of a wearer along two or more of a front side zone, lateral side zone and medial side zone of a foot, the cover including a distal securer comprising a plurality of toe openings, each for encircling one or more toes, the covering configured to provide an opening exposing a substantial portion of the top of a wearer's forefoot. In some embodiments the side zones may comprise specific materials to provide desired functionality. For example, a side zone may be formed of a mesh or elastic material to provide a more secure or more comfortable fit, or better ventilation, for example. (end of abstract) Agent: Ganz Law, P.C. - Hillsboro, OR, US Inventors: David Wilkenfeld, Felicia Leoncelli USPTO Applicaton #: 20060288609 - 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 20060288609. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of and is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. Ser. No. 11/175,599, filed Jul. 5, 2005, which claims the benefit of and priority to co-pending U.S. Design Application No. 29/233,219, entitled DANCE FOOTWEAR, filed on Jun. 28, 2005 (Attorney Docket No. BCH-2.006.DES.US) the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety, for all purposes. BACKGROUND [0002] The inventive subject matter disclosed herein relates to an item of protective footwear particularly suited for ballet and modem dance, generally. [0003] It has been suggested that dancing is the oldest of the art forms. Certainly, it has been found in every culture and on every continent in the world since time immemorial. In all instances, the elements of rhythm, symmetry, repetition, exaggeration and grace exhibit themselves in a visual spectacle that enlists attention and instills a feeling of well-being, both in participants and the audience. While, in the simplest forms of dance, these elements of rhythm, symmetry, repetition, exaggeration and grace all are incorporated in movement of the hands and feet, the torso also tends to follow movement and to participate in the exercise. In more developed forms of dance, such as the minuet, square dance and dances of the Middle Ages generally, the torso is an active participant in the dance, with its movement controlled in orientation and position to complement the movement of the hands and feet. In all of these forms of dance, however, dance movements tend to be made with relatively natural and ordinary energy expenditure, and tend to be derived from everyday, un-stressed movements. [0004] However, with the development of dance, and desire for a greater range of artistic expression, dancers have catapulted from the ordinary everyday movements to movements at the edge of human endurance and athletic ability. Perhaps one of the more refined forms of dance first to employ such movements was ballet. [0005] In ballet, movements include dance steps inspired by running, jumping, leaping and physical interaction between two or more individuals. The end result is a remarkably punishing regimen of movement being associated with virtually any ballet performance. Not surprisingly, this punishing regimen, as well as the pursuit of perfection in ballet, correlates with a high incidence of strain and injury among dancers. Indeed, the problem is so serious that few dancers are able to practice their profession into middle age. [0006] At the same time, the attempt in ballet to achieve extremes in movement has spawned the development of footwear adapted to enable such movements, including, as examples, the relatively unnatural movements walking, rotating and even landing a jump on toe tips. Such footwear, in addition to enabling such extreme movements, also has the salutary effect of protecting the dancer, e.g., by spreading the forces associated with such landing, walking or rotating, from the toes to a wider area of the outside surface of the foot, thus reducing the incidence of injury and strain. However, such footwear may also have the effect of reducing control under certain circumstances. [0007] Traditional ballet slippers provide a visually stimulating display, given their typical satiny silk charmeuse finish. However, in many forms of dance, visibility of the footwear is regarded with disfavor. In fact, in modern dance a barefoot-look is preferred, or even required for many pieces. [0008] Given that modern dance builds upon ballet and thus takes from ballet dramatic movements at the edge of human endurance and athletic ability, any such dancing without protective footwear tends to significantly detriment the dancer. Nevertheless, with the barefoot-look in ascendance, modern dancers tend to forego protective footwear, subjecting their feet to the punishment of unprotected impacts, pulls, twists, abrasions and the like. The result is sore, inflamed skin or worse, e.g., cracked and even bleeding soles. [0009] The foregoing problems have been previously addressed by footwear of U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,888 (the "'888 patent"), which is incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 of this document show footwear 1 according to the '888 patent. As shown, that footwear has a number of interconnected straps for securing the footwear to a foot. The arrangement of the straps results in asymmetrically shaped openings, while the straps follow divergent paths over the forefoot. [0010] Footwear in accordance with the '888 patent has resulted in significant improvement to the art. Even so, solutions to the problems set forth above may be otherwise provided. SUMMARY [0011] Provided in this document is footwear directed to solve the problems set forth above. [0012] The footwear of this document preferably attaches securely and comfortably to a dancer's feet. As such, the footwear tends to have to constrain movement of the footwear relative to the foot and otherwise protect the dancer. Moreover, the footwear tends to enhance the dancer's performance of the dance. [0013] The footwear of this document preferably has minimal negative visual impact. As such, the footwear tends to have enhanced visual effect (i.e., toward achieving one ideal of the dancing aesthetic associated with footwear) and to constrain movement of the footwear relative to the foot. [0014] The footwear provided in this document preferably both provides a stable platform for the dancer and withstands the forces generated by the dance. [0015] As an example embodiment, footwear provided in this document includes: a foot covering for compliably conforming to a foot of a wearer, the covering including a body portion that has a ground engaging side and foot engaging side; the ground engaging side having a distal-end boundary and a proximal-end boundary, the proximal-end boundary is adapted to be disposed substantially between about the metatarsal heads of a wearer's forefoot and a midfoot; and the covering including a distal securer comprising a plurality of toe openings, each adapted to receive and encircle a single toe of a wearer. [0016] Another example embodiment includes: a thin, compliant covering for a wearer's foot that is substantially free of bulky materials; the covering having a body portion with a ground engaging side and a foot engaging side; the covering having a distal securer that is adapted to follow a path over the top of a wearer's foot defined by about at least three metatarsal heads; a proximal securer that is adapted to follow a path over the top of a foot along a line generally perpendicular to the long axis of the foot and disposed between about the metatarsal heads and the midfoot of a wearer's foot; and the covering leaving at a majority of the top of the forefoot between the distal and proximal securer visibly exposed. [0017] Another example embodiment includes: a thin, compliant covering for a wearer's foot that is substantially free of bulky materials; the covering having a body portion with a ground engaging side and a foot engaging side; the covering having a distal securer that is adapted to follow a path, defined by about at least three metatarsal heads, from the body portion and over the top of a wearer's foot; a proximal securer that is adapted to follow a path from the body portion and around the heel of a wearer; and the covering leaving at a majority of the top of the forefoot between the distal and proximal securer visibly exposed. [0018] Another example embodiment includes: a covering having a body portion adapted to cup the foot of a wearer along a front portion and at least one side portion of a foot, the distal securer and the proximal securer are arranged on the body portion so as to leave the rearfoot entirely uncovered and the top of the foot uncovered, referencing proximally from the thin path of the distal securer that follows generally the metatarsal heads, or substantially uncovered if the thin path is included. [0019] Another example embodiment includes: a covering having a body portion adapted to cup the foot of a wearer along a front portion and at least one side portion of a foot, the distal securer and the proximal securer are arranged on the body portion so as to leave the top of the foot uncovered (referencing proximally from the thin path of the distal securer that follows generally the metatarsal heads) and the rear foot uncovered (except for the thin path of the proximal securer). [0020] Another example embodiment includes: a covering for compliably conforming to a foot of a wearer, the covering having a body portion that has a ground engaging side and foot engaging side and configured to underlie a forefoot of a wearer, the body portion having a three-dimensional configuration comprising at least one distinct lateral or medial side zone configured for a side portion of a foot, the lateral or medial side zone having a material construction different from an adjacent zone of material above or below the lateral or medial side zone; the body portion configured to fit substantially between about the metatarsal heads of a wearer's forefoot and a midfoot; and the covering including a distal securer comprising a plurality of toe openings. [0021] Another example embodiment includes a thin, compliant covering for a wearer's foot that is substantially free of bulky materials; the covering having a body portion with a ground engaging side and a foot engaging side; the covering having a distal securer that is adapted to follow a path over the top of a wearer's foot defined by about at least three metatarsal heads; a proximal securer that is adapted to follow a path over the top of a foot along a line generally perpendicular to the long axis of the foot and disposed between about the metatarsal heads and the midfoot of a wearer's foot; and the covering leaving a majority of the top of the forefoot between the distal and proximal securer visibly exposed, the body portion having distinct lateral or medial side zone configured for a side portion of a foot and having a material construction different from an adjacent zone of material above or below the lateral or medial side zone. Continue reading... Full patent description for Dance footwear Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Dance footwear 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. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Dance footwear or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Automatic clothes dryer Next Patent Application: Convertible sandal Industry Class: Boots, shoes, and leggings ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Dance footwear patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.15723 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Software: Finance , AI , Databases , Development , Document , Navigation , Error |
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