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  Footwear in plastic made by pressure casting with fastening supportsUSPTO Application #: 20060230634Title: Footwear in plastic made by pressure casting with fastening supports Abstract: The present invention relates to plastic footwear made by pressure casting. The footwear is realized in a single monolithic body by a pressure casting process. The footwear has a back strap and a button that enters a buttonhole of a buckle that is made of a stiffer plastic material than that of the monolithic body. (end of abstract) Agent: Volpe And Koenig, P.C. - Philadelphia, PA, US Inventor: Maria Angela Montalbano USPTO Applicaton #: 20060230634 - Class: 036011500 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Boots And Shoes, Sandals The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060230634. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to the production of footwear and specifically of plastic footwear, such as clogs, sandals and similar. [0002] In particular, the invention concerns the specific production of footwear in an antistatic plastic material, made by pressure casting and commonly used by health workers in hospitals or closed health structures, where bacterial hygienic control is very important. Despite this particular purpose, such footwear has also a wider public appeal beyond that specific sector, thanks to its comfortable and practical use. Its main characteristic is that it is simply manufactured, in this specific case with a single material, with surfaces easy to clean and accurately disinfect, features that, together with the above-mentioned comfort, make it essential in the clothing of hospital personnel or anyone standing for many hours during the day. [0003] Such a product is perfect in rooms with specific bacterial hygienic needs, such as certain hospital wards and obviously operating theaters. It is certainly easier to clean and sterilize footwear homogeneously manufactured, stamped with no seams and no porous or absorbing materials, or shaped so that it creates few bends or small gaps. Such bends or gaps creating natural receptacles for impurities, that make cleaning and sterilizing operations more complex. BACKGROUND [0004] Nowadays, such footwear is almost totally made in a plastic material by pressure casting, except for the strap, which is made separately in a second manufacturing phase, and then soldered to the inner surface of the footwear. When worn, the strap passes around the back above the heel and is closed by a buckle on the external side of the footwear. [0005] Unfortunately, this manufacturing technology alters the above-mentioned characteristics of uniform and simple maintenance when cleaning the product, by overlapping different materials, thereby creating bends and small gaps possible receptacles of germs and bacteria are formed. In addition, the fastener of the buckle on the external part of the footwear is often made of metal, like in the common shoes with similar types of fasteners. Metal fasteners eventually undergo an inevitable oxidation making it unsuitable for certain purposes such as when the elimination of all infecting agents is necessary. [0006] Furthermore, the current manufacturing technology, generally designed for the production of a single body of the footwear, needs a separate manufacturing process for straps and buckles. This involves additional and different working phases, since it is later necessary to apply the buckle to the upper (1a). This process can be carried out either by sewing, with the above-described hygienic consequences, or by soldering, with the further need to find materials compatible with casting. This not only involves a further manufacturing process that generates costs, but it is also still subject, like all the varied components, to possible divisions, cuts, breaks or manufacturing imperfections that make it a critical point of failure in time. As a matter of fact, the buckle cannot be formed of the same material as the footwear, because the soft plastic would not provide a firm clasp of the strap, resulting in its slipping out of place and so releasing the foot. Therefore, the buckle must be made of more rigid plastic that, being different from the plastic used for the footwear, cannot be soldered to the footwear, but must be closed by other means and principally by a metal rivet subject to wear and tear, oxidation and other technical problems. [0007] Regarding the opposite side of the footwear, the one holding the fastener, due to the use of a metal buckle, it is naturally subject to corrosion, which not only endangers the total safety of the footwear, but also requires a separate element fixed to the external side of the footwear or clog, which involves all the problems already described in the fastening of the buckle. [0008] In practice, this drawback is confirmed by the fact that the fastening strap is often ignored or removed, if present, or even eliminated at all by choosing a different kind of footwear without it. SUMMARY [0009] The present invention provides solutions for the above-mentioned and other drawbacks by supplying footwear made by plastic pressure casting, comprising in a single body all the essential elements that allow the fastening of the strap above the heel. In particular, in said footwear, both the strap and the buckle are realized by the same plastic pressure casting employed for the footwear. [0010] The advantages resulting from the present invention comprise the fact that it is possible to eliminate the metal components and realize footwear completely made of plastic; which is easy to wear and easy to clean and sterilize, owing to its manufacturing uniformity; and where the production costs are reduced, avoiding operations of soldering, sewing or rivets, using for the fastening support the same plastic material used for the footwear. In addition, said footwear realized in a single body, involves a minimum risk of failure in critical points, unlike shoes assembled with various supports. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] FIG. 1 is a side external view of the footwear of the present invention; [0012] FIG. 2 is the opposite side of the footwear of the present invention shown in FIG. 1; [0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a button, buckle and strap of the footwear of the present invention; [0014] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the button and buckle of FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0015] The present invention deals with plastic footwear made by pressure casting. [0016] As shown in FIG. 1, a button (2), made by pressure casting together with the footwear is a point of fastening for a buckle (4). Said buckle is an independent piece made of a plastic material less flexible but more resistant. On the opposite side of the upper (1a) is a strap (3) that is connected to the footwear (1) and manufactured with the rest of the footwear. The strap (3) is inserted into the buckle (4). [0017] In the internal back portion of the upper (1a), a strap (3) is applied at suitable height for closing around the ankle; said strap having predetermined length according to the various physical needs or sizes. The strap extends from the wearing edge of the upper (1a) and is inserted into a loop (7) of a buckle (4). Said buckle (4) is made in a single body and has a surface (8) comprising one or more buttons (6), for fastening the strap, and a loop (7). The strap (3) comprises sizing holes (3a) which fit over one or more of the buttons (6) of the buckle. Said surface (8) also comprises a buttonhole (5) for the insertion of a button (2) found on the upper 1a of the footwear (1). The button (2) is also formed by the same pressure casting employed to form the footwear. [0018] The surfaces of the footwear are flexible, soft, antistatic and rough stamped making the footwear suitable for its purposes, both in the portion holding the foot, obviously anatomically shaped, and in the fastening strap (3) that is elastic and soft so as not to cause unpleasant sensations when contacting a user's heel. [0019] As shown in FIG. 2, no seams or soldering exist between the footwear (1) and the strap (3), said strap is formed integral with the rest of the footwear by pressure casting. Continue reading... Full patent description for Footwear in plastic made by pressure casting with fastening supports Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Footwear in plastic made by pressure casting with fastening supports 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 Footwear in plastic made by pressure casting with fastening supports or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Heated or cooled item of clothing Next Patent Application: Fluid-filled bladder for footwear and other applications Industry Class: Boots, shoes, and leggings ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Footwear in plastic made by pressure casting with fastening supports patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.99466 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf |
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