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  Multipurpose athletic shoeUSPTO Application #: 20070113427Title: Multipurpose athletic shoe Abstract: A multi-purpose athletic shoe with built-in, integral ankle support. The shoe can be used for a variety of athletic purposes, ranging from basketball to soccer to walking and running, by a system of removable, interchangeable traction devices on the sides and bottom of the shoe. The present invention would also eliminate the need to wear a separate brace or bandage around the ankle, since the shoe itself serves as a brace for the wearer. The brace is inseparable from the shoe, which is exactly what provides the kind of ankle support a user would need for various kinds of athletic activity. (end of abstract) Agent: Greenberg & Lieberman, LLC - Washington, DC, US Inventor: Kyle Matthew Mansfield USPTO Applicaton #: 20070113427 - Class: 036089000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Boots And Shoes, Foot-supporting Or Foot-conforming Feature, Ankle Support The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070113427. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to an athletic shoe; namely, to a multi-purpose athletic shoe with an integrated ankle brace and removable traction devices. Background of the Invention [0002] Athletic footwear has become more and more specialized for the different needs of consumers. The prior art has attempted to solve the problem of preventing injury by creating designs that rise above the ankle in order to support it, but these athletic shoes have tended to be specialized for only one sport; furthermore, many athletic shoes require that a user wear a separate brace. [0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,884, issued to Pierre Rullier on Jan. 12, 1993, shows a cross-country ski shoe, or rather a boot, with a rigid upper half made of synthetic material and a collar, which surrounds the lower leg of the user. Rullier's device is intended for the purposes of walking (trekking) and particularly cross-country skiing, but is not intended for other athletic activities, and is not adaptable to other uses. Therefore Rullier's invention does not propose a solution to creating a supportive athletic shoe that does not impede rigorous athletic movement and can be used for multiple activities. [0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,960, issued to Willie C. Richardson on Jul. 11, 1995, describes a lightweight athletic shoe with foot and ankle support systems. The support system within this shoe has a removable ankle support and the model is known as a "high top." Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,330, issued to Van Dyke et al. on Oct. 21, 1997, is a shoe with integral ankle support and improved ankle brace apparatus. The ankle brace is also removable. While both of these shoes aim to address the problem of ankle support, the fact that the ankle supports are removable, and that these models themselves are created in a "high top" fashion, could hinder the overall effectiveness of the support of the shoe. [0005] There are indeed devices that have been created to support the ankle, but other athletic activities may require more structure than a lightweight, removable ankle support. There is therefore a need for a brace that is a supportive athletic shoe which does not impede rigorous movement, at the same time serving as an enhanced piece of footwear that can be used for multiple purposes. [0006] A person who plays soccer will have a shoe with cleats, but needs a distinct athletic shoe for basketball, hiking or even playing racquet ball. The "high top" model used by basketball players--which supports quick, lateral movements often used in the game--is generally not compatible with the needs of a soccer player, who needs a shoe with cleats to provide adequate traction on grassy fields. Hence, a first problem arises when some athletic shoes are not necessarily useful for every type of sport. [0007] A second problem appears when a user needs a versatile athletic shoe that continues to support the ankle. In addition to the various types of athletic shoes available to consumers, many professional and non-professional athletes will require the use of a bandage or brace to support the ankle and prevent injury while engaging in physical activity. These braces may range from simple bandages or elastic tape that are wound around the ankle, to a brace that is similar in fashion to shin guards, to an orthopedic structure made of a rigid material. [0008] These bandages and braces may create undesired bulkiness although they might not be very effective in supporting the ankle itself, since they are not connected to the shoe. Taping an ankle has also caused users to become bruised or injured from the use of tape, since it can cut into the skin. Ideally, an athletic shoe would support the ankle without the user having to wear or tape an additional brace onto the ankle. The material used to support the ankle would be not too heavy as to constrict movement during activity, and not too light as to provide an insecure fit should the user strain or sprain the ankle. [0009] Heretofore, there has been no such design to address both of these problems simultaneously. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide an athletic shoe that does not have a removable, but rather integrated brace, to both support the ankle and prevent injury. It is also an object of the present invention to create a shoe that can be used for a variety of athletic activities. [0011] The present invention solves the problem of having an athletic shoe that can be used for a variety of activities and which also serves as a permanent brace for the ankle. [0012] The present invention eliminates the necessity of wearing a separate bandage or brace through the integrated support of the shoe, and it reduces the need to have several different shoes for various athletic activities, through a system of removable cleats. The present invention has two principle parts: the shoe, which is essentially an integrated brace with a hinge to support the ankle, and the traction devices, which create functionality. [0013] Unlike a separate bandage/brace, the integrated brace of the present invention does not impede the athlete's ability to perform, due to the limited movement of the brace in the shoe. The present invention has an integrated brace which provides for a more cohesive support system for the foot and ankle, thereby reducing a) the bulkiness of the brace worn over the shoe and b) potential irritation, pinching or chafing of the skin between the brace and shoe. In the present invention, since the brace is inseparable from the shoe, there is greater fluidity in traction and movement and a better grip of the shoe on the foot. This reduces an athlete's chances of injury and increases their performance and confidence. The present invention also facilitates the process of applying a separate bandage/brace to the ankle, by reducing two steps (of applying the bandage and subsequently putting on the shoe) to just one. The present invention is also intended for use as a preventative measure in the face of injury. [0014] Moreover, the present invention is adaptable to a variety of athletic activities, as the shoe has removable, interchangeable cleats that are screwed into the sides and bottom of the present invention. The user may therefore customize his/her shoe depending on which kind of sole is necessary for their purposes. These purposes may include, but not be limited to, the present invention being used as a walking, running, basketball, hiking, soccer, or court sole shoe. [0015] The main idea behind the present invention is to create a brace that is worn as a shoe, not a shoe that can be worn as a brace, as previous patents have already accomplished. The present invention is about the height of a boot, not like the typical "high-top" model described in the aforementioned patents. The material of the shoe must rise above the ankle and it must be somewhat rigid if it is to fully protect it. In this way, the present invention is an improvement on previous designs since in essence the brace is the shoe. The present invention is an improvement on both the "high top" model and traditional ankle braces, because it combines the necessary ankle support of the shoe with the practical and versatile uses of the removable traction devices. It should be worn by any person who engages in physically demanding activities from football to basketball to hiking. [0016] The present invention can also reduce costs for a user. Instead of having to purchase both a brace and a pair of athletic shoes, the present invention obviates the need for two distinct objects to fully support the foot and ankle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. [0018] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. [0019] FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention's integrated upper and lower braces. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention has a shoe (10), which houses an integrated upper brace (20) and lower brace (30), that are connected by two circular hinges (25), and the sole (40) can be composed of traction devices, or removable, interchangeable cleats (45). The shoe (10) has two parts: the first part is the upper brace (20) and the second part is the lower brace (30). Continue reading... Full patent description for Multipurpose athletic shoe Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Multipurpose athletic shoe 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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