US 20130276331A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2013/0276331 A1 Steel (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 24, 2013 (54) TOE SPACER SOCKAND CORRECTIVE Publication Classification FOOTWEAR (51) Int. Cl. (71) Applicant: Michael Steel, La Jolla, CA (US) A43B 7/26 (2006.01) (52) U.S. Cl. (72) Inventor: Michael Steel, La Jolla, CA (US) CPC ........................................ A43B 726 (2013.01) USPC ................................................... 36/94; 36/95 (21) Appl. No.: 13/845,894 (22) Filed: Mar 18, 2013 (57) ABSTRACT Related U.S. Application Data An article of footwear, Such as a Sock, Sandal, shoe or boot, - - - contains built-in cushions or spacers to correct or protect the (62) Pisis, Epist N.E.M. toes, or to provide the wearer better comfort. The cushions or i ti N 1 1/395.522 s filed on Apr. 3, 2006 p spacers may be retained between the toes in a tube, formed Ry, ; 6.850 ZZ, Illed on Apr. 3, , now integrally with the Sock, which is everted to a position vs. sw x s \ - w between adjacent toes. The footwear may have an integral (60) Provisional application No. 60/667,396, filed on Apr. toe-correcting strap built into provide outward tension on the 1, 2005. big toe. Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 1 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 FIG. FIG. 2 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 2 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 FIG. 3 FIG. 4 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 3 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 FIG. 5 FIG. 6 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 4 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 FIG. 7 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 5 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 K S. S SE Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 6 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 FIG. 9 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 7 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 8 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 9 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 to Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 10 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 15b. Y Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 11 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 12 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 50 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 13 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 15 FIG. 22 FIG. 23 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 14 of 14 US 2013/0276331 A1 5 FIG. 24 FIG. 25 US 2013/0276331 A1 Oct. 24, 2013 TOE SPACER SOCKAND CORRECTIVE and gradually increase the cushion thickness to increase cor FOOTWEAR rective force without discomfort. 0001. This application is a division of copending applica BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS tion Ser. No. 12/723963, filed Mar. 15, 2010, which was a division of application Ser. No. 1 1/395522, filed Apr. 3, 2006, 0011. In the accompanying drawings, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,676,850, which claimed benefit from 0012 FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a toe separator sock, provisional application No. 60/667396, filed Apr. 1, 2005. having individual toes, one toe containing an attached toe separator or a toe spacer to the right side of the great toe. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 0013 FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a modified form of the 0002 This invention relates to orthopedic footwear, and invention, showing the Sock with a spacer inserted into a more particularly to a sock, sandal shoe or boot having receptacle. extended, reversible tubes or fingers formed thereon for 0014 FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a modified form of the retaining toe separators or cushions between the toes. invention, wherein the four smaller toes are contained within 0003. The invention is concerned with proper alignment of a single Sock space. the big toe (Hallux). In some people, there is a tendency of the 0015 FIG. 4 shows another variation, in which the spacer big toe to bend outward (Valgus) toward the smaller toes and receptacle is formed separately between two toes. deform over time into a Hallux Valgus or crooked big toe. The (0016 FIG.5 is like FIG.4, except that the sockencloses all cause may be hereditary, or it can be the extended wearing of the toes within its outer layer. shoes that are too tight or ill fitting. Beyond being unsightly, 0017 FIG. 6 is another modification, wherein all of the a bent great toe can turn so dramatically to the outside of the toes, and the spacer receptacle, are individually formed. foot that the bursa at the base of the big toe becomes inflamed 0018 FIG. 7 illustrates another variation, in which the toes and swells (bunion). In addition, the bigtoe can interfere with, are individually formed, and there are two separator recep irritate and deform the adjacent Smaller toes. The resulting tacles. deformity of the toe bones and joints (Hallus Vagus) can be so 0019 FIG. 8 shows another embodiment, including a strap painful that corrective Surgery is commonly required. It is the and toe cap orhood which is looped over and around the great purpose of this invention to reduce substantially the fre toe, and passes around the heel to an anchor point on the quency of Such Surgeries through the protective and correc outside of the foot. tive forces that this invention will provide to crooked and (0020 FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a sock like that of FIG. healthy toes. 1, with the addition of abunion pad on the left side of the foot. 0004 Prior inventors have developed a number of solu 0021 FIG. 10 is a top plan view of sock having a spacer tions for correcting the toes, by providing splints, separators tube or toe separator tube as manufactured, before the tube is and the like. Many Such devices are needlessly complex and inverted. difficult to apply and wear. It would benefit those suffering 0022 FIG. 11 shows the sock of FIG. 10, after the toe tube from certain foot problems to have a simple Sock construction has been inverted. specially designed to retain toe spacers or cushions. 0023 FIG. 12 is a modification of the sock of FIG. 11, containing an additional element. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0024 FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the toe portion of the 0005. An object of the invention is to provide a sock that sock shown in FIG. 12. Supports cushions or separators between or around at least (0025 FIG. 14 is similar to FIG. 10, except that the toes two toes of the foot, to protect or correct the toes. have separate compartments which are one half conventional 0006 Another object is to maintain a corrective force on toe length. the big toe, with the aim of straightening the toe, or preventing (0026 FIG. 15 is a plan view of a double toe tube sock, it from becoming more crooked. before inverting the two tubular cushion pockets. 0007. These and other objects are attained by the socks 0027 FIG.16 is a top plan view thereof, after inverting the shown in the drawings and described below. cushion pockets. 0008. In the following description, the term “toe sock” (0028 FIG. 17 is a plan view of another double toe tube means a sock constructed so that the five toes of the foot Sock, before inverting the two cushion pockets. (designated T1-T5, beginning with the great toe) are individu 0029 FIG. 18 is a top plan view thereof, after inverting the ally Surrounded by Sock fabric, so that each toe can move two cushion pockets. independently. The term “great toe’ means the big toe. The 0030 FIGS. 19 and 20 show a sock, suitable for wearing term “tabi sock’ means a Sockknitted so that the large or great with thong-type sandals, in which there are separate compart toe is surrounded by fabric, and the four smaller toes are ments for the great toe, and for the remaining toes, and cush contained together in one compartment, analogous to a mitten ions pockets are provided on opposing sides of the compart for the hand Tabi socks are commonly worn with sandals. The mentS. sandal post slips into the space between the two toe compart 0031 FIG.21 illustrates a sock having a U-shaped cushion mentS. permanently sewn into the Sock between the great and second 0009. A primary advantage of the invention is its ease of tOeS. use. The wearer simply puts on a sock the normal course of 0032 FIGS. 22 and 23 show an alternative to the sock of dressing and the cushion already properly positioned. FIG. 19, wherein a cushion retainer tube is provided only on 0010. Another advantage of the invention is that enables the great toe side compartment of the Sock. one to insert cushions of different sizes. A person can then use 0033 FIGS. 24 and 25 show, before an after inversion, a a thinner or thicker cushion, according to their particular foot sleeve of large diameter which contains and cushions the condition. Actually, the person can start with a thin cushion, great toe. US 2013/0276331 A1 Oct. 24, 2013 0034 FIG. 26 shows a shoe, boot, sandal or slipper which, cushion may be removed from the inside and, if desired, like the sock of FIG. 8, contains an adjustable strap for main replaced by a thinner or thicker toe spacer.