FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of athletic socks, and more specifically, to a sock that is constructed preferably by a "cut and sew" or "cut and bond" method wherein gripping material, synthetic or otherwise, is used for portions of the sock, such as but not limited to the sole and heel portions of the sock, and not as an overlay to an otherwise complete sock. This novel sock with gripping material provides benefits including but not limited to stabilizing an individual's foot via the sock within a shoe (thanks to increased traction), thus improving the individual's response time in reaction and explosiveness of movement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Athletic socks are commonly worn by individuals (e.g., athletes) and ordinarily in conjunction with athletic shoes. However, not all shoes are alike and shoe fitting is not typically snug throughout. An individual's foot and a sock worn by the individual commonly do not fill the entirety of the interior of a shoe, which often leads to slippage of one's foot and the sock associated within the shoe, particularly during athletic movement. Slippage is often caused by the lack of any or sufficient friction between the sock and the shoe, which causes the sock/foot combination or just the sock, to slip relative to the shoe's insole. This slippage impacts, for example, stability following the athlete's response, causing the finality of the response to be lengthened unnecessarily due to time wasted consequential to foot slippage. Furthermore, by losing foot traction due to slippage, athletes lose power in the movement, which can propagate to power loss in other ways (like in a throw). Finally, this slippage can also be the cause of injuries due to movement of an individual's foot within the shoe resulting in twisting of the individual's ankle and/or knee that can cause ligament or other injuries, along with blisters.

Furthermore, socks are commonly constructed via a knitting process, where a circular knitting machine is generally used to knit yarns into the shape of a sock. The incorporation of non-knitted or non-woven materials is unusual because it requires a) material to be applied onto the sock directly or in layered material (e.g., glued as an additional layer) which adds bulkiness, or b) a different construction process other than knitting (e.g., cut-and-sew). Both a) and b) are rare, and even more rare (we are not aware of any instance) when used in combination (i.e., a sock constructed via a "cut- and-sew" process that also incorporates non-woven materials). Commercially available non-slip socks typically consist of synthetic gripping materials (e.g., silicone) glued on the exterior of a full sock (e.g., children's or yoga anti-slip socks). These socks are thus composed by two overlapping layers: a full knitted sock and a gripping material glued on top of the sock.

Neither knitted socks nor multi-layered socks serve the purposes needed for multiple types of athletics. Multi-layered socks tend to result in irregular surfaces, leading to development of blisters and sliding of a foot. Similarly, knitted socks, while comfortable and generally breathable, also result in considerable slippage.

Consequently, it would be beneficial to have a single-layer, no-slip sock, where no slip is in dry and in wet conditions, and which concurrently allows for breathability and wicking of moisture. It would also be beneficial for such a sock to be non-knitted. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a single layer athletic sock that, at least in some areas of the foot where an individual's foot places significant pressure against a shoe during athletic activity, is comprised of (not covered with) gripping fabric to increase friction between the sock and the shoe thereby reducing possibility of slippage of an individual's foot within the shoe and in turn thereby reducing delays in complete reactivity (i.e., improving reaction such as by mitigating slipping) and risk of injury.

The invention includes two key components:

1 ) The sock is preferably constructed by a "cut and sew" or "cut and bond" method (as opposed to traditional knitting method) wherein the sock is preferably made from a plurality of different pieces of fabric that are cut to size and sewn or seamlessly bonded (not knitted like most athletic socks) together to form the shape of a sock. The seamless bonding may preferably be formed by, such as but not limitied to, addition of a glue, where the glue is activated by one or both of heat and pressure. The gripping material is not overlayed on an otherwise complete sock; the gripping material is at least a part of the sock such that, where used, the gripping material is, for example, aportion of the sole layer of material making up the sock, and is concurrently in contact with the foot of the athlete (on the interior of the sock) and the shoe of the athlete (on the exterior of the sock).

2) The sock includes fabric or material with a higher than normal coefficient of friction when rubbed against both skin (on the interior of the sock) and the inside of the shoe (on the exterior of the sock), used in specific areas of the sock to enhance the grip of the sock within a shoe and forms portions of the sock where beneficial. The fabric includes gripping properties such that the sock maintains a high-coefficient of friction relative to other fabrics or materials (e.g.. a shoe's insole) or human skin even when any of the gripping fabric, the other material or the skin is wet (i.e., the material must grip effectively against both the skin of the foot and the inside of the shoe both when dry and when both skin and shoe interior are wet due to sweat caused by athletic activities). The grip fabric is preferably arranged economically as part the sock in areas of the sock where most weight and pressure is placed by an individual during athletic activity and/or adherence is most beneficial. This includes areas encompassing any or all of the foot's heel, sole and metatarsal and as such, the sock includes placement of the synthetic grip fabric to ensure these regions of an individual's foot are covered by the synthetic grip fabric. Importantly, flatness of the sock must be maintained.

The gripping material is made of nylon, polyester, or a combination of both (e.g., 50/50). The material is not made via a weaving process, but rather heat pressed together and then brushed to create a nap.

A key to the invention is the combination of a single-layer sock made via a cutand-sew/bond process, wherein a grip material is used as part of the sock (as a single layer, not pasted on top of the sock).

Regarding the necessary coefficient of friction ("CoF"), we have tested the CoF of the grippy material vs. normal sock material, both when rubbed against skin and insoled shoes (two different tests, since there is a big difference in texture between skin and the nylon used to cover insoles, so results differ) and in both dry and wet conditions.

When performing the tests mentioned above, "non-grippy" fabrics scored around 30-40 Newtons in dry conditions, and 40-50 in wet, both when rubbed against skin and farbic. Our grip fabrics scored above 50 Newtons in all scenarios (and up to 80). It is essential that the grip material be grippy against BOTH skin and fabric, because since the material is used a single layer making up a big chunk of the sole of the sock, it must grip against skin (on interior of sock) and against the insole (on exterior of the sock).

To sum up, based on our tests, to be effective a grip fabric should test above 50 Newtons in all the tests below:

- Against SKIN - dry conditions

Against SKIN- wet (simulating "sweaty" athletic conditions) Against insole fabric (e.g., nylon)- dry

Against insole fabric - wet

The present invention is directed to a sock formed from a plurality of connected portions, preferably connections formed by sewing or bonding, such as heat bonding. To the extent sewing is used, the result is either seamless or minimally seamed. Each portion of the sock is directed to covering a different portion of a foot, where each portion is directed to overcoming one or more issues related to that portion of the foot. For example, slippage is a problem at a bottom portion of a foot, and airflow is a problem solvable at other portions of the foot. In an embodiment, the core or base of the sole of the sock is covered in one or more specific portions where more weight and pressure is placed during athletic activity (i.e., ergonomic placement of the gripping material). In another embodiment, the entirety of the core or base is comprised of synthetic gripping fabric to enhance the coefficient of friction between the insole and an individual's foot where needed. That is, the gripping fabric has a high-coefficient of friction to maintain static contact with the shoe's insole and concurrently directly with human skin even when either/both the gripping fabric or the other fabric or skin is wet. In an embodiment, the gripping material is poly micro suede. The gripping material of the present invention is directed to creating a non-slip surface between the sock and the foot as well as between the sock and the insole of the shoe. To meet these criteria, the gripping material of the present invention is preferably formed of a non-woven material. Ordinarily, socks are formed of knitted material, which has an adverse impact on the coefficient of friction between the sock and another surface, thereby contributing to slippage. The material is also preferably brushed, thereby giving it nap which remains soft to the touch yet has texture to it, where the texture leads to improved friction.

The gripping material of the present invention is of a type which will adhere to another layer of itself. Preferably the material is formed of a polyester, nylon, or some combination.

The gripping fabric of the present invention may have a structure or application so that, potentially, airflow in that area is precluded. Consequently, other portions of the sock have features associated with airflow and/or wicking.

The gripping material of the present invention is preferably intended to form a single layer so as to provide comfort to the wearer. The gripper portions of the sock are just that - portions of the sock, not sewn-in weaves or threads. Further, in the preferred embodiment, the sock of the present invention is not directed to different surfaces on the interior and exterior of the sock. In other words, there are no portions glued onto or otherwise attached to a sock, such as on one side, to provide this or similar capability. In an alternative embodiment, an extra layer of grip fabric is bonded to at least one side of the sock in one or more designated portions of the sock. This extra layer does not have a corresponding piece on the opposing side.

Benefits to the present invention include, but are not limited to, improvement in slippage of a foot within a shoe, improved foot control, and reduced contact time of the foot relative to the shoe. These benefits are key, particularly in athletics, and together result in improved athletic performance and responsivity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGs. 1A-1 C respectively depict outside, front, and perspective views of an embodiment of the sock of the present invention constructed by the "cut and sew" or "cut and bond" method;

FIGs. 2A-2E show and an embodiment of a sock of the present invention constructed from the materials.

FIG. 3 depicts test results of the sock of the present invention under dry- conditions.

FIG, 4 depicts test results of the sock of the present invention under wet conditions.

FIG. 5 depicts measured improvement in slip of the present invention over a control sock. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, FIGs. 1A, 1 B, and 1 C depict an embodiment of a sock constructed by a "cut and sew" method as opposed to knitting. The sock is comprised of a plurality of pieces of material (see, e.g., FIG. 1 C) that are cut into desired shapes and sewn or otherwise attached together to form a sock. Sewing is as seamless as possible.

As shown in FIGs. 1 A and 1 B, different pieces of material, at times formed of different compositions, are attached together. As shown in an example in FIG. 1A, portion 10 may be an eiasticized section for holding the sock up the leg, portion 20 may be friction elements so as to avoid slippage and may be formed using, for example, micro suede gripping material, portions 30 and 35 may have wicking and/or air flow functionality, and attaching elements 40 and 45 may be bonding attributes between elements.

FIGs. 2A-2E depict various combinations of materials that can be used to form the sock. In one embodiment, the materials include a first material, a second material that preferably includes a brushed non-woven griping material, and potentially a third material that is inclusive of elastic composition, such as for the purpose of a cuff. It should be noted that although three materials are disclosed herein, the sock can be comprised of any number and type of desired materials. Element 50 in FIG. 2B depicts exemplary strategic placement of gripping material on the bottom portion of the sock. As shown in the embodiment in F!G. 2C, elastic material extends about an area near the opening of the sock and the top portion of the sock is substantially comprised of pieces of the third material. The elastic material is preferably used to allow the lift portion of the sock to remain stable on a wearer's leg. As shown in FIGs. 2D and 2E, the sock is comprised of a plurality of materials arranged at specific locations of the sock and cut to mate with each other. As shown in FIG. 2D, the sole of the sock includes a first region of grip material 50 to cover the bail of an individual's foot and a second region of grip material 50 to extend from an individual's bail of the foot to their heel. The remainder of the sole of the sock is comprised substantially of the first materia! with the edges glued via a heat press process to the grip materia! 50 to form a seamless bond between the grip material and first material. By arranging the grip material to cover the ball, heel, and partial or full insole of an individual's foot - the regions of a foot that are prone to slide in a shoe - the sock ensures a more secure fit between a shoe and a users foot and in turn increases the individual's response time in reacting to an event and aids in preventing injuries typically caused due to movement of an individual's foot within a shoe.

Also evident in FIG. 2E is opening 80. In one embodiment, a sock may be formed by creating a full sock and then opening a hole 60, such as by laser cutting. Once hole 60 is created, grip materia! 50 is inserted and sewn, heat bonded, or otherwise bonded in.

The sock of the present invention is formed of a plurality of materials, preferably- sewn or otherwise bonded together in a manner to avoid overlap and elevated seams. In the present invention, some portions of the sock may be formed of traditional athletic sock materials, such as but not limited to materials which include wicking and/or venting properties. These materials, which may have lower coefficients of friction than other materials in the sock, cover areas of the foot where slippage is less of an issue, such as on the upper portion of the foot. By placing the gripping material in limited but strategically important areas, attributes of an athlete's performance have been found to improve. The attributes of the sock were split up into 'performance attributes' and 'comfort and visual attributes'. The results were reported as the percentage difference in the score between the prototype sock and the control sock. Positive percentage differences indicate an improved score for the prototype sock.

Each of eleven testers was given a control sock and the sock of the present invention and asked to rate improvement in grip, agility, and speed. Nearly all indicated improvement in each category, with improvement of up to 60%. Nearly all participants felt that the prototype sock offered an increased level of grip within the shoe. This backs up the data observed in friction testing; increased friction can be attributed to an increased sensation of grip. Furthermore, 9 out of 1 1 of the participants reported an increase in grip of >10%.

FIGs. 3 and 4 depict test results, testing various socks in combination with skin and with an insole, under both dry and wet (sweat) conditions. The test consisted of a control sample (an off-the-shelf athletic sock), a swatch of the material of the present invention, and a sock of the present invention. In each case, numerous tests were conducted (the charts show error bounds), relative to skin and a common insole, where the common insole is formed of a nylon/polyester surface. From the test data, it is self- evident that the sock of the present invention is superior under dry conditions and is as good if not better than all others in wet conditions.

FIG. 5 shows measured test results for a control sock and the present invention ("Poly - Storelli") regarding slippage. Whereas slippage was measured at over 100 mm for a control sock, the measurement was nearly zero for the present invention. The control sock is a cotton sport sock of a type available at any sports outlet. The sock of the present invention in testing always provides higher friction than commercial and control socks. Typically, the sock of the present invention provides around 40% more friction to the foot and shoe than the control (average performance across wet/dry, interior/exterior tests). The dry performance of the sock tends to be better than commercial socks, including in wetted conditions.

The sock of the present invention is intended to improve grip between a foot and a shoe. The gripping material of the present invention stabilizes the foot within the shoe. To that end, the sock of the present invention may be configured to mate with another component within the shoe or may have an additional component which can improve mating with the shoe. For example, overlayed on the sock, or in separate pieces interspersed among grippy pieces, a different material, formed potentially of a knitted fabric such as but not limited to a prime knit, can be used to mate with material in the shoe. In a further example, the material in the shoe may have a surface for adhering to one or more of the materials in the sock. In addition, to aid this process, because a sock is form-fitting, the mating material can also be form-fitting.

The foregoing description and associated images illustrate several embodiments of the invention and its respective constituent parts. However, other types of materials and patterns combining materials are possible. As such, the images are not intended to be limiting in that regard. Thus, although the description above and accompanying images contain much specificity, the details provided should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments, but merely as providing illustrations of some of embodiments of the present disclosure. The images and the description are not to be taken as restrictive on the scope of the embodiments and are understood as broad and general teachings in accordance with the present invention. While the present embodiments of the invention have been described using specific terms, such description is for present illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that modifications and variations to such embodiments, including but not limited to the substitutions of equivalent features, materials, or parts, and the reversal of various features thereof, may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.