Protective toe cap for industrial footwear

Abstract

The invention relates to a one-piece protective toe cap for safety footwear, forming a concave frame consisting of a front wall with connected side walls, the upper edges of which are joined by a concave surface along the profile of the last. The contour or edge of the flange of the toe cap is provided with a recess in order to house a tab and provide comfort, as well as improving the appearance of the footwear (not shown in these documents). The design withstands impact tests of approximately 101.7 to 146.7 Joules (10.4 to 14.95 kgf−m), leaving clearance of approximately 11 mm to 14 mm in the capped shoe and not only at the tip of the cap.

1 . A toe cap for safety and protection footwear for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, such that the design of the toe cap allows for the protection of the 5 toes and such that it forms a rigid framework resistant to impacts in accordance with standard industry safety standards comprising:
 a front wall;   two lateral walls joined at the top by means of a non-planar top surface;   said front wall and two lateral walls ending at the bottom in an internally directioned flange;   a rim that joins said two lateral walls and said top surface such that said rim recedes toward said front wall and terminates in a step.   
     
     
         2 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 1 , wherein said rim and said flange have their ends terminating together in a tip such that the force of an impact upon said top surface of said toe cap is conducted along said two lateral walls and said front wall to a sole preventing the toes of a wearer from being exposed to the impact. 
     
     
         3 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 2 , wherein said flange prevents a penetrating action on said top surface of said toe cap and sole reducing the risk to the  5  toes of the wearer of the safety and protection footwear. 
     
     
         4 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 3 , such that said rim recedes toward said front wall and terminates in a step at a distance of 0.8 to 1.0 cm. 
     
     
         5 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 4 , wherein said rim which joins said lateral walls, said front wall, and said top surface is a rounded rim. 
     
     
         6 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 5 , wherein said front wall is a semi-cylindrical wall generally following the shape of a rounded tip. 
     
     
         7 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 6 , such that the mathematical formulas for the computation of measurements P 1  to P 4  are;
 for men; 
 P 1 =K−(0 to 7 mm); 
 P 2 =K+(0 to 6 mm); 
 P 3 =K; 
 P 4 =K−(1 to 2 mm); 
 and for women; 
 P 1 =K−(9 to 12 mm); 
 P 2 =K−(1 to 3 mm): 
 P 3 =K: 
 P 4 =K+(2 to 7 mm); 
 where K is a constant that defines a point coinciding with a central line of a last and with a central line of the curvature of said toe cap and is defined as the distance to P 3  that is equal to ⅓ of T+5 mm +10 mm wherein; 
 T is the width of a heel of said last; 
 P 1  is a point on a curve of said toe cap closest to a line of descent on the lateral wall to a first digit (big toe) on said last; 
 P 2  is a maximum point of curvature most pronounced toward the curvature of said last. 
 P 3  is a distance at which the curvature of said toe cap coincides with a central axis of said last; and, 
 P 4  is a point closest to a line of descent to a zone of the 5th digit (little toe) or external line of said last. 
 
     
     
         8 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according  claim 7 , wherein an adjustment is additionally made for the location of the metatarsal heads of the toes of a wearer identified as P 1  to P 4  by means of the following mathematical formulas;
 (E 2 )=Z+2 (E 5 )+2 (E 4 ) (not considering the camber of the last); 
 (E 9 )=R+(E 7 )+2 (E 5 )+2 (E 4 ) (not considering the camber of the last); 
 wherein. 
 zone D is the curvature of said last over said toe cap; 
 R=maximum height of said last in zone D (not considering the camber); 
 Z=maximum width of said last in the plantar base of the zone D; 
 Thickness of said sole (E 7 ) E 1 ; 
 Thickness of a lining (E 5 ) E 2 ; 
 Thickness of a tab (E 4 ) E 3 ; 
 Width of said toe cap (E 2 ) AC; and, 
 Height of said toe cap (E 9 ) ALC. 
 
     
     
         9 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 8 , such that in addition one determines the depths of said toe cap by means of the mathematical formulas:,
 PEC=PEH+E 5 ;   PCC=PCH+E 5 ;   PIC=PIH+E 5 ;   wherein:   PEC=External depth of said toe cap with respect to its internal arch:,   PCC=Central depth of said toe cap with respect to its internal arch; and,   PIC=Internal depth of said toe cap with respect to its internal arch.   
     
     
         10 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 9 , wherein one additionally determines an angle α of said toe cap between the maximum height point of said zone D and a line of support of said flange. 
     
     
         11 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 10 , wherein said angle α of said toe cap is 20 degrees. 
     
     
         12 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 11 , wherein said angle α of said toe cap enables a greater dispersion of forces. 
     
     
         13 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 12 , wherein one additionally determines the angle β of said toe cap that is determined with respect to a straight line from inside width points of said toe cap between an inside and outside point. 
     
     
         14 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 13  wherein said angle β of said toe cap is 5 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . A toe cap for protection of the five toes of the foot, in a single piece, according to  claim 14 , wherein said angle β of said toe cap provides a greater coverage of the fifth digit (little toe). 
     
     
         16 . (canceled)