Protective cover for bicycle and track and field footwear

Abstract

A protective cover for a shoe having cleats including a front end, an opposing rear end, an upper which extends from the front to the rear end, a bottom extending rearwardly from the front end, an approximate midpoint of the cover where the bottom terminates, a cavity formed into the bottom for receiving a cleat disposed on a forward part of the shoe and for receiving an insert configured to engage and contact a cleat of the shoe, where the upper extends around and over a portion of a toe area of the shoe, and where the upper extends from the midpoint rearward around a heel area of the shoe to delimit an opening in the cover adjacent to the bottom and rearward of the midpoint through which a portion of the shoe extends when the cover is worn.

1 . A protective cover for a footwear that has cleats or spikes in the forefoot region thereof, the protective cover comprising:
 a forefoot portion that has a bottom portion and perimeter side walls, wherein the forefoot portion does not have its bottom portion extend rearwardly to cover a heel of a shoe; and   a heel retention strap that extends rearwardly from the forefoot portion and is adapted to engage with a heel of the shoe.   
     
     
         2 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 1 , wherein the forefoot portion further comprises a toe cap at a front thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion further comprises anti-penetration material to help prevent spikes and cleats of the shoe from penetration through the bottom portion. 
     
     
         4 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 3 , wherein the anti-penetration material is at least one of fibrous mesh formed of spun glass, synthetic fibers, rubber, plastic, leather, and metal. 
     
     
         5 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion further comprises cleat/spike retention material to help stabilize the position of the shoes in the forefoot portion of the protective cover. 
     
     
         6 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion further comprises a layer of spike/cleat retention material and a layer of anti-penetration material below a layer of spike/cleat retention material which is located above a lower layer of the bottom portion. 
     
     
         7 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 3 , wherein the anti-penetration material is molded into a sole of the forefoot portion. 
     
     
         8 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 1 , wherein the forefoot portion, and the heel retention strap is formed as a single unit from flexible and stretchable rubber and/or plastic material. 
     
     
         9 . A protective cover for a bicycle or track and field shoes having cleats or spikes in the forefoot region thereof, the protective cover comprising:
 a forefoot portion that has a bottom portion, perimeter side walls, and a toe cap, the forefoot portion extending rearwardly only about midway to the shoes sole so as not to cover a heel of the shoe, wherein the bottom portion further includes an anti-penetration layer to help prevent spikes and cleats of the cleated shoe from penetration through the bottom portion; and   a heel retention strap that extends rearwardly from the forefoot portion which is adapted to engage with a heel of the cleated shoe, wherein the forefoot portion, and the heel retention strap are formed as a single unit from flexible and stretchable rubber and/or plastic material.   
     
     
         10 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 9 , wherein the anti-penetration layer comprises fibrous mesh formed of at least one of spun glass, synthetic fibers, rubber, plastic, leather, and metal. 
     
     
         11 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom portion further comprises a layer of cleat/spike retention material positioned above the anti-penetration layer to help stabilize the position of the track shoes in the forefoot portion of the protective cover. 
     
     
         12 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 10 , wherein the anti-penetration material is molded into a sole of the forefoot portion. 
     
     
         13 . A protective cover for a shoe having cleats, comprising:
 a body member having a forward portion configured to encase a ball of the foot area of the shoe and at least a portion of a toe area of the shoe, the forward portion including an engagement area disposed at an interior of the forward portion of the body member configured to receive and retain a cleat extending from the shoe such that the cleat is covered by at least one of the engagement area and the body member; and   a heel portion which extends from the forward portion along a lateral side of the shoe and along a medial side of the shoe and is secured at a heel area at a rear of the shoe, wherein the heel portion delimits an opening in the protective cover which extends through the protective cover at a bottom of the protective cover at a rear of the shoe opposite from the front portion, and wherein the body member is configured to be disposed on the shoe in a position of engagement in which the cleat is received and retained at the engagement area.   
     
     
         14 . The protective cover of  claim 13 , wherein the body member includes a bottom which extends continuously from a front of the body member to a midpoint of the protective cover. 
     
     
         15 . The protective cover of  claim 13 , further comprising contouring disposed at the engagement area on the bottom at the interior configured to receive and retain the cleat. 
     
     
         16 . The protective cover of  claim 15 , wherein the engagement area comprises a cavity formed into the bottom of the cover that is open to the interior of the cover. 
     
     
         17 . A protective cover for a shoe having cleats, comprising:
 a front end;   an opposing rear end;   an upper which extends from the front to the rear end;   a bottom extending rearwardly from the front end;   an approximate midpoint of the cover where the bottom terminates;   a cavity formed into the bottom for receiving a cleat disposed on a forward part of the shoe and for receiving an insert configured to engage and contact a cleat of the shoe;   wherein the upper extends around and over a portion of a toe area of the shoe; and   wherein the upper extends from the midpoint rearward around a heel area of the shoe to delimit an opening in the cover adjacent to the bottom and rearward of the midpoint through which a portion of the shoe extends when the cover is worn.   
     
     
         18 . The protective cover for a shoe having cleats of  claim 17 , wherein the insert comprises anti-penetration material to help prevent spikes and cleats of the shoe from penetration through the bottom portion. 
     
     
         19 . The protective cover for a shoe having cleats of  18 , wherein the anti-penetration material is at least one of fibrous mesh formed of spun glass, synthetic fibers, rubber, plastic, leather, and metal. 
     
     
         20 . The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of  claim 17 , wherein the bottom portion further comprises cleat/spike retention material to help stabilize the position of the shoes in the forefoot portion of the protective cover.