Soccer cleat with leg protective structure

Abstract

An assembly is provided including a cleated shoe and a leg protective structure. The leg protective structure has a lower end which is fixed to the shoe through a flexible junction. The leg protective structure is configured as a sock and/or a shin guard. In various embodiments different opening and closure mechanisms are disclosed for the leg protective structure and different configurations for positioning of shin guard elements and flexible tubular layers. The leg protective structure can thus be worn upon a foot and leg without a sock or over a sock upon a foot and leg, and the leg protective structure provides the integrated function of a shin guard or to work along with a separately provided shin guard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleated soccer shoe with leg protective structure, comprising in combination:
 a shoe including a heel opposite a toe and a foot supporting interior;   a plurality of cleats extending below the shoe, at least one of said cleats closer to said heel and at least one of said cleats closer to said toe;   a leg protective structure extending from a lower end to an upper end, said lower end affixed to said shoe through a flexible junction, allowing a foot within the shoe to flex relative to a leg within the leg protective structure about an ankle joint; and   said leg protective structure including at least one flexible tubular layer for covering portions of a lower leg of a wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The soccer shoe of  claim 1  wherein said flexible tubular layer includes a sock built into said leg protective structure and extending into said interior of said shoe. 
     
     
         3 . The soccer shoe of  claim 1  wherein said leg protective structure includes a front side with a shin guard therewith. 
     
     
         4 . The soccer shoe of  claim 3  wherein said shin guard is built into said flexible tubular layer. 
     
     
         5 . The soccer shoe of  claim 4  wherein said shin guard is located inboard of at least portions of said flexible tubular layer, such that said shin guard is covered by said flexible tubular layer. 
     
     
         6 . The soccer shoe of  claim 4  wherein said shin guard is at least partially on an exterior of said flexible tubular layer such that said shin guard is at least partially uncovered and visible from an exterior of said flexible tubular layer. 
     
     
         7 . The soccer shoe of  claim 3  wherein said leg protective structure includes a pouch on an interior thereof, said pouch having an open top, said pouch sized to receive said shin guard therein, and said shin guard located within said pouch. 
     
     
         8 . The soccer shoe of  claim 3  wherein said flexible tubular layer includes a sock built into said leg protective structure and extending into said interior of said shoe. 
     
     
         9 . The soccer shoe of  claim 1  wherein said flexible junction includes a seam joining said lower end of said leg protective structure to said shoe. 
     
     
         10 . The soccer shoe of  claim 1  wherein said flexible junction includes outer continuous at least partially flexible fabric covering both sides of said junction above and below said junction. 
     
     
         11 . The soccer shoe of  claim 1  wherein said leg protective structure includes a pouch on a front side of an interior thereof, said pouch having an at least partially open upper end, said pouch including a removable shin guard within said pouch. 
     
     
         12 . The soccer shoe of  claim 1  wherein a substantially rigid shin guard element is included over an exterior of said leg protective structure adjacent a front side of said leg protective structure, said shin guard including a flexible sleeve forming a circuit, said sleeve sized to reside outside of said leg protective structure, said sleeve holding said shin guard to said leg protective structure on said front side of said leg protective structure. 
     
     
         13 . A method for providing footwear including a shin guard, including the steps of:
 identifying an assembly including a shoe with a heel opposite a toe and a foot supporting interior within the shoe, a plurality of cleats extending below the shoe, at least one of the cleats closer to the heel and at least one of the cleats closer to the toe, a leg protective structure extending from a lower end to an upper end, the lower end affixed to the shoe through a flexible junction which allows the foot within the shoe to flex relative to a leg within the leg protective structure about an ankle joint, the leg protective structure including at least one flexible tubular layer for covering portions of a lower leg of a wearer; and   putting the combined shoe and leg protective structure upon a foot and leg of a wearer.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said putting step is preceded by a step of donning a sock over the leg and foot of the wearer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said identifying step includes the flexible tubular layer including a sock built into the leg protective structure and extending into an interior of the shoe. 
     
     
         16 . A cleated soccer shoe and sock combination, comprising in combination:
 a shoe including a heel opposite a toe and a foot supporting interior;   a plurality of cleats extending below the shoe, at least one of said cleats closer to said heel and at least one of said cleats closer to said toe;   a leg protective structure extending from a lower end to an upper end, said lower end affixed to said shoe through a flexible junction, allowing a foot within the shoe to flex relative to a leg within the leg protective structure about an ankle joint; and   said leg protective structure including a sock on an inboard surface thereof extending from said leg protective structure down into said interior of said shoe.   
     
     
         17 . The cleated shoe of  claim 16  wherein said leg protective structure includes a front side with a shin guard therein. 
     
     
         18 . The cleated shoe of  claim 17  wherein said shin guard is built into said sock. 
     
     
         19 . The cleated shoe of  claim 17  wherein said leg protective structure includes a pouch on an interior thereof, said pouch having an open top, said pouch sized to receive said shin guard therein, and said shin guard located within said pouch. 
     
     
         20 . The cleated shoe of  claim 16  wherein said sock is continuous to a closed end within said interior of said shoe at said toe of said shoe.