Foot protecting devices

Abstract

Foot protecting devices including a shell including a top surface and a bottom surface spaced from the top surface and substantially aligned with the top surface, and a cushioning layer proximate the bottom surface, wherein the shell is configured to mount within a user's shoe between a shoe tongue and a shoe's laces, the cushioning layer is positioned proximate the tongue and the shell is positioned proximate the laces. In some examples the foot protecting device includes a plurality of apertures, channels, and retaining elements on the top surface of the shell. In some further examples the foot protecting device includes a selectively removable cushioning layer.

1 . A foot protecting device including:
 a shell including a top surface and a bottom surface spaced from the top surface and substantially aligned with the top surface; and   a cushioning layer proximate the bottom surface;   wherein the shell is configured to mount within a user's shoe between a shoe tongue and a shoe's laces, the cushioning layer positioned proximate the tongue and the shell positioned proximate the laces.   
     
     
         2 . The foot protecting device of  claim 1 , further comprising retaining elements removably attached to the top surface for retaining the top surface proximate the laces. 
     
     
         3 . The foot protecting device of  claim 1 , wherein the cushioning layer is removably attached to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         4 . The foot protecting device of  claim 3 , wherein the cushioning layer further includes a shell-engaging surface proximate the bottom surface of the shell, a tongue-engaging surface distal the bottom surface of the shell opposite the shell-engaging surface, and the tongue-engaging surface includes anti-slip elements. 
     
     
         5 . The foot protecting device of  claim 1 , wherein the cushioning layer is anti-microbial and anti-fungal. 
     
     
         6 . The foot protecting device of  claim 1 , wherein the shell is anatomically molded to accommodate a top instep portion of a user's foot. 
     
     
         7 . The foot protecting device of  claim 6 , wherein the shell is latitudinally convex on the top surface and latitudinally concave on the bottom surface. 
     
     
         8 . The foot protecting device of  claim 7 , wherein the shell includes a plurality of apertures for ventilation. 
     
     
         9 . The foot protecting device of  claim 7 , wherein the tongue-engaging surface of the cushioning layer includes a plurality of longitudinal channels for ventilation and moisture channeling. 
     
     
         10 . The foot protecting device of  claim 7 , wherein the top surface of the shell includes channels configured to accommodate the laces of the shoe. 
     
     
         11 . A foot protecting device including:
 a shell including a longitudinally convex top surface configured to accommodate shoe laces and a longitudinally concave bottom surface spaced from the top surface and substantially aligned with the top surface; and   an anti-microbial cushioning layer fixedly secured to the bottom surface;   wherein the shell is configured to be inserted in a user's shoe between a shoe tongue and shoe laces, the cushioning layer positioned proximate the tongue and the shell positioned proximate the laces.   
     
     
         12 . The foot protecting device of  claim 11 , wherein the cushioning layer includes anti-odor elements. 
     
     
         13 . The foot protecting device of  claim 11 , wherein the shell and the cushioning layer include heat-dissipating elements. 
     
     
         14 . The foot protecting device of  claim 11 , wherein the heat-dissipating elements are comprised of a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         15 . A foot protecting device including:
 a shell including a top surface, a bottom surface spaced from the top surface and substantially aligned with the top surface, a top edge connecting the top surface and the bottom surface, and a bottom edge opposite the top edge and connecting the top surface and the bottom surface; and   an anti-microbial cushioning layer including a shell-engaging surface and a shoe-tongue-engaging surface opposite the shell-engaging surface, the cushioning layer removably secured to the bottom surface of the shell;   wherein the shell defines a plurality of apertures and the cushioning layer defines a plurality of apertures and a plurality of longitudinal channels on the shoe-tongue-engaging surface, the apertures of the cushioning layer substantially aligned with the apertures of the shell.   
     
     
         16 . The foot protecting device of  claim 15 , wherein the top edge and the bottom edge are configured to accommodate a user's foot. 
     
     
         17 . The foot protecting device of  claim 16 , wherein the top edge and the bottom edge are concave. 
     
     
         18 . The foot protecting device of  claim 17 , wherein the cushioning layer is removably secured to the bottom surface of the shell with hook-and-pile securing elements. 
     
     
         19 . The foot protecting device of  claim 15 , wherein the top surface includes safety elements. 
     
     
         20 . The foot protecting device of  claim 19 , wherein the safety elements reflect light.