Sporting footwear and system for enhancing force transfer

Abstract

A sporting footwear and system for enhancing a force transfer is described. The footwear enhances the force transfer from a foot of the wearer of the footwear, to a playing surface on which the footwear is being used. The footwear has a shell which receives and encloses the foot. The shell has a heel portion, and opposite sole and upper portions. The footwear also has a force-transferring member. The member has a first surface which can be attached to the inside of the upper portion, and an opposed second surface which can abut against the top of the wearer's foot when it is inserted into the shell. When the member abuts against the top of the foot, it fills a void and enables an increased operative contact surface within the footwear. This allows for enhanced force transfer between the foot and the shell of the footwear, and ultimately, the playing surface.

1 - 86 . (canceled) 
     
     
         87 . A sporting footwear for enhancing a force transfer, from a foot of a wearer of the sporting footwear, to a playing surface on which the sporting footwear is used, the sporting footwear comprising:
 a shell comprising a heel portion, and opposite sole and upper portions, for receiving and at least partially enclosing the foot of the wearer upon insertion into the shell, the upper portion comprising a toe box configured for enclosing the toes of the foot when inserted into the shell; and   a force-transferring member being integral with the toe box and comprising opposite first and second contact surfaces, the first contact surface being fixedly connectable to an inner surface of the toe box, and the second contact surface configured for abutting against at least a part of the top of the wearer's toes when inserted into the shell, the force-transferring member being positioned, shaped and sized relative to the toe box so as to fill a void between the top of the toes and the upper portion, thereby enabling an increased operative contact surface within the sporting footwear between foot and shell, so as to enhance force transfer between said foot and shell, and onto the playing surface.   
     
     
         88 . A sporting footwear according to  claim 87 , wherein toe box comprises a recessed or low profile upper portion, the first contact surface of the force-transferring member being fixedly connectable to an inner surface of the recessed or low profile upper portion. 
     
     
         89 . A sporting footwear according to  claim 87 , wherein the force-transferring member further comprises a side surface configured for extending along at least one of the inner and outer sides of the foot when inserted into the shell. 
     
     
         90 . A sporting footwear according to  claim 87 , wherein the upper portion further comprises a tongue fixed to an inner side thereof, and configured for extending along a portion of the top of the foot between the end of the toes and the ankle when the foot is inserted into the shell. 
     
     
         91 . A sporting footwear according to  claim 87 , wherein the force-transferring member is formed upon engaging a desired part of the foot with a moldable object. 
     
     
         92 . A sporting footwear according to  claim 87 , wherein the force-transferring member further comprises an inflatable membrane in fluid connection with an inflation device, the inflation device configured for being manipulated by the wearer for inflating the inflatable membrane until the inflatable membrane abuts against at least a part of the top of the foot when inserted into the shell. 
     
     
         93 . A sporting footwear according to  claim 87 , wherein the force-transferring member further comprises a resilient plate configured for extending at least along a portion of the top of the foot between the ankle and the end of the toes when the foot is inserted into the shell. 
     
     
         94 . A sporting footwear according to  claim 93 , wherein the resilient plate is charged with a load when the foot is pivoted about the balls of the toes, the resilient plate being configured to transfer the load to the shell upon the foot returning to a flat position, so as to enhance force transfer between said foot and shell, and onto the playing surface. 
     
     
         95 . A force-transferring member for enhancing a force transfer, from a foot of a wearer of a sporting footwear to a playing surface on which the sporting footwear is used, the sporting footwear having a shell comprising a heel portion, and opposite sole and upper portions, for receiving and at least partially enclosing the foot of the wearer upon insertion into the shell, the force-transferring member comprising a pad having opposite first and second contact surfaces, the first contact surface being removably connectable to an inner side of the upper portion of the shell, and the second contact surface configured for abutting against at least a part of the top of the wearer's foot when inserted into the shell, the pad being positioned, shaped and sized within the shell so as to fill a void between the top of the foot and the upper portion, thereby enabling an increased operative contact surface within the sporting footwear between foot and shell, so as to enhance force transfer between said foot and shell, and onto the playing surface. 
     
     
         96 . A force-transferring member according to  claim 95 , fixed to a foot covering and configured such that, upon insertion of the foot into the footwear, the force-transferring member is removably mounted to the inner side of the upper portion of the footwear. 
     
     
         97 . A force-transferring member according to  claim 96 , wherein the foot covering is a sock. 
     
     
         98 . A force-transferring member according to  claim 95 , wherein the pad is configured for abutting against the top of the toes of the foot when inserted into the shell. 
     
     
         99 . A force-transferring member according to  claim 95 , wherein the pad is configured for abutting against a portion of the top of the foot extending between the ankle and the end of the toes when the foot is inserted into the shell. 
     
     
         100 . A force-transferring member according to  claim 95 , wherein the pad is fixedly connectable with a tongue fixed to the inner side and configured for extending along a portion of the top of the foot between the end of the toes and the ankle when the foot is inserted into the shell. 
     
     
         101 . A force-transferring member according to  claim 95 , wherein the pad is fixedly connectable with an inner surface of a toe box configured for enclosing the toes of the foot when inserted into the shell. 
     
     
         102 . A system for enhancing a force transfer, from a foot of a wearer to a playing surface, the system comprising:
 a footwear for receiving and at least partially enclosing the foot of the wearer upon being inserted therein, the footwear comprising a heel portion, and opposite sole and upper portions; and   a removable force-transferring member comprising opposite first and second contact surfaces, the first contact surface being removably mountable to an inner side of the upper portion of the footwear such that the second contact surface is configured for abutting against at least a part of the top of the wearer's foot when inserted into the footwear, the force-transferring member being positioned, shaped, and sized within the footwear so as to fill a void between the top of foot and the upper portion, thereby enabling an increased operative contact surface between foot and footwear, so as to enhance force transfer between said foot and footwear, and onto the playing surface.   
     
     
         103 . A system according to  claim 102 , wherein the force-transferring member is configured for abutting against the top of the toes of the foot when inserted into the footwear. 
     
     
         104 . A system according to  claim 102 , wherein the force-transferring member is configured for abutting against a part of the top of the foot extending from the ankle to the end of the toes when the foot is inserted into the footwear. 
     
     
         105 . A system according to  claim 102 , wherein the upper portion further comprises a toe box configured for enclosing toes of the foot when inserted into the footwear. 
     
     
         106 . A system according to  claim 105 , wherein the force-transferring member is removably mountable to an inner surface of the toe box so as to abut against the top of the toes when the foot is inserted into the footwear.