Flexible Metatarsal Guard

Abstract

A metatarsal guard is provided which is adapted to have improved flexibility while maintaining adequate protection for the metatarsal region of a user's foot. The guard may include a flexible section spanning the width of the guard in a medial-lateral direction and comprising a pattern of perforations extending entirely or partway through the thickness of the metatarsal guard. In some aspects, the pattern of perforations may allow for expansion along the medial and lateral edges of the guard, while resisting deformation caused by outside impact.

1 . A wearable protective device comprising:
 a bottom surface configured to be positioned adjacent a surface of a user's body and an opposing top surface;   a flexible section comprising a pattern of perforations spanning a width of the wearable protective device;   a first perforation-free section;   a second perforation-free section;   wherein the flexible section is disposed between the first perforation-free section and the second perforation-free section in a length direction of the wearable protective device.   
     
     
         2 . The wearable protective device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible section has a width extending in a length direction of the guard, and the width of the flexible section is in the range of about 10% to about 50% of a length of the wearable protective device. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable protective device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible section has a width extending in a length direction of the guard, and the width of the flexible section is in the range of about 20% to about 40% of a length of the wearable protective device. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable protective device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible section is configured to allow for bending when pressure is applied to the bottom surface of the wearable protective device and to resist deformation when pressure is applied to the top surface of the wearable protective device. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable protective device of  claim 4 , wherein the flexible section is configured to allow the wearable protective device to move along with a surface of a user's body, when pressure is applied to the bottom surface of the wearable protective device. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable protective device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one perforation of the pattern of perforations extends only partway through a thickness of the wearable protective device. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable protective device of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable protective device is convexly shaped in a medial-lateral direction, and concavely shaped in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         8 . The wearable protective device of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable protective device comprises a material selected from the group consisting of rubber, elastomer, nylon, polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The wearable protective device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible section further comprises:
 a first expansion region disposed in a medial region of the wearable protective device, comprising one or more perforations extending through a medial edge of the wearable protective device;   a second expansion region disposed in a lateral region of the wearable protective device, comprising one or more perforations extending through a lateral edge of the wearable protective device; and   a contraction region disposed between the first and second expansion regions in a width direction of the protective device comprising one or more perforations.   
     
     
         10 . The wearable protective device of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more perforations extending through the medial and lateral edges of the wearable protective device extend entirely through a thickness of the wearable protective device. 
     
     
         11 . The wearable protective device of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the perforations of the contraction region extends only partway through a thickness of the wearable protective device. 
     
     
         12 . The wearable protective device of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second expansion regions are configured to allow for expansion of medial and lateral edges of the wearable protective device when pressure is applied to the bottom surface of the wearable protective device and the contraction region is configured to contract when pressure is applied to the bottom surface of the wearable protective device. 
     
     
         13 . The wearable protective device of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the perforations extending through the medial edge of the wearable protective device and at least one of the perforations extending through the lateral edge of the wearable protective device each comprise two corners which are configured to engage with one another when pressure is applied to the top surface of the wearable protective device. 
     
     
         14 . The wearable protective device of  claim 13 , wherein the corners are set inwards from an edge of the wearable protective device. 
     
     
         15 . The wearable protective device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one perforation extending through the medial edge of the wearable protective device and the at least one perforation extending through the lateral edge of the wearable protective device are each Y-shaped. 
     
     
         16 . A shoe, comprising:
 an outsole; an upper comprising an internal surface configured to receive a user's foot and an opposing external surface; and a wearable protective device comprising:
 a bottom surface configured to be positioned adjacent a surface of a user's body and an opposing top surface; 
 a flexible section comprising a pattern of perforations spanning a width of the wearable protective device; 
 a first perforation-free section; 
 a second perforation-free section; 
 wherein the flexible section is disposed between the first perforation-free section and the second perforation-free section in a length direction of the wearable protective device. 
   
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the wearable protective device is an external metatarsal guard. 
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the wearable protective device is an internal metatarsal guard. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 17 , wherein the external metatarsal guard overlies a portion of the external surface of the upper. 
     
     
         20 . The shoe of  claim 18 , wherein the upper further comprises a first and second layer and the internal metatarsal guard is positioned between the first and second layer.