Baby socks and related items with improved in-place retention

Abstract

An improved baby sock that will reduce the instance of the sock coming off the foot while in use and related applications to children's, women's, and men's socks. Application of the invention to improved in-place retention for hats, mittens, foot-less onesies, shoes, and bedding are presented.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A sock comprising:
 an upper portion that has an elastic property;   said upper portion having areas of silicone attached to the interior of said sock arranged at horizontal intervals in the range of 1 millimeters to 25 millimeters measured from edge-to-edge, and a vertical interval of 1 millimeters to 25 millimeters measured edge-to-edge, where each area of silicone has a surface area at the base in the range of 0.7 to 100 millimeters squared, and a thickness of 1.1 millimeters to 3 millimeters, such that concentrated points of pressure are produced at the points of contact between the areas of silicone and the foot or leg surface of the wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The sock of  claim 1 , where said areas of silicone may also be in the shape of dots, with each dot having a diameter in the range of 1 millimeters to 10 millimeters. 
     
     
         3 . The sock of  claim 2 , where said sock is a no-show or low-rise sock wherein the upper portion of said sock is coincident with the wearer's foot and does not extend or only extends slightly onto the ankle. 
     
     
         4 . The sock of  claim 2 , where said sock further comprises areas of silicone on the exterior of the sock, located such that one or more regions of interior and exterior areas of silicone occur at the same point on the sock. 
     
     
         5 . The sock of  claim 2 , where said sock further comprises areas of silicone on the exterior of the sock, located above the base of the sock on either the heel or upper portion, arranged such that the exterior areas of silicone would come into contact with the inside wall of a shoe, boot, ankle-foot-orthosis, ankle brace, ankle covering, or pant leg, when worn. 
     
     
         6 . The sock of  claim 2 , further comprising a combination with an ankle covering, wherein said sock further comprises areas of silicone on the exterior of the sock, located such that one or more regions of the interior and exterior areas occur at the same point on the sock and such that the exterior area makes contact with the inside wall of a shoe, boot, ankle-foot-orthosis, ankle brace, ankle covering, or pant leg, when worn. 
     
     
         7 . A sock and ankle covering combination, wherein said sock further comprises areas of silicone on the exterior of the sock, and said ankle covering comprises a shoe, boot, ankle-foot-orthosis, ankle brace, ankle covering, or ankle portion of a pant leg, said ankle covering further comprising areas of silicone attached to its interior wall located in a reciprocal fashion to the exterior areas of silicone of the sock, such that one or more of the areas of silicone of the sock and one or more of the areas of silicone on the ankle covering are in contact when worn. 
     
     
         8 . The sock and ankle covering combination of  claim 7 , where said areas of silicone on the exterior of the sock comprise one or more bands of silicone attached to the exterior of the sock, and said ankle covering comprises one or more bands of silicone attached to the interior wall of the ankle covering in a reciprocal fashion, wherein the bands of silicone of said ankle covering are located adjacently above or adjacently below the bands of silicone of said sock. 
     
     
         9 . The sock and ankle covering combination of  claim 8 , where the bands of silicone comprises regions of areas of silicone arranged in a pattern to form a band, rather than a continuous band of silicone. 
     
     
         10 . The sock and ankle covering combination of  claim 8 , where the reciprocal areas of silicone on the sock and ankle covering have a tapered height on the meeting edges of the reciprocal areas of silicon, beginning at the edges with a decreased height and increasing in height from the edges toward the opposite end, and where the reciprocal tapered areas of silicone overlap. 
     
     
         11 . The sock and ankle covering combination of  claim 8 , where the ankle covering is either fastenable or elastic. 
     
     
         12 . The sock and ankle covering combination of  claim 9 , where the ankle covering is either fastenable or elastic. 
     
     
         13 . The sock and ankle covering combination of  claim 10 , where the ankle covering further comprises a strap or fastener. 
     
     
         14 . A foot or ankle covering comprising: a shoe, boot, ankle-foot-orthosis, ankle brace, ankle covering, or ankle portion of a pant leg having areas of silicone attached to the interior of said foot or ankle covering, arranged at horizontal intervals in the range of 1 millimeters to 25 millimeters measured from edge-to-edge, and a vertical interval of 1 millimeter to 25 millimeters measured edge-to-edge, where each area of silicone has a surface area at the base in the range of 0.7 to 100 millimeters squared and a thickness of 1.1 millimeters to 3 millimeters, such that concentrated points of pressure are produced at the points of contact between the areas of silicone and the skin surface or sock of the wearer. 
     
     
         15 . The ankle covering of  claim 14 , where said areas of silicone are in the shape of dots, with each dot having a diameter in the range of 1 millimeters to 10 millimeters.