Footwear for healthcare operators, as well as kit comprising the footwear

Abstract

Footwear for healthcare operators includes a sole having an upper portion configured to come into contact with a foot of a healthcare operator, and a lower portion designed to come into contact with a floor. The lower portion of the sole has a first, substantially planar rotation zone positioned to remain at the forefoot of the operator upon wearing the footwear, so as to facilitate a rotation of the footwear around the rotation zone.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . Footwear for healthcare operators, comprising:
 a sole having an upper portion designed to come into contact with a foot of a healthcare operator, and a lower portion with a lower surface designed to come into contact with a floor,   wherein the lower portion of the sole comprises a first planar rotation zone positioned to remain at a forefoot of the operator wearing the footwear so as to facilitate a rotation of the footwear around the first planar rotation zone; and   a disc-shaped element that defines the first planar rotation zone, the lower portion of the sole comprising a support element that defines a circular seat designed to house the disc-shaped element, the disc-shaped element being rotatably movable within the support element,   wherein the support element is flush with the lower surface, the disc being inserted into the support element to remain flush with the lower surface or to partially protrude therefrom, and   wherein the disc is removably insertable into the support element, so as to be replaceable.   
     
     
         53 . The footwear according to  claim 52 , wherein the lower portion of the sole further comprises a second zone, the first planar rotation zone and the second zone being configured so as to have a different coefficient of friction with the floor, so that upon the rotation of the foot of an operator the second zone easily slides on the floor to simplify the rotation of the foot. 
     
     
         54 . The footwear according to  claim 53 , wherein the first planar rotation zone is made of a first material, the second zone being made of a second material different from the first material. 
     
     
         55 . The footwear according to  claim 52 , wherein the disc-shaped element comprises a deformable portion which includes the first rotation zone, the disc-shaped element being configured so that a loading thereof by the forefoot of an operator promotes a compression of the deformable portion. 
     
     
         56 . The footwear according to  claim 55 , wherein the deformable portion has an operative surface disposed to come into contact with the floor, the operative surface being smaller than the rotation zone so that a weight of the operator is loaded only on the operative surface and operative surface latter has a high friction with the floor. 
     
     
         57 . The footwear according to  claim 53 , wherein the sole has one or more high reinforcement zones configured to support the foot of the operator in one or more points. 
     
     
         58 . The footwear according to  claim 57 , further comprising a first heel zone of the sole designed to remain at a heel of the operator and a second forefoot zone designed to remain at the forefoot of the operator, the first heel zone having a greater thickness than the second forefoot zone of the sole so that the heel of the operator has a greater distance from the floor than the forefoot, causing the foot to be inclined. 
     
     
         59 . The footwear according to  claim 58 , wherein a difference between a thickness of the first heel zone and the thickness of the second forefoot zone is equal to or greater than 20 mm. 
     
     
         60 . The footwear according to  claim 58 , wherein the first heel zone of the sole comprises a first reinforcement element having a first predetermined resistance to compression. 
     
     
         61 . The footwear according to  claim 60 , wherein the first heel zone comprises a first seat, the first reinforcement element being insertable and removable into and from the first seat of the first zone. 
     
     
         62 . The footwear according to  claim 61 , wherein the first heel zone comprises a second reinforcement element, the sole comprising a second seat for the second reinforcement element. 
     
     
         63 . The footwear according to  claim 62 , wherein the second forefoot zone comprises a third reinforcement element having a second predetermined resistance to compression. 
     
     
         64 . The footwear according to  claim 63 , wherein the second zone comprises a third seat for the third reinforcement element. 
     
     
         65 . The footwear according to  claim 64 , wherein the sole comprises an insole and a tread, the insole including the first seat for the first reinforcement element, the tread including the second and the third seat for the second and the third reinforcement element. 
     
     
         66 . A kit comprising:
 a footwear according to  claim 52 ; and   an accessory,   wherein the accessory comprises a first and a second disc-shaped element, the first and the second disc-shaped element having different resistances to compression, the first and the second disc-shaped element being alternatively insertable into the circular seat.