Toe and shoe protective guard and coupling system

Abstract

A protective shell for an athletic shoe and a system for coupling the protective shell to the shoe is disclosed herein. The protective shell includes a top toe area and a side toe area. The top toe area and side toe area are configured to fit over at least a portion of a top toe area and at least a portion of a side toe area of a shoe. At least one coupling feature on the side toe area is configured to facilitate coupling to the shoe or to a separate coupling device attached to the shoe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective guard for a shoe, comprising:
 a protective shell comprising
 a top toe area and a side toe area, the top toe area and side toe area configured to fit over at least a portion of a shoe top toe area and at least a portion of a shoe side toe area of a shoe; and 
   at least one coupling feature on the side toe area configured to facilitate coupling to the shoe or to a separate coupling device attached to the shoe.   
     
     
         2 . The protective guard of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one coupling feature comprises a screw hole with inclined threads or bolt hole. 
     
     
         3 . The protective guard of  claim 1 , wherein the protective shell includes a side cut-out section on the side toe area. 
     
     
         4 . The protective guard of  claim 1 , wherein the protective shell includes a side cut-out section on both sides of the side toe area. 
     
     
         5 . The protective guard of  claim 1 , wherein a rear edge of the top toe area is contoured. 
     
     
         6 . The protective guard of  claim 1 , wherein a rear edge of the protective shell has a lip. 
     
     
         7 . The protective guard of  claim 1 , wherein the protective shell includes at least two coupling features on the side toe area. 
     
     
         8 . The protective guard of  claim 1 , wherein the protective shell has a Shore D hardness of 31 to 100. 
     
     
         9 . A protective guard system for a shoe, the system comprising:
 a protective guard including:
 a protective shell having a top toe area and a side toe area, the top toe area and side toe area configured to fit over at least a portion of a top toe area and at least a portion of a side toe area of a shoe, and at least one coupling feature on the side toe area; and 
   a separate coupling device configured to attach directly to the shoe and configured to facilitate coupling with the at least one coupling feature on the side toe area.   
     
     
         10 . The protective guard system of  claim 9 , wherein the separate coupling device is 0.3 to 3 inches in width, has a contoured arc in a vertical direction and is configured to match a shape of at least a portion of the side toe area of the shoe. 
     
     
         11 . The protective guard system of  claim 9 , wherein the separate coupling device has a contoured arc in a vertical direction and is configured to match a shape of the side toe area of the shoe and at least a portion of a top toe area of the shoe. 
     
     
         12 . The protective guard system of  claim 9 , wherein an upper portion of the separate coupling device supports a bottom surface of the protective shell and is configured to space the protective shell away from the side toe area of the shoe. 
     
     
         13 . The protective guard system of  claim 9 , wherein the protective shell is coupled to at least two coupling features on the side toe area. 
     
     
         14 . The protective guard system of  claim 9 , wherein the protective shell includes at least two coupling features on the side toe area and one at a front of the side toe area. 
     
     
         15 . A shoe and protective guard system comprising:
 a shoe;   a protective guard including:
 a protective shell having a top toe area and a side toe area, the top toe area and side toe area configured to fit over at least a portion of a top toe area and at least a portion of a side toe area of a shoe, and at least one coupling feature on the side toe area; and 
   a separate coupling device attached directly to the shoe and coupled to the at least one coupling feature on the side toe area.   
     
     
         16 . The shoe and protective guard system of  claim 15 , wherein the shoe is a cleated shoe. 
     
     
         17 . The shoe and protective guard system of  claim 15 , wherein the separate coupling device is adhered to at least an outsole region of the shoe. 
     
     
         18 . The shoe and protective guard system of  claim 15 , wherein the protective shell extends to a one half inch radius of a lace region of the shoe. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe and protective guard system of  claim 15 , wherein the protective shell extends to a one inch radius of a lace region of the shoe. 
     
     
         20 . The shoe and protective guard system of  claim 15 , wherein the protective shell is sized and shaped to allow for flexing of a shoe top toe area without the protective shell impinging on a metatarsal area of a user's foot.