Modernized Baseball/Softball Foot Guard Sleeve

摘要

The invention provides an entirely new form of protective gear to protect baseball/softball player's feet, while batting. This foot guard slides over and wraps around the entire shoe, like a sleeve, creating the feeling that it is one with the shoe. The foot guard sleeve is comprised of a thin layer of Kevlar, or other aramid material, fastened to a thin layer of neoprene, all sewn into and enveloped by a negligibly thin outer mesh/spandex sleeve, and altogether measuring ⅛″ to ¼″ in thickness. These thin, flexible, malleable, and lightweight materials allow for the full mobility and flexion of the player's foot, greatly reducing any hindrance caused by the gear, while still providing ample protection against serious injury caused by accidental/incidental impact resulting from foul balls hit directly from the bat to the foot. Two distinct versions would be available for spikes/cleats and tennis shoes, respectively.

主权项

1. In the Modernized Baseball/Softball Foot Guard Sleeve, two distinct and similarly, if not equally, symmetrical, pliable, flexible, and malleable protective layers—the top layer made of Kevlar, or other effective aramid material, for protection against direct impact, and the bottom layer made of neoprene, for slight cushioning—fastened together into one protective unit and sewn into and enveloped by a negligibly thin outer mesh, or spandex, sleeve which slides on and wraps around the entire shoe, altogether measuring between a ⅛″ and ¼″ in thickness so as to create a flush and form fit attachment to the shoe;
“lips” (excess outer mesh, spandex, or even rubber, molded or fastened to the underside of the rest of the outer mesh, or spandex, sleeve) contoured to the shape of the front and back of the spikes/cleats and reaching the underside of the spikes/cleats, featuring custom cutouts for the spikes/cleats to slide through to create a firm, balanced, and secure hold (for the primary version of the Modernized Baseball/Softball Foot Guard Sleeve to be used with spikes/cleats); “lips” (excess pieces of slip-resistant rubber molded or fastened to the underside of the outer mesh, or spandex, sleeve) contoured to the shape of the front and back of the tennis shoe and reaching over the underside, and cupping the underside, of the front and back of the tennis shoe to create a firm, balanced, and secure hold to the tennis shoe as well as to help grip the concrete floors of the batting cages (for the supplementary version of the Modernized Baseball/Softball Foot Guard Sleeve to be used with tennis shoes); outer mesh, or spandex, sleeve ending in two symmetrical flaps, at the back of the shoe, with the bottom flap being assembled with the male half of a Velcro attachment and the male half of a clasping button and the overlaying flap being assembled with the female half of the Velcro attachment and female half of the clasping button to create a flush, balanced, and secure hold to the spikes/cleats (for the primary version of the Modernized Baseball/Softball Foot Guard Sleeve to be used with spikes/cleats); outer mesh, or spandex, sleeve ending in well positioned elastic bands located at the back of the foot guard sleeve, fastened from one side of the foot guard sleeve to the other, stretching out and over the back of the tennis shoe, to create a flush, balanced, and secure hold to the tennis shoe (for the supplementary version of the Modernized Baseball/Softball Foot Guard Sleeve to be used with tennis shoes).