US3871116A - Aseptic disposable mule or slipper - Google Patents

Abstract

A mule or similar slipper is described which is made up in one piece providing a sole and a vamp formed by hooking tongues in slits provided at the ends of flaps extending on either side of the said sole. The mule is made of two sheets of resilient material comprising a volume of air in between them, because of the face that the free edges of the item providing sole and vamp are welded together.

Description

United States Patent Vanderlinden 1 ]v Mar. 18, 1975 ASEPTIC DISPOSABLE MULE OR SLIPPER [76] Inventor: Pierre Vanderlinden, 25 Rue Vandervelde, B-7000 Mons, Belgium [22] Filed: Mar. 5, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 448,181

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 23, 1973 Belgium 138119 [521 US. Cl. 36/11.5' [51] Int. Cl A43b 3/12 [58] Field of Search 36/9 R, 9 A, 10, 4, 11.5, 36/2.5 R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,119,233 5/1938 .ludkins 36/11.5

3,299,540 l/1967 Scholl 36/10 3,603,006 9/1971 Davenport et a1. 36/1 1.5 3,775,873 12/1973 Small 316/115 Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bacon & Thomas [5 7] ABSTRACT A mule or similar slipper is described which is made up in one piece providing a sole and a vamp formed by hooking tongues in slits provided at the ends of flaps extending on either side of the said sole. The mule is made of two sheets of resilient material comprising a volume of air in between them, because of the face that the free edges of the item providing sole and vamp are welded together.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures The invention relates to improvements to the subject 8 of patent application Ser. No. 375,594 filed on July 2, 1973.

The invention does indeed relate to a mule or similar slipper made up in one piece providing a sole and a vamp formed by hooking tongues in slits provided at the ends of flaps extending on either side of the said sole, these items being comprised of a cellular resilient material.

That pending patent application relates to a footwear of mule or slipper type to be used for a brief period, and which must be able of being produced at a sufficiently low price to justify such use. In addition, as the article concerned may be of particularly pertinent use in hospitals, welfare centers, swimming pools and like locations, it has essentially to meet strict hygienic criteria. The footwear according to the invention must a. 0. be detachable, washable, and fit for being sterilized. These aims have been achieved by making use of welding and cutting technologies permitting to work raw materials particularly suitable for meeting the aimed object, such as polyurethan foams and the like.

The present application for a patent of improvement has for its object to improve the comfort of mules or slippers produced according to the pending patent ap plication, while retaining for them their advantages of hygienic aspect, a. o. a complete tightness, the technology of production of such footwear permitting to design them as articles to be used for a short time, particularly because of their low prime cost.

For that purpose, the cellular resilient material, the outside face ofwhich has been smoothed, is in the form of two sheets confining a volume of air inbetween them because of the fact that the free edges of the item providing the sole and vamp are welded together.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description hereinafter given of a mule or slipper according to the invention, such description being merely given by way of example and does not restrict the invention. The numerical references relate to the attached Figures.

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially broken away, of a modified form ofa footwear according to the invention such as available prior to assembly.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along plane II-Il of FIG. 1.

The mule depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is produced by assembling, by means of welding during the cutting up operation, two sheets 1,2 of cellular material confining inbetween them a volume of air sufficient to provide enhanced resilience and comfort than if the sole were comprised of a single sheet.

The sole 3 is extended by flaps 4,5,6 and 7 which make up the vamp to a certain extent and which are provided with slits 8 wherein are inserted tongues 9 or similar elements for hooking up. In order to achieve a perfectly fitting mule. the tongue 9 of flap 4 is inserted in the slit 8 of the flap 7, while the tongue 9 of flap 2 is inserted in slit 8 of flap 6. Prior to welding, a deodorant or hygienic product may be introduced inbetween the two sheets 1 and 2, product which may be active right through to the outer layer of each of the two sheets 1 and 2.

If considered necessary for certain particular cases, any other layer of resilient material providing a heel, if need be, may be inserted between the two sheets 1 and 2, thus improving still further the comfort of the footwear without substantially raising the prime cost thereof. Experience has however shown that the use of two layers of cellular material, even if the air cushion confined inbetween is very narrow, increases the comfort of the footwear according to the invention to a considerable extent. In order to protect the footwear from being torn, some additional welds, acting as reinforcement lines, have been provided. These welds protecting specific cutting lines have been given the numerical reference 10, while other welds permitting to set up hinge-like areas have also been provided. The latter welds have been given the numerical reference 11 for the hinge like areas between the sole and each of the flaps 4,5,6 and 7 and the numerical reference 12 for the hinge like areas between the tongues 9 or the slits 8 and some portions of the flaps 4,5,6 and 7 extending between the welds 11 on the one hand, and the tongues 9 or slits 8 on the other hand.

Obviously the invention is definitely not limited to the hereinbefore described embodiment and many changes may be introduced therein without departing from the scope of the present patent application.

I claim:

1. A mule or similar slipper made up in one piece providing a sole and a vamp formed by hooking tongues in slits provided at the end of flaps extending on either side of the said sole, these items being com,- prised of a celluar resilient material, wherein the cellular resilient material, the outside face of which has been smoothed, is in the form of two sheets confining a volume of air in between them because of the fact that the free edges of the item providing the sole and vamp are welded together.

2. A mule or similar slipper, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outside face of the said material comprises a rolled smooth surface.

3. A mule or similar slipper, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outside face is a laminate comprising a base of said cellular resilient material and a surface layer of smooth, impervious plastic material adhered thereto.

4. A mule or similar slipper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two layers providing the sole and vamp are connected together by welding at the locations where they are to be folded.

5. A mule or similar slipper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two layers providing the sole and vamp are connected together by welding at locations set back from the ends of the slits receiving the said tongues.

Claims (5)

1. A mule or similar slipper made up in one piece providing a sole and a vamp formed by hooking tongues in slits provided at the end of flaps extending on either side of the said sole, these items being comprised of a celluar resilient material, wherein the cellular resilient material, the outside face of which has been smoothed, is in the form of two sheets confining a volume of air in between them because of the fact that the free edges of the item providing the sole and vamp are welded together.

2. A mule or similar slipper, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outside face of the said material comprises a rolled smooth surface.

3. A mule or similar slipper, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outside face is a laminate comprising a base of said cellular resilient material and a surface layer of smooth, impervious plastic material adhered thereto.

4. A mule or similar slipper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two layers providing the sole and vamp are connected together by welding at the locations where they are to be folded.

5. A mule or similar slipper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two layers providing the sole and vamp are connected together by welding at locations set back from the ends of the slits receiving the said tongues.

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