Drainage holes in a toe box of a shoe

Abstract

A running shoe can include a sole and an upper formed separately from and connected to the sole. The sole can include a toe cap connected to a toe portion of the sole, at least one drainage hole positioned at and extending through the toe cap, a drainage hole cover including a flexible water permeable material extending over and visually obscuring the at least one drainage hole, the drainage hole cover extends over an area of the toe cap adjacent to and surrounding the drainage holes, and a foot cavity defined at least in part by an interior surface of the upper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A running shoe, comprising:
 a sole;   an upper formed separately from and connected to the sole, including;
 a toe cap connected to a toe portion of the sole; 
 at least one drainage hole defined by and extending through the toe cap; 
 a drainage hole cover including a flexible water permeable material extending over and visually obscuring the at least one drainage hole; 
 wherein the drainage hole cover extends over an area of the toe cap adjacent to and surrounding the at least one drainage hole; and 
 a foot cavity defined at least in part by an interior surface of the upper. 
   
     
     
         2 . The running shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible water permeable material comprises a mesh material. 
     
     
         3 . The running shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the drainage hole cover has a first shape different than a second shape of the at least one drainage hole. 
     
     
         4 . The running shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drainage hole is grouped with other drain holes in a position substantially adjacent to the sole. 
     
     
         5 . The running shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the upper further includes at least a drainage hole positioned at and extending through the toe cap. 
     
     
         6 . The running shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the upper further includes at least a second drainage hole cover including the flexible water permeable material extending over and visually obscuring the at least second drainage hole. 
     
     
         7 . The running shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the upper further includes structural reinforcement positioned on an inner surface of the toe cap to maintain a shape of a portion of the foot cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The running shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the toe cap includes two or more layers; and
 wherein the drainage hole cover overlies a first layer of the toe cap and underlies a second layer of the toe cap.   
     
     
         9 . The running shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drainage hole is positioned at a lateral side of the toe cap. 
     
     
         10 . The running shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drainage hole is positioned at a medial side of the toe cap. 
     
     
         11 . A running shoe, comprising:
 a sole;   an upper formed separately from and connected to the sole, including;
 a toe cap; 
 a structural reinforcement positioned on an inner surface of the toe cap to maintain a shape of the toe cap; 
 a plurality of drainage holes defined by and extending through the structural reinforcement and the toe cap; 
 a drainage hole cover including a flexible water permeable material extending over and visually obscuring a location of each of the plurality of drainage holes; 
 wherein the drainage hole cover extends over a regularly shaped area of the toe cap adjacent to and surrounding the at least drainage hole; and 
 a foot cavity defined at least in part by an interior surface of the upper. 
   
     
     
         12 . The running shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the upper further includes at least a second plurality of drainage holes positioned at and extending through the structural reinforcement and the toe cap. 
     
     
         13 . The running shoe of  claim 12 , wherein the upper further includes at least a second drainage hole cover including the flexible water permeable material extending over and visually obscuring the second plurality of drainage holes. 
     
     
         14 . The running shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of drainage holes are positioned substantially adjacent to the sole. 
     
     
         15 . The running shoe of  claim 14 , wherein the drainage hole cover is positioned substantially adjacent to the sole. 
     
     
         16 . The running shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the toe cap includes two or more layers; and
 wherein the drainage hole cover overlies a first layer of the toe cap and underlies a second layer of the toe cap.   
     
     
         17 . The running shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the flexible water permeable material is a mesh material. 
     
     
         18 . The running shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of drainage holes are positioned at a lateral side of the toe cap. 
     
     
         19 . The running shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of drainage holes are positioned at a medial side of the toe cap. 
     
     
         20 . A running shoe, comprising:
 a sole;   an upper formed separately from and connected to the sole, including;
 a toe cap; 
 a structural reinforcement positioned on an inner surface of toe cap to maintain a shape of the toe cap; 
 a first plurality of drainage holes defined by a lateral portion of the toe cap and extending through the structural reinforcement and the toe cap; 
 a second plurality of drainage holes positioned at a medial portion of the toe cap and extending through the structural reinforcement and the toe cap; 
 a first drainage hole cover including a flexible water permeable material extending over and visually hiding the first plurality of drainage holes; 
 wherein the first drainage hole cover extends over an area of the toe cap adjacent to and surrounding the first plurality of drainage holes; 
 a second drainage hole cover including the flexible water permeable material extending over and visually hiding the second plurality of drainage holes; 
 wherein the second drainage hole cover extends over another area of the toe cap adjacent to and surrounding the second plurality of drainage holes; 
   a foot cavity defined at least in part by an interior surface of the upper.