Three Toed Footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear having an upper secured to an outsole in combination having three toe pockets, the first toe pocket having a configuration to separately receive within a big toe of a wearer, and the second toe pocket having a configuration to separately receive within a second toe of the wearer, and the third toe pocket having a configuration to receive within the remaining third toe, fourth toe and fifth toe of the wearer.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear, comprising an upper secured to an outsole in combination having three toe pockets, wherein a first toe pocket has a configuration to separately receive within a big toe of a wearer, and wherein a second toe pocket has a configuration to separately receive within a second toe of said wearer, and wherein a third toe pocket has a configuration to receive within the remaining third toe, fourth toe and fifth toe of said wearer. 
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said upper of at least one of said three toe pockets includes a toe top portion and a toe side portion, said toe side portion secured to said outsole and extending upwardly to connect to said toe top portion. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein said toe side portion extends upwardly from said outsole about the medial side, front side and lateral side of said at least one of said three toe pockets. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein said toe side portion extends upwardly from said outsole about the medial side, front side and lateral side of at least two of said three toe pockets. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein said toe side portion extends upwardly from said outsole about the medial side, front side and lateral side of each of said three toe pockets. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein said toe top portion and said toe side portion comprise a flexible textile material. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein said flexible textile material of said top toe portion further comprises one or more flex elements along which said flexible textile flexes upon flexure of said outsole. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a releasable strap extending over the upper, a first end of said strap being secured to a medial side of said upper and a second end of the strap releasably secures to a lateral side of said upper. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said releasable strap comprises:
 a) a first portion having a first end and a second end, said first end secured to a medial side of said upper;   b) a ring coupled to said second end of said first portion; and   c) a second portion having a medial portion disposed between a first end and a second end, said first end being secured to said lateral side of said upper, said second portion extending through the ring and said second end releasably securable to said medial portion of said second portion.   
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a collar joined to a top line of said upper, said collar releasably adjustable to alter an amount of open area defined by said collar. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein said collar has a passage configured to receive a drawstring, said drawstring having adjustable length to alter said amount of open area defined by said collar. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a) an insole secured to said outsole in combination having at least one aperture which fluidly communicates between inside of and outside of said article of footwear; and   b) a mesh material disposed between said outsole and said insole, said mesh material having mesh openings sufficient in area to allow an amount of fluid to pass through said at least one aperture.   
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one aperture comprises a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of apertures have a location generally within the instep of said outsole. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein said mesh openings have a generally square form having a sieve size in a range of between about 0.5 millimeters and about 1.0 millimeters. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of apertures each generally have the form of a parallelogram, each parallelogram having a first pair of opposed angles and a second pair of opposed angles, said first pair of opposed angles of lesser degree angle than said second pair of opposed angles. 
     
     
         17 . A method of producing an article of footwear, comprising securing an upper to an outsole in combination providing three toe pockets, wherein a first toe pocket has a configuration to separately receive within a big toe of a wearer, and wherein a second toe pocket has a configuration to separately receive within a second toe of said wearer, and wherein a third toe pocket has a configuration to receive within the remaining third toe, fourth toe and fifth toe of said wearer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein said upper of at least one of said three toe pockets includes a toe top portion and toe side portion, said toe side portion secured to said outsole and extending upwardly to connect to said toe top portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said toe side portion extends upwardly from said outsole about the medial side, front side and lateral side of at least one of said three toe pockets. 
     
     
         20 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said toe side portion extends upwardly from said outsole about the medial side, front side and lateral side of at least two of said three toe pockets. 
     
     
         21 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said toe side portion extends upwardly from said outsole about the medial side, front side and lateral side of each of said three toe pockets. 
     
     
         22 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said toe top portion and said toe side portion comprise a flexible textile material. 
     
     
         23 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 22 , further comprising locating one or more flex elements on said toe top portion of said upper which flex upon flexure of said outsole. 
     
     
         24 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 17 , further comprising providing a releasable strap extending over said upper, a first end of said strap secured to a medial side of said upper, and a second end of said strap releasably securable to a lateral side of said upper. 
     
     
         25 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 17 , further comprising providing releasable strap, said strap including:
 a) a first portion having a first end and a second end, said first end secured to a medial side of said upper;   b) a ring coupled to said second end of said first portion; and   c) a second portion having a medial portion disposed between a first end and a second end, said first end being secured to said lateral side of said upper, said second portion extending through the ring and said second end releasably securable to said medial portion of said second portion.   
     
     
         26 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 17 , further comprising joining a collar to a top line of said upper, wherein said collar has a passage configured to receive a drawstring, said drawstring having adjustable length which allows adjustment of the amount of open area defined by said collar. 
     
     
         27 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a) providing an insole secured to said outsole in combination having at least one aperture which fluidly communicates between inside and outside of said article of footwear; and   b) disposing a mesh material between said outsole and said insole, said mesh material having mesh openings sufficient in area to allow an amount of fluid to pass through said at least one aperture.   
     
     
         28 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one aperture comprises a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         29 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 28 , wherein said plurality of apertures have a location generally within the instep of said outsole. 
     
     
         30 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 29 , wherein said mesh openings have a generally square form having a sieve size in a range of between about 0.5 millimeters and about 1.0 millimeters. 
     
     
         31 . The method of producing an article of footwear of  claim 30 , wherein said plurality of apertures each generally have the form of a parallelogram having a first pair of opposed angles and a second pair of opposed angles, said first pair of opposed angles of lesser degree angle than said second pair of opposed angles. 
     
     
         32 . A method of using an article of footwear, comprising:
 a) inserting a foot inside of an upper secured to an outsole in combination having three toe pockets;   b) locating a first toe separately in a first toe pocket;   c) locating a second toe separately in a second toe pocket; and   d) locating the remaining three toes in a third toe pocket.   
     
     
         33 . The method of using an article of footwear of  claim 32 , wherein said upper comprises a top toe portion and a side toe portion, said top toe portion generally overlaying a top of each toe, said toe side portion generally forming the medial side, front side and lateral side of at least one of said three toe pockets. 
     
     
         34 . The method of using an article of footwear of  claim 32 , further comprising releasably securing a strap extending over the upper, a first end of said strap being secured to a medial side of said upper and a second end of the strap releasably secured to a lateral side of said upper. 
     
     
         35 . The method of using an article of footwear of  claim 32 , releasably securing a strap extending over the upper, said strap comprising:
 a) a first portion having a first end and a second end, said first end secured to a medial side of said upper;   b) a ring coupled to said second end of said first portion; and   c) a second portion having a medial portion disposed between a first end and a second end, said first end being secured to said lateral side of said upper, said second portion extending through the ring and said second end releasably securable to said medial portion of said second portion.   
     
     
         36 . The method of using an article of footwear of  claim 32 , adjusting an amount of open area defined by at collar joined to a top line of said upper. 
     
     
         37 . The method of using an article of footwear of  claim 36 , wherein adjusting comprises adjusting a length of a drawstring inside of a passage within said collar. 
     
     
         38 . The method of using an article of footwear of  claim 32 , further comprising draining an amount of fluid from inside to outside of said article of footwear through at least one aperture fluidly communicating between surfaces of an insole secured to said outsole. 
     
     
         39 . The method of using an article of footwear of  claim 38 , wherein said at least one aperture further comprises a mesh material disposed between said outsole and said insole, said mesh material having mesh openings sufficient in area to allow said amount of fluid to pass through said at least one aperture.