Footwear insole

Abstract

A trim to fit insole for insertion into a shoe has a raised metatarsal pad on the insole upper surface, wherein the raised metatarsal pad has a first region rising at a slope inboard from a medial edge of the insole board, and configured to underlie the first metatarsal head of the wearer, a second, raised top surface region configured to underlie the second to fourth metatarsal shafts of the wearer, and a third region sloping downward towards the lateral edge of the insole configured to underlie the fifth metatarsal shaft of the wearer, wherein all three regions cooperate to evert the first metatarsal and to invert the fifth metatarsal of the wearer.

Claims

1. A trim to fit insole for insertion into a shoe having a raised metatarsal pad on the insole upper surface, wherein the raised metatarsal pad has a first region rising at a slope at an angle of 5 to 9° inboard from a medial edge of the insole board, and configured to underlie the first metatarsal head of the wearer, a second, raised top surface region configured to underlie the second to fourth metatarsal shafts of the wearer, and a third region sloping downward towards the lateral edge of the insole configured to underlie the fifth metatarsal head of the wearer, wherein the first, second and third regions cooperate to evert the first metatarsal and invert the fifth metatarsal of the wearer, wherein the raised metatarsal pad has a length of 4 cm to 8 cm, said insole further including length trim lines and width trim lines markings on a surface thereof.

2. The trim to fit insole of claim 1, Wherein the second region bridges the first and third regions.

3. The trim to fit insole of claim 1, wherein the third region is sloped at an angle of 4 to 6°.

4. The trim to fit insole of claim 1, further comprising a heel cup configured to underlie the wearer's heel, formed integrally with the foot supporting surface of the insole.

5. The trim to fit insole of claim 1, wherein the insole is left or right shoe specific.

6. The trim to fit insole of claim 1, wherein the first region is sloped at an angle of 6 to 8°.

7. The trim to fit insole of claim 1, wherein the third region is sloped at an angle of 4.5 to 5.5°.

8. A molded foot supporting device having a raised metatarsal pad on a foot supporting upper surface, wherein the raised metatarsal pad has a first region rising at a slope inboard from a medial edge of the foot supporting surface, and configured to underlie the first metatarsal head of the wearer, a second, raised top surface region configured to underlie the second to fourth metatarsal shafts of the wearer, and a third region sloping downward towards the lateral edge of the foot supporting surface configured to underlie the fifth metatarsal head of the wearer, Wherein all three regions cooperate to invert the first metatarsal of the wearer, wherein the first region is sloped at an angle of 5 to 9°, and the third region is sloped at an angle of 4 to 6°.

9. The molded foot supporting device of claim 2, wherein the second region bridges the first and third regions.

10. The molded foot supporting device of claim 8, further comprising a heel cup configured to underlie the wearer's heel, formed integrally with the foot supporting surface.

11. The molded foot supporting device of claim 8, wherein the device is left or right foot specific.

12. The molded foot supporting device of claim 8, wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a molded sandal, a molded flip flop, a molded midsole and a molded outsole.

13. The molded foot supporting device of claim 8, wherein the first region is sloped at an angle of 6 to 8°.

14. The molded foot supporting device of claim 2, wherein the third region is sloped at an angle of 4.5 to 5.5°.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further features and advantages of the present invention can be seen, in detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1A is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the bones of a human foot;

(3) FIG. 1B is a top plan view of the bones of a human foot;

(4) FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a left foot supporting trim to fit insole for a men's shoe in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the right foot supporting insole being a mirror image thereof;

(5) FIG. 3A is a top plan view of a left foot supporting surface of a trim to fit insole in accordance with the present invention, with contour lines take at 0.2 mm superimposed thereon, the right foot supporting surface being a mirror image thereof;

(6) FIG. 3B is a top plan view of a left foot supporting surface of a trim to fit insole in accordance with the present invention, showing Trim Lines for length and width changes over six full US show sizes and “landing zones” for the Ball of Foot over multiple full US shoe sizes, the right foot supporting surface being a mirror image thereof;

(7) FIG. 4 is a reproduction of a summary table from the Parham et al. report mentioned earlier; and

(8) FIGS. 5A-11B are graphs and pressure loads, as the case may be, demonstrating improvements in gait and in pressure loadings of individuals achieved by the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) As used herein the term “sole”, “insole” are used interchangeably. Moreover, a “sole” or “insole” may be an element built into or forming an integral element of a molded footwear product such as a sandal or flip flop, or as removable insole, including trim to fit after-market insole devices spanning several shoe sizes, which may be inserted into a footwear product post-manufacture.

(10) Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is illustrated a trim to fit insole 100 having a metatarsal pad on the foot supporting surface 104 of the insole 100. Metatarsal pad 102 is formed inboard from the medial edge 106 of the insole 100 and has a first sloped region 108, configured to underlie the first metatarsal head of the wearer, a second top surface region 110 configured to underlie the second to fourth metatarsal shafts of the wearer, and a third region 112 configured to underlie the fifth metatarsal head of the wearer sloping downward towards the lateral edge of the insole 100. The first sloped region 108 is configured to evert the first metatarsal of the wearer. The footwear product may be in the form of an insole including in particular a trim to fit insole, or a molded sandal or a flip flop. The raised metatarsal pad first region 108 has a slope of about 5 to 9° on the medial side, preferably about 6 to 8°, more preferably about 7°. The third region 112 of the raised metatarsal pad has a slope of about 4° to 6° on its lateral side, preferably about 4.5° to 5.5°, more preferably about 5° and is configured to invert the fifth metatarsal of the wearer. The top edge of the lateral slope of surface 112 is lower than the top edge of the medial slope of surface 108. The second region 110 of the raised metatarsal pad has toeward and heelward surfaces that smoothly bridge from surface 112 to 108 and to the top surface 104 of the flat section of the insole the metatarsal pad is added to. The top surface of the metatarsal pad 110 smoothly bridges across all of the sloped surfaces of the raised metastarsal pad. The construction of raised metatarsal pad 100 results in increased comfort to the wearer as well as simplified manufacturing and sizing by providing a contoured foot supporting surface across a range of several shoe sizes. The raised material pad 100 having a sloped edge region 108 in the medial side allows the first metatarsal joint to drop and rotate, i.e., evert, which enhances the flexibility of the joint. By extending the length of the pad and its sloped edge from about 4 cm, to about 8 cm, the insole or foot supporting surface can be configured to accommodate a single BOF length or a range of BOF lengths which could effectively function over a range of seven US shoe sizes. Note that a 4 cm long pad would need to be correctly positioned for the appropriate BOF length for the respective shoe size. The 8 cm long pad can provide functional support over seven US Shoe sizes, it's positioning will govern which seven sizes it covers.

(11) Referring in particular to FIG. 3B, being a trim to fit insole, the insole 100 may include shoe size length trim lines 120 thru 124 and width trim lines 126 thru 129. Also, to facilitate better understanding of the versatility of our invention, FIG. 3B also shows, superimposed over the foot supporting surface, areas marked 130, 132, 134 where a typical wearer's first metatarsal head may fall, depending on the individual's BOF length, and shoe size.

(12) The trim to fit insole also optionally may include a heel cup 135 shown in FIG. 3 in the form of lop-sided generally round shaped depression 136, with its lowest region 137 preferably located slightly to the medial side of the heel. Heel cup 135 is generally round in plan, and includes a forward depressed extension region 138 on its medial side, which serves to reduce pressure on the plantar fascia of the wearer's foot, as it travels from its attachment on the medial calcaneus to the proximal phalanges. Heel cup 135 typically is 1-4 mm deep at its lowest point, preferably 2-3.5 mm deep, more preferably 2.5-3 mm deep. The region immediately forward heel cup 135 is raised relative to depression 136. Preferably the region 137 of heel cup 135 is elongated and rotated 3±2 degrees clockwise on the left shoe or insole, and 3±2 degrees counterclockwise on the right shoe or insole.

(13) FIGS. 5A-9B are graphs and pressure loads demonstrating improvements in gait and in pressure loadings of a first individual wearing shoes with conventional insoles, and trim to fit insoles made in accordance with the present invention.

(14) As can be seen: Graph shapes show marked improvement with versus without the trim to fit insole of the present invention. Pressure loads under the great toe show marked reduction with the trim to fit insole of the present invention. Heel contact duration shortens with the trim to fit insole of the present invention. There is greater overall symmetry with the trim to fit insole of the present invention.

(15) FIGS. 10A-11B are graphs and pressure loads of a second individual demonstrating improvements in gait and pressure loadings of a second individual wearing shoes with conventional insoles and trim to fit insoles in accordance with the present invention.

(16) As can be seen, the greatest change was in the pressure sub great toe. The trim to fit insole of the present invention showed marked reduction in great toe pressure changes, consistent with releasing great toe joint effect.

(17) Various changes may be made in the above invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.