Flexible forefoot protection for insoles and shoes

Abstract

An invention pertaining to footwear is described, including a flexible protection plate, an insole, and a shoe with three forefoot pads and three toe compartments. The sections of the protection plate are hinged or separated to allow a greater degree of independent movement of the three main groups of muscles and bones in the forefoot in response to varying walking, hiking and running terrain. A separate insole is described that incorporates the forefoot protection plate and that can be inserted into and removed from footwear in order to provide additional protection as needed. A shoe including outersole, midsole and upper, are also described in which the forward portion is divided into three toe compartments that are configured to allow independent articulation of corresponding individual toes and/or pairs of toes inserted in the footwear.

Claims

1. A shoe comprising: a) an outsole; b) an upper coupled to the outsole and extending over the outsole; c) an insert configured for placement within the shoe and comprising: i) a protective plate comprising: a forefoot protective plate located over a forefoot portion of the shoe and comprising: a ball section consisting of a hard plastic; a middle section consisting of a hard plastic; and a lateral section consisting of a hard plastic; wherein the ball section is configured under a ball portion of a foot when said foot is inserted into said shoe; wherein the middle section is located between the ball section and the lateral section; wherein the forefoot protective plate is a single piece of hard plastic and comprises a thinner portion between the ball section and middle section to provide independent movement of the ball section and middle sections; wherein the single piece of hard plastic forefoot protective plate comprises a thinner portion between the middle section and lateral section to provide independent movement of the middle section and lateral section; and wherein the insert is a removable insert for insertion and removal from the shoe; d) an insole comprising a foam layer; wherein the forefoot protective plate is configured between the outsole and the insole.

2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the protective plate comprises a mid-foot protective plate consisting of a hard plastic.

3. The shoe of claim 2, wherein the mid-foot protective plate and forefoot protective plate are separate pieces to provide independent movement of the forefoot protective plate and the mid-foot protective plate.

4. The shoe of claim 2, wherein the mid-foot protective plate and the forefoot protective plate are a single piece of hard plastic and wherein the mid-foot protective plate is connected to the forefoot protective plate by a thinner portion between the mid-foot protective plate and the forefoot protective plate to provide independent movement of the forefoot protective plate and the mid-foot protective plate.

5. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the insert further comprises a heel protective plate consisting of a hard plastic.

6. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the insert further comprises a heel protective plate consisting of a hard plastic and a mid-foot protective plate consisting of a hard plastic and wherein the heel protective plate and the mid-foot protective plate are separate pieces to provide independent movement of the mid-foot protective plate and the heel protective plate.

7. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the insert further comprises a heel protective plate consisting of a hard plastic and a mid-foot protective plate consisting of a hard plastic and wherein the heel protective plate and the mid-foot protective plate are connected by a thinner portion between the mid-foot protective plate and the heel protective plate to provide independent movement of the mid-foot protective plate and the heel protective plate and wherein the forefoot protective plate, the mid-foot protective plate and the heel protective plate are a single piece of hard plastic.

8. The shoe of claim 7, wherein the mid-foot protective plate is connected to the forefoot protective plate by a thinner portion between the mid-foot protective plate and the forefoot protective plate to provide independent movement of the mid-foot protective plate and the forefoot protective plate.

9. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the insert further comprises a heel protective plate consisting of a hard plastic and a mid-foot protective plate consisting of a hard plastic and wherein the mid-foot protective plate, forefoot protective plate and heel protective plates are attached to said insert.

10. The shoe of claim 9, wherein the protective plate is attached to said insole.

11. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the forefoot protective plate has a thickness between 1 and 3 mm.

12. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the removable forefoot protective plate is configured to underlay only a forefoot of said foot when said foot is inserted into the shoe and does not extend under an arch or heel of said foot.

13. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the removable forefoot protective plate is in the shape of the insole.

14. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the protection plate is detachably attached to the foam insole.

15. A shoe comprising: a) an outsole; b) an upper coupled to the outsole and extend over the outsole; c) an insole configured for placement within the shoe and comprising: i) a protective plate comprising: a forefoot protective plate located over a forefoot portion of the shoe and comprising: a ball section consisting of a hard plastic; a middle section consisting of a hard plastic; and a lateral section consisting of a hard plastic; wherein the middle section is located between the ball section and the lateral section; wherein the forefoot protective plate is a single piece of hard plastic and comprises a thinner portion between the ball section and the middle section and between the middle section and the lateral section to provide independent movement of the ball section, middle section and lateral section; ii) a foam layer; wherein the forefoot protective plate is configured between the outsole and the foam layer.

16. The shoe of claim 15, wherein each of the ball section, middle section and lateral section have a thickness of between 1 and 3 mm.

17. The shoe of claim 15, wherein the foam layer is detachably attached to the protective plate.

18. A shoe comprising: a) an outsole; b) an upper coupled to the outsole and extending over the outsole; c) an insert configured for placement within the shoe and comprising: i) a protective plate comprising: a forefoot protective plate located over a forefoot portion of the shoe and comprising: a ball section consisting of a hard plastic; a middle section consisting of a hard plastic; and a lateral section consisting of a hard plastic; wherein the ball section is configured under a ball portion of a foot when said foot is inserted into said shoe; wherein the middle section is located between the ball section and the lateral section; wherein the forefoot protective plate is a single piece of hard plastic and comprises a thin portion having a thickness of 1 to 3 mm between the ball section and middle section to provide independent movement of the ball section and middle sections; wherein the forefoot protective plate is a single piece of hard plastic and comprises a thin portion having a thickness of 1 to 3 mm between the middle section and lateral section to provide independent movement of the middle section and lateral section; and wherein the insert is a removable insert for insertion and removal from the shoe; d) an insole comprising a foam layer; wherein the forefoot protective plate is configured between the outsole and the insole.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) In the attached figures, like elements are numbered alike.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a bottom plan of the footwear showing the three toe compartments and the approximate location of three protective plates for the forefoot according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a top plan of the footwear showing three toe compartments according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a side elevation view thereof;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a bottom plan of the footwear with three relatively independent forefoot protective plates in a shoe with a single toe box;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a cross section of a forefoot protective plate that is completely divided into three separate pieces allowing for relative independence movement of each plate;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a cross section of a single forefoot protective plate that is divided into three sections corresponding to the ball, middle portion and lateral portion of the foot by varying the thickness of the plate to allow for relative independence movement of each plate as the shoe bends to fit the varying contour of the ground;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a cross section of a forefoot protective together with the foam mid-sole and an outsole.

(9) FIG. 8 shows a perspective bottom view of removable insoles with forefoot protective plates.

(10) FIG. 9 shows a side view of the removable insoles with forefoot protective plates.

(11) FIG. 10 shows a bottom view of the major bones and nerves in the foot.

KEY TO THE FIGURES

(12) 1. Toe compartment for large toe; 2. Toe compartment for middle two toes; 3. Toe compartment for lateral two toes; 4. Forefoot protective plate for ball of forefoot; 5. Forefoot protective plate for middle section of forefoot; 6. Forefoot protective plate for lateral section of forefoot; 7. Middle section of mid-foot protective plate; 8. Lateral section of mid-foot protective plate; 9. Heel section of protective plate; 10. Cavity for foot; 11. One iteration of adjustable straps to hold footwear securely to foot; 12. Out-sole; 13. Single toe cap as found on a typical footwear; 14. Forefoot protective plate contoured to the shape and size of the large phalange and metatarsal comprising part of the ball of the forefoot, and designed to be hinged or entirely separate from the other forefoot protective pads; 15. Forefoot protective plate contoured to the shape and size of the middle two phalanges and metatarsals comprising part of the ball of the forefoot, and designed to be hinged entirely separate from the other forefoot protective pads; 16. Forefoot protective plate contoured to the shape and size of the lateral two phalanges and metatarsals comprising part of the ball of the forefoot, and designed to be hinged or entirely separate from the other forefoot protective pads; 17. Large outsole lugs typical for trail running shoes; 18. Foam midsole; 19. Insole constructed from EVA, Polyurethane or other foam, cork or other similar material; 20. Toes and phalange bones; 21. Metatarsal bones; 22. Neuroma between middle and lateral pairs of phalanges and metatarsals; 23. Normal nerve between phalange and metatarsal of the large toe and the middle pair of metatarsals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

(13) The invention is for a flexible forefoot protection plate, an insole that incorporates the protection plate, and a shoe with three forefoot pads and three toe compartments. The rock protection plate, as it is often called in the running shoe industry, is comprised of three main sections. The sections of the protection plate are hinged or separated to allow a greater degree of independent movement of the three main groups of muscles and bones in the forefoot in response to varying walking, hiking and running terrain. The flexibility of the forefoot plate provides a balance between optimal protection at the same time that it allows increased proprioceptive sensitivity and haptic response as compared to what is currently available in the manufacture of shoes having a single protection plate in the forefoot of the shoe. The partially or fully independent sections of the protection plate correspond to the three main areas in the forefoot (i.e., the ball, the middle and the lateral sections). In current manufacture of trail running shoes, protective forefoot pads are typically incorporated into or between the outer sole and the midsole of the shoe.

(14) The invention includes an insole that incorporates the forefoot protection plate and that can be inserted into and removed from footwear in order to provide additional protection as needed. It also includes a shoe that is comprised of an outer-sole, midsole and upper in which the forward portion is divided into three toe compartments and the midsole and outer-sole are comprised of three pads that are designed to strike a balance between increased independence of movement of the three groups of toes along with ease of putting the shoes on the feet as compared to shoes with five toe compartments. The shoe may include the forefoot protection plate between the midsole and outersole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(15) These problems and deficiencies of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by the invention that provides novel and non-obvious rock protection plate for the forefoot, along with insole, mid-sole, outersole and toe-box devices for increased protection, freedom of movement, sensitivity and response. The invention provides three protective pads or plates comprised of various combinations of outsole, harder plastic (typically nylon, TPU, rubber or similar material) protective rock plate and foam midsole. These components may be formed separately or together. The three forefoot plates provide extra protection for the three groups of bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons in the forefoot. These groups correspond to the ball of the foot, the middle group, and the lateral group. In some iterations of the footwear, the three protective pads and plates are combined with the three separate compartments for the toes. This arrangement has the advantage of increasing the independence of movement, sensitivity and response of the three sets of toes and three related parts of the forefoot and the coordination between each of the toes and parts of the forefoot.

(16) The invention provides for separate insoles that incorporate protective plates for the forefoot, mid-foot, and/or heel. Insoles for running and walking footwear are currently manufactured and sold separately for shoes. The invention provides the novelty of incorporating one or more protective rock plates into the manufacture of the insole. In addition to incorporating forefoot plates designed to provide semi or complete independence for the three parts of the forefoot, we also claim invention of insoles with a single forefoot, mid-foot, and/or heel protective plate. These insoles can be easily installed or removed, thereby giving wearers of footwear designed for running on relatively smooth surfaces and minimalist footwear the ability to add additional protection against injury from rocks by inserting the insoles with protective plates and then removing the insoles at a later time when running on a smooth surface such as a road and the extra protection is no longer needed. This represents a significant increase in utility of insole construction. The insoles are shaped to fit shoes with a single toe-cap or to fit shoes with two, three, four or five separate toe compartments.

(17) The invention additionally provides a footwear including a sole, an upper, and a arrangement of straps, laces or other devices configured to secure the footwear to the foot of a wearer, where the sole and the upper delimit three toe compartments configured to receive, retain, and allow articulation of corresponding individual toes and pairs of toes inserted in the footwear. These three toe compartments allow a high degree of movement, sensitivity and response by the large toe, along with the middle and the lateral pairs of toes. The sole may include contouring and curvature which corresponds to the shape of the foot, and where the sole, midsole and upper are disposed to provide an enhanced range of movement, proprioceptive sensitivity and haptic response to the wearer.

(18) In one paradigm case, the sole is comprised of an exterior sole with lugs for improved traction made of a rubber material of approximately 2-15 mm in thickness, a protective plate of a harder nylon TPU, plastic, rubber or similar material that varies between 1-3 mm in thickness, and a foam midsole of 2-20 mm in thickness. The layers needed in a given kind of shoe and the particular thickness of each layer depend upon the intended use of the footwear. The width, length, and shape of the forefoot protective plate or plates may vary depending upon the intended purpose of the footwear and other factors including the size and shape of the foot of the intended wearer. Shoes designed for running on padded tracks will typically have fewer layers or less material in the sole, while those designed for use on rough trails will have more protection and padding. The arrangement of the protective plates and pads can be made with variable thicknesses of the harder plastic, rubber or other similar material so that the thicker portions will be located directly below the most sensitive bones in the forefoot, and the thinner portions on the borders between the three areas to allow for relative independence of movement, sensitivity and response. In other iterations, the three pads may be partially or completely separated from one another in the process of constructing the shoe.

(19) These features and advantages of the apparatus and method will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the drawings and detailed description.