Disposable Air Inserts for Shoes

Abstract

Here is disclosed a shoe insert for wearing on a user's foot. The insert includes a fabric web having opposite first and second ends, opposite first and second sides and opposite upper and lower surfaces. First and second toe enclosures are formed on the first end of the fabric web, the first and second toe enclosures dimensioned to comfortably receive and enclose the second and fourth toe. The first and second toe enclosures are separated by an unobstructed empty space having a width sufficient to accommodate the third toe between the first and second toe enclosures. Finally, the web has a width narrower than a width of the foot.

Claims

1. A shoe insert for wearing on a foot with five toes, the insert comprising a fabric web having opposite first and second ends, opposite first and second sides and opposite upper and lower surfaces, first and second toe enclosures formed on the first end of the fabric web, the first and second toe enclosures dimensioned to comfortably receive the second and fourth toes, respectively, the first and second toe enclosures separated by an unobstructed empty space having a width, the width being sufficient to accommodate the third toe between the first and second toe enclosures, the web having a width narrower than a width of the foot.

2. The shoe insert of claim 1 wherein the web and the second and fourth toe portions are dimensioned and configured such that the second and third toes are enclosed in the first and second toe enclosures, respectively, and the third toe remains unenclosed when the shoe insert is worn on the foot.

3. The shoes insert of claim 1 wherein the first and second toe enclosures project forward from the first end of the web and depend downwardly towards the lower surface of the web.

4. The shoe insert of claim 1 wherein the web and toe enclosures are made of a water absorbing fabric.

5. The shoe insert of claim 1 wherein the width of the web is no greater than a distance separating the first and fifth toes.

6. The shoe insert of claim 1 wherein each of the toe enclosures consists of a tubular fabric structure having an open end adjacent the web and a closed end opposite the open end.

7. The shoe insert of claim 4 wherein the water absorbing fabric has a sufficiently loose weave to permit the circulation of air through the water absorbing fabric.

8. A shoe insert for wearing on a foot with five toes, the insert comprising first and second toe enclosures projecting from a fabric web and separated from each other by a space, the first and second toe enclosures being dimensioned and configured to comfortably enclose the second and fourth toes respectively, with the space being sufficiently wide to accommodate the third toe between the first and second toe enclosures with the third toe unenclosed when the shoe insert is worn, the fabric web extending away from the first and second toe enclosures, the fabric web having a width less than a width of the foot and sufficient to span a portion of the foot extending between the first and fifth toes.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a top view of a user's foot wearing a shoe insert made in accordance with the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the underside of the shoe insert shown in FIG. 1.

[0008] FIG. 3 is a top view of a pre-form for use in constructing the shoe insert shown in FIG. 1.

[0009] FIG. 4 is top view of the pre-form shown in FIG. 3 which has been folded for final assembly.

[0010] FIG. 5 is cross sectional view taken along the toe enclosure portion in FIG. 4 after the assembly of the pre-form into the finished shoe insert.

[0011] In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shoe insert, shown generally as item 10 is constructed to fit over foot 12. Foot 12 of course has toes 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 projecting from body 15 with toes 16 and 20 being the second and fourth toes respectively and toe 18 being the third toe. Shoe insert 10 consists of a fabric structure having a web portion 24 with toe enclosures 26 and 28. Web portion 24 has opposite ends 30 and 32, opposite side edges 34 and 36, top surface 38 and bottom surface 40. Web portion 24 has a width between side edges 34 and 36 which is narrower than foot 12 but sufficient to straddle the distance separating toes 14 and 22. Toe enclosures 26 and 28 project away from end 30 and depend downward towards bottom surface 40. Toe enclosures 26 and 28 are dimensioned to fit comfortably over toes 16 and 20 respectively. Toe enclosures 26 and 28 are separated by a space 42 which is dimensioned to allow the third tow 18 to fit between the toe enclosures. Therefore, as seen in FIG. 1, when shoe insert 10 is worn on the foot, toes 16 and 20 are enclosed in toe enclosures 26 and 28, respectively, third toe 18 is left unenclosed, and web portion 24 overlaps a portion of body 15 of the foot 12. It will be appreciated that FIG. 1 illustrates shoe insert 10 being worn such that web 24 extends over the top of the foot; however, it is possible to wear the shoe insert such that the web 24 extends over part of the sole of the foot, in which case the second and fourth toes would be covered by toe enclosures 28 and 26, respectively.

[0013] Referring now to FIG. 3, a pre-form for forming the shoe insert of the present invention is shown as item 41. Pre-form 41 consists of a flat T-shaped web of fabric having opposite ends 43 and 45, a narrow portion 44 towards end 43 and a wide portion at end 45. Wide portion 45 has opposite tab ends 46 and 48. Three notches 50, 52 and 54 are formed on edge 60. Tab 46 has a width of about 1.4 between notch 50 and edge 56. Likewise, tab 48 has a width of about 1.4 between notch 54 and edge 58. As seen in FIG. 3, notch 50 is aligned slightly wide of edge 64 and notch 54 is aligned slightly wide of edge 66. Cut 70 is formed at the center of notch 52 and extends down towards narrow portion 44. Transverse cut 70 is formed at the end of cut 70 and extends transversely in alignment with edges 62 and 61 of tabs 46 and 48 respectively. The arrangement of notches 50, 52, 54 and cut 68 divide portion 45 into sections A, B, C and D as illustrated.

[0014] Assembling the finished shoe insert from pre-form 41 will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. Toe enclosures 28 and 26 are formed by folding over portions of wider portion of the pre-form and sewing the portions together. Portion A is folded over portion B and the two portions are sewn together by stitches 74 which trace the perimeter of portion A where it is not already attached to portion B. When stitched together, portions A and B form toe enclosure 28. Likewise, portion D is folded over portion C and the two portions are sewn together by stitches 76 which trace the perimeter of portion D where it is not already attached to portion C. When stitched together, portions C and D form toe enclosure 26. Toe enclosures 28 and 26 are connected together by portion 72 which extends between them. The length of transverse cut 70 (FIG. 3) helps define the dimensions of space 42. Space 42 is formed when toe enclosures 28 and 26 are expanded when the shoe insert is worn.

[0015] Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the material making up shoe insert 10 is configured to maximize the flow of air through the fabric as well as absorption of excess moisture. To maximize the flow of air through the fabric, the fabric is preferably made of a very loosely woven fabric such as 5 oz cotton batten. 5 oz cotton batten is so loosely woven that it cannot be made into traditional socks because traditional socks made from such a material would fall apart by the very act of putting the socks on. However, the use of this preferred material is ideal for constructing the present shoe insert because the process of putting on the shoe insert does not require the application of significant mechanical stresses onto the shoe insert. The shoe insert only loosely encloses two adjacent toes, not an entire foot; therefore, relatively little pulling force is required to slip the shoe insert onto the foot. Also, since the shoe insert overlaps only a relatively small portion of the foot, the shoe insert receives much less tensional forces as the user walks wearing the shoe insert inside his/her footwear. The net effect is that the shoe insert can be made of a highly open weaved fabric such as 5 oz cotton batten.

[0016] The shoe insert has several advantages over socks or wearing bare feet inside conventional footwear. The shoe insert has a greater ability to permit air circulation around the foot and, most importantly, between the toes. While wearing the shoe insert, each toe of the user's foot is separated from its adjacent toe by a layer of fabric. This fabric layer is made of a highly breathable fabric allowing for increased air circulation between the toes and decreased moisture buildup between the toes. Also, the sole and top of the foot is largely left bare while wearing the shoe insert, adding to the comfort of the foot. The large web portion 24 of the shoe insert helps stabilize the shoe insert so as to keep the shoe insert in the correct position with the toe inserts securely covering the second and fourth toes. Finally, since the cost of the loose cotton fabric forming the shoe insert is so small, and since the amount of fabric material required to construct the shoe insert is so small, and finally since the method of constructing the shoe insert is so simple, the final product can be made so inexpensive as to be sold as a disposable one time use product.

[0017] A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims