shoe insoles

Abstract

A decorative piece for inserting into a shoe and fitting over an insole, the decorative piece having a raised metatarsal pad on an upper surface of the insole, wherein the raised metatarsal pad has a first area, a second raised top surface area, and a third area that slopes downwardly toward the lateral edge of the insole, wherein the first area rises at a certain slope medially from the medial edge of the insole plate and is configured to be located under the wearer's first metatarsal head, the second raised top surface area is configured to be located under the wearer's second to fourth metatarsal axes, and the third area is configured to be located under the wearer's fifth metatarsal axis, wherein all three areas cooperate to invert the wearer's first metatarsal and invert the fifth metatarsal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to shoes, and more particularly to insoles having features that improve first metatarsal function, resulting in an improved gait and leading to increased comfort and increased efficiency. Background Art

[0002] In order to understand the prior art and the present invention, it is necessary to understand the basics of foot anatomy and shoe construction. Figure 1A is a schematic medial view of the skeleton of a human foot 10, Figure 1B is a top plan view of the bones of a human foot. For the purposes of this application, references to "heel direction" or "posterior" refer to the direction of the rear of the foot or heel 20; references to "forward" or "toe direction" refer to the direction of the front of the foot 30 where the toes or phalanges 31 are located; references to medial refer to the side of the foot where the arch 40 is located; references to lateral refer to the outside of the foot; and references to upper or top and lower, bottom or below assume that the foot or shoe is oriented in an upright position.

[0003] refer to Figure 1A The calcaneus (22) is an irregularly shaped quadrilateral bone also known as the heel bone. The medial aspect of the calcaneal tuberosity (i.e., the lower portion of the posterior surface of the calcaneus) is not exactly on the same surface or plane as the lateral tuberosity. This slight difference in the calcaneal anatomy can lead to instability on horizontal surfaces (e.g., sidewalks, gym floors, hardwood, etc.).

[0004] Also refer to Figure 1B The foot skeleton also includes the navicular bone 41, three cuneiform bones 42, metatarsal shafts 47A-47E, and phalanges or toes 31A-31E, with the big toe 31A visible in FIG1 . Metatarsal heads 46A-46F are located at the forward end 28 of the metatarsal shafts 47A-47E. Although the foot is a relatively small part of the body, it contains a total of 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles. The human foot contains more than a quarter of all the bones in the human body, which interact and bear significant pressure during standing, walking, and running.

[0005] Human shoes are designed to protect the human foot. However, as currently designed, human shoes are imperfect at providing proper biomechanical support for the human foot.

[0006] Figure 1AAlso shown is a partial cross-sectional view of the portion of a conventional shoe 50 positioned beneath the sole of the foot, with the top portion of the shoe shown in dashed lines. The shoe 50 has a heel 51 attached to the lower surface of a sole 52 of the shoe 50. The sole 52, in turn, supports an inner sole plate 53 upon which an insole 54 rests. In conventional shoes, the inner sole plate typically has a relatively rigid construction from the area beneath the wearer's heel to the metatarsal heads. The insole is typically very flexible and thin, typically no more than half a millimeter thick. The insole is the surface upon which the sole of the foot typically rests.

[0007] In a prior U.S. Patent No. 4,597,195 (the '195 patent) to Dananberg, a human shoe sole is described having a cushioning area located substantially solely beneath the location of the first metatarsal head of the wearer's foot. Providing an area of ​​reduced support substantially solely beneath the first metatarsal head, as described in the '195 patent, promotes eversion and plantar flexion of the first metatarsal head because weight is transferred from the heel to the first plantar row. Thus, the normal function of the foot for plantar flexion and supination is promoted, resulting in the beneficial results of improved walking comfort and an enhanced "winch effect." A prior PCT application WO 2011 / 017174 A1 describes an improvement to a human shoe sole or insole in which a depression is provided beneath the first metatarsal head, wherein the lowest point of the depression is offset medially from the center.

[0008] The foregoing discussion of the prior art is primarily derived from prior U.S. Patent No. 10,702,008 (the '008 patent) to Hughes and Dananberg, which describes a shoe or insole device for insertion into a shoe having a foot-supporting upper surface, wherein the shoe or device has an upwardly facing shallow channel on the foot-supporting upper surface, the foot-supporting upper surface being adapted to be positioned below the axis of the first metatarsal bone and in a heel-direction relative to the first metatarsal head of a wearer. The channel is adapted to extend specifically from the toe end of the shoe just below the axis of the first metatarsal bone in a heel-direction relative to the first metatarsal head of the wearer and be inclined or rotated 4±1 degrees plantarly, with the toe-direction end of the channel being lower than the heel-direction end of the channel. In front view, the channel rolls or tilts downward 9±2 degrees in the lateral to medial direction and is deflected or rotated 10±5 degrees clockwise relative to a high-level view in cross-section for the left shoe and 10±5 degrees counterclockwise relative to a high-level view in cross-section for the right shoe. The shoe or insole device is contoured and has a domed or raised area support surface with its highest point configured to be located between the first and second metatarsal axes behind the first and second metatarsal heads of the wearer.

[0009] Millions of pairs of shoes and insoles, including custom orthotics, have been manufactured and sold that incorporate cushioning under the first metatarsal head, as described above. As will be appreciated, providing cushioning under the first metatarsal head requires appropriate placement of reduced support cushioning. An earlier study by Parham et al., "Anthropometry of the Foot and Lower Leg of US Army Soldiers: Fort Jackson, SC-1985," published in September 1992, reported that the standard deviation of ball of foot (BOF) length was 0.42 inches for males and 0.43 inches for females (see

[15] ). Figure 4 ). Additionally, the BOF length varies between an individual's left and right feet. While custom orthotics can be manufactured to essentially perfectly fit an individual's foot, mass-produced shoes and insoles compromise at best when it comes to positioning the cushioning beneath the first metatarsal head. The problem of correctly positioning the cushioning beneath the first metatarsal head is further exacerbated in the case of mass-produced one-size-fits-all trims (used to fit aftermarket insoles). Summary of the Invention

[0010] The present invention provides improvements over existing footwear in terms of function, comfort, manufacturing, and size. In one aspect, the present invention provides significant improvements in the biomechanical function of footwear, particularly in shoe insole trims, molded sandals, and flip-flops, by providing such footwear with an upper surface having a raised metatarsal pad, the raised metatarsal pad having a first region that rises medially from a medial edge and is configured to lie beneath the wearer's first metatarsal head, a second region that is configured to lie beneath the axes of the wearer's second through fifth metatarsal bones, and a third region that slopes downwardly toward the lateral edge of the insole, wherein the first region is configured to evert the wearer's first metatarsal. The footwear can be in the form of an insole, particularly one that includes a shoe insole trim, or a molded sandal or flip-flop. The first region of the raised metatarsal pad is medially located and has a slope of approximately 5° to 9°, preferably approximately 6° to 8°, and more preferably approximately 7°. The third area of ​​the raised metatarsal pad is located on the outside and has a slope of about 4° to 6°, preferably about 4.5° to 5.5°, and more preferably about 5°. The top edge of the third area is lower than the top edge of the first area. The second area of ​​the raised metatarsal pad has a toe-oriented surface, a top surface, and a heel-oriented surface that smoothly bridge across the first and second areas and merge with the top surface of the flat portion of the insole of the shoe to which the metatarsal pad is incorporated. This design improves wearer comfort by providing a contoured foot support surface across a variety of shoe sizes and simplifies manufacturing and sizing. The raised metatarsal pad with a sloped edge on the inside allows the first metatarsal joint to descend and rotate, i.e., evert, which enhances the flexibility of the joint, while the sloped third area on the outside allows the fifth metatarsal to invert. By extending the length of the pad and its angled edge from approximately 4 cm to approximately 8 cm, the insole or foot-supporting surface can be configured to adjust the possible BOF length for two US shoe sizes to a range of BOF lengths that effectively function across a range of seven US shoe sizes. Note that the 4 cm pad needs to be positioned correctly to achieve the appropriate BOF length for the corresponding shoe size. An 8 cm pad can provide functional support for more than seven US shoe sizes; its positioning will determine which seven sizes it covers.

[0011] The present invention may also optionally include modifying the heel area or heel cup area of ​​the foot support surface to reduce the pressure exerted on the wearer's plantar fascia as it moves from its attachment on the medial calcaneus to the proximal phalanges, as described in our aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 10,702,008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The heel cup includes a hollow or recessed heel cup area (1-3 mm deep) that is adapted to be positioned under the wearer's heel. The hollow or recessed heel cup area is asymmetrical, with its lowest area located on the medial side of the heel and having a forward extension on the medial side of the heel cup.

[0012] The raised metatarsal pad can be formed on the foot-supporting surface of an aftermarket decorative piece to fit a shoe insole, or on the foot-supporting surface of a molded sandal or flip-flop. A feature and advantage of the present invention is that the raised metatarsal pad accommodates a variety of individual metatarsal head BOF lengths across multiple (e.g., up to seven) shoe sizes. Thus, in the case of aftermarket insoles (which are typically manufactured and sold as decorative pieces to accommodate multiple sizes), the number of SKUs required is reduced. For example, with the present invention, a single SKU can functionally accommodate all three, four, five, six, or seven US shoe sizes, i.e., US men's shoe sizes 7 to 13, or alternatively, US women's shoe sizes 6 to 12. That is, a footwear product incorporating the raised metatarsal pad as described above can be integrally formed with the footbed of a molded sandal or flip-flop, or formed as a decorative piece to fit an aftermarket insole. As used herein, "footwear product" is intended to refer to all such embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Further features and advantages of the present invention can be seen in the detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] Figure 1A It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bones of the human foot.

[0015] Figure 1B It is a top-down plan view of the human foot skeleton;

[0016] Figure 2 is a top plan view of a left foot supporting decorative member suitable for a men's shoe insole according to one embodiment of the present invention, the right foot supporting insole being a mirror image thereof;

[0017] Figure 3A is a top plan view of a left foot-supporting surface of a decorative element suitable for a shoe insole according to the present invention, with a contour line at 0.2 mm superimposed thereon, and a right foot-supporting surface being a mirror image thereof;

[0018] Figure 3B is a top plan view of a left foot-supporting surface of a decorative element adapted for a shoe insole according to the present invention, showing decorative lines for length and width variations across six full US shoe sizes and a "landing area" for the ball of the foot across multiple full US shoe sizes, the right foot-supporting surface being a mirror image thereof;

[0019] Figure 4 is a reproduction of the summary table from the aforementioned report by Parham et al.; and

[0020] Figures 5A-11B are graphs and pressure loads (as appropriate) illustrating the improvements in individual gait and pressure loads achieved through the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] As used herein, the terms "sole" and "insole" are used interchangeably. Furthermore, a "sole" or "insole" may be an element that is built into or forms an integral element of a molded footwear product (e.g., a sandal or flip-flop), or may be a removable insole, including a decorative piece that fits an aftermarket insole device across multiple shoe sizes, which can be inserted into a shoe product after manufacture.

[0022] Reference Figure 2 、 Figure 3A and Figure 3B, shows a decorative piece that fits insole 100 and has a raised metatarsal pad 102 on foot-supporting surface 104 of insole 100. Metatarsal pad 102 is formed inwardly from medial edge 106 of insole 100 and has a first angled region 108 configured to lie beneath a wearer's first metatarsal head, a second top surface region 110 configured to lie beneath the axes of the wearer's second through fourth metatarsal bones, and a third region 112 configured to lie beneath the wearer's fifth metatarsal head, sloping downwardly toward the lateral edge of insole 100. First angled region 108 is configured to evert the wearer's first metatarsal bone. The footwear product may be in the form of an insole or a molded sandal or flip-flop that includes a decorative piece that fits insole, in particular. The first sloped region 108 of the raised metatarsal pad 102 has a medial slope of approximately 5° to 9°, preferably approximately 6° to 8°, and more preferably approximately 7°. The third region 112 of the raised metatarsal pad has a lateral slope of approximately 4° to 6°, preferably approximately 4.5° to 5.5°, and more preferably approximately 5°, and is configured to invert the wearer's fifth metatarsal. The top edge of the lateral slope of the third region 112 is lower than the top edge of the medial slope of the surface of the first sloped region 108. The second top surface region 110 of the raised metatarsal pad 102 has a toe-oriented surface and a heel-oriented surface that smoothly bridges from the third region 112 to the first sloped region 108 and the top surface 104 of the flat portion of the insole incorporating the metatarsal pad. The second top surface region 110 of the raised metatarsal pad 102 smoothly bridges all of the sloped surfaces of the raised metatarsal pad 102. The configuration of the raised metatarsal pad 102 increases wearer comfort by providing a contoured foot support surface across a wide range of shoe sizes, and simplifies manufacturing and sizing. The raised metatarsal pad 102, with the first angled area 108 on the medial side, allows the first metatarsal joint to descend and rotate, i.e., evert, which enhances joint mobility. By extending the length of the pad and its angled edge from approximately 4 cm to approximately 8 cm, the insole or foot support surface can be configured to accommodate a single BOF length or a range of BOF lengths that can effectively function across seven US shoe size ranges. Note that the 4 cm long pad needs to be correctly positioned for the appropriate BOF length for the corresponding shoe size. An 8 cm long pad can provide functional support across seven US shoe sizes, and its position will determine which seven shoe sizes it covers.

[0023] Special References Figure 3B , which is suitable for the decorative part of the insole of the shoe, the insole 100 may include shoe length decorative lines 120 to 124 and width decorative lines 126 to 129. Moreover, in order to facilitate a better understanding of the versatility of our invention, Figure 3BShown superimposed on the foot support surface are the areas designated 130, 132, 134 where a typical wearer's first metatarsal head is likely to fall, depending on the individual's BOF length and shoe size.

[0024] The decorative piece that fits the insole of the shoe may also optionally include Figure 3A The illustrated heel cup 135 takes the form of an uneven, generally circular depression 136, with its lowest area 137 preferably located slightly medially on the heel. Heel cup 135 is generally circular in plan and includes a forwardly concave, extended area on its medial side that serves to reduce pressure on the plantar fascia of the wearer's foot as it moves from its attachment to the medial calcaneus to the proximal phalanges. At its lowest point, heel cup 135 is typically 1-4 mm deep, preferably 2-3.5 mm deep, and more preferably 2.5-3 mm deep. The area immediately forward of heel cup 135 is elevated relative to heel cup 135. Preferably, heel cup 135 is elongated, rotating 3±2 degrees clockwise on a left shoe or left insole, and 3±2 degrees counterclockwise on a right shoe or right insole.

[0025] Figures 5A-9B 2 is a graph and pressure load illustrating the improvements in gait and pressure load on a first person wearing the shoe using a conventional shoe insole and a trim conforming to the shoe insole made in accordance with the present invention.

[0026] It can be seen that:

[0027] • The shape of the graph shows the significant improvement of the decorative piece with the insole-fitting embodiment of the present invention compared to the decorative piece without the insole-fitting embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] • The pressure load under the big toe shows a significant reduction using the insole-conforming trim of the present invention.

[0029] By using the decorative element conforming to the insole of the present invention, the duration of heel contact is shortened.

[0030] The decorative piece conforming to the insole of the present invention has greater overall symmetry.

[0031] Figures 10A-11B is a graph of a second person and pressure load, illustrating improvements in gait and pressure load of the second person wearing the shoe using a conventional shoe insole and a trim that conforms to the shoe insole according to the present invention.

[0032] As can be seen, the greatest change is in the pressure under the big toe. The insole-conforming decorative piece of the present invention shows a significant reduction in the pressure variation under the big toe, which is consistent with the effect of releasing the big toe joint.

[0033] Various changes can be made to the invention described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A decorative piece for inserting into a shoe and fitting the insole, the decorative piece having a raised metatarsal pad on the upper surface of the insole, wherein: The raised metatarsal pad has a first area, a second raised top surface area, and a third area that slopes downward toward the lateral edge of the insole, the first area rising from the medial edge of the insole plate toward the medial side at an angle of 5° to 9° and being configured to be located below the wearer's first metatarsal head, the second raised top surface area being configured to be located below the wearer's second to fourth metatarsal axes, and the third area being configured to be located below the wearer's fifth metatarsal head, wherein the second area has a toe-directed surface and a heel-directed surface that smoothly bridge from the third area to the first area and the top surface of the metatarsal pad, wherein the first area, the second area, and the third area fit the first metatarsal of a wearer with outstretched feet and the fifth metatarsal of a wearer with inverted feet, wherein the raised metatarsal pad has a length of 4 cm to 8 cm, and the insole also includes length and width line markings on its surface. 2 . The decorative element conforming to the shoe insole according to claim 1 , wherein the second area bridges the first area and the third area. 3 . The decorative piece conforming to the insole of a shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the third area is inclined at an angle of 4° to 6°.

4. The decorative piece conforming to the insole of claim 1, further comprising a heel cup configured to be positioned under a wearer's heel and integrally formed with the foot-supporting surface of the insole.

5. The decorative piece conforming to the insole of a shoe according to claim 1, wherein the insole is dedicated to a left shoe or a right shoe. 6 . The decorative piece conforming to the insole of a shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the first area is inclined at an angle of 6° to 8°. 7 . The decorative piece conforming to the insole of a shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the third area is inclined at an angle of 4.5° to 5.5°.

8. A molded foot support device having a raised metatarsal pad on a foot support upper surface, wherein the raised metatarsal pad has a first area, a second raised top surface area, and a third area that slopes downwardly toward the lateral edge of the foot support surface, the first area rising medially from the medial edge of the foot support surface and configured to be positioned beneath a wearer's first metatarsal head, the second raised top surface area being configured to be positioned beneath the axes of the wearer's second through fourth metatarsal bones, and the third area being configured to be positioned beneath the wearer's fifth metatarsal head, wherein the second area has a toe-directed surface and a heel-directed surface that smoothly bridge from the third area to the first area and the top surface of the metatarsal pad, wherein all three areas cooperate to invert the wearer's first metatarsal, wherein the first area is sloped at an angle of 5° to 9°, and the third area is sloped at an angle of 4° to 6°.

9. The molded foot-supporting device of claim 8, wherein the second region bridges the first region and the third region.

10. The molded foot support device of claim 8, further comprising a heel cup configured to be positioned under a wearer's heel and integrally formed with the foot support surface.

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

12. The molded foot support 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 support device of claim 8, wherein the first region is inclined at an angle of 6° to 8°.

14. The molded foot supporting device of claim 8, wherein the third region is inclined at an angle of 4.5° to 5.5°.

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