Sock orthotic

Abstract

A sock orthotic includes a sock portion that surrounds and engages at least a portion of a foot, and an orthotic portion that can be situated substantially adjacent to a plantar aspect of the foot. The orthotic portion is integrally affixed to the sock portion to avoid slippage. The sock portion defines a lower opening and an upper opening relative to the plantar aspect, and the orthotic portion is affixed to the sock portion at a perimeter of the lower opening defined by the sock portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Prov. App. No. 62 / 785,671, filed Dec. 27, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the Invention[0002]The present disclosure relates in general to a sock orthotic, and more specifically, to a sock with an attached orthotic insole on the plantar aspect of the foot providing comfort, structural support, and an all-day orthotic benefit, as the sock orthotic can be worn with or without shoes.Description of the Related Art[0003]For thousands of years, humans have been walking with or without footwear. Footwear was born of necessity to navigate harsh terrain or to protect from the elements. The human foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints (20 of which are actively articulated), and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Humans have discovered through the years that this complex makeup can give rise to...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a sock orthotic that can be worn all day and night, supporting the arch region of the foot and alleviating pain and discomfort in the forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-foot. The invention helps to properly align bones and keep the foot in correct anatomical positioning.

Problems solved by technology

Humans have discovered through the years that this complex makeup can give rise to a wide variety of foot-related issues.

Some of these issues are genetic, while others stem from improper structural footwear that humans choose to wear.

Today, many foot-related issues arise from the wide variety of footwear necessary to complete the many and varied daily tasks in which we engage: work, leisure, athletics, etc.

For others, however, this traditional, shoe-centered paradigm is impractical and counterproductive to the treatment of their various foot and foot-related problems.

As an example of the impracticality of constant shoe use, there are many individuals that may spend all or a majority of their time at home, where wearing shoes may be impractical or counter to house or societal norms or rules.

These individuals, therefore, face the difficult choice of either (a) bucking these norms or rules and wearing shoes inside the home or (b) foregoing shoes, and the shoe-insole benefits that accompany those shoes, for all or a significant portion of the day.

Moreover, even if one is willing or able to wear shoes inside the home, more often than not, the bed, couch, recliner, dinner table, and other areas are strictly off-limits for shoes, which may further limit the availability of shoe insole relief.

Even where shoe use is widely acceptable and unrestricted, shoe insole users may find that the wide-variety of shoe options presents an interaction issue between a user's sock, the shoe, and the shoe insole.

In particular, a familiar complaint of many shoe insole users is that the shoe insole does not fit properly inside the shoe.

This can happen because of a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to:(a) the user is placing the shoe insole on top of the original base layer insole; therefore, reducing amount of space for the foot to fit in shoe;(b) the shoe insoles length, width or depth may not be ideal for a given pair of shoes; therefore, the shoe insole must be trimmed to fit; or(c) the shoe can be damaged from trying to alter / remove the original base layer insole to make room for a shoe insole.

Any of the above may result in an uncomfortable amalgam of material layers situated at the bottom of the shoe.

This painful and annoying side effect is often an unavoidable and unwelcome “price-of-admission” for those seeking treatment or relief to foot-related issues through the use of shoe inserts.

What is more, shoe insoles simply do not lend themselves to easy footwear changes.

If a user desires to avoid this near-constant changing of shoe insoles, the user's only choice is to purchase a pair of shoe insoles for each of his or her many sets of shoes, which can be prohibitively expensive for many users.

This annoyance is particularly acute for those who enjoy—or make their living—engaging in certain activities or sports that require relatively frequent shoe changes, and it is not limited to those living a life of luxury or extravagance.

Furthermore, changing shoe insoles can be unsanitary.

Due to the types of materials used to create currently available shoe insoles, there is no fast, easy and thoroughly sanitary way to clean them.

This can be very time-consuming, may not disinfect the shoe insoles properly, and leaves the user without a solution to his or her foot problem while the cleaning and drying process is ongoing.

Most commonly, users will decide not wash their shoe insoles, either because of the time and difficulty involved or because the shoe insoles may be labeled “odor-resistant” or “anti-bacterial.” By not washing shoes or shoe insoles, a typical pair of high-use shoes can become unclean and develop odors within a relatively short period of time.

This, again, leaves the user with a particularly unsavory, and potentially costly, choice—dirty insoles, new insoles, or no insoles.

Images