Molded spiked shoe insole

Abstract

A spiked insole includes a covered integrally molded unified foam body. The foam may be covered with a cover layer, such as a stretchable fabric, on a top surface of the foam opposite the staples. The foam includes a base layer having a plurality of staples protruding therefrom. The foam may include a shaped shape that comfortably fits the patient's foot, including, for example, a medial support portion, a lateral support portion, and a heel cup. The spiked insoles may be used, for example, for medical shoes. A method of forming a spiked insole is also provided.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of an international application entering the Chinese national phase, with an application date of October 1, 2018, international application number PCT / US2018 / 053674, national application number 201880085448.4, and name “Formed Spike Insole”. Technical Field

[0002] Exemplary embodiments relate to spike insoles, and in particular contoured spike insoles, which may be used in foot orthotics, such as medical shoes. Background Art

[0003] In the field of foot orthotics, plaster casts are often considered the gold standard. However, plaster casts often require a time-consuming casting process that can be uncomfortable for the patient and can result in increased costs for treatment. As an alternative to plaster casts, spiked insoles used with medical shoes have been used to equalize pressure on the plantar surface of a patient's foot.

[0004] The traditional spiked insoles of medical shoes are made of multiple layers of vinyl acetate (EVA) or other suitable materials of different densities. The multiple layers are laminated, and then the spikes are formed by, for example, die-cutting the laminated insoles. For example, as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,201,346 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), a layer of EVA can be laminated on a layer of Plastizote (Plastizote is a medically inert, high-density polyethylene closed-cell foam with excellent memory and impact absorption properties). Thereafter, the laminated material can be die-cut to form die-cut spikes, and then the top layer in contact with the patient's foot is adhered thereto. The top layer can be formed by, for example, Poron (Poron is an open-cell foam polyurethane product that absorbs shock).

[0005] However, the conventional process described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,201,346 includes multiple different steps, which increases production cost and time. In addition, because the top layer is glued to the nail, the nail can only be removed by cutting the nail with a blade or other tool or forcibly tearing the nail apart, which may damage the insole, especially the top layer.

[0006] Other insoles, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,231,728 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), employ a multi-layer structure with different hardnesses, wherein the layers can be rearranged according to the needs of the patient. Therefore, the production of such insoles requires the manufacture of several different layers and their components. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 7,231,728 describes the creation of an unloading area by removing a portion from one of the bottom layers of the insole using a sharp instrument. However, this process is only properly performed by a medical professional and requires additional steps to rearrange the layers of the multi-layer insole.

[0007] Exemplary embodiments overcome these disadvantages and solve the above problems by simplifying the production process of spiked insoles. Thus, exemplary embodiments reduce manufacturing costs and offset the costs associated with the more expensive memory foam products used in exemplary embodiments. Further exemplary embodiments provide spikes that can be easily removed by a patient or practitioner without the use of a blade or special tool and without damaging the spiked insole (i.e., the base layer of the foam).

[0008] Furthermore, conventional insoles for medical shoes, such as those described above, have a flat shape. This is due in part to the difficulty of attaching the top layer to multiple die-cut nails at different heights, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,201,346. Similarly, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,231,728, it is difficult to obtain a formed shape when using a multi-layer insole structure in which the layers will rearrange during use. However, this flat shape increases pressure on the patient's foot, especially at the heel.

[0009] U.S. Patent No. 5,067,256 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) attempts to address this problem by providing an acupressure heel cup. However, the insole of U.S. Patent No. 5,067,256 uses an incompressible elastic plastic or rubber and does not provide the comfort and reduced pressure of a foam insole. The conventional structure also does not allow the spikes to be easily removed to create an unloading area, thereby further reducing the pressure on the affected area of ​​the patient's foot.

[0010] Exemplary embodiments include a shaped spiked insole formed from a foam material. This structure increases patient comfort and greatly reduces pressure while also providing selectively removable spikes. Summary of the invention

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the spiked shoe insole comprises an integrally formed unitary foam body including a base layer and a plurality of spikes protruding from the base layer. The foam body may be covered with a covering layer, such as a stretchable fabric, on the top surface of the foam body opposite the spikes. The spikes may be separated from each other by cutout portions formed during the molding process. The foam body may have a formed shape that comfortably fits the patient's foot, including, for example, a medial support portion, a lateral support portion, and a heel cup. The spiked shoe insole may be used, for example, in a medical shoe. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] These and / or other aspects will become apparent and more readily understood from the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the spiked insole without any unloading area.

[0014] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a spiked shoe insole including a load-relieving area near the toe end of the spiked shoe insole.

[0015] Figure 3A It is a front side view of the inner sole of the spike shoe.

[0016] Figure 3B It is a top view of the insole of the spiked shoe.

[0017] Figure 3C It is a cross-sectional view of the spike shoe insole along the 3C-3C axis.

[0018] Figure 4 It is a rear view of the spiked shoe insole viewed from the heel end of the spiked shoe insole.

[0019] Figure 5A 1 is a pressure diagram corresponding to the spike insole used in the medical shoe of Example 1.

[0020] Figure 5B This is a graph of force and percentage of the spike insole used in the medical shoe in Example 1.

[0021] Fig. 6A : is a pressure diagram of a conventional shoe insole when used in a medical shoe corresponding to Comparative Example 1.

[0022] Figure 6B 4 is a graph of force and percentage of a conventional shoe insole used in the medical shoe in Comparative Example 1.

[0023] Figure 7 yes Figure 5B and Figure 6B Overlay of the chart.

[0024] Fig. 8A is a pressure graph showing the average results of Example 2.

[0025] Figure 8B The toe portion of the insole used in Example 2 is shown.

[0026] Fig.9A is a pressure graph showing the average results of Example 3.

[0027] Fig. 9B The toe portion of the insole including the load-relieving area used in Example 3 is shown.

[0028] Fig. 10A 3 is a pressure graph showing the average results of Comparative Example 2.

[0029] Fig. 10B The toe portion of the shoe insole used in Comparative Example 2 is shown.

[0030] Fig.11Cross-sections of a spike shoe insole along different axes are shown.

[0031] Fig.12 It is a perspective view of the insole of a spike shoe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The concept of the present invention may allow for various changes or modifications and various changes in form, and specific exemplary embodiments will be shown in the drawings and described in detail in the specification. However, it should be understood that the specific exemplary embodiments do not limit the concept of the present invention to a specific disclosed form, but include every modification, equivalent or alternative form within the spirit and technical scope of the concept of the present invention. In the following description, well-known functions or structures are not described in detail because they would obscure the present invention with unnecessary details.

[0033] The terms used in this application are only used to describe specific exemplary embodiments and are not intended to limit the concept of the present invention. Although the general terms currently used as widely as possible are selected as the terms used in the concept of the present invention in view of the functions in the concept of the present invention, they may change according to the intentions of ordinary technicians in the field, judicial precedents or the emergence of new technologies. In addition, in specific cases, the terms intentionally selected by the applicant may be used, and in this case, the meaning of the terms will be disclosed in the corresponding description of the present invention. Therefore, the terms used in the concept of the present invention should not be defined by the simple name of the term, but by the meaning of the term and the content of the concept of the present invention.

[0034] This description of exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which should be considered part of the entire written description. In the specification, relative terms such as "lower", "upper", "horizontal", "vertical", "above", "below", "upward", "downward", "top" and "bottom" and their derivatives (for example, "horizontally", "downwardly", "upwardly", etc.) should be interpreted as referring to the directions shown in the drawings described or discussed at the time. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the device be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Unless otherwise expressly stated, terms related to connection, coupling, etc., such as "connected" and "interconnected", refer to the relationship in which structures are fixed or connected to each other directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as movable or rigid connections or relationships.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment, the spiked shoe insole 100 is formed by an integrally molded unified foam body 140, which includes a base layer 141, and a plurality of spikes 142 protrude from the base layer 141. Preferably, the spikes 142 are configured to be removable. The foam body 140 can be formed of, for example, memory foam or other suitable materials. The memory foam can be an injection foam or an ether-based polyurethane foam, such as vinyl acetate (EVA). In a preferred embodiment, the density of the memory foam is 0.05-20 kg / cm 3, 0.10-10kg / cm 3 , 0.20-5.0kg / cm 3 , 0.25-2.0kg / cm 3 , 0.30-1.0kg / cm 3 , 0.35-0.50kg / cm 3 or 0.40-0.42kg / cm 3 In a preferred embodiment, the rebound time or recovery time of the memory foam is 0.5-60 seconds, 1-30 seconds, 1.5-20 seconds, 1.75-15 seconds, 2.0-10 seconds, 2.5-7.5 seconds or 3-5 seconds. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the Shore C hardness of the memory foam is 10-50 degrees, 15-40 degrees, 20-35 degrees, 25-31 degrees or 27-29 degrees.

[0036] In an exemplary embodiment, the foam body 140 is integrally molded into a desired shape, including a plurality of spikes 142 protruding from at least the base 141. In addition, a cutout portion 143 separating the spikes 142 may be included to provide additional flexibility to the spiked shoe insole 100. The height of the spikes 142 (i.e., the depth of the cutout portion 143) is not particularly limited and may be constant or variable. The height of the spikes 142 is set so that the cutout portion 143 does not extend through the entire thickness of the foam body 140. That is, the thickness of the base layer 141 (i.e., Fig.11 The thickness shown by the arrow in the cross section CC of the base layer 141 is greater than 0 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the base layer 141 is greater than 0 mm, preferably 0.1 to 20 mm, 0.5 to 15 mm or 1.0 to 10 mm.

[0037] The spikes 142 may be of any suitable shape, such as Figure 1-2 The hexagonal shape shown. In other embodiments, the shape of the nail 142 can be oval, circular or polygonal, such as triangular, rectangular or square. Preferably, the area occupied by the cutout portion 143 is minimized so as to provide adequate support for the patient by reducing the void space. From this point of view, polygonal nails are superior to oval or circular nails. In a preferred embodiment, the nails 142 are evenly spaced from each other.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the staples 142 are configured to be twisted off by hand and removed from the base layer 141 without damaging the foam 140. Preferably, the staples 142 are removed without penetrating the base layer 141. Figure 2As shown, by selectively removing one or more spikes 142 from the spiked shoe insole 100, an unloading area 144 can be formed to relieve pressure in selected areas, such as the heel or metatarsal phalangeal joints. According to this embodiment, weight can be unloaded from the wound to the patient's foot in an area corresponding to the unloading area 144. The unloading area 144 preferably includes the remaining portion of the foam body 140 (i.e., the base layer 141) and any covering layer 132 that may be included in the spiked shoe insole 100, but does not include any spikes 142.

[0039] The depth of the unloading area 144 (corresponding to the height of the spikes 142 to be removed to form the unloading area 144) is not particularly limited. In an exemplary embodiment, the depth of the unloading area 144 is configured so that when the spike insole 100 is used in a medical shoe, the foot of the patient in the area corresponding to the unloading area 144 does not contact the midsole of the medical shoe. From this point of view, the depth of the unloading area 144 is preferably 1.0-25.0 mm, 3.0-20.0 mm, 5.0-15.0 mm, 7.0-13.0 mm, 8.0-12.0 mm, 9.0-11.0 mm, or 9.0-10.0 mm.

[0040] The width or diameter of each nail 142 is not particularly limited, and is preferably 1.0-25.0 mm, 5.0-20.0 mm, 7.5-15.0 mm, 8.0-12.0 mm, or 9.0-11.0 mm. If the cross-sectional area of ​​the nail 142 is too large, it is difficult to determine the unloading area 144. If the nail is too small, the number of nails 142 required to form the unloading area 144 increases, making it more difficult and time-consuming for the patient or medical professional to remove the nail 142. In addition, if the nail 142 is too large, it may be difficult to remove the nail 142 by hand due to the increased force required, and it may be difficult to avoid damaging the foam 140 during the removal of the nail 142. On the contrary, if the nail is too small, the nail 142 may be damaged and fall off during the use of the spike shoe insole 100. The distance between the centers of adjacent nails 142 is not particularly limited, and is preferably 1.0-25.0 mm, 5.0-20.0 mm, 7.5-15.0 mm, 8.0-12.0 mm, 9.0-11.0 mm, or about 10 mm.

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment, spike insole 100 may have a shaped shape including, for example, side portion 120 having medial support portion 121 for supporting the medial area of ​​the patient's foot (including the arch) and lateral support portion 122 for supporting the lateral area of ​​the patient's foot. Figure 4 As shown, the height M of the medial support portion 121 may be greater than the height L of the lateral support portion 122. In other embodiments, the heights M and L may be equal to each other, or the height L may be greater than the height M, depending on the needs of the patient. Figure 1-3, the medial support portion 121 is located in front of the lateral support portion 122 in the toe direction T. In other embodiments, the medial support portion 121 may be aligned with the lateral support portion 122 in the toe direction T or located behind the lateral support portion 122. In one embodiment, the medial support portion 121 and the lateral support portion 122 may be symmetrical in position and height, so that the spike insole 100 can be used for any foot of the patient. In some embodiments, the entire spike insole 100 may have a symmetrical formed shape. In addition, the toe end T of the spike insole 100 may be formed with a square end for medical shoes.

[0042] exist Figure 3B-3C In the exemplary embodiment shown, the foam body 140 includes a heel cup 131 that is depressed to comfortably accommodate the patient's heel and reduce the pressure applied to the foot. Figure 3C As shown in the side view of FIG. 1 , the thickness of the center of the heel cup 131 is reduced compared with the rest of the spike insole 100. Preferably, the thickness of the spike insole 100 gradually decreases from the horseshoe-shaped heel end H to the center of the heel cup 131. Fig.11 and 12 An exemplary embodiment of a spike insole having a shaped shape is shown. Fig.11 Sections BB and FF in FIG. 1 show an exemplary structure of a heel cup of a spike shoe insole. Fig.11 Also shown are exemplary configurations of the lateral and medial support portions. Such a structure can provide shock absorption and reduce edema, congestion, and inflammation of the soft tissue to relieve heel pain and discomfort in patients.

[0043] In an exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the foam 140 in the area near the heel end H is less than the thickness of the foam 140 in the area near the toe end T. For example, the ratio of the maximum thickness of the foam in the area near the toe end T to the minimum thickness of the foam in the area near the heel end H may be 1-20, 3-15, 5-10, or 7-9. According to this structure, the spiked shoe insole 100 can provide increased pressure unloading near the toes or forefoot of the patient.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, the minimum thickness of the foam 140 is 1.0-40.0 mm, 5.0-25.0 mm, 7.0-15.0 mm, 8.0-12.0 mm, or 9.0-10.0 mm. If the minimum thickness of the foam 140 is too small, the patient's foot may not be adequately supported by the spike insole 100 in the minimum thickness area, and the spike insole 100 may not provide adequate cushioning between the patient's foot and, for example, the midsole of a medical shoe.

[0045] See also Figure 3B , a variety of insole sizes are considered to accommodate a variety of foot shapes and sizes. For example, Figure 3B The dimensions of A, B and C are shown in Table 1 below. In exemplary embodiments, the values ​​shown in Table 1 may be acceptable to vary by ±0.1 cm, ±0.25 cm, ±0.5 cm, ±0.75 cm, ±1.0 cm, ±2.0 cm or ±5.0 cm. All dimensions in Table 1 are in centimeters (cm).

[0046] Table 1:

[0047]

[0048]

[0049] The spiked shoe insole 100 may include a cover layer 132 laminated to an upper surface of the foam body 140 opposite the spikes 142. The cover layer 132 may be made of, for example, a stretchable fabric or other suitable material. When included in the spiked shoe insole 100, the cover layer 132 contacts the patient's foot and provides additional cushioning and comfort. In addition, the cover layer 132 may be formed of a breathable fabric to keep the patient's foot cool and dry.

[0050] In an exemplary method of producing a spiked shoe insole 100, a unified foam body 140 is integrally molded from a foam material to provide a desired shape, including at least a plurality of spikes 142 protruding from a base layer 141. The spikes 142 may be separated by cutout portions 143 formed during the molding process. Molding may be performed, for example, by injection molding or any other suitable method.

[0051] In some embodiments, the molded foam 140 may be cured to provide a cured molded foam 140. However, the spiked shoe insole 100 may be formed without any curing process, thereby further reducing production time and associated costs. In an embodiment including a cover layer 132, the cover layer 132 may be applied to the upper surface of the molded foam 140 opposite to the spike 142. The cover layer 132 may be applied to the molded foam 140 using an adhesive and then laminated to the foam 140 during the curing process. Alternatively, the cover layer 132 may be applied and laminated to the foam 140 without curing or after the foam 140 has been cured. In another embodiment, the cover layer 132 (optionally including an adhesive on one side thereof) may be placed in a mold before injection molding of the foam 140. In this embodiment, the cover layer 132 is laminated to the foam 140 during the injection molding process. Once the cover layer 132 is laminated to the foam 140, the excess portion of the cover layer 132 may be removed by, for example, using a trimming mold.

[0052] In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include selectively removing one or more pins 142 to form an unloaded area 144. In an exemplary embodiment, the pins 142 can be removed by hand by a medical professional or a patient. Preferably, the removal of the pins 142 does not penetrate the base layer 141, and when the cover layer 132 is used, the removal of the pins 142 does not expose the lower surface of the cover layer 132.

[0053] According to the above-described embodiment, by using the memory foam material and the formed shape, the spike shoe insole 100 increases the contact with the patient's foot, thereby reducing the pressure on the patient's foot. According to a preferred embodiment, since the patient's foot sinks into the memory foam, not only the comfort is improved, but also the contact between the insole and the plantar surface of the patient's foot can be increased by 40% or more, and the pressure on the foot can be reduced by 20-30%. In addition, by including the memory foam material in the spike shoe insole 100 with the formed shape, especially in the spike shoe insole 100 with the heel cup 131, the movement of the patient's foot (i.e., shear force) can be reduced because the material and the shape provide a so-called "locking function". Specifically, the "locking function" is at least partially due to the fact that the formed shape provides an increased contact area (i.e., the contact area between the insole 100 and the patient's foot is increased) at a position perpendicular to the shear force (e.g., on the side surface of the foot). In addition, the formed shape increases the contact area in the arch of the patient's foot, further enhancing the "locking function". This may reduce friction and irritation to the soft tissue of the patient's foot during use of a medical shoe including the spiked insole 100 .

[0054] Example 1

[0055] The polyurethane memory foam (density 0.40-0.42kg / cm 3 ; Shore C hardness is 28 degrees ± 3 degrees; tear strength is 2.5-3.5kg / cm 2 ;Tensile strength is 2.5-3.5kg / cm 2 The formed spike insole with a rebound time of 3-5 seconds is inserted into the dual-density Med-Surg TM (available from Darco International) and the following pressure test was performed. The F-Scan system (available from Tekscan) was used to test the wearer wearing the dual-density Med-Surg TM For users who have taken more than five steps, pressure measurement is performed. The final pressure graph for the five steps is shown in Figure 5A The results are also Figure 5B The force at each step is plotted versus percentage.

[0056] Comparative Example 1

[0057] The procedure of Example 1 was repeated except that a conventional flat EVA insole was used instead of a formed memory foam spike insole. The results are shown in Fig. 6A Pressure diagram and Figure 6B in the force versus percentage diagram.

[0058] From the results of Display Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 Figure 7 It can be clearly seen that, compared with the conventional shoe insole of Comparative Example 1, the formed spike shoe insole of Example 1 can provide a 20-30% pressure reduction.

[0059] Example 2

[0060] Repeat the procedure of Example 1 with a new user wearing the dual-density Med-Surg TM , which includes Figure 8B The average pressure diagram of Example 2 is shown in Fig. 8A The results of Example 2 are summarized in Tables 2 and 3 below.

[0061] Example 3

[0062] The procedure of Example 2 is repeated, except that a load-reducing area is formed in the formed spike insole in the area near the third metatarsal head, such as Fig. 9B The average pressure diagram for Example 3 is shown in Fig.9A The results of Example 3 are summarized in Tables 2 and 3 below.

[0063] Comparative Example 2

[0064] The procedure of Example 2 was repeated except that a conventional flat EVA insole was used instead of the shaped memory foam spike insole. Fig. 10B The toe area of ​​the insole used is shown, Fig. 10A The average pressure graph is shown for Comparative Example 2. The results of Comparative Example 2 are summarized in Tables 2 and 3 below.

[0065] Table 2:

[0066]

[0067]

[0068] Table 3:

[0069]

[0070] In Table 3, the unloading percentage is calculated as the percentage of pressure drop for Example 2 (shaped memory foam spike insole) compared to Comparative Example 2 (standard insole), and the percentage of pressure drop for Example 3 (shaped memory foam spike insole with unloading area) compared to Comparative Example 2 (standard insole) and Example 2 (shaped memory foam spike insole). The toe, forefoot, and heel correspond to Fig. 8A , Fig.9A and Fig. 10A The top, middle, and bottom boxed areas are shown.

[0071] As can be seen from Table 3 above, the shaped spike shoe insole formed of memory foam used in Example 2 provides significant unloading in all areas of the foot compared to the conventional shoe insole used in Comparative Example 2. In Example 3, further unloading is achieved in all areas of the foot, wherein an unloading area is formed near the third metatarsal head.

[0072] While exemplary embodiments have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive concept as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A spike shoe insole, comprising: An integrally molded unified foam body; wherein The unified foam body is composed of a base layer and a plurality of spikes protruding from the base layer, The base layer is formed at a side of the base layer facing opposite to a direction in which the plurality of spikes protrude from the base layer and has a shaped shape suitable for a patient's foot including a medial support portion, a lateral support portion, and a heel cup, and The base layer is exposed on the side opposite to the nail, The heel cup is arranged at a heel end of the foam body opposite to a toe end of the foam body in a longitudinal direction of the foam body, and The thickness of the foam body in an area near a heel end is smaller than the thickness of the foam body in an area near a toe end.

2. The spiked shoe insole according to claim 1, wherein: The heel cup is concave and the medial and lateral support portions are convex.

3. The spike shoe insole according to claim 1, wherein: The staples are configured to be selectively removable without penetrating the substrate.

4. The spiked shoe insole according to claim 1, wherein: The spiked insole includes a relief area in which one or more spikes are selectively removed from a base layer.

5. The spike shoe insole according to claim 1, wherein: The thickness of the base layer is 0.5-20 mm.

6. The spike shoe insole according to claim 1, wherein: The thickness of the center of the heel cup is reduced compared to the rest of the spike insole.

7. The spike shoe insole according to claim 1, wherein: The nails are spaced apart from each other on all sides thereof.

8. A medical shoe comprising the spiked shoe insole according to claim 1.

9. A medical shoe comprising the spike insole according to claim 4.

10. A method for producing a spiked shoe insole, comprising: a molding step of integrally molding a unified foam body to include a base layer and a plurality of spikes protruding from the base layer, The unified foam body is composed of a base layer and a plurality of spikes protruding from the base layer, The base layer is formed at a side of the base layer facing opposite to a direction in which the plurality of spikes protrude from the base layer and has a shaped shape suitable for a patient's foot including a medial support portion, a lateral support portion, and a heel cup, and The base layer is exposed on the side opposite to the nail, The heel cup is arranged at the heel end of the foam body opposite to the toe end of the foam body in the longitudinal direction of the foam body, and the thickness of the foam body in the area near the heel end is smaller than the thickness of the foam body in the area near the toe end.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a curing step of curing the molded foam body.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The thickness of the base layer is 0.5-20 mm.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The thickness of the center of the heel cup is reduced compared to the rest of the spike insole.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The heel cup is concave and the medial and lateral support portions are convex.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The staples are configured to be selectively removable without penetrating the substrate.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The spikes are spaced apart from one another on all sides thereof.

Images