Orthodontic insert

Abstract

To provide an orthodontic insert.SOLUTION: An orthotic insert for use in footwear may include a support shell. The support shell may include an anterior portion configured to underlie and support a plantar surface of a metatarsal head area of the user's foot, and a posterior portion configured to underlie and support a plantar surface of a heel of the user's foot. The rear portion may include a heel post to provide frontal plane stabilization to the user's foot in use. The heel strut may define a peripheral structure having a hexagonal or other geometric shape that extends in a downward direction from the bottom surface of the support shell and terminates in a substantially planar footwear engaging surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] SUMMARY The present disclosure relates to orthotic inserts to be used within footwear. [Background technology]

[0002] Orthotic inserts can be used by individuals to improve gait problems and / or reduce foot pain while walking or running. Generally, orthotic inserts position portions of a user's foot and control various movements of the user's foot, such as those occurring in the sagittal plane of the foot and the frontal plane of the foot.

[0003] Previous orthotic inserts may not provide adequate stiffness to various parts of the foot and / or may not provide proper support to the foot. Other exemplary orthotic inserts may be specifically tailored to a single anatomical foot structure, resulting in the need for a wide variety of orthotic insert designs to provide orthotic inserts for a wide range of individual needs. Additionally, previous orthotic inserts may limit the movement control of the user of the orthotic insert. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The present disclosure is generally directed to orthotic inserts to be used within footwear. The orthotic inserts described herein may provide users of the orthotic inserts with increased customization of sagittal plane flexibility, increased frontal plane stabilization, and increased motion control. Additionally, the orthotic inserts described herein may provide variable shock absorption and limit undesired slippage of the orthotic insert within the footwear.

[0005] An orthotic insert for use in footwear may include a support shell having one or more features that are particularly well-suited to improve support of a user's foot while providing sufficient flexibility to promote natural foot movement. The support shell may include a forward portion configured to underlie and support the plantar surface of the metatarsal head area of ​​the user's foot and a rearward portion configured to underlie and support the plantar surface of the heel of the user's foot. The rearward portion may include a heel post configured to provide frontal plane stabilization to the user's foot during use. The heel post may define a peripheral structure having a hexagonal or other geometric shape that extends downwardly from a bottom surface of the support shell and may terminate in a substantially planar footwear-engaging surface.

[0006] The thickness of the heel support extending from the bottom surface of the support shell may vary throughout the heel support. The center point of the heel support may be aligned with the center of the contact point of the user's heel with the orthotic insert. The center point of the heel support may be offset from the rear edge of the support shell along the longitudinal length of the support shell by at least 14%, at least 16%, or at least 18% of the overall longitudinal length of the support shell. The support shell may define a heel cup supported by the heel support. The heel cup may include a heel cup depth greater than 6%, greater than 8%, or greater than 10% of the overall longitudinal length of the support shell. The heel cup may include a heel cup width greater than 34%, greater than 36%, or greater than 38% of the overall longitudinal length of the support shell. The anterior portion of the heel support may be tapered to be flush with the bottom surface of the support shell. The heel support may include a central portion, and at least a segment of the central portion may not extend downwardly from the bottom surface of the support shell. The support shell of the orthotic insert may further include an arch support portion between the posterior portion and the anterior portion. The heel support may be positioned entirely within the posterior portion of the support shell, posterior to the arch support portion.

[0007] The support shell of the orthotic insert may further include at least one rib extending downward from the rear portion of the support shell to the front portion of the support shell. The at least one rib may extend downward from the bottom surface of the support shell. The at least one rib of the orthotic insert may include a first rib positioned on an inner side of the support shell and a second rib positioned on an outer side of the support shell. The first and second ribs may be connected together via a bridge portion. The bridge portion may intersect or overlap with the heel post. Rear ends of the bridge portion and the first and second ribs may define a partial hexagonal shape that intersects with the heel post. Each of the first and second ribs may have a substantially planar lower surface for engaging with footwear during use. The first and second ribs may be inclined toward the bottom surface and the front portion of the support shell. The first and second ribs may extend longitudinally and be substantially aligned with opposite outer sides of the heel post. At least a first rib of the at least one rib may intersect and / or be integral with the heel post. A thickness of the at least one rib extending from the bottom surface of the support shell may vary along a longitudinal length of the at least one rib. A thickness of the at least one rib may taper to be coplanar with the bottom surface within the anterior portion of the support shell.

[0008] The support shell may comprise a rigid material with improved strength characteristics, such as, for example, glass reinforced polypropylene.

[0009] The shell thickness between the upper surface of the support shell and the bottom surface of the support shell is 2 mm or less, which can provide a particularly thin shell that can be positioned within the foot cavity of footwear without substantially reducing the space occupied by the foot cavity.

[0010] In some cases, the orthotic insert may further include a cover configured to cover the support shell. The cover may include a lower surface and an upper surface. At least a portion of the lower surface of the cover may be bonded to the upper surface of the support shell via an adhesive or the like. The upper surface of the cover may face upward and receive the user's foot. At least one region of the toe area of ​​the cover may include an extension pattern extending downward from the lower surface of the cover. The extension pattern may include a honeycomb pattern. The extension pattern may be offset from the lower surface of the cover to improve engagement between the orthotic insert and footwear when the orthotic insert is in use and provide variable shock absorption. The thickness of the cover may vary across at least one region due to differences in thickness of the extension pattern. The extension pattern may define a plurality of alternative fold line paths across the width of the cover, allowing the cover to fold in a plurality of different ways and to accommodate differences between the anatomical features of different users.

[0011] A set of orthotic inserts as described herein may include a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having a different heel post height and providing a different degree of frontal plane stabilization. For example, the heel posts of the first, second, and third orthotic inserts may include relatively tall posts to provide more frontal plane stabilization, relatively short posts to provide less frontal plane stabilization, or heel post heights in between for moderate frontal plane stabilization.

[0012] A set of orthotic inserts as described herein may include a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having longitudinally extending ribs of different thickness profiles to provide different degrees of stiffness and foot motion control. For example, the longitudinally extending ribs of the first, second, and third orthotic inserts may include relatively thin ribs to provide enhanced flexibility, relatively thick ribs to provide enhanced stiffness, or a thickness in between for intermediate flexibility.

[0013] A set of orthotic inserts as described herein may include a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having a support shell with a different upper surface profile but a common heel post height and longitudinally extending ribs with the same thickness profile. The upper surface profile may vary, for example, between the first, second, and third orthotic insert supports to include arch support heights that provide light arch support, moderate arch support, and high arch support. The present invention provides, for example, the following items. (Item 1) 1. An orthotic insert for use in footwear, the orthotic insert comprising a support shell, the support shell comprising: a forward portion configured to underlie and support a plantar surface of the metatarsal head area of ​​the user's foot; a rear portion configured to underlie and support the plantar surface of the heel of the user's foot; Including, The orthotic insert includes a heel post, the rear portion including a heel support for providing frontal plane stabilization to the user's foot during use, the heel support defining a peripheral wall structure having a hexagonal or other geometric shape, the peripheral wall structure extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the support shell and terminating in a substantially planar footwear-engaging surface. (Item 2) 10. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the heel post extending from the bottom surface of the support shell varies throughout the heel post. (Item 3) 10. The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the center point of the heel support is aligned with the center of the contact point of the user's heel with the orthotic insert. (Item 4) 10. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein the center point of the heel support is offset from the rear edge of the support shell along the longitudinal length of the support shell by at least 14% of the entire longitudinal length of the support shell. (Item 5) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the heel support defines a heel cup supported by the heel support, the heel cup including a heel cup depth greater than 6% of the overall longitudinal length of the support shell. (Item 6) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the heel support defines a heel cup supported by the heel support, the heel cup including a heel cup width that is greater than 34% of the overall longitudinal length of the support shell. (Item 7) 10. The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the anterior portion of the heel post is tapered to be flush with the bottom surface of the support shell. (Item 8) 10. The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the heel post includes a central portion, and at least a section of the central portion does not extend downwardly from the bottom surface of the support shell. (Item 9) 10. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein the support shell of the orthotic insert further includes an arch support portion between the posterior portion and the anterior portion, and the heel post is positioned entirely within the posterior portion of the support shell posterior to the arch support portion. (Item 10) 10. The orthodontic insert of claim 1, wherein the support shell of the orthodontic insert further includes at least one rib extending from the rear portion of the support shell to the front portion of the support shell, the at least one rib extending downward from the bottom surface of the support shell. (Item 11) 10. The orthodontic insert of claim 1, wherein the at least one rib of the orthodontic insert includes a first rib positioned on an inner side of the support shell and a second rib positioned on an outer side of the support shell. (Item 12) 10. The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the first and second ribs are connected together via a bridge portion, the bridge portion intersecting or overlapping the heel post. (Item 13) 10. The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the bridge portion and rear ends of the first and second ribs define a partial hexagonal shape that intersects with the heel post. (Item 14) 10. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second ribs has a substantially planar lower surface for engaging the footwear in use, and the first and second ribs are inclined toward the bottom surface and a forward portion of the support shell. (Item 15) 10. The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the first and second ribs extend longitudinally and are substantially aligned with opposite outer sides of the heel post. (Item 16) 10. The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein at least a first rib of the at least one rib intersects and / or integrates with the heel post. (Item 17) 10. The orthodontic insert of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the at least one rib extending from the bottom surface of the support shell varies along a longitudinal length of the at least one rib. (Item 18) 10. The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the thickness of the at least one rib tapers to be flush with the bottom surface in the forward portion of the support shell. (Item 19) 10. The orthodontic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the support shell comprises glass-reinforced polypropylene. (Item 20) 10. The orthodontic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein a shell thickness between an upper surface of the support shell and the bottom surface of the support shell is 2 mm or less. (Item 21) An orthotic insert according to any one of the preceding items, further comprising a cover configured to cover the support shell, the cover including a lower surface and an upper surface, at least a portion of the lower surface of the cover being coupled to the upper surface of the support shell, the upper surface of the cover facing upward and receiving the foot of the user. (Item 22) 10. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein at least one region of the toe area of ​​the cover includes an extension pattern extending downward from the lower surface of the cover. (Item 23) 10. The orthodontic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the extension pattern comprises a honeycomb pattern. (Item 24) 10. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein the extension pattern is offset from the lower surface of the cover to improve engagement with the footwear and provide variable shock absorption when the orthotic insert is in use. (Item 25) 10. The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding items, wherein the thickness of the cover varies across the at least one region due to differences in thickness of the extension pattern. (Item 26) An orthotic insert as described in any one of the preceding items, wherein the extension pattern defines a plurality of alternative fold line paths across the width of the cover, allowing the cover to flex in a plurality of different ways to accommodate differences between users' anatomical features. (Item 27) The set of orthotic inserts of any one of the preceding items, comprising a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having a different heel post height and providing a different degree of frontal plane stabilization. (Item 28) The set of orthotic inserts of any one of the preceding items, comprising a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having longitudinally extending ribs of different thickness profiles to provide different degrees of stiffness and foot movement control. (Item 29) A set of orthotic inserts according to any one of the preceding items, comprising a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having a support shell with a different upper surface profile but a common heel post height and longitudinally extending ribs with the same thickness profile. The present invention also provides the following aspects. (Side 1) 1. An orthotic insert for use in footwear, the orthotic insert comprising a support shell, the support shell comprising: a forward portion configured to underlie and support a plantar surface of the metatarsal head area of ​​the user's foot; a rear portion configured to underlie and support the plantar surface of the heel of the user's foot; Including, the rear portion includes a heel post for providing frontal plane stabilization to the user's foot during use, the heel post defining a peripheral wall structure having a hexagonal or other geometric shape, the peripheral wall structure extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the support shell and terminating in a substantially planar footwear-engaging surface, the peripheral wall structure being offset from a side of the rear portion of the support shell and surrounding a center of a heel cup defined in part by the bottom surface of the support shell. (Aspect 2) The orthotic insert of the preceding aspect, wherein the thickness of the heel post extending from the bottom surface of the support shell varies throughout the heel post. (Aspect 3) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the center point of the heel support is configured to receive the center of the contact point of the user's heel with the orthotic insert. (Aspect 4) An orthotic insert as described in any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the center point of the heel support is offset from the trailing edge of the support shell along the longitudinal length of the support shell by at least 14% of the entire longitudinal length of the support shell. (Aspect 5) 10. The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the heel cup is supported by the heel post and the heel cup includes a heel cup depth that is greater than 6% of the overall longitudinal length of the support shell. (Side 6) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the heel cup is supported by the heel post and the heel cup includes a heel cup width that is greater than 34% of the overall longitudinal length of the support shell. (Aspect 7) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the anterior portion of the heel post is tapered to be flush with the bottom surface of the support shell. (Side 8) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the heel post includes a central portion, and at least a section of the central portion does not extend downwardly from the bottom surface of the support shell. (Aspect 9) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the support shell of the orthotic insert further includes an arch support portion between the posterior portion and the anterior portion, and the heel post is positioned entirely within the posterior portion of the support shell posterior to the arch support portion. (side 10) The orthodontic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the support shell of the orthodontic insert further includes at least one rib extending from the rear portion of the support shell to the front portion of the support shell, the at least one rib extending downward from the bottom surface of the support shell. (Side 11) The orthodontic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the at least one rib of the orthodontic insert includes a first rib positioned on an inner side of the support shell and a second rib positioned on an outer side of the support shell. (Side 12) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the first and second ribs are connected together via a bridge portion, the bridge portion intersecting or overlapping the heel post. (Side 13) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the bridge portion and rear ends of the first and second ribs define a partial hexagonal shape that intersects with the heel post. (Side 14) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein each of the first and second ribs has a substantially planar lower surface for engaging the footwear in use, and the first and second ribs are inclined toward the bottom surface and a forward portion of the support shell. (side 15) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the first and second ribs extend longitudinally and are substantially aligned with opposite outer sides of the heel post. (Side 16) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein at least a first rib of the at least one rib intersects and / or merges with the heel post. (Side 17) The orthodontic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein a thickness of the at least one rib extending from the bottom surface of the support shell varies along a longitudinal length of the at least one rib. (Side 18) The orthodontic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the thickness of the at least one rib tapers to be flush with the bottom surface in the forward portion of the support shell. (Side 19) The orthodontic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the support shell comprises glass-reinforced polypropylene. (Side 20) The orthodontic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein a shell thickness between an upper surface of the support shell and the bottom surface of the support shell is 2 mm or less. (Side 21) An orthotic insert as described in any one of the preceding aspects, further comprising a cover configured to cover the support shell, the cover including a lower surface and an upper surface, at least a portion of the lower surface of the cover being coupled to the upper surface of the support shell, and the upper surface of the cover facing upward and receiving the user's foot. (Side 22) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein at least one region of the toe area of ​​the cover includes an extension pattern extending downward from the lower surface of the cover. (Side 23) The orthodontic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the extension pattern comprises a honeycomb pattern. (Side 24) An orthotic insert as described in any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the extension pattern is offset from the lower surface of the cover to improve engagement with the footwear and provide variable shock absorption when the orthotic insert is in use. (Side 25) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the cover thickness varies across the at least one region due to differential thickness of the extension pattern. (Side 26) The orthotic insert of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein the extension pattern defines a plurality of alternative fold line paths across the width of the cover, allowing the cover to flex in a plurality of different ways to accommodate differences between users' anatomical features. (Aspect 27) The set of orthotic inserts of any one of the preceding aspects, comprising a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having a different heel post height and providing a different degree of frontal plane stabilization. (Side 28) The set of orthotic inserts of any one of the preceding aspects, comprising a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having longitudinally extending ribs of different thickness profiles to provide different degrees of stiffness and foot motion control. (Aspect 29) The set of orthotic inserts of any one of the preceding aspects, comprising a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having a support shell with a different arch height but a common heel post height and longitudinally extending ribs with the same thickness profile. (Summary) An orthotic insert for use in footwear may include a support shell. The support shell may include a forward portion configured to underlie and support the plantar surface of the metatarsal head area of ​​a user's foot and a rearward portion configured to underlie and support the plantar surface of the heel of the user's foot. The rearward portion may include a heel post for providing frontal plane stabilization to the user's foot during use. The heel post may define a peripheral structure having a hexagonal or other geometric shape that extends downwardly from a bottom surface of the support shell and terminates in a substantially planar footwear-engaging surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A illustrates a bottom perspective view of an orthodontic insert according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B illustrates a bottom perspective view of a second orthodontic insert according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] [Figure 1C] FIG. 1C illustrates a bottom perspective view of a third orthodontic insert according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A shows a side plan view of the orthodontic insert of FIG. 1A.

[0018] [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B shows a side plan view of the second orthodontic insert of FIG. 1B.

[0019] [Figure 2C] FIG. 2C shows a side plan view of the third orthodontic insert of FIG. 1C.

[0020] [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the orthodontic insert of FIG. 1A.

[0021] [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A shows a cross-sectional side view of the orthodontic insert of FIG. 1A taken from FIG.

[0022] [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B shows a cross-sectional side view of another orthodontic insert that defines a different upper surface profile from the orthodontic insert of FIG. 1A.

[0023] [Figure 4C]FIG. 4C shows a cross-sectional side view of another orthodontic insert that defines a different upper surface profile from the orthodontic insert of FIG. 1A.

[0024] [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional front view of the orthodontic insert of FIG. 1A taken from FIG.

[0025] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional front view of an orthodontic insert according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] In the following description, certain specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and manufacturing techniques associated with orthotic inserts may not be shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

[0027] 1A shows a bottom perspective view of an orthodontic insert 100. The orthodontic insert 100 may include a support shell 104. In some embodiments, the orthodontic insert 100 may further include a top cover 108 configured to cover the support shell 104.

[0028] The support shell 104 may include a forward portion 112 and a rearward portion 116. The forward portion 112 may be configured to underlie and support the plantar surface of the metatarsal head area of ​​the user's foot. The rearward portion 116 may be configured to underlie and support the plantar surface of the heel of the user's foot. The support shell may further include an arch support portion 120 positioned between the forward portion 112 and the rearward portion 116.

[0029] The posterior portion may include a heel post 124 that extends in a downward direction D1 and is configured to provide frontal plane stabilization to the user's foot during use. Frontal plane stabilization may be achieved by limiting excessive pronation and / or supination during the gait cycle. The heel post 124 may be positioned entirely within the posterior portion 116 of the support shell 104. In other words, the heel post 124 may be positioned posterior to the arch support portion 120 of the support shell 104. The heel post 124 may define a peripheral structure 128 having a hexagonal or other regular geometric shape (e.g., circular, rectangular, octagonal) that extends in the downward direction D1 from the bottom surface 132 of the support shell 104. In other cases, the peripheral structure 128 may have an irregular shape and follow an irregular path. The heel post 124 may include a substantially planar footwear-engaging surface 136 at which the heel post 124 terminates.

[0030] The thickness L1 of the heel support 124 (i.e., the distance the heel support 124 extends from the bottom surface 132 of the support shell 104) can vary throughout the heel support 124, as shown in FIG. 2A. The thickness L1 of the heel support 124 can differ from the thickness of the heel support on other orthotic inserts, even in situations where the values ​​of other dimensions of the support shell 104 remain fixed between sets of orthotic inserts (such as a set of orthotic inserts having a common overall longitudinal length L2 of the support shell 104). For example, the orthotic insert 100 shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A includes a thickness L1 of the heel support 124, another orthotic insert 100' shown in FIGS. 1B and 2B includes a thickness L3 of the heel support 124', and yet another orthotic insert 100'' shown in FIGS. 1C and 2C includes a thickness L4 of the heel support 124''. Each of the orthotic inserts 100, 100′, 100″ includes different thicknesses L1, L3, L4 of the respective heel posts 124, 124′, 124″, even though the longitudinal lengths L2 of the support shells 104 of the orthotic inserts 100, 100′, 100″ are approximately the same, the same, or identical. Varying the thickness of the heel posts 124, 124′, 124″ can provide different degrees of frontal plane stabilization to a user depending on the needs of the individual user. For example, the heel posts of the orthotic inserts can include a relatively tall post to provide more frontal plane stabilization, a relatively short post to provide less frontal plane stabilization, or a heel post height in between for moderate frontal plane stabilization.

[0031] 1A and 2A , the anterior portion 156 of the heel support 124 may be tapered to be flush with the bottom surface 132 of the support shell 104. At least an area 160 of a central region 164 defined by the heel support 124 may be devoid of structure extending downward from the bottom surface 132 of the support shell 104. A center point 168 of the heel support 124 may be aligned or substantially aligned with the center of the contact point of the user's heel with the orthotic insert 100. The center point 168 of the heel support 124 may be offset from the rear edge 172 of the support shell 104 by a longitudinal length L5. The longitudinal length L5 to the center point 168 of the heel support 124 may be at least 14%, at least 16%, or at least 18% of the overall longitudinal length L2 of the support shell 104. Embodiments including a relatively longer longitudinal length L5 may provide greater functional control across a user's foot as compared to previous orthotic inserts.

[0032] 1A and 2A , the support shell 104 may also include at least one rib 176 extending in the longitudinal direction D2 from the posterior portion 116 of the support shell 104 to the anterior portion 112 of the support shell 104. The at least one rib 176 may extend downward from the bottom surface 132 of the support shell 104. In some embodiments, the at least one rib 176 may include a first rib 180 and a second rib 184. The first rib 180 may be positioned on an inner side 188 of the support shell 104. The second rib may be positioned on an outer side 192 of the support shell 104. The at least one rib 176 may provide additional stability to a user of the orthotic insert. The at least one rib 176 may, for example, add stiffness to the medial arch section of the orthotic insert 100 and provide movement control to the user. The first and second ribs 180, 184 may extend substantially parallel to one another along the bottom surface 132 of the support shell 104.

[0033] In some embodiments, the thickness L6 of the at least one rib 176 extending from the bottom surface 132 of the support shell 104 may vary along the longitudinal length L7 of the at least one rib 176, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A . In some embodiments, the thickness L6 of the at least one rib 176 may be tapered such that the thickness L6 of the at least one rib 176 decreases toward the forward portion 112 of the support shell 104. In some embodiments, the thicknesses L6 of the first rib 180 and the second rib 184 may be different to provide varying levels of stiffness on opposite sides of the support shell 104. In some embodiments, the thicknesses L6 of the first rib 180 and the second rib 184 are the same to provide a more balanced stiffness profile across the width of the support shell 104. In some embodiments, the thickness L6 of the at least one rib 176 may be coplanar or substantially coplanar with the bottom surface 132 in the forward portion 112 of the support shell 104. In some embodiments, the first rib 180 and the second rib 184 can be tapered at different slopes, hi some embodiments, the first rib 180 and the second rib 184 can be tapered at approximately the same, the same, or the same slope.

[0034] The thickness L6 of the at least one rib 176 can differ from the thickness of the at least one rib on other orthodontic inserts, even in situations where other dimensions of the support shell 104 of the orthodontic insert collection (e.g., the overall longitudinal length L2 of the support shell 104 of the orthodontic insert collection) remain fixed in value. For example, the orthodontic insert 100 shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A includes a thickness L6 of the at least one rib 176, the second orthodontic insert 100′ shown in FIGS. 1B and 2B includes a thickness L8 of the at least one rib 176′, and the third orthodontic insert 100″ shown in FIGS. 1C and 2C includes a thickness L9 of the at least one rib 176″. Each of the orthotic inserts 100, 100′, 100″ includes different thicknesses L6, L8, L9 of the respective at least one rib 176, 176′, 176″, despite the fact that the longitudinal length L2 of the support shell 104 of the orthotic inserts 100, 100′, 100″ is the same. Varying the thickness of the ribs 176, 176′, 176″ can provide a user with different degrees of stiffness and foot motion control depending on the needs of the individual user. For example, the longitudinally extending ribs of the orthotic insert can include relatively thin ribs to provide increased flexibility, relatively thick ribs to provide increased stiffness, or have a thickness in between for intermediate flexibility.

[0035] The at least one rib 176 can include a substantially planar lower surface 204. The substantially planar lower surface 204 of the at least one rib 176 can be configured to engage, in use, the footwear, and more specifically, the interior midsole of the footwear.

[0036] Referring to the bottom plan view of the orthotic insert 100 shown in FIG. 4 , at least one rib 176 may be substantially aligned with the lateral side 208 of the heel post 124. In some embodiments, the first rib 180 may be substantially aligned with the first lateral side 212 of the heel post 124. In some embodiments, the second rib 184 may be substantially aligned with the second lateral side 216 of the heel post 124. In some embodiments, the first rib 180 may be substantially aligned with the first lateral side 212 of the heel post 124 and the second rib 184 may be substantially aligned with the second lateral side 216 of the heel post 124. In some embodiments, the at least one rib 176 may intersect the heel post 124 and / or the at least one rib 176 may be integral with the heel post 124.

[0037] 4, the first rib 180 and the second rib 184 may be connected together via a bridge portion 220. In some embodiments, the bridge portion 220 may intersect the heel post 124. In some embodiments, the bridge portion 220 may overlap the heel post 124. In some embodiments, the bridge portion 220 and the rear ends 224, 228 of the first and second ribs 180, 184 may define a partial hexagon or other geometric shape 232 that intersects with the heel post 124.

[0038] Referring to the cross-sectional view of the orthotic insert 100 shown in FIG. 4A, the support shell 104 can define an upper surface 236 that includes a heel cup 240 supported by the heel post 124. The heel cup 240 can include a heel cup depth L10 that is greater than 6%, greater than 8%, or greater than 10% of the overall longitudinal length L2 of the support shell 104. The heel cup 240 can include a heel cup width L11 ( FIG. 3 ) that is greater than 34%, greater than 36%, or greater than 38% of the overall longitudinal length L2 of the support shell 104. The heel cup 240 can provide additional support to the user due to its larger dimensions (i.e., wider and deeper heel cup) than orthotic inserts provided in the prior art.

[0039] The upper surface 236 of the support shell 104 can differ from the upper surfaces of other support shells in a set of orthotic inserts, even in situations where other dimensional values ​​of the support shells 104 of the set of orthotic inserts remain fixed (e.g., heel post thickness and / or rib thickness, which remain the same or substantially the same in the set of orthotic inserts). For example, the orthotic insert 100 shown in FIG. 4A includes an upper surface 236 characterized in part by an arch height L12, while the orthotic insert 100''' shown in FIG. 4B includes a support shell 104' with an upper surface 236' characterized in part by an arch height L13, while the orthotic insert 100''' shown in FIG. 4C includes an upper surface 236'' with a support shell 104'' characterized in part by an arch height L14. Each of the support shells 104, 104', 104" includes a different upper surface 236, 236', 236", even though the heel post thickness and rib thicknesses of the support shells 104, 104', 104" are approximately the same, the same, or identical. Varying the upper surfaces 236, 236', 236" of the support shells 104, 104', 104", and particularly the arch height, may provide a variable fit to the user of the orthotic insert and provide different levels of arch support, while still retaining the beneficial properties provided by other features of the orthotic insert, such as the heel post and ribs of the support shells 104, 104', 104".

[0040] 5, the support shell 104 may include a shell thickness L15 of 2 mm or less to provide a particularly thin shell that can be positioned within the foot cavity of a footwear without substantially reducing the occupyable space of the foot cavity. The shell thickness may be measured between the upper surface 236 of the support shell 104 and the bottom surface 132 of the support shell 104.

[0041] The support shell may comprise a rigid material with enhanced strength and other performance characteristics, such as, for example, glass-reinforced polypropylene. Using such a material may be helpful in providing the support shell 104 with a particularly low profile and enhanced durability and performance.

[0042] 1A , 3 , 4A, and 5 , the orthotic insert 100 may also include an upper cover 108 configured to cover the support shell 104. The upper cover 108 may include a lower surface 264 and an upper surface 268. At least a portion 272 of the lower surface 264 of the upper cover 108 may be coupled to the upper surface 236 of the support shell 104 via an adhesive or the like. The upper surface 268 of the upper cover 108 faces upward and may receive a user's foot thereon.

[0043] 1A, 3, and 4A, at least one region 276 of the toe area 280 of the upper cover 108 may include an extension pattern 284 extending downward from the lower surface 264 of the upper cover 108. The extension pattern 284 may be offset from the lower surface 264 of the upper cover 108 to improve engagement with footwear and may provide variable shock absorption when the orthotic insert 100 is in use. Due to the difference in thickness of the extension pattern 284, the thickness L16 of the upper cover 108 may vary across the at least one region 276, such as by alternating thicknesses of regions having the extension pattern 284 structure with regions not having the extension pattern 284 structure. Additionally, the height of the extension pattern 284 may vary across the length and / or width of the orthotic insert to provide a variable thickness.

[0044] It should be understood that the edges of the support shell 104 may include fillets such that the edges of the support shell 104 are curved and the structure transitions smoothly from one surface to another. FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional front view of an orthotic insert 300 including fillets 304 in the support shell 308 of the orthotic insert 300 according to an embodiment. Such fillets are not limited to any single feature of the support shell, but may appear in one or more features thereof. For example, fillets may be present in at least one of, for example, at least one rib and at least one of the heel post.

[0045] The extension pattern 284 may also define multiple alternative fold line paths across the width L17 of the upper cover 108, which may allow the upper cover 108 to fold in multiple different ways to accommodate differences among users' anatomical characteristics. For example, different users may have different foot types and / or shapes, such as different metatarsal parabolas, different arch lengths, and different arch heights. The extension pattern 284 may allow individualized sagittal-plane flexibility for each of the various users without the need for a separate orthotic insert customized for each user.

[0046] In some embodiments, the elongated pattern 284 may include a honeycomb pattern or other pattern comprising repeating regular or irregular shapes.

[0047] In light of the above, it should be appreciated that the embodiments disclosed herein may provide an orthotic insert that may enable improved performance over conventional orthotic inserts. This is advantageous in providing an improved orthotic insert for the user, particularly in terms of balance support and flexibility. Other benefits and advantages will be recognized by those skilled in the art upon detailed review of this disclosure.

[0048] Each of the devices and systems of the present disclosure has several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for or required for the desirable attributes disclosed herein. The various features described above may be used independently of one another or combined in various ways. All possible combinations and subcombinations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Various modifications of the implementations described in this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other implementations. Accordingly, the claims are not intended to be limited to the implementations shown herein, but rather to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the present disclosure, the principles, and novel features disclosed herein.

[0049] Certain features that may be described herein in the context of separate implementations may also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that may be described in the context of a single implementation may also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Furthermore, while features may be described above as operative in a combination and may even be initially claimed as such, one or more features from the claimed combination may be excluded from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or a variation of the subcombination. No single feature or group of features is necessary or essential to each and every embodiment.

[0050] In particular, conditional language used herein, such as "can," "could," "might," "may," "for example," and the like, is intended to generally convey that certain embodiments include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments do not, unless specifically stated otherwise or understood otherwise within the context in which it is used. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and / or steps are required in any way for one or more embodiments. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and the like are synonymous and used in an open-ended manner (including their values) and do not exclude additional elements, features, acts, operations, etc. Also, when the term "or" is used, for example, to connect a list of elements, the term "or" is used in its inclusive sense (and not its exclusive sense) to mean one, some, or all of the elements in the list. Additionally, the articles "a," "an," and "the," as used in this application and the appended claims, should be construed to mean "one or more" or "at least one," unless otherwise specified.

[0051] Generally, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims

1. 1. An orthotic insert for use in footwear, the orthotic insert comprising a support shell, the support shell comprising: a forward portion configured to underlie and support a plantar surface of the metatarsal head area of ​​the user's foot; a rear portion configured to underlie and support a plantar surface of the heel of the user's foot; Including, the rear portion includes a heel post for providing frontal plane stabilization to the user's foot during use, the heel post defining a peripheral wall structure having a hexagonal or other geometric shape, the peripheral wall structure extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the support shell and terminating in a substantially planar footwear-engaging surface, the peripheral wall structure being offset from a side of the rear portion of the support shell and surrounding a center of a heel cup defined in part by the bottom surface of the support shell.

2. The orthotic insert of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the heel post extending from the bottom surface of the support shell varies throughout the heel post.

3. The orthotic insert of claim 1 , wherein the center point of the heel support is configured to receive a center of contact between the user's heel and the orthotic insert.

4. 2. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein the center point of the heel post is offset from the trailing edge of the support shell along the longitudinal length of the support shell by at least 14% of the entire longitudinal length of the support shell.

5. 10. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein the heel cup is supported by the heel post, and the heel cup includes a heel cup depth that is greater than 6% of the overall longitudinal length of the support shell.

6. 10. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein the heel cup is supported by the heel post, and the heel cup includes a heel cup width that is greater than 34% of the overall longitudinal length of the support shell.

7. The orthotic insert of claim 1 , wherein the anterior portion of the heel post is tapered to be coplanar with the bottom surface of the support shell.

8. The orthotic insert of claim 7 , wherein the heel post includes a central portion, and at least a section of the central portion does not extend downwardly from the bottom surface of the support shell.

9. 2. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein the support shell of the orthotic insert further includes an arch support portion between the posterior portion and the anterior portion, and the heel post is positioned entirely within the posterior portion of the support shell posterior to the arch support portion.

10. 2. The orthodontic insert of claim 1, wherein the support shell of the orthodontic insert further includes at least one rib extending from the posterior portion of the support shell to the anterior portion of the support shell, the at least one rib extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the support shell.

11. 11. The orthodontic insert of claim 10, wherein the at least one rib of the orthodontic insert includes a first rib positioned on an inner side of the support shell and a second rib positioned on an outer side of the support shell.

12. The orthotic insert of claim 11 , wherein the first and second ribs are connected together via a bridge portion, the bridge portion intersecting or overlapping the heel post.

13. The orthotic insert of claim 12 , wherein the bridge portion and the rear ends of the first and second ribs define a partial hexagonal shape that intersects with the heel post.

14. 12. The orthotic insert of claim 11, wherein the first and second ribs each have a substantially planar lower surface for engaging the footwear in use, the first and second ribs sloping toward the bottom surface and the forward portion of the support shell.

15. The orthotic insert of claim 11 , wherein the first and second ribs extend longitudinally and are substantially aligned with opposite outer sides of the heel post.

16. The orthotic insert of claim 10 , wherein at least a first rib of the at least one rib intersects and / or merges with the heel post.

17. 11. The orthotic insert of claim 10, wherein the thickness of the at least one rib extending from the bottom surface of the support shell varies along a longitudinal length of the at least one rib.

18. 18. The orthotic insert of claim 17, wherein the thickness of the at least one rib tapers to be coplanar with the bottom surface in the forward portion of the support shell.

19. The orthotic insert of claim 1 , wherein the support shell comprises glass reinforced polypropylene.

20. 10. The orthotic insert of claim 1, wherein a shell thickness between an upper surface of the support shell and the bottom surface of the support shell is 2 mm or less.

21. 2. The orthotic insert of claim 1, further comprising a cover configured to cover the support shell, the cover including a lower surface and an upper surface, at least a portion of the lower surface of the cover being coupled to the upper surface of the support shell, the upper surface of the cover facing upward and receiving the foot of the user.

22. 22. The orthotic insert of claim 21, wherein at least one region of the toe area of ​​the cover includes an extension pattern extending downwardly from the lower surface of the cover.

23. 23. The orthotic insert of claim 22, wherein the elongated pattern comprises a honeycomb pattern.

24. 23. The orthotic insert of claim 22, wherein the extension pattern is offset from the lower surface of the cover to improve engagement with the footwear and provide variable shock absorption when the orthotic insert is in use.

25. 23. The orthotic insert of claim 22, wherein the cover thickness varies across the at least one region due to a difference in thickness of the extension pattern.

26. 23. The orthotic insert of claim 22, wherein the extension pattern defines a plurality of alternative fold line paths across the width of the cover, allowing the cover to fold in a plurality of different ways to accommodate differences between users' anatomical features.

27. 10. The set of orthotic inserts of claim 1, comprising a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having a different heel post height and providing a different degree of frontal plane stabilization.

28. 10. The set of orthotic inserts of claim 1, comprising a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having longitudinally extending ribs of different thickness profiles to provide different degrees of stiffness and foot motion control.

29. 10. The set of orthotic inserts of claim 1, comprising a first orthotic insert, a second orthotic insert, and a third orthotic insert, each having a support shell with a different arch height but a common heel post height and longitudinally extending ribs with the same thickness profile.

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