insole

Abstract

This improves the gripping action of the toes and increases the freedom of movement of the toes, thereby enabling more effective exercise. [Solution] In an insole 11 in which a contact surface 12a is formed on the surface of a main mat 12 on which the foot rests, two upright walls 31 and 32 are formed at the front end of the contact surface 12a to fit under the toes of the foot placed on the contact surface 12a. One upright wall 31 is formed in the area corresponding to the proximal phalanx of the first toe, and the other upright wall 32 is formed in the area corresponding to the middle phalanges of the second to fifth toes. On the toe-side surfaces of these upright walls 31 and 32, an upright surface 33 is formed to provide a gripping surface when the toes make a grasping motion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an insole used for footwear.

Background Art

[0002] Insoles are used for purposes such as preventing and reducing foot fatigue and pain, preventing and improving deformities, and achieving an ideal posture and gait. For example, an insole with a raised portion that fills the space under the arch and under the toes on the contact surface where the sole of the foot touches, thereby enhancing the fit, is well known.

[0003] The insole disclosed in Patent Document 1 below is said to promote an ideal posture and gait, and the shape of the contact surface is different from the three-dimensional shape of the sole of the foot. That is, one recess for toe placement is provided near the part of the contact surface where the toes (fingers of the foot) are located to allow the toes to bend downward, and one raised portion is provided near the part where the base of the toes is located to fit into the depression on the back of the toes. The raised portion is formed continuously from the first toe groove to the fifth toe groove, and the front and the opposite rear surfaces of the toe groove are inclined and bulge in a gentle mountain shape. The portion corresponding to the first toe in the raised portion is recessed backward and is located at a position where the front surface has retreated compared to other parts. And the part near the position corresponding to the heel is formed higher than the part of the toe groove, and has three recesses in the part behind the raised portion. The formation positions of the recesses are near the base of the first toe, near the base of the fifth toe, and the location corresponding to the heel.

[0004] In this insole, due to the presence of the recess for toe placement, operations such as bending the toes downward can be freely performed, the strength of the toes can be strengthened, and the arch of the instep can be formed. Also, the raised portion is shaped three-dimensionally to bend the toes downward to make walking easier and prevent the foot from shifting forward, and the three recesses are said to enable an ideal gait and make it easier to form three arches. That is, the insole of Patent Document 1 promotes an ideal gait and posture by being an insole that can move the toes and form the arch of the sole of the foot.

[0005] Although it is a shoe sole rather than an insole, Patent Document 2 below discloses a technology that makes it easier for the toes to move and for the shoe sole to grip the road surface, etc. This shoe sole has an engaging portion formed on the contact surface that fits into the hollows on the underside of the toes and engages with the sole of the foot in the front-to-back direction, and has a toe receiving portion in front of the engaging portion that allows the toes to sink lower than other parts, and has a groove (flexing assist portion) on the back of the engaging portion that facilitates the bending of the engaging portion. In a plan view, the engaging portion is a linear shape of the same width throughout and extends in the left-to-right direction while bending in a "V" shape, and the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the shoe sole in the front-to-back direction is a gentle mountain shape. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-8764 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-70004 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, both the raised portion in Patent Document 1 and the engaging portion in Patent Document 2 have a gently sloping mountain-like shape in the longitudinal cross-section in the direction connecting the toes and the heel. As a result, they do not grip well when the toes make a gripping motion, and even when gripping force is exerted, it is not possible to put sufficient load on the toes.

[0008] Furthermore, the skeletal structure of the first toe differs from that of the second to fifth toes, and the bending position when gripping differs in the anterior-posterior direction, with a large difference in bending position between the first and second toes. For this reason, with an engaging part shaped like that in Patent Document 2, it is not possible to apply the same load to all toes when gripping with the entire toe. In other words, because the engaging part is simply formed as a single line that fits uniformly into the hollow on the underside of the toe, even if the first toe is bent, a load can be applied immediately, but the other toes will not be subjected to the same load even if bent in the same way.

[0009] However, even if a recess is added to move the part corresponding to the first toe back, as in the raised portion of Patent Document 1, it is difficult to grasp because it is a gentle mountain shape as mentioned above, and like the engaging portion of Patent Document 2, it is a structure that extends as one continuous unit throughout the entire left-right direction. In other words, the engaging portion and the raised portion are based on a structure that treats all toes as one unit, so it was difficult to perform movements other than bending the toes to grip.

[0010] The main objective of this invention is to improve the gripping action of the toes and to increase the degree of freedom of movement of the toes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve that objective, this invention provides the following insole.

[0012] In other words, the insole has upright walls that fit under the toes of the foot when it is placed on the surface, at the front of the contact surface, corresponding to the proximal phalanx of the first toe and at the middle phalanges of the second to fifth toes. Furthermore, the toe-side surface of the upright wall has an upright surface that provides a gripping point when the toes perform a grasping motion.

[0013] In this configuration, the erecting walls are formed in areas corresponding to the first toe and areas corresponding to the second through fifth toes, and each erecting wall is located at the bending position of the corresponding toe. As a result, the erecting walls fit comfortably into the space on the sole of the toe, and the erecting walls with erecting surfaces are equally hooked by all the toes when bending and gripping with the toes, thus applying load to the toes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to this invention, the erector wall is provided in a location corresponding to the skeletal differences of the toes and also has an erecting surface. Therefore, when bending and gripping the toes, the erector wall provides good grip for all toes, and the same load can be applied. As a result, effective exercise can be performed, and the muscles of the toes and soles of the feet can be strengthened.

[0015] Furthermore, since the erector wall is located at the point where the toes bend, it fits easily without requiring any special design, and can only be activated when the toes are moving. In other words, it can be made to avoid causing discomfort when worn. It is also possible to create a configuration that prioritizes the exercise effect by making the erector wall higher.

[0016] Furthermore, the erector wall is formed in separate sections corresponding to the first toe and the other toes, allowing the five toes to be treated as separate entities rather than as a single unit. This increases the degree of freedom of toe movement, enabling freer movements of gripping and spreading, as well as spreading and closing (bringing together) the toes, allowing for toe and sole movements similar to those performed in yoga. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] Oblique view of the insole. [Figure 2] A flat view of the insole. [Figure 3] View of the bottom of the insole. [Figure 4] Side view of the insole. [Figure 5] A bottom view showing the skeletal structure of the toes as seen from the sole of the foot. [Figure 6] Plan view of the state with the foot placed on the insole. [Figure 7] Side view of the main part. [Figure 8] Cross-sectional view of the standing wall. [Figure 9] Side view showing the operating state.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] One embodiment for carrying out this invention will be described below using the drawings.

[0019] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the insole 11. This insole 11 is configured to relax and exercise the toe and sole muscles while wearing shoes, aiming to improve the stability of the body posture and movement, and to balance the whole body. So to speak, it is an insole that allows you to do exercises like yoga at any time, such as when walking outdoors, standing up, or sitting down. Only the right insole 11 of the pair of left and right ones is shown in Fig. 1.

[0020] The insole 11 is configured with the necessary components on the main body mat 12 that forms the shape of the foot. The main body mat 12 on which the foot is placed is deformable and can be restored to its original shape, and is made of a material with flexibility and cushioning property and is configured to an appropriate thickness. For the material, the same soft material used for yoga mats, such as thermoplastic elastomer, can be used. The thickness may be set to be slightly thicker, for example, about 4 mm to 7 mm, so as to obtain restorability and form concave portions on the surface.

[0021] The surface of the main body mat 12 is the contact foot surface 12a that contacts the sole of the foot. The front end portion of the contact foot surface 12a is the portion corresponding to the toe, either the left or right side of the middle portion in the front-rear direction is the portion corresponding to the arch, and the rear portion is the portion corresponding to the heel.

[0022] Figure 2 shows a plan view of the insole 11, Figure 3 shows its bottom view, and Figure 4 shows its side view from the side corresponding to the arch of the foot. The dashed lines and arrows in Figure 4 indicate that the entire insole 11 is deformable and possesses flexibility and cushioning as described above.

[0023] Here, we will briefly explain the phalanges that make up the toes of the foot using Figure 5. Figure 5 is a diagram of the sole of the foot, where solid lines represent bones and dashed lines represent the outline and other shapes of the sole. The phalanges that make up the first toe 71 are composed of two bones, the proximal phalanx 71a and the distal phalanx 71c, in order from the base. On the other hand, the phalanges that make up the second toe 72, third toe 73, fourth toe 74, and fifth toe 75 are composed of three bones, in order from the base: proximal phalanges 72a, 73a, 74a, 75a, middle phalanges 72b, 73b, 74b, 75b, and distal phalanges 72c, 73c, 74c, 75c. In Figure 5, 72f, 72f, 73f, 74f, and 75f indicate the base of the toe balls. These areas are responsible for the gripping action of the toes, which move downwards when the toes are bent during a grasping motion. The base of the toe balls, 72f, 72f, 73f, 74f, and 75f, appear on the underside of the proximal phalanx 71a in the first toe 71, and on the underside of the middle phalanges 72b, 73b, 74b, and 75b in the second toe 72 through the fifth toe 75. When these positions are roughly connected, as shown by the thick dashed line in Figure 5, there is an anterior-posterior displacement between the first toe 71 and the second toe 72 that cannot be connected by a gentle curve like the one between the second toe 72 and the fifth toe 75.

[0024] Therefore, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, erector walls 31 and 32 are formed on the contact surface 12a in the area corresponding to the proximal phalanx 71a of the first toe 71 and in the area corresponding to the middle phalanges 72b, 73b, 74b, and 75b of the second toe 72 to the fifth toe 75, respectively. The erector walls 31 and 32 are configured to fit under the toes of the foot placed on the contact surface 12a, and Figure 7(a) shows the erector wall 31 on the first toe 71 side, and Figure 7(b) shows the erector wall 32 on the second toe 72 to the fifth toe 75 side, viewed from the side.

[0025] The erector walls 31 and 32 are thick lines in plan view, and both the erector wall 31 on the side of the first toe 71 and the erector walls 32 on the sides of the second toe 72 to the fifth toe 75 have a gently curved shape in plan view. Furthermore, the vertical height h and the anterior-posterior thickness t of the erector walls 31 and 32 are constant throughout the entire longitudinal direction, and an erecting surface 33 is formed on the toe-side surface of the erector walls 31 and 32 that provides a gripping surface when the toes perform a gripping motion (see Figure 7(a)).

[0026] The vertical height h of the upright walls 31 and 32 is such that it fits within the space under the toes. Here, "fits within" means that it is acceptable for the toes to be in contact with the walls, and that the foot can be placed on the walls without unnaturally bending the toes upward. Furthermore, the front-to-back thickness t of the upright walls 31 and 32 is such that the walls do not easily tip over even if the toes are bent and hooked onto them.

[0027] These upright walls 31 and 32 are made of a material that is deformable, flexible, and cushioned, similar to the main mat 12; in other words, a soft material that is deformable and resilient. They can also be made of the same material as the main mat 12, but to improve grip, it is preferable that the surfaces of the upright walls 31 and 32 have properties that are less slippery than those of the main mat 12. For example, if the main mat 12 is made of thermoplastic elastomer, it is preferable that at least the surfaces of the upright walls 31 and 32, or more specifically, at least the upright surfaces 33, be made of rubber. The upright walls 31 and 32 are integrally molded together with the main mat 12.

[0028] The vertical cross-sectional shape of the upright walls 31 and 32 is an isosceles trapezoid with an angle of the vertical surface that is nearly vertical and a horizontal top surface, as shown in Figure 8(a). The upright surface 33 located on the toe side may be formed vertically as shown in (b), or it may be a curved surface that is concave backward as shown in (c) and (d). The top surface does not have to be a horizontal plane.

[0029] The upright walls 31 and 32 are formed over the entire left-right direction of the main mat 12. In other words, they could be formed only in the necessary areas, but in this case, the left-right ends of the upright walls 31 and 32 in a plan view are formed to a position that reaches the end face of the main mat 12.

[0030] The main mat 12 having such upright walls 31, 32 is provided with the following configuration.

[0031] The first is the notch 14. Specifically, a notch 14 is formed between the part of the main mat 12 corresponding to the first toe 71 and the part corresponding to the second toe 72, with the notch entering from the tip and dividing the erector walls 31 and 32 into left and right sections. In plan view, the notch 14 is formed in an appropriately narrow "U" shape, and the depth of its entry behind it reaches the crotch between the first toe 71 and the second toe 72. Since the erector walls 31 and 32 are formed in the aforementioned locations, the notch 14 is made deep enough to reach the erector wall 31 on the first toe 71 side. Due to the presence of the notch 14, the tip of the main mat 12 can be deformed independently on the left and right sides, as shown by the arrow in Figure 1.

[0032] The second is the toe recesses 15 and 16, which act as indentations. On the foot contact surface 12a of the main mat 12, in front of the upright walls 31 and 32, there is a toe recess 15 where the ball of the first toe 71 makes contact, and a toe recess 16 where the balls of the second toe 72 to the fifth toe 75 make contact. These toe recesses 15 and 16 may be very shallow, just enough for the toes to make contact.

[0033] The third is the raised portion 17 and the underside raised portion 18. Specifically, on the surface of the main mat 12, the contact surface 12a, the part corresponding to the arch of the foot has a three-dimensional raised portion 17 that helps to form the arch of the sole of the foot. This raised portion 17 is molded integrally with the main mat 12 and has the same flexibility as the main mat 12. The underside raised portion 18 is formed on the underside of the main mat 12, in the part corresponding to the arch of the foot, that is, the part opposite to the raised portion 17, in a manner that bulges outwards on the underside. The shape and material of the underside raised portion 18 are the same as those of the raised portion 17.

[0034] The fourth is the heel recess 19, which is a depression. The heel recess 19 is formed in the part of the contact surface 12a that corresponds to the heel. In plan view, it is an elongated oval or ellipse that is elongated in the anterior-posterior direction, and it is deep enough to position the heel.

[0035] In addition to the above, the contact surface 12a has protrusions and recesses 21 that also serve as design elements, and multiple through holes 22 that penetrate in the thickness direction. On the back surface opposite to the contact surface 12a, except for the area where the back raised portion 18 is formed, back surface protrusions 23 are formed. In the illustrated example, the back surface protrusions 23 have multiple protrusions that extend parallel to each other in the left-right direction. Neither the protrusions and recesses 21 nor the back surface protrusions 23 are limited to the shapes shown in the illustrated example and can be formed in any appropriate shape.

[0036] The insole 11, having the above configuration, is inserted into footwear such as shoes and used by stepping on it with the foot, as shown in Figure 9. It is preferable to wear the footwear barefoot, but it may also be worn with five-toe socks.

[0037] When the foot rests on the insole 11 and weight is applied, the uneven surface 23 on the underside is compressed, generating friction between the insole and the footwear. At the same time, the raised portion 18 on the underside also collapses. The toe recesses 15, 16 and heel recess 19 of the contact surface 12a elastically support the sole of the foot, with the heel recess 19 in particular stabilizing the heel and preventing displacement. The uneven surface 21 prevents close contact with the sole of the foot, and the through-holes 22 ensure breathability. The raised portion 17 forms and supports the arch of the foot, but because the raised portion 18 on the underside collapses, the raised portion 17 is pressed against the arch of the foot by the raised portion 18, making strong contact and providing strong assistance in forming the arch. Meanwhile, the upright walls 31, 32 fit into the space under the toes. The surfaces of the upright walls 31 and 32 are less slippery than the main mat 12, but because the upright walls 31 and 32 fit into the space under the toes, they do not cause any discomfort when stepped on.

[0038] As shown by the arrows in Figure 9, if you bend your toes appropriately to grip, whether with the first toe 71 or any of the other toes, your toes will grip well against the upright surfaces 33 of the upright walls 31 and 32, and a force will be applied to the upright walls 31 and 32 in a direction that pulls them backward. In particular, the contact surface 12a has toe recesses 15 and 16 and a heel recess 19, making it easy to grip the upright walls 31 and 32.

[0039] The erector walls 31 and 32, gripped by the toes, deform but do not easily collapse, resisting the force of the toes and applying load to them. At this time, since the erector walls 31 and 32 are formed at the position closest to where the toes bend, all five toes are subjected to the same load, even if they move independently.

[0040] When the toes are gripped and a load is applied to them, the toes resist the deformation of the upright walls 31 and 32, which are under pressure, as they attempt to bend backward as shown by the dashed line at the front end of the contact surface 12a. This allows the load applied by the upright walls 31 and 32 to be applied more effectively.

[0041] Furthermore, since a notch 14 is formed at the front end of the main mat 12, the separated front end enhances the independence of the movement of the first toe 71 from the movement of the other toes, enabling freer movement. The fact that the upright walls 31 and 32 are linear in plan view and have the same height h and thickness t throughout the entire longitudinal direction also enhances the degree of freedom of movement for the toes. Therefore, in addition to movements such as bending and opening the toes to grip, it is also possible to spread the toes apart or bring them together (bring them together), for example, as shown by the arrows in Figure 6.

[0042] These toe exercises can be performed while walking, standing, or sitting. In other words, exercises using the insole 11 can be done anytime while wearing footwear. For this reason, the insole 11 can be widely used for stretching and massage to relieve tension in the toes and soles of the feet, as well as for warm-up exercises before exercises like yoga, and for serious exercise and training.

[0043] With this insole 11, the upright walls 31 and 32, each having an upright surface 33, apply the same load to all toes when bending and gripping, enabling effective exercise and strengthening the muscles of the toes and soles of the feet. Ultimately, this leads to achieving ideal posture and gait.

[0044] Furthermore, since the erector walls 31 and 32 are located at the bending points of the toes and are formed in a planar shape that fits under the soles of the toes, they can only be activated when the toes are moving, causing no discomfort during use and preventing unnecessary strain on the feet.

[0045] Furthermore, since the erector walls 31 and 32 are formed in parts corresponding to the first toe 71 and parts corresponding to the other toes, the five toes can be treated as separate entities rather than a single unit, thereby increasing the degree of freedom of toe movement. In particular, the vertical height h and anterior-posterior thickness t of the erector walls 31 and 32 are kept constant throughout the entire longitudinal direction, and the erector walls 31 and 32 do not have any shapes that restrict the free movement of the toes, which also contributes to the high degree of freedom of the toes. As a result, in addition to gripping and opening movements, movements of spreading and closing the toes can also be performed more freely, and movements of the toes and soles of the feet, such as those performed in yoga, are also possible.

[0046] The above configuration is one embodiment for carrying out this invention, and this invention is not limited to the above configuration, but other configurations can be adopted.

[0047] For example, the notched portion 14 may have a shape with almost no gap.

[0048] The toe recesses 15, 16 and the underside irregularities 23 may be omitted.

[0049] The two upright walls 31 and 32 may be connected to each other via a portion that is low in height and thin in thickness.

[0050] The upright walls 31 and 32 can also be constructed from a hard material that is resistant to deformation even when stepped on.

[0051] If the footwear into which the insole 11 is inserted is not split-toe or has a toe strap, the notch 14 may be omitted. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 11…Insoles 12…Main mat 12a...Falling surface 14...cut section 15, 16… Toe recesses 17...Protuberance 18…Underly raised area 19...Heel recess 31,32…standing wall 33…Erection surface 71...first toe 72…Second toe 73...Third toe 74…4th toe 75...5th toe 71a…Proximal phalanx 72b,73b,74b,5b…middle phalanx

Claims

1. An insole in which a contact surface for the foot is formed on the surface of the main mat on which the foot rests, Upright walls are formed at the anterior end of the aforementioned contact surface, corresponding to the proximal phalanx of the first toe and the middle phalanges of the second to fifth toes, respectively, so as to fit under the soles of the toes of the foot placed on the contact surface. On the toe-side surface of the aforementioned upright wall, an upright surface is formed that provides a gripping surface for the toes when they perform a gripping motion. insole.

2. The vertical height and front-to-back thickness of the aforementioned upright wall are constant throughout its entire length. The insole according to claim 1.

3. Between the portion corresponding to the first toe and the portion corresponding to the second toe in the main mat, a notch is formed that divides the upright wall into left and right sections, with the notch entering from the front end. The insole according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. A raised portion is formed in the main mat in the area corresponding to the arch of the foot. The insole according to claim 1 or claim 2.

5. A raised, bulging portion is formed on the underside of the main mat in the area corresponding to the arch of the foot. The insole according to claim 4.

6. The main body mat and the upright walls are made of a soft material that has deformability and resilience. The insole according to claim 1 or claim 2.

7. The surface of the upright wall is less slippery than the main mat. The insole according to claim 1 or claim 2.

8. Indentations are formed in the foot contact surface in the areas corresponding to the toes and the heel. The insole according to claim 1 or claim 2.

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