Foot pads

Abstract

To provide a sole pad that more improves a function for assisting strain and relaxation of a plantar muscle.SOLUTION: A sole pad is for supporting a sole arch of a sole. The top surface of the sole pad is a flat surface in contact with a sole, and the undersurface rises in a chevron shape over the longitudinal direction of the sole pad. The undersurface is provided with a first slope face of a steep slope which includes a part from a summit line passing the risen apex toward the respectively inclined lateral side edges of the sole pad, and with a second slope face of a gentle slope. Then, on the undersurface, there are formed, characteristically in an intersecting manner, with a vertical groove which extends in the longitudinal direction of the sole pad and with a horizontal groove which extends in the width direction of the sole pad.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pad for the sole of the foot used in a supporter, insole, or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] The human foot is also said to be the second heart, and many products have been developed to be worn on the foot for the purposes of supporting foot movement, improving the athletic performance of the foot, improving the fit of the foot, and treating and preventing problems that occur in the foot. In particular, there are many reports of foot problems caused by flat feet and high arches, and there is a demand for the development of products to be worn on the foot for the purpose of treating and preventing them. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a pad that supports the plantar arch of the sole of the foot (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-46742 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The pad in Patent Document 1 is a pad that was developed to help tone and relax the muscles in the sole of the foot and to prevent or treat plantar fasciitis, etc. However, the pad in Patent Document 1 has an apex at a portion of the sole that corresponds to the navicular bone, so the sole that comes into contact with the sole of the foot is uneven. The nerves in the sole of the human foot are very sensitive and can sense even minute unevenness, so the pad feels rough on the feet. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of a sole pad that is comfortable on the foot and has an improved function of assisting in tension and relaxation of the plantar muscles.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and has an object to provide a sole pad that feels good on the foot and has an improved function of assisting in tension and relaxation of the plantar muscles.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a supporter and insole that is provided with a sole pad that feels good on the foot and has an improved function of assisting in tension and relaxation of the plantar muscles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of intensive research aimed at solving the above problems, the inventors discovered that by flattening the upper surface of the foot pad that comes into contact with the sole of the foot and forming grooves on the underside so that vertical grooves extending in the longitudinal direction of the pad and horizontal grooves extending in the width direction of the pad intersect, the underside becomes block-shaped, dispersing impact in all directions when a load is applied, making the pad softer on the foot compared to conventional foot pads without grooves, and because the pad also deforms more, it also has better tracking ability when walking than foot pads without grooves, and thus completed the present invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention provides: (1) A foot pad that supports the plantar arch of the sole of the foot, The upper surface of the sole pad is a flat surface that comes into contact with the sole of the foot, and the lower surface rises in a mountain shape along the longitudinal direction of the sole pad, and has a first steeply inclined surface and a second gently inclined surface including portions that slope from a peak line passing through the top of the rise toward the left and right side edges of the sole pad, respectively. The lower surface also has vertical grooves extending in the longitudinal direction of the sole pad and a foot groove. A sole pad, characterized in that the sole pad is formed so as to intersect with a transverse groove extending in the width direction of the sole pad; (2) The foot pad according to (1), characterized in that the vertical groove is provided on a vertex line passing through the vertex of the mountain-shaped shape. (3) The foot pad according to (1) or (2), characterized in that the longitudinal grooves and lateral grooves are comprised of angular grooves having a polygonal shape in vertical cross section, or round grooves having a shape having a curved shape in part or in whole in vertical cross section, or a combination thereof. (4) A foot pad according to any one of (1) to (3), characterized in that the groove width is 1 mm to 5 mm and the groove depth is 0.3 mm to 3 mm. (5) The sole pad according to any one of (1) to (4), characterized in that the material constituting the sole pad has viscoelasticity. (6) The foot pad according to (5), characterized in that the loss tangent (tan δ) of the material at 40°C is 0.2 or more. (7) The foot pad according to any one of (1) to (6), characterized in that the hardness of the foot pad is 30° to 60°. (8) A supporter comprising a substantially cylindrical body made of a stretchable fabric, including a sole and an instep connected to the sole, and a sole pad according to any one of (1) to (7) above, with the underside of the pad contacting the sole. (9) A supporter comprising a main body including a sole portion, left and right instep portions connected to the sole portion, and engageable fasteners attached to the left and right instep portions, respectively, which can be opened by releasing the engagement of the fasteners, and a sole pad according to any one of (1) to (7) so that the underside of the main body contacts the sole portion. (10) An insole comprising an insole body and a pad for the sole of the foot as described in any one of (1) to (7) so that the upper surface of the pad contacts the rear surface of the insole body. Effect of the Invention

[0009] The foot pad of the present invention can improve the function of assisting in tension and relaxation of the plantar muscles more than conventional foot pads without grooves. Therefore, a supporter or insole equipped with the foot pad of the present invention can further relieve pain caused by flat feet and high arches. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(a) is a bottom view showing a sole pad 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of the pad shown in FIG. 1(a), and FIG. 1(c) is a perspective view showing a sole pad 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] (a) is a bottom view showing a sole pad 1 according to embodiment 2 of the present invention, (b) is a bottom view showing a sole pad 1 according to embodiment 3 of the present invention, (c) is a bottom view showing a sole pad 1 according to embodiment 4 of the present invention, and (d) is a bottom view showing a sole pad 1 according to embodiment 5 of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1A to 1E are cross-sectional views showing the shapes of longitudinal and transverse grooves ((a) triangle, (b) square, (c) pentagon, (d) hexagon, and (e) semicircle). [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a state in which a supporter 11 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention is worn on a foot (right foot). [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a supporter 11 according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a bottom view of an insole 18 according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the foot pad 1 of the present invention has an upper surface 2 which is a flat surface that comes into contact with the sole of the foot, and a lower surface 3 which rises in a mountain shape along the longitudinal direction of the foot pad 1. The lower surface 3 of the foot pad 1 is formed from a peak line 5 passing through a peak 4 of the rise to a peak line 5 of the foot pad 1. The pad has a first steeply inclined surface 7 and a second gently inclined surface 8 including portions inclined toward the left and right side edges 6, and on the lower surface 3, a vertical groove 9 extending in the longitudinal direction of the pad 1 and a horizontal groove 10 extending in the width direction of the pad 1 are formed so as to intersect. The sole pad 1 is used to fit the arch of the foot, and its size is approximately 80 mm to 110 mm in the length direction, 40 mm to 60 mm in the width direction, and 7 mm to 11 mm in maximum thickness, and it has a semicircular or semi-elliptical shape as shown in Figure 1. In the present invention, the upper surface 2 of the sole pad 1 refers to the surface that comes into contact with the sole of the foot, and the lower surface 3 refers to the surface opposite to the upper surface that comes into contact with the floor or the insole of the shoe.

[0012] The foot pad 1 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1(b), has a flat upper surface 2 that comes into contact with the sole of the foot, which makes it possible to provide a better feel on the foot than conventional pads.

[0013] The lower surface 3 of the sole pad 1 rises in a mountain shape along the longitudinal direction of the sole pad 1, and has a steeply inclined first inclined surface 7 and a gently inclined second inclined surface 8 including portions that slope from a vertex line 5 passing through the raised apex 4 toward the left and right side edges 6 of the pad. The first inclined surface 7 with a steep incline and the second inclined surface 8 with a gentle incline may include, for example, a flat portion in addition to the inclined portion. The inclination angle of the inclined portion of the first inclined surface 7 is about 30 degrees to 40 degrees, and the inclination angle of the inclined portion of the second inclined surface 8 with a gentle incline is about 10 degrees to 20 degrees. The inclination angle of the inclined portion does not have to be constant. Thus, the inclined portion may be composed of an inclined surface having two or more inclination angles. Thus, for example, the first inclined surface 7 may have an inclined portion having an inclination angle of 35 degrees, an inclined portion having an inclination angle of 30 degrees, and a flat portion. Similarly, for example, the second inclined surface 8 may have an inclined portion having an inclination angle of 15 degrees, an inclined portion having an inclination angle of 10 degrees, and a flat portion. The presence of the steeply inclined first inclined surface 7 and the gently inclined second inclined surface 8 including portions respectively inclined from the apex line 5 toward the left and right side edges 6 of the sole pad 1 contributes to reducing unnecessary deformation of the pad on the inside of the foot in the width direction of the foot when the sole pad 1 is pressed against the sole of the foot.

[0014] Since the lower surface 3 of the sole pad 1 is raised in a mountain shape, when a load is applied, the sole pad 1 can deform so as to rise upward to support the navicular bone, which is particularly important for preventing the plantar arch from dropping. The amount of deformation is significantly increased compared to conventional pads due to the provision of the vertical grooves 9 and horizontal grooves 10, and therefore, in addition to the deformation to rise upward to support the navicular bone, the amount of deformation of the lower surface 3 of the sole pad 1 to fit the floor or the insole of the shoe is also increased. Therefore, the user of the sole pad 1 can feel that the function of supporting the tension and relaxation of the plantar muscles, such as stability and shock absorption, is improved compared to conventional pads, and can also feel an improvement in the fit to the foot and the improvement in the tracking ability when walking. The lower surface 3 of the foot pad 1 is raised in a mountain shape, so that when a load is applied, it quickly deforms as described above and fits the shape of the sole of the foot. Therefore, when no load is applied, the upper surface 2 that comes into contact with the sole of the foot is flat, so that it feels good on the foot and can be worn without discomfort, and when a load is applied, it quickly deforms as described above and can properly support the navicular bone, thus overcoming the drawbacks of conventional pads. Therefore, it is preferable to provide the foot pad 1 on the sole of the foot so that the apex line 5 is positioned along the rough surface of the navicular bone.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the number of the vertical grooves 9 and the horizontal grooves 10 is not particularly limited as long as the vertical grooves 9 extending in the longitudinal direction of the sole pad 1 and the horizontal grooves 10 extending in the width direction of the sole pad 1 are formed so as to intersect with each other. For example, the sole pad 1 of Fig. 1(a) has a total of two vertical grooves 9 including one vertical groove 9 provided at the apex line 5 and a total of three horizontal grooves 10 provided so as to intersect with the vertical grooves 9 and the horizontal grooves 10 as in the sole pad 1 of Fig. 2(a). The number of grooves may be increased to provide a total of three vertical grooves 9 including one vertical groove 9 on the apex line 5 and a total of five horizontal grooves 10 intersecting the vertical grooves 9. Alternatively, the number of vertical grooves 9 and horizontal grooves 10 may be reduced to provide one vertical groove 9 on the apex line 5 and one horizontal groove 10 intersecting the vertical grooves 9 as in the sole pad 1 of Fig. 2(b). Also, it is not necessary to provide the vertical groove 9 on the apex line 5 as in the sole pad 1 of Fig. 2(c). Also, it is not necessary for the vertical grooves 9 and horizontal grooves 10 to be connected to the left and right side edges 6 as in the sole pad 1 of Fig. 2(d).

[0016] It is preferable to provide a vertical groove 9 on the apex line 5 passing through the apex 4 of the mountain-shaped pad 1 for soles of the feet of the present invention. The position of the apex line 5 is where the greatest load is applied, and by providing the vertical groove 9 on the apex line 5, a greater sense of stability is achieved. In addition, the presence of vertical grooves 9 on the apex line 5 improves the fit when the shoe is worn.

[0017] The effect of the present invention can be achieved if the vertical grooves 9 and horizontal grooves 10 are arranged to intersect and the lower surface 3 is formed into a block shape, but the preferred number of vertical grooves 9 and horizontal grooves 10 varies depending on the weight of the user (load on the sole of the foot). For example, for an average adult male, one vertical groove 9 and one horizontal groove 10 is enough to provide an appropriate amount of deformation of the sole pad 1 and fully achieve the effect of the present invention. On the other hand, for an average elderly female, it is preferred that the vertical grooves 9 and horizontal grooves 10 are three or more in total, and it is even more preferred that the vertical groove 9 is arranged on the apex line 5. Therefore, from the standpoint of functionality, workability, and versatility for everyone, it is desirable to provide a total of two vertical grooves 9, including one vertical groove 9 on the apex line 5, and a total of three horizontal grooves 10 intersecting therewith, as in the sole pad 1 of Figure 1(a).

[0018] The longitudinal grooves 9 and lateral grooves 10 are preferably angular grooves having a polygonal vertical cross section, or round grooves having a curved vertical cross section in part or in whole, or a combination of these. Therefore, for example, all of the longitudinal grooves 9 may be angular grooves and all of the lateral grooves 10 may be round grooves, or all of the longitudinal grooves 9 may be round grooves and all of the lateral grooves 10 may be angular grooves. Furthermore, the longitudinal grooves 9 and the lateral grooves 10 may each be a mixture of angular grooves and round grooves. Furthermore, the round grooves having a curved vertical cross section in part or in whole include, for example, U-shaped grooves.

[0019] From the viewpoint of workability, the shape of the vertical cross section of the square groove is preferably a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, or a hexagon, as shown in Fig. 3. Moreover, from the viewpoint of workability, the shape of the vertical cross section of the round groove is preferably a semicircle, as shown in Fig. 3. From the viewpoint of deformability, the shape of the vertical cross section of the groove is preferably one in which the blocks are unlikely to connect to each other when a load is applied and the shape of the groove itself can be made flatter. Therefore, from the viewpoint of workability and deformability, the shape of the vertical cross section of the groove is desirably a triangle.

[0020] The width of the vertical groove 9 and the horizontal groove 10 provided in the sole pad 1 of the present invention is preferably 1 mm to 5 mm, more preferably 1 mm to 4 mm, and even more preferably 1 mm to 3 mm, if the size of the sole pad 1 is made to fit the foot size of an ordinary adult. However, the suitable width of the grooves can be changed as long as the width does not become so narrow that the blocks formed by the vertical groove 9 and the horizontal groove 10 are connected and integrated with each other when a load is applied.

[0021] The groove depth of the vertical grooves 9 and horizontal grooves 10 provided in the sole pad 1 of the present invention is preferably 0.3 mm to 3 mm, more preferably 0.3 mm to 2 mm, and even more preferably 0.3 mm to 1 mm, if the sole pad 1 is made to fit the foot size of a general adult. If the groove depth is 3 mm or more, there is a risk that the sole pad 1 made to fit the foot size of a general adult will not have an appropriate hardness.

[0022] The material constituting the foot pad 1 of the present invention is preferably one having viscoelasticity. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, polyurethane resins such as ether-based polyurethane resins and ester-based polyurethane resins, and more specifically, ether-based polyurethane resins are preferred.

[0023] Moreover, it is more preferable that the loss tangent (tan δ) of the above material at 40° C. is 0.2 or more. The effect of having grooves is more pronounced in materials that have viscoelasticity and good shock absorption properties, with a loss tangent (tan δ) of 0.2 or more.

[0024] The hardness of the foot pad 1 of the present invention is preferably 30° to 60° on the Shore 00 standard (Shore zero zero standard). The above hardness is determined by measurement with a durometer. If the hardness of the sole pad 1 is less than 30°, there is a risk that the shock absorbing properties will be poor, and if it exceeds 60°, there is a risk that the pad will feel too hard and the feeling of contact with the foot will be poor.

[0025] The provision of grooves in the sole pad 1 of the present invention increases the amount of deformation of the sole pad 1. Therefore, as will be shown in the examples described later, when comparing a sole pad 1 with grooves and a sole pad without grooves at the same hardness, the sole pad 1 with grooves feels softer. Generally, the higher the hardness, the more stable the feeling. Therefore, the sole pad 1 with grooves is stable yet soft, and has excellent shock absorption properties.

[0026] The present invention also relates to a supporter 11 comprising a generally tubular main body 14 made of stretchable fabric, including a plantar portion 12 and an instep portion 13 connected to the plantar portion 12, as shown in FIG. 4, and a sole pad 1 with the lower surface 3 in contact with the plantar portion 12.

[0027] Methods for attaching the sole pad 1 of the present invention to the sole 12 include a method using an adhesive, and a method in which the sole pad 1 is placed between the sole 12 and an auxiliary cloth larger than the dimensions of the sole pad 1, and the sole 12 and the auxiliary cloth are sewn together. If an auxiliary cloth with thermal adhesive properties is used, it is possible to fix the sole 12 and the auxiliary cloth by utilizing the thermal adhesiveness instead of sewing.

[0028] The stretchable fabric constituting the main body of the supporter 11 is preferably one that has good breathability and moisture absorption in addition to being stretchable. Examples of such stretchable fabric include, but are not limited to, natural fibers such as cotton, linen, wool, and silk, and chemical fibers such as polyester, nylon, rayon, and acrylic.

[0029] The present invention also relates to a supporter 11 comprising a sole portion as shown in FIG. 5, left and right instep portions connected to the sole portion, and engageable fasteners 16 attached to the left and right instep portions, respectively, and which can be opened by releasing the engagement of the fasteners 16, and which is equipped with a main body 15 and a sole pad 1 of the present invention such that the lower surface 3 contacts the sole portion 3.

[0030] The fastener 16 of the supporter 11 is not particularly limited as long as it is engageable. Examples of such fasteners 16 include, but are not limited to, point fasteners and hook-and-loop fasteners. More specifically, Velcro (registered trademark) and Magic Tape (registered trademark) are preferable from the viewpoint of making it possible to adjust the strength of fastening in the circumferential direction of the foot, but other fasteners may also be used.

[0031] The present invention also relates to an insole 18, which is constructed by attaching the sole pad 1 of the present invention to the back surface of an insole body 17, as shown in Fig. 6. In this case, the upper surface 2 of the sole pad 1 is in contact with the back surface of the insole body 17. As the insole body 17, any conventionally known insole can be used as long as the sole pad 1 of the present invention can be attached to its rear surface.

[0032] The foot pad 1 of the present invention has an upper surface 2 which is the surface that comes into contact with the sole of the foot, and a lower surface 3 which is the surface opposite to the upper surface that comes into contact with the floor or the insole of the shoe. However, there is no prohibition on using the upper surface 2 and the lower surface 3 in the reversed position, and the pad can be used according to the user's preference. EXAMPLES

[0033] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples, and various applications are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. The sole pad 1 used in Examples 1 to 3 and the sole pads used in Comparative Examples 1 to 3 have the shape shown in Figure 1, with a length of 94 mm, a width of 51 mm, and a maximum thickness of 8.8 mm.

[0034] [Example 1] The sole pad 1 of Example 1 is made of an ether-based polyurethane resin with a Shore 00 standard of 40° and a loss tangent (tan δ) of 0.65. The lower surface 3 is provided with a total of two vertical grooves 9, including one vertical groove 9 provided at the apex line 5, and a total of three horizontal grooves 10 provided so as to intersect with the vertical grooves 9. The width of each groove is 3 mm, the depth of each groove is 1 mm, and the shape of the vertical cross section of the groove is triangular.

[0035] [Example 2] The sole pad 1 of Example 2 is made of an ether-based polyurethane resin with a Shore 00 standard of 50° and a loss tangent (tan δ) of 0.52. The lower surface 3 is provided with a total of two vertical grooves 9 including one vertical groove 9 provided at the apex line 5, and a total of three horizontal grooves 10 provided so as to intersect with the vertical grooves 9. The width of each groove is 3 mm, the depth of each groove is 1 mm, and the shape of the vertical cross section of the groove is triangular.

[0036] [Example 3] The sole pad 1 of Example 3 is made of an ether-based polyurethane resin with a Shore 00 standard of 60° and a loss tangent (tan δ) of 0.42. The lower surface 3 is provided with a total of two vertical grooves 9, including one vertical groove 9 provided at the apex line 5, and a total of three horizontal grooves 10 provided so as to intersect with the vertical grooves 9. The width of each groove is 3 mm, the depth of each groove is 1 mm, and the shape of the vertical cross section of the groove is triangular.

[0037] [Comparative Examples 1 to 3] The sole pads of Comparative Examples 1 to 3 are made of ether-based polyurethane resin with Shore 00 angles of 40°, 50°, and 60°, respectively, and have the same shape as the sole pads 1 of Examples 1 to 3, except that the lower surface 3 does not have vertical grooves 9 and horizontal grooves 10.

[0038] (Shock absorption evaluation) The method of measuring the impact absorption was a weight drop method, in which a weight load of 100g was dropped from a height of 40cm onto the sole pads 1 of Examples 1 to 3 and the sole pads of Comparative Examples 1 to 3, and the acceleration was measured by a sensor on the bottom of the plywood via the sole pads and the plywood. The measurement was performed five times for each sample, and the average value was taken as the acceleration value. The acceleration values ​​of the sole pads 1 of Examples 1 to 3 and the sole pads of Comparative Examples 1 to 3 are shown in Table 1.

[0039] [Table 1]

[0040] As shown in Table 1, the results showed that the sole pads 1 of Examples 1 to 3 had lower acceleration values ​​and smaller vibrations (shocks) than the sole pads of Comparative Examples 1 to 3. Similar results were obtained for each hardness (Shore 00): 40°, 50°, and 60°, which shows that the sole pads 1 of the Examples with grooves have better shock absorption than the sole pads of the Comparative Examples without grooves, regardless of the product hardness.

[0041] [Example 4] The supporter 11 of Example 4 comprises an approximately cylindrical main body 14 made of a stretchable fabric containing nylon, including a plantar portion 12 and an instep portion 13 connected to the plantar portion 12, as shown in Figure 4, and the sole pad of Example 1 attached so that the lower surface 3 is in contact with the plantar portion 12.

[0042] [Comparative Example 4] The supporter of Comparative Example 4 comprises a generally cylindrical main body 14 made of an elastic fabric containing nylon, including a sole portion 12 and an instep portion 13 connected to the sole portion 12, and the sole pad of Comparative Example 1 attached so that the midsole 3 contacts the sole portion 12.

[0043] (Sensory evaluation) The comfort of the supporters of Example 4 and Comparative Example 4 was evaluated by the following method. The comfort of the supporters was evaluated from the viewpoints of <fit>, <feel to the sole>, <cushioning>, <stability>, <shock absorption of the arch> and <following ability during walking>, and it was determined which of the supporters 11 of Example 4 and the supporters of Comparative Example 4 was superior as the <overall evaluation>. <Fit> refers to whether the supporter fits the foot when worn. <Feel to the sole> refers to whether there is an uncomfortable feeling of pressure on the sole when worn. <Cushioning> refers to whether the sole pad distributes the load on the sole when standing up while wearing the supporter. <Stability> refers to whether the balance is good when standing up while wearing the supporter. <Shock absorption of the arch> refers to whether the sole pad reduces the impact on the arch when walking while wearing the supporter. "Conformity during walking" refers to whether or not the sole pad deforms and bites into the foot when walking while wearing the supporter. More specifically, the evaluation was carried out using the following method. First, six adult male and female subjects (two of whom had problems with the soles of the feet and flat feet) wore the supporter 11 of Example 4 and the supporter of Comparative Example 4, and were asked to evaluate the fit, feel on the soles of the feet, cushioning, stability, shock absorption of the arch, and conformity when walking according to a four-level scale. Then, each subject was asked to give an overall evaluation of the fit of the supporter of Example 4. The subjects were asked to determine which of the supporters, the supporter 11 and the supporter of Comparative Example 4, was superior. With regard to the time each person wore the supporter, two people wore it for 1 to 3 hours, one person wore it for 3 to 5 hours, two people wore it for 5 to 7 hours, and one person wore it for 7 to 9 hours. The four-level breakdown of each item is as follows: <fit> (sufficient, somewhat, can't say, none), <feeling on the soles of the feet> (no discomfort, somewhat uncomfortable, uncomfortable, very uncomfortable), <cushioning> (feel it, somewhat feel it, can't say, none), <stability> (sufficient, somewhat, can't say, none), <shock absorption of the arch> (yes, somewhat, can't say, none), <compliance when walking> (yes, somewhat, can't say, none).

[0044] [Table 2]

[0045] As shown in Table 2, when comparing supporter 11 of Example 4 with the supporter of Comparative Example 4, supporter 11 of Example 4 is superior in every aspect, and therefore, the results show that supporter 11 of Example 4 (with grooves) is superior to the supporter of Comparative Example 4 (without grooves). [Industrial Applicability]

[0046] A supporter, insole, etc. equipped with the sole pad of the present invention can relieve pain caused by flat feet and high arches more effectively than a sole pad without grooves. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1 Sole Pad 2 Top side 3 Bottom surface 4 Top 5 Summit Line 6 Left and right edges 7 First slope 8 Second slope 9. Vertical grooves 10 Yokomizo 11 Supporters 12 Sole of the foot 13 Instep 14,15 Main body 16 Fasteners 17 Insole body 18 Insoles

Claims

1. A foot pad that supports the plantar arch of the sole of the foot, The upper surface of the sole of the foot pad is a flat surface that comes into contact with the sole of the foot, and the lower surface rises in a mountain shape along the longitudinal direction of the sole of the foot pad, and has a first steeply inclined surface and a second gently inclined surface that include portions that slope from a vertex line passing through the top of the rise toward the left and right side edges of the sole of the foot pad, and the lower surface is formed so that vertical grooves extending in the longitudinal direction of the sole of the foot pad and horizontal grooves extending in the width direction of the sole of the foot pad intersect with each other.

2. 2. The foot pad according to claim 1, wherein the vertical groove is provided on a vertex line passing through the vertex of the mountain shape.

3. 3. The foot pad according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the longitudinal grooves and lateral grooves are comprised of angular grooves having a polygonal shape in vertical cross section, or round grooves having a curved shape in part or in whole in vertical cross section, or a combination thereof.

4. 4. The foot pad according to claim 1, wherein the groove has a width of 1 mm to 5 mm and a depth of 0.3 mm to 3 mm.

5. 5. The foot pad according to claim 1, wherein the material constituting the foot pad has viscoelasticity.

6. 6. The foot pad according to claim 5, wherein the loss tangent (tan δ) of the material at 40° C. is 0.2 or more.

7. 7. The foot pad according to claim 1, wherein the hardness of the foot pad is 30 degrees to 60 degrees.

8. A supporter comprising: an approximately cylindrical main body made of stretchable fabric, including a sole portion and an instep portion connected to the sole portion; and a sole pad as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, with the underside in contact with the sole portion.

9. A supporter comprising a main body including a sole portion, left and right instep portions connected to the sole portion, and engageable fasteners attached to the left and right instep portions, respectively, the main body being openable by releasing the engagement of the fasteners, and a sole pad as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, with the underside thereof in contact with the sole portion.

10. An insole comprising: an insole body; and the pad for sole of the foot according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the pad having an upper surface in contact with a rear surface of the insole body.

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