The present invention teaches a novel, cushioned insole for footwear such as shoes, boots or the like. The insole comprises a multi-layered laminate that has a periphery which conforms generally to the shape of the inside surface of the sole of the footwear so that the insole may be readily placed in and removed from the footwear. The laminate preferably consists of a central, spongy core made of a foamed plastic material which is covered on its upper surface by a thin layer of generally fluid impervious plastic. The lower surface of the central core is covered with a thin layer of a fibrous material, such as paper. Three raised portions are provided which extend upwardly from the upper surface of the laminate. The first raised portion is located proximate the inner peripheral edge of the insole and extends generally longitudinally with respect thereto so as to provide support for the wearer's arch. The second raised portion is generally oval in shape with the major axis thereof extending longitudinally with respect to the insole and is placed such that it provides support for the wearer's metatarsis. The third raised portion extends generally transversely of the longitudinal axis of the insole and provides support for the wearer's phalanges. The laminate comprising the present invention is approximately 0.250 inches thick in the area thereof that is not raised, while the raised areas are not thicker than 0.375 inches. In the embodiment illustrated, the raised portion that supports the wearer's arch is the thickest while the raised portion that supports the wearer's phalanges is the thinnest of the three raised portions.
Footwear and an insole pad employed inside thereof, in which an arch extrusion being raised toward the outside thereof is provided at an outer periphery corresponding to an outside arch on the upper surface of an insole of the footwear or on the upper surface of the insole pad, so that the shift of weight rested on a foot upon walking toward the outside upon walking is supported by the arch extrusion and the weight rested on the foot is gathered to the center of a body, which improves a walking posture, reduces the fatigue of the foot and prevents the occurrence of bowlegs.
Footwear having an inner sole formed of a resilient material with an upper surface contoured to provide a comfortable foot-supporting surface. The inner sole has an arch support region, a depressed heel cup region, a metatarsal support region, and in one embodiment, a curved low toe ridge which defines the toe region from the metatarsal support region and which extends transversely across the sole under the first phalanx of each of the toes. The insole is supported on an outer sole which has a plurality of upwardly extending ridges providing cushioning with various firmness in the different regions of the sole to compensate for the weight distribution of the foot. The inner sole and footwear upper are arranged to securely cradle the foot of the wearer.
A reversible insole having a composite structure in which a base insole layer of resilient cushioning material has fabric bonded to its opposite surfaces. Protuberances extend from one surface so the insole may be worn as either a massaging insole or a comfort insole. The insole may be printed with a representation of a reflexology chart and protuberances located to massage selected areas of the foot. Apertures are provided for air circulation. In an alternate embodiment the protuberances are selectively attachable to the base insole.
A foot supporting orthotic having parallel, separately flexing rays extending forwardly from an arch region which in use underlies the arch of a wearer's foot. The rays are bowed by spring-like elastomers and facilitate the shock absorbing and adaptation stages of walking.
5864969 - Shoe insole - Owned by Margit Mauch (Duesseldorf,DE) Filed: May 26, 1998Related U.S. Patent DocumentsApplication NumberFiling DatePatent NumberIssue Date944103Sep., 19975784811200306Feb., 1994934466Sep., 1992
An insole for a shoe, which massages the reflex zones of the sole of the foot, has a flat basic sole (1) which matches the contour of the shoe and cushion-shaped elevations (5) associated with the reflex zones to be massaged. The elevations (5) are integrally formed on the basic sole (1) and consist, like the basic sole (1), of elastic foamed material having a Shore A hardness of 30.degree. to 45.degree.. The height of the summit region (7) of an elevation (5) above the upper surface of the basic sole (1) is one to two times the mean thickness of the region of the basic sole (1) adjacent to that elevation (5). This insole is easy to manufacture and has optimal massage properties.
