DE29708365U1 - Shoe insole with massage device - Google Patents

Description

PATENT ATTORNEYS
EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

your reference/your ref.

Our reference/our ref.

P9342 W/SB/iom

OR. ERNST STURM (1951-1980) DR. HORST REINHARD
DiPL-ING. UDO SKUHRA
DIPL-ING. REINHARD WEISE DR. WERNER BEHNISCH
DIPL-ING. JÜRGEN METZLER* DR. STEPHAN BARTH

FRIEDRICHSTR. 31
D-80801 MUNICH

POSTAL BOX 440151
D-80750 MUNICH

• MOHRENSTR. 20
D-96450 COBURG

Date

7 May 1997

Applicant:

GNAN JANG PLASTICS CO., LTD.
No. 202, Cheng-Feng Lane
Tai Ming Rd.
Wu-Jih Hsiang
Taichung Hsien

Taiwan, R.O.C.

Shoe insole with massage device

The present invention relates to an insole for shoes and in particular to such an insole which has a massage device for massaging the sole of the foot.

Every person generally has a variety of shoes designed for use in different conditions or for different purposes. A good pair of shoes can not only protect the foot but also provide comfort to the user. A shoe is generally equipped with an insole made of a flexible material that provides comfort to the foot and absorbs shock.

TELEPHONE: 089/38 16 10 0- FAX: 089/3 40 14 79
EMAIL: isar-patent@t-online.de

The present invention has been created to provide an insole that effectively absorbs shock and massages the sole of the foot to stimulate blood circulation during walking.

According to the invention, these and other objects are achieved by the insole according to claim 1, wherein the insole comprises an insole body having a flat bottom recess with two through holes at its two ends corresponding to the plantar and calcaneus regions of the user's foot, a pressure buffer which is fittable in the flat bottom recess and has two connected hollow blocks which are respectively insertable through the through holes of the insole body and are in contact with the plantar and calcaneus regions of the user's foot and define a watertight chamber into which a hydraulic fluid can be filled.

Show it:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of an insole according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an application view of the present invention showing the insole inserted into a man's shoe;

Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing the hollow front block of the pressure buffer in a compressed state, with the hollow rear block of the pressure buffer being expanded;

Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3, but shows the hollow front block of the pressure buffer in the expanded state, with the hollow rear block of the pressure buffer compressed; and

Figure 5 is another application view of the present invention showing the insole in a sandal

inserted.

Referring to Figure 1, an insole in accordance with the present invention generally comprises an insole body 2 and a pressure buffer 3.

The insole body 2 has on its bottom a flat bottom recess 20 which is divided into a transverse front recessed portion 21 corresponding to the plantar region, an elongated rear recessed portion 22 corresponding to the calcaneus region, and an elongated groove 23 connecting the transverse front recessed portion 21 and the elongated rear recessed portion 22, as well as a first through hole 211 through the transverse front recessed portion 21 and a second through hole 221 through the elongated rear recessed portion.

The pressure buffer 3 is made of soft elastic material that fits into the flat bottom recess 20 of the insole body 2, with a flat front flap 315, a hollow front block 31 extending from the flat front flap 315 and having a plurality of hollow raised portions 311 on its top, a flat rear flap 325, a hollow rear block 32 extending from the flat rear flap 325 and having a convex top surface 321 and an endless groove 322 surrounding the convex top surface 321, and a plurality of hollow raised portions 323 spaced around the endless groove 322, a flat elongated intermediate flap 316, and a hollow connecting rib 33 extending from the intermediate flap 316 along its length and providing a connection between the hollow front block 31 and the hollow rear block 32. The hollow front block 31, the hollow rear block 32 and the hollow connecting rib 33 define a watertight chamber into which a hydraulic fluid can be filled .

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 and again to Figure 1, the pressure buffer 3 is assembled in the bottom recess 20 of the insole body by: inserting the hollow front block 31 and the hollow rear block 32 into the first through hole 211 and the second through hole 221, fitting the flat front tab 315 and the flat rear tab 325 into the front recessed area 21 and the rear recessed area 22, and fitting the hollow connecting rib 33 and the intermediate tab 316 into the longitudinal groove 23. In the assembled state, the bottom of the pressure buffer 3 is kept flush with the bottom of the insole body 2.

Referring to Figure 4 and again to Figures 2 and 3, when the insole is inserted into a shoe, the hollow front block 31 and the hollow back block 32 protrude above the top of the insole body 2 and are arranged in contact with the plantar and calcaneus regions of the sole of the foot. When the calcaneus region is raised and the plantar toe region is pressed downward during walking, the hollow front block 31 is compressed and the hollow back block 32 is relieved, and therefore the hydraulic fluid is pressurized and forced to flow from the hollow front block 31 to the hollow back block 32 through the hollow connecting rib 33, causing the convex top 321 and the raised portions 323 to expand. In contrast, when the calcaneus region is pressed downward and the plantar toe region is raised during walking, the hollow rear block 32 is compressed and the hollow front block 31 is relieved, and therefore the hydraulic fluid is pressurized and forced to flow from the hollow rear block 32 to the hollow front block 31 through the hollow connecting rib 33, causing the raised portions 321 to expand. Therefore, the hollow front block 31 and the hollow rear block 32 are alternately forced to massage the sole of the foot. When jumping or running, the hydraulic fluid flows into the

Pressure buffer to absorb shocks.

The insole body can be formed in any of a variety of configurations to fit a variety of shoes. For example, the insole body 2 can be configured to fit a man's shoe as shown in Figure 2 or to fit a sandal as shown in Figure 5.

Claims (1)

1. Insole for a shoe with: an insole body (2) having a flat bottom recess (20) divided into a transverse front recessed portion (21) corresponding to the plantar portion of a user's foot, an elongated rear recessed portion (22) corresponding to the calcaneus portion of the user's foot, and an elongated groove (23) providing a connection between the transverse front recessed portion (21) and the elongated rear recessed portion (22), a first through hole (211) through the transverse front recessed portion (21) and a second through hole (221) through the elongated rear recessed portion (22); and a pressure buffer (3) made of soft, elastic material, which can be fitted into the flat bottom recess (20) of the insole body (2), the pressure buffer (3) having a flat front flap (315) which can be fitted into the transverse front recessed area (21) of the flat bottom recess (20) of the insole body (2), a hollow front block (31) which is formed by the flat TELEPHONE: 089/38 16 10 0- FAX: 089/3 40 14 79
EMAIL: isar-patent@t-online.de IC &Lgr; ODATCMTlS Front flap (315) and insertable through the first through hole (211) of the insole body (2) and designed to be arranged in contact with the plantar region of the user's foot and having a plurality of hollow raised portions (311) which serve to massage the plantar region of the user's foot, a flat rear flap (325) which can be fitted into the elongated rear recessed region of the insole body (2), a hollow rear block (32) which extends from the flat rear flap (325) and insertable through the second through hole (221) of the insole body (2) and designed to be arranged in contact with the calcaneus region of the user's foot and has a convex upper surface (321), and a plurality of hollow raised portions (323) around the convex top (321) and is designed to massage the calcaneus area of the user's foot, a flat elongated intermediate tab (316) which can be fitted into the longitudinal groove (23) of the insole body (2), and a hollow connecting rib (33) which extends from the intermediate tab (316) and can be fitted into the longitudinal groove (23) of the insole body (2) and forms a connection between the hollow front block (31) and the hollow rear block (32), wherein the hollow front block (31) and the hollow rear block (32) and the hollow connecting rib (33) define a watertight chamber; and a hydraulic fluid that can be filled into the watertight chamber.