DE69405759T2 - FOOTWEAR SYSTEM - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to footwear and, more particularly, to a footwear system including a sock and a shoe for connection to the sock.

Over the years, various shoes have been developed that have attempted to mimic the sole of a wearer's foot to provide a degree of comfort when walking, running, or the like. These shoes typically required the wearer to use a conventional thin knit sock with the shoe so that the insole of the shoe substantially conforms to the sole of the foot. Examples of such shoes can be seen in Roger's French published application (FR-A-2661805) entitled "Podological Orthosis"; Pagliano's U.S. Patent 3,470,880 entitled "Foot Shankpad"; Swiss Patent (CH-A-256494) entitled "Hygienic Footwear With Supportive Insole", US Patent 4,831,750 to Müller entitled "Shoe-Construction, Shoe-Construction Product, and Method Of Fabricating The Products"; and US Patent 4,305,212 to Coomer entitled "Orthotically Dynamic Footwear".

However, the subject inventor recognized that the greatest stresses on the foot during shoe wear occur in the ball and heel areas of the foot, since a predominant portion of a person's weight is distributed over these areas when standing, walking or running. Therefore, the joint assignee developed a knit sock with denser weave in the ball and heel areas of the sock to provide increased comfort to the wearer and reduce damage to these areas of the foot. An example of such a sock can be found in U.S. Patent 4,194,249 to Thorneburg entitled "Jogging and Running Athletic Sock."

Although this knitted sock is very successful in the market, it is often worn with shoes that have insoles that conform to the wearer's foot, and insoles generally have a flat overall contour or other contour that is incompatible with the thicker fabric areas of the knitted sock. As a result, the wearer may often feel the sock's fabric bunching up in the shoe, may experience discomfort when the sock is worn with regular shoes, or may force the wearer to wear a larger size shoe to enjoy all the benefits of these socks.

In light of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a footwear system capable of providing protection and increased comfort to the wearer's foot by suitably matching the sole of a shoe to the thicker and thinner fabric regions of a sock.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a footwear system which is capable of reducing the shear forces on the wearer's foot.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a shoe that is capable of providing increased comfort to a wearer's foot and that conforms perfectly to a sock that is on a wearer's foot.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an insole capable of being adaptable to be inserted into a shoe, so as to perfectly conform to a sock located on the foot of a wearer and provide increased comfort to the wearer of the shoe.

From one aspect, the present invention provides a footwear system according to claim 1.

From another aspect, the invention provides a shoe according to claim 15.

From a further aspect, the invention provides an insole according to claim 27.

The embodiments described herein provide a more comfortable footwear for a wearer's foot with thicker fabric in the ball and heel regions of a sock when on a wearer's foot, the sock matingly connecting to the sole of a shoe so as to reduce wear on the ball and heel regions of the wearer's foot during use. When the thicker fabric regions of a knit sock, preferably the ball and heel regions thereof, are on a wearer's foot, they matingly connect to the contours of the sole of the shoe in a male-female mating manner, thereby allowing multi-directional internal movement in the thicker fabric regions which mat the wearer's foot, thereby reducing frictional shear forces, and without requiring a larger shoe size. The sole of the shoe has a ball area, a heel area and a raised arch area for contacting and connecting with the respective overlying areas of the sock. The raised arch area of the sole of the shoe preferably substantially corresponds to the elongated extent of the thinner fabric arch area of the sock and also connects in a mating manner therewith so that the male-female cooperation between the sock and the sole of the shoe is further improved.

In particular, the footwear system includes a knit sock and a shoe. The knit sock overlies and contacts the shoe and includes a ball region, a heel region, and an arch region located between the ball and heel regions. Both the ball and heel regions of the sock are formed of thicker knit fabric than the arch region of the sock. The thicker knit fabric is preferably formed of a predetermined density of raised plush loops, thereby providing more protection and cushioning for the ball and heel of the wearer's foot. The shoe includes a sole having a ball region, a heel region, and a raised arch region for contacting and connecting to the respective overlying regions of the sock. The sole of the shoe according to the invention preferably comprises an insole and an outsole. The raised arch region of the insole preferably substantially corresponds to the elongated extent of the thinner fabric arch region of the sock when on the wearer's foot, so as to provide a substantially mating connection relationship for increased protection and comfort of the wearer. According to another embodiment of the invention, the arch regions of the knit sock and the insole of the shoe each have a shorter elongated extent than either the ball or heel regions of the sock or insole, and also matingly connect to each other to provide a mating male-female relationship. The mating connection relationship of the sock with the insole of the shoe according to embodiments of the invention hereby provides a male-female approach to foot protection which protects against shear and impact forces normally imposed on the foot during activities of the foot.

Also, the insole of the foot is preferably a multi-layer insole having a ball region, a heel region and a raised arch region therebetween. The raised arch region preferably has a hump, a substantially flat, planar region adjacent the peripheries of the hump, and oppositely inclined front and rear regions to provide a smooth transition to the ball region and the major surfaces of the heel region. The hump extends widthwise from the instep of the insole to the central regions of the raised arch region, has an increased thickness along the instep, a decreasing thickness towards the central regions, and substantially the same contour as the major regions of the arch of a wearer's foot. The insole may be attached to the outsole or an intermediate layer therebetween, or it may also advantageously be used as an insole and removed by the wearer as required, for example for use with orthostatic insoles for a shoe.

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a knitted sock of a footwear system according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the knit sock of Figure 1 in an inverted condition showing the knit plush loop areas on the inside of the sock;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section of the knitted sock of Figure 1 positioned on the foot of a wearer, with dashed lines showing the bones of the foot for clarity;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the shoe of the footwear system;

Figure 5 is a side view of the shoe;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the shoe taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5 and showing the insole of the shoe;

Figure 7 is an exploded view of the footwear system showing the mating connection relationship between the knit sock and the shoe;

Figure 8 is a vertical cross-section of the shoe taken along line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 shows a further vertical cross-section of the shoe with the foot of a wearer in dashed lines;

Figure 10 is a vertical cross-section of the shoe taken along line 10-10 of Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a partial cross-section of the shoe showing the raised arch area of the insole of the shoe;

Figure 12 shows a perspective view of an insole of a shoe of a footwear system embodying the present invention;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of an insole of a shoe of a footwear system according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein dashed lines show the insole in a position of partial removal from the shoe;

Figure 14 is a vertical cross-section of the insole taken along line 14-14 of Figure 12;

Figure 15 is a partial cross-section of the insole taken along line 15-15 of Figure 12;

Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view of the insole;

Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view of an insole of a shoe according to another embodiment of a footwear system;

Figure 18 is a vertical cross-section of another embodiment of a footwear system;

Figure 19 is a horizontal cross-section taken along line 19-19 of Figure 18;

Figure 20 is a horizontal cross-section taken along line 20-20 of Figure 18;

Figure 21 is a horizontal cross-section taken along line 21-21 of Figure 18;

Figure 22 is a plan view of the insole shown in Figure 18; and

Figure 23 is a side view of the insole shown in Figures 18 and 22.

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which are shown illustrated embodiments of the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and, therefore, should not be limited to the embodiments set forth below; instead, these embodiments serve to make this disclosure thorough and complete and to convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numerals refer to like elements throughout the figures.

The footwear system of the present invention, generally designated 20, includes a knit sock 30 overlying and contacting a shoe 50, as best shown in Figures 7 and 9. Figures 1-3 show the knit sock 30 of the footwear system 20 including a view of the knit sock on the wearer's foot with dashed lines for better the knit sock 30 of the footwear system 20 including a view of the knit sock on the wearer's foot with dashed lines showing the bones of the foot for clarity. The sock 30 is shown as an athletic sock. However, the sock 30 may be knitted for use as a dress sock or other types of socks as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The sock 30 is preferably knitted similarly to the sock disclosed in EP-A-0710076 (corresponding to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08/096,708 entitled "Anatomical Isotonic Sock" filed July 23, 1993) by the same applicant, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The sock may also be knitted similarly to the sock disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent 4,194,249 entitled "Jogging and Running Athletic Sock," which is additionally incorporated herein by reference.

As shown in Figure 1-3, the knit sock 30 preferably has a leg with an upper cuff 31 which may be a true rib construction or a simulated rib construction knitted integrally with the foot which includes an instep region 32, a toe region 36, a ball region 33, a heel region 34 and an arch region 35 which is best seen in the clipped region in Figure 1-3 between the ball and heel regions 33, 34. Accordingly, the arch region 35 is preferably formed from a group of raised plush loops, but the arch region may be free of plush loops. The sock 30 is preferably knitted entirely from a stretchable body yarn formed from nylon, spandex or acrylic, but the sock 30 may also be formed entirely from various other types of yarns, such as acrylic yarns, cotton yarns or a combination of yarns.

Both the ball and heel areas 33, 34 of the knitted sock 30 are formed from thicker knitted fabric than the arch area 35. The thicker knitted fabric is preferably a predetermined density of raised plush loops, preferably two or more groups of raised plush loops, thereby providing more protection and cushioning for the ball and heel of the wearer's foot. The arch region 35 may be formed of raised plush loops, but such that it is thinner and provides less cushioning than the ball or heel regions 33, 34. The arch region 35 of the sock 30 may also have a substantially shorter elongated extent than either the ball or heel regions 33, 34 of the sock 30 in its relaxed position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or it may have a longitudinal extent shorter than the ball region 33 and approximately equal to the longitudinal extent of the ball region 34 in its extended position on the wearer's foot, as shown in Figure 3.

Also, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the instep region 32 of the sock 30 preferably has opposite side edges or perimeters which form longitudinally extending opposite side panels 37, 38 which are knitted without raised plush loops. The other opposite side panel 38 is not shown, but is preferably a mirror image of the opposite side panel 37 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The side panels 37, 38 preferably extend longitudinally from the toe region 36 to the upper cuff 31, and extend widthwise from a lower sole formed by the ball, heel and arch regions 33, 34, 35 into the instep region 32 in a plurality of ribs (i.e., preferably 4 to 14 ribs).

The shoe 50, best shown in Figures 4-6, 8, 10-11 and 18, has a shoe upper 51 and a sole shown as an insole 60 and an outsole 80. The shoe shown is a casual walking shoe, but other types of shoes including athletic shoes, dress shoes and sandal-type shoes may be used as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. The insole 60 of the shoe 50 overlies the outsole 80 and has a ball region 62, a heel region 61 and a raised arch region 63 as best shown by the bracketed region in 6 and 8, to contact and bond with the respective overlying portions of the knit sock 30. The ball portion 62 extends longitudinally into the front portion of the raised arch portion 63 and preferably encompasses the portion lying below the toe portion of an overlying sock or toes of the foot of the wearer thereof. The heel portion 61 extends longitudinally into the rear portion of the raised arch portion 63 as shown and preferably extends to encompass the heel portion of an overlying sock or the heel of the foot of the wearer thereof. As shown in the embodiment of Figures 1-17 of the present application, the raised arch portion 63 of the insole 60 may have a longitudinal extent that is substantially shorter than the ball portion 61 and approximately equal to or slightly greater than the longitudinal extent of the heel portion 61, as best shown in Figures 7-9, such that the longitudinal extent of the raised arch portion 63 of the insole 60 substantially corresponds to the longitudinal extent of the thin weave arch portion 35 of the knit sock 30 when worn on the foot of a wearer, thereby providing a substantially mating connection relationship for greater protection and comfort for the wearer. According to another embodiment of a footwear system according to the present invention, the raised arch portion 62" of the insole 60" may also have a substantially shorter longitudinal dimension than either the ball portion 62" or the heel portion 61", as best shown in Figures 18-23 with double quotation mark designation ("), corresponding to the same elements of the first embodiment of the invention described herein. The shorter longitudinal dimension of the raised arch portion 63" preferably has a range of about 20% to 28% of the total longitudinal dimension of the insole 60" for all sizes of a 50" shoe. The raised arch portion 63 according to embodiments of the invention also extends generally across the entire width of the insole 60.

The mating connection relationship of the sock 30 with the sole of the shoe 50, as best shown in Figures 7, 9 and 18, thereby allows for omnidirectional internal movement in the thicker fabric areas of the sock 30 that engage the wearer's foot, thereby reducing the shock and friction shear forces received by the wearer's foot. The mating connection relationship is preferably a male-female cooperative approach that protects the foot during activities such as running, jogging and participating in various sports. The footwear system of the invention also provides a shoe 50 that comfortably accommodates a sock, such as the knit sock 30, with thicker fabric in the ball and heel areas thereof than in the arch, without requiring a larger shoe size for the wearer of the sock.

The insole 60 of the shoe 50, best shown in Figures 6, 12-17 and 22-23, is preferably formed from multiple layers including a reinforcement layer 57 and an integrally molded foam layer 70 overlying the reinforcement layer 57. The reinforcement layer 57 (as shown in a first embodiment in Figures 12 and 16) preferably has a substantially uniform thickness throughout and may be integrally formed from a relatively stiff and pliable material, such as densified paperboard, to provide relatively stiff reinforcement to the integrally molded foam layer 70. The reinforcement layer 57' (as shown in a second embodiment in Figures 13 and 17) may also be bifurcated into first and second portions 57a', 57b' and secured along common and overlapping edges 57c', 57d'. The first portion 57a' of the reinforcing layer 579 extends substantially the length of the ball region 62', and the second portion 57b' extends substantially the length of the arch region 63' and substantially the length of the heel region 61'. The second portion 57b' is made of a stiffer material than the first region 57a', such that the stiffer second region 57b' reduces the lateral and flexural movement of the heel and arch of the wearer of the shoe 50, and such that the first region 57a' still allows for flexible flexing in and around the ball and toes of the wearer's foot. The material from which the first region 57a' is made is preferably formed from densified paperboard, and the material from which the second region 57b' is made is preferably formed from a more densely densified paperboard.

Also in the second embodiment of the insole 60, the first region 57a is relatively thinner than the second region 57b', and the two regions 57a', 57b' have adjacent sloped edges 57c', 57d' that are secured together in the arch region 63' of the insole 60' or in a region that forms a transition between the ball region 62' and the arch region 63'. The reinforcing layer 57 is shown in Figures 16 and 17 as a single layer, but it may also comprise composite or multiple layers. As shown, the molded foam layer 70 and the reinforcing layer 57 have substantially the same overall configuration.

An intermediate bottom layer 59, preferably formed of a material such as PORON (a polyurethane material) manufactured by Rogers Corporation of Connecticut, which has substantially the same overall configuration as the reinforcement layer 57 and the molded foam layer 70, is preferably disposed between the reinforcement layer 57 and the molded foam layer 70, as best seen in Figures 16 and 17. The intermediate bottom layer 59 provides additional reinforcement as described above with reference to the reinforcement layer 57 and allows for additional overall thickness of the molded foam layer 70 of the insole 60. The intermediate bottom layer 59 can be cut and laminated to the densified paperboard and the overlying molded foam layer 70 is then attached thereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the molded foam layer 70 can be shaped so that that it provides a thicker lower portion and a similarly sized upper portion and still generally has the ball portion 72, heel portion 71 and raised arch portion 73 as described above, thereby eliminating the intermediate lower layer 59. Since the intermediate lower layer 59 of the insole 60 is preferably included in the construction of the insole 60, an insole 60" having no intermediate lower layer 59, that is, having only the reinforcing layer 57", can also be constructed in accordance with the present invention, as best illustrated in Figure 23.

Also, in the illustrated embodiments, the insole 60 preferably further includes a lining layer 90, as best shown in the exploded views of Figures 16 and 17, overlying and contacting the molded foam layer 70. The insole lining layer 90 is preferably made of a composite of three fabric layers 91, 92, 93.

The bottom fabric layer 91 is preferably made of a fibrous material, the middle layer 92 is preferably made of a foam material, and the top layer 93 is preferably made of Coolmax or other cord-like fabric. These three composite layers 91, 92, 93 are desirably bonded and sewn together (as shown by seam 94), and have substantially the same overall configuration as the molded foam layer 70. The lining layer 90 is also preferably attached to the molded foam layer 70. The insole composite lining layer 90 is made of materials that help remove moisture from the sock 30. This composite material may also line the interior walls of the shoe upper 51. The insole lining layer 90 may also be constructed to have a variable coefficient of friction therealong, thereby reducing the stress and shear forces imposed on the foot during walking, running, or other use. An example of such a lining layer is shown in U.S. Patent 4,893,418 to Ogden entitled "Shoe insole and manufacturing process" (Shoe Insole And Method Of Manufacture), which is included here as a reference.

As best seen in Figures 8-11 and 14-17, the molded foam layer 70 is preferably made of closed cell polyvinylidene chloride ("PVDC") material, but it will be apparent that other foam materials such as closed cell polyurethane or polyethylene foam may be used. The molded foam layer 70 has a thicker central region defining the raised arch region 73 of the insole 60 which matingly joins the arch region 35 of the knit sock 30. The raised arch region 73 of the molded foam layer preferably includes a hump 77 extending longitudinally from the instep of the insole 60 to the central regions of the raised arch region 73. The hump 77 preferably has an increased thickness along the instep, a decreasing thickness towards the central regions of the raised arch region 73 as shown, and substantially the same contour as the major regions of the arch of the wearer's foot. The raised arch region 73 also preferably includes a relatively flat plane 78 relative to the peripheries of the hump 77. The plane 78 is raised with respect to the ball region 72 and the major surfaces of the heel region 71 of the molded foam layer 70 of the insole 60 so that the corresponding surfaces of the arch region 35 of the knit sock on the wearer's foot mate therewith.

The ball region 61 and the major surfaces of the heel region 71 of the molded foam layer 70 of the insole 60 are relatively thin and have substantially the same thickness. The plane 78 of the raised arch region 73 of the molded foam layer 70 is preferably about 0.32 cm (1/8 inch) thicker than either the ball region 72 or the major surfaces of the heel region 71. Preferably, the ball region 72 and the major surfaces of the heel region 71 of the molded foam layer 70 each have a thickness of about 0.16 cm (1/16 inch), and the plane 78 of the arch region 73 of the molded foam layer 70 has a Thickness of at least twice the thickness of either the ball region 72 or the heel region 71, such as 0.48 cm (3/16 inch).

In addition, the molded foam layer 70 of the insole 60 preferably further has a thickened outer peripheral edge surrounding the major surfaces of the heel region 71 and defining a raised heel bead 76 so as to provide additional support to the lateral heel surfaces of the wearer, thereby providing additional comfort to the wearer. The raised heel bead 76 of the molded foam layer 70 preferably terminates at a lower height than the raised arch region 73 of the molded foam layer 70.

The raised arch region 73 of the molded foam layer 70 preferably further has a peripheral instep edge defining a raised arch bead 79, as best seen in Figure 14, which joins the raised heel bead in a continuous manner. The raised arch bead 79 extends higher than the raised heel bead 76 for improved support of the instep region of the wearer. The raised arch portion 73 of the molded foam layer 70 extends across the entire width of the insole 60 from the arch bead 79 to the outer crotch of the insole 60, as best seen in Figures 12-15. It will also be appreciated that the raised arch portion 73 of the molded foam layer 70 has a generally decreasing thickness in cross-section so as to more closely conform to the slope of the arch portion of the foot with the thinner fabric arch portion 35 of the knit sock 30 thereon.

The raised arch portion 73 of the molded foam layer 70 also has mutually inclined front and rear portions 74, 75 of decreasing thickness to provide a smooth transition with the thinner ball portion 72 and the major surfaces of the heel portion 71. The front and rear portions 74, 75 of the raised arch portion 73 are preferably substantially parallel in a transverse direction for a more effective mating connection relationship with the thinner fabric arch portion 35 and the corresponding ball and heel areas 33, 34 with thicker fabric of the knitted sock 30. Those skilled in the art will recognize that angle variations of the front and rear areas 74, 75 in a transverse direction may also be used.

Also, the insole 60 of the present invention may be attached to the outsole 80 or an intermediate midsole, or it may be used as an insert such as an orthotic insert for other shoes that do not have the insole to facilitate the mating connection relationship with the sock 30. If the insole 60 is used as an insert, it would preferably have the reinforcement layer shown in Figures 12 and 16.

In an embodiment of the footwear system in which the insole 60 is used as an insert, the shoe would be an extra depth shoe that can be adjusted to accommodate the insole 60 as well as other types of orthotic inserts when the insole 60 is removed therefrom. The extra depth shoe has a sole and a shoe upper 51. The illustrated sole preferably includes a multi-layer insole 60 and an outsole 80. The extra depth shoe preferably has an additional depth of about 0.64 cm (1/4 inch) over conventional shoes, and the combined thickness of the multi-layer insole 60 has a thickness of about 0.64 cm (1/4 inch) in the ball region 72 and the major surfaces of the heel region 71. For example, the conventional shoe may have a depth suitable to accommodate a wearer's foot about 5.4 cm (2-1/8 inches) from the upper surface of the major surfaces of the heel region to slightly below the ankle in the shoe upper, i.e., the lower upper shoe. An extra depth shoe in this position, on the other hand, has a depth of about 6.04 cm (2-3/8 inches) from the upper surface of the major surfaces of the heel region to slightly below the ankle in the shoe upper. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the dimensions of this depth of the shoe according to the present invention may vary depending on the style of the shoe and the thickness of the desired insole. The embodiment The footwear system of the extra-deep shoe preferably also substantially corresponds to the drawings, but the illustrated insole 60 is adjustable to facilitate insertion and removal into and from the shoe.

As described above, the insole 60 as an insert would preferably have the reinforcing layer configuration as shown in Figures 12 and 16. The shoe 50 would then preferably have a bifurcated intermediate reinforcing layer 57', as best shown in Figure 17, which overlies the outsole 80 on the inside of the shoe 50. The first region 57a' of the intermediate reinforcing layer 57' extends substantially the length of the ball region 62', and the second region 57b' extends substantially the length of the arch region 63' and substantially the length of the heel region 61'. The second region 57b' is made of a stiffer material than the first region 57a' such that the stiffer second region 57b' reduces the lateral and flexural movement of the heel and arch of the wearer of the shoe 50, yet the first portion 57a' allows for sufficient flexibility in and around the ball and toes of the wearer's foot. The material forming the first region 57a' is preferably made of densified paperboard, and the material forming the second region 57b' is preferably made of an even more densely densified paperboard. A lining layer 90 substantially the same as the lining layer 90 described with the insole 60 overlies the intermediate reinforcement layer 57' to facilitate removal and insertion of the insole 60 insert as shown in Figures 12 and 16. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other types of extra-deep shoes or other shoes may be adapted as needed to accommodate the insert of the insole 60 according to the present invention.

The outsole 80 of the shoe 50 according to the embodiments of the present invention, as best shown in Figures 5 and 8, is made of Molded outsole manufactured by Quabaug Corporation of North Brookfield, Massachusetts. The outsole 80 preferably has a roughened outer surface shown in the form of a plurality of ribs 81 for providing increased frictional contact with the ground or surface upon which the wearer walks. The plurality of ribs 81 preferably extend across the entire widthwise extent of the outsole 80 and are generally parallel to one another in a transverse direction. It will also be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the outsole 80, while shown as a single molded foam layer in Figures 8-9, may comprise various other types or styles including two composite layers 82" and 83" as shown in Figure 18, more than two composite layers, or a manufactured unit outsole that is manufactured rather than molded.

In the drawings and description, typical preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and although specific terms are used, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. The invention has been described with considerable particularity and with reference numerals for several preferred embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the invention as described in the foregoing description and defined in the following claims.

Claims (38)

1. A footwear system (20) for providing improved protection and comfort to a wearer's foot by reducing the shock and shear forces normally imposed on the foot, the footwear system (20) comprising a knit sock (30) and a shoe (50) receiving the knit sock positioned on a wearer's foot, the knit sock (30) comprising a ball region (33), a heel region (34) and an arch region (35) located between the ball (33) and heel regions (34), each of the ball (33) and heel regions (34) being formed of thicker knit fabric than the arch region (35), thereby providing more protection and cushioning to the ball and heel regions of a wearer's foot than to an arch region of the foot, the shoe (50) comprising a sole, characterized in that that it has a ball region (62), a heel region (61) and a raised arch region (63), upper portions of each of the sole regions (61, 62, 63) being positioned and arranged to receive and abuttingly contact respective overlying regions of the knitted sock (30), the lengthwise extent of the upper portions of each region of the sole substantially corresponding to the lengthwise extent of the respective overlying regions of the knitted sock (30) when positioned on the foot of a wearer, to provide a substantially mating connection relationship for additional protection and comfort to the wearer. 2. The footwear system (20) of claim 1, wherein the sole comprises an insole (60) and an outsole (80), and wherein the insole (60) further comprises multiple layers, including a reinforcing layer (57) of substantially uniform thickness throughout and a molded foam layer (70) overlying and secured to the reinforcing layer (57), the molded foam layer (70) and the reinforcing layer (57) having substantially the same overall configuration and the molded foam layer (70) having a thicker central region defining the raised arch region of the sole. 3. The footwear system (20) of claim 2, wherein the multi-layer insole (60) further comprises a lining layer (90) overlying and secured to the molded foam layer (70), the lining layer (90) having substantially the same overall configuration as the molded foam layer (70) and the reinforcing layer (57). 4. The footwear system (20) of claim 2 or 3, wherein the reinforcing layer (57) is integrally formed from a material that is flexible enough to bend and stiff enough to provide support to the molded foam layer (70). 5. Footwear system (20) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the reinforcement layer (57) of the multi-layer insole (60) has a first region (57a') and a second region (57b'), the first region (57a') extending substantially along the length of the ball region (62) and into the arch region (63) and being attached to the second region (57b'), the second region (57b') extending longitudinally away from the raised arch region (62) and substantially along the length of the heel region (61), the first (57a') and the second (57b') regions being formed from a flexible material, the second region (57b') being less flexible than the first region (57a'), so that the less flexible second region (57b') reduces the lateral movement of the heel of the wearer of the shoe (50). 6. The footwear system (20) of claim 2, 3, 4 or 57, wherein the ball region (72) and major surfaces of the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70) of the insole (60) have substantially the same thickness, and wherein the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70) has a hump (77) extending widthwise from the instep of the insole (60) to the central regions of the raised arch region (73) and having a greater thickness along the instep, a decreasing thickness toward the central regions of the raised arch region (73), and substantially the same contour as major regions of the arch of a wearer's foot, and a plane (78) extending outwardly from inwardly extending perimeter surfaces of the hump (77) and being approximately 0.32 cm (1/8 inch) thicker than either the ball area (73) or the main surfaces of the heel area (71) of the molded foam layer (70). 7. The footwear system (20) of claim 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70) of the insole (60) further comprises a thickened outer perimeter edge defining a raised heel bar (76) to provide additional support for side heel regions of the wearer, thereby providing additional comfort to the wearer. 8. Footwear system (20) according to claim 7, wherein the raised heel bar (76) of the molded foam layer (70) terminates at a lower height than the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70). 9. The footwear system (20) of claim 8, wherein the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70) has a boundary surface tension edge defining an upright arch web (79) connecting in uninterrupted fashion to the raised heel web (76), and wherein the upright arch web (79) extends higher than the raised heel web (76) to improve support of the wearer's arch region. 10. The footwear system (20) of claim 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 10 9, wherein the raised arch portion (73) of the molded foam layer (70) has oppositely inclined front (74) and rear (75) portions of decreasing thickness to provide a smooth transition with the thinner ball (72) and the major surfaces of the heel portion (71). 11. The footwear system (20) of claim 10, wherein the front (74) and rear (75) portions of the raised arch portion (73) are substantially parallel in a transverse direction for a more effective mating connection relationship with the thinner fabric arch portion (35) of the sock (30). 12. The footwear system (20) of claim 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11, wherein the ball region (72) and the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70) each have a thickness of about 0.16 cm (1/16 inch) and the arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70) has a thickness of at least twice that of either the ball (72) or heel region (71) to provide a relative height difference between the thicker fabric ball (33) and -heel areas (34) and the thinner fabric arch area (35), extending downwards from the overlying knitted sock (30) to mate with the upper parts of the sole of the shoe (50). 13. The footwear system (20) of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, wherein the thinner fabric arch portion (35) of the knit sock (30) has a substantially shorter lengthwise extent than either the ball (33) or heel (34) portion thereof, and wherein the arch portion (35) of the sole of the shoe (50) has a substantially shorter lengthwise extent than either the ball (33) or heel (34) portion of the sole, such that the lengthwise extent of the raised arch portion (63) of the sole substantially corresponds to the lengthwise extent of the thinner fabric arch portion (35) of the sock (30). 14. The footwear system (20) of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13, wherein the thicker knit fabric of the sock (30) comprising a predetermined density of raised plush loops on the inside thereof. 15. A shoe (50) for providing greater comfort to a wearer's foot, the shoe (50) comprising: a multi-layer insole (60) and an outsole (80), the multi-layer insole (60) having a ball region (62), a heel region (61) and a raised arch region (63) extending upwardly from the ball (62) and heel regions (61) such that the ball region (62) and heel region (61) are positioned at a relatively lower height than the raised arch region (63), upper portions of the insole (60) being adapted for connection to respective overlying portions of a knit sock (30) having ball (33) and heel regions (34) thereof formed of a thicker knit fabric than an arch region (35) thereof, thereby providing greater protection and cushioning for the ball and heel regions of a wearer's foot are provided as an arch region of the foot, and a raised arch region (63) of the insole (60), characterized by: a hump (77) for comfortably supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, a substantially flat, planar region (78) extending outwardly from inwardly extending perimeter surfaces of the hump (77), and oppositely inclined front (74) and rear (75) regions adjacent to the planar region for providing a smooth transition to the ball region (62) and the major surfaces of the heel regions (61), the planar region (78) being arranged to compensate for a relative difference in height between the thicker fabric ball regions (33) and heel regions (34) and a thinner fabric arch region (35) extending downwardly from an overlying knit sock (30) and thereby being adapted to provide a substantially mating connection relationship with a worn Knitted socks (30) to provide additional protection and comfort to the wearer. 16. The shoe (50) of claim 15, wherein the multi-layer insole (60) includes a reinforcing layer (57) of substantially uniform thickness throughout and a molded foam layer (70) overlying and secured to the reinforcing layer (57), the molded foam layer (70) and the reinforcing layer (57) having substantially the same overall configuration, and the molded foam layer (70) having a thicker central region defining the raised arch region (73) of the insole (60). 17. Shoe (50) according to claim 16, wherein the multi-layer insole (60) further comprises a lining layer (90) overlying and secured to the molded foam layer (70), the lining layer (90) having substantially the same overall configuration as the molded foam layer (70) and the reinforcing layer (57). 18. Shoe (50) according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the reinforcing layer (57) is integrally formed from a material that is flexible enough to bend and stiff enough to provide rigid support for the molded foam layer (70). 19. Shoe (50) according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the reinforcing layer (57) of the multi-layer insole (60) has a first region (57a') and a second region (57b'), the first region (57a') extending substantially along the length of the ball region (62) and into the raised arch region (63) and being attached to the second region (57b'), the second region (57b') extending lengthwise from the raised arch region (63) and substantially along the length of the heel region (61), the first (57a') and second regions (57b') being formed from a pliable material, the second region (57b') being less flexible than the first region (57a') such that the less flexible second region (57b') accommodates the lateral movement of the heel of the wearer of the shoe (50) is reduced. 20. The shoe (50) of claim 16, 17, 18 or 19, wherein the ball region (72) and major surfaces of the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70) of the insole (60) have substantially the same thickness, and wherein the plane (78) of the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70) is about 0.32 cm (1/8 inch) thicker than either the ball region (72) or the major surfaces of the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70). 21. The shoe (50) of claim 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20, wherein the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70) of the insole (60) further comprises a thickened outer perimeter edge (60) defining a raised heel bar (76) to provide additional support to lateral heel regions of the wearer, thereby providing greater comfort to the wearer. 22. The shoe (50) of claim 21, wherein the raised heel bar (76) of the molded foam layer (70) terminates at a lower height than the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70), and wherein the hump (77) of the raised arch region (73) extends widthwise from the instep of the insole (60) to the central regions of the raised arch region (73) and has a greater thickness along the crotch, a decreasing thickness toward the central regions of the raised arch region (73), and substantially the same contour as major regions of the arch of the wearer's foot. 23. The shoe (50) of claim 22, wherein the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70) has a perimeter instep edge defining an upright arch bar (79) connecting in uninterrupted fashion to the raised heel bar (79), and wherein the upright arch bar (79) extends higher than the raised heel bar (76) to improve support of the instep region of the wearer. 24. Shoe (50) according to claim 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 or 23, wherein the front (74) and rear (75) regions of the raised arch region (73) are substantially parallel in a transverse direction. 25. The shoe (50) of claim 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 or 24, wherein the ball region (72) and the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70) each have a thickness of about 0.16 cm (1/16 inch), and the plane (78) of the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70) has a thickness of at least twice that of the ball region (72) or the heel region (71). 26. Shoe (50) according to claim 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25, wherein the arch region (63) of the multi-layer insole (60) has a substantially shorter lengthwise extension than either the ball region (62) or the heel region (61) of the insole (60). 27. An insole (60) adapted to be incorporated into a shoe (50), the insole (60) comprising: a ball region (62), a heel region (61), and a raised arch region (63) extending upwardly from the ball region (62) and the heel region (61) such that the ball region (62) and the heel region (61) are disposed at a relatively lower height than the arch region (63), upper portions of the insole (60) being adapted to mate with respective overlying portions of a knit sock (30) having ball regions (33) and heel regions thereof formed of a thicker knit fabric than an arch region (35) thereof, thereby providing more protection and cushioning for the ball and heel regions of a wearer's foot than for an arch region of the foot, and a raised arch region (63) of the insole (60), characterized by: a hump (77) for comfortably supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, a substantially flat, planar region (78) extending outwardly from inwardly extending boundary surfaces of the hump (77), and oppositely inclined front (74) and rear (75) regions adjacent to the flat region (78) for providing a smooth transition with the ball region (62) and the major surfaces of the heel region (61), the flat region (78) being arranged to compensate for a relative height difference between thicker fabric ball regions (33) and heel regions (34) and a thinner fabric arch region (35) extending downwardly from an overlying sock (30) and being adapted to provide a substantially mating connection relationship with a worn knit sock (30) for additional protection and comfort to the wearer thereof. 28. The insole (60) of claim 27, wherein the insole (60) further comprises multiple layers including a reinforcing layer (57) of substantially uniform thickness throughout and a molded foam layer (70) overlying and secured to the reinforcing layer (57), the molded foam layer (70) and the reinforcing layer (57) having substantially the same overall configuration and the molded foam layer (70) having a thicker central region defining the raised arch region (73) of the insole (60). 29. The insole (60) of claim 28, wherein the multi-layer insole (60) further comprises a lining layer (90) overlying and secured to the molded foam layer (70), the lining layer (90) having substantially the same overall configuration as the molded foam layer (70) and the reinforcing layer (57). 30. Insole according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the reinforcing layer (57) is formed from a material which is flexible enough to bend and is stiff enough to provide rigid support for the molded foam layer (70). 31. Insole according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the reinforcing layer (57) of the multi-layer insole (60) has a first region (57a') and a second region (57b'), the first region (57a') extending substantially along the length of the ball region (62) and into the raised arch region (63) and being attached to the second region (57b'), the second region (57b') extending longitudinally away from the raised arch region (63) and substantially along the length of the heel region (61), the first region (57a') and the second region (57b') being formed from a flexible material, the second region (57b') being less flexible than the first region (57a') so that the less flexible second region (57b') accommodates the lateral movement of the wearer's heel therefrom. reduced. 32. The insole (60) of claim 28, 29, 30 or 31, wherein the ball region (72) and major surfaces of the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70) of the insole (60) have substantially the same thickness and wherein the plane (78) of the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70) is about 0.32 cm (1/8 inch) thicker than either the ball region (72) or the major surfaces of the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70). 33. The insole (60) of claim 28, 29, 30, 31 or 32, wherein the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70) of the insole (60) further comprises a thickened outer perimeter edge defining a raised heel bar (76) to provide additional To provide support to the wearer's side heel areas, creating additional comfort for the wearer. 34. The insole (60) of claim 33, wherein the raised heel bar (76) of the molded foam layer (70) terminates at a lower height than the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70), and wherein the hump (77) of the raised arch region (73) extends widthwise from the instep of the insole (60) to central regions of the raised arch region (73) and has a greater thickness along the instep, a decreasing thickness toward the central regions of the raised arch region (73), and substantially the same contour as the major regions of the arch of a wearer's foot. 35. The insole (60) of claim 34, wherein the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70) has a boundary surface tension edge defining an upright arch bar (79) connecting in uninterrupted fashion to the raised heel bar (76), and wherein the upright arch bar (79) extends higher than the raised heel bar (76) to improve support of the arch region of the wearer. 36. An insole (60) according to claim 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 or 35, wherein the front portion (74) and the rear portion (75) of the raised arch portion (73) are substantially parallel in a transverse direction. 37. The insole (60) of claim 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 or 36, wherein the ball region (72) and the heel region (71) of the molded foam layer (70) each have a thickness of about 0.16 cm (1/16 inch) and the plane (78) of the raised arch region (73) of the molded foam layer (70) has a thickness of at least twice that of either the ball area (72) or the heel area (71). 38. Insole (60) according to claim 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 or 37, wherein the arch region (63) of the insole (60) has a substantially shorter lengthwise extension than either the ball region (62) or the heel region (61) of the insole (60).