EP0443121B1 - yrthopaedic insole for shoes - Google Patents

Abstract

Orthopaedic insoles for shoes made of real or artificial leather use insole cores (2) made of thermoplastic material as the supporting element. These insole cores (2) are injection-moulded from highly viscoplastic material in the final form which is optimally adapted to the foot shapes and sizes in need of correction - thin in the heel region (5), thick at the support points (3), running out at the transitions (4). In the working of these insole cores (2) and in the individual adaptation to the unhealthy foot, there is no longer any waste. The material of the insole cores can be recycled after use. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to individually adaptable orthopedic shoe inserts according to the preamble of claim 1. Such shoe inserts are known from GB-A-1 066 996.

The specialist prescribes insoles to correct and support malpositions of the foot, for example in the case of flat feet, flat feet, flat spreading feet, hollow feet and the like. These insoles are made by the orthopedic shoemaker or orthopedic technician on the basis of a plaster cast that has been removed from the patient's foot, an existing patient last, or made to measure.

In the production of insoles, in particular those made of leather or synthetic leather, supporting insert cores are used, the shape and size of which are adapted to the patient's sick foot. For the production of these insert cores, industry supplies preformed sheets made of thermoplastic, which in many cases are also filled with reinforcing fibers. These plates are heated and pressed onto the plaster cast. If you are lucky and have a lot of skill, the top of the plate has the curvature corresponding to the patient's foot after cooling. Subsequently, shape and size on the one hand and the correct material distribution on the other hand have to be worked out, whereby measures have to be taken at certain points which bring about support or even correction of the foot. For this purpose, the excess material is worked off with the help of knives or grinding wheels. This process requires a lot of experience and tact. If too much material is taken from the wrong place, all the previous work has been wasted; the core of the deposit must be recreated, otherwise it would be the insert is unsuitable for repairing foot damage.

It goes without saying that working out the final shape from the blank is time-consuming. This also creates an abundance of plastic waste, mostly in dust form, the disposal of which is becoming increasingly difficult, especially if the plastic is fiber-reinforced.

In addition to the flat plastic plates described, which only approximate the shape of the foot, the industry also supplies plates for orthopedic insoles, the upper side of which is already pre-shaped to match the normal sole of the foot. This preforming makes adaptation to the plaster cast a little easier. However, the finish is no different from that described above.

From the aforementioned GB-A-1 066 996 an orthopedic shoe insert is known which is molded from a light, odorless, non-toxic, tough and shape-retaining thermoplastic material, in particular polyethylene. Thanks to a softening temperature below 100 degrees C, the insert can be softened by immersing it in boiling water and can then be adjusted to the patient's foot. Larger amounts of material are removed using sandpaper or a grinding wheel. However, as far as can be seen, these deposits have not found their way into practice.

Instead, the industry only offers the aforementioned preformed plates of uniform thickness, for example 6 mm. In practice, the plastic is often laminated with leather, so that the finished insert is so high that it can only be worn in special shoes. However, such special shoes are not characterized by particular elegance.

In practice, orthopedic insoles are equipped with dimensionally accurate pads, pads, floor covering parts, etc., according to medical requirements. It has proven to be practical if these are subsequently incorporated; The way proposed in GB-A-1 066 996 to subsequently grind off a high pad provided in the factory has proven to be very impractical, even if such a one-piece insert may look more beautiful. Since the insert is covered with leather in most cases, the beauty of the plastic part is not important. It is much more important that the additional parts can fulfill their orthopedic function perfectly.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of improving and supplementing the generic shoe insert in such a way that it is simple to manufacture, fulfills the orthopedic functions perfectly, looks optically appealing and can be easily recycled after use.

This object is achieved by a generic orthopedic shoe insert with the features according to the characterizing part of claim 1.

This has the advantages that not only the plastic parts, but also the bags can be manufactured in large quantities and with the result that the fit and support function are optimal and the prices are minimal. The inserts are finished in the usual way, ie upholstery, pads, floor covering parts, etc. can be made to measure as required. Thanks to the slit of the insert cover in the area of the bale or the sensitive one Metatarsal heads significantly increase the effect of the integrated padding without this slit being perceived by sensitive feet.

In addition, it is possible to recycle the plastic material from disused deposits. This is especially true when the plastic material is free of reinforcing fibers.

Preferably, the underside of the insert core is flat in the heel and joint area. This means that the shoe insert lies in this area over a large area on the insole of the shoe. This guarantees the medically required optimal support function in all cases. At the same time, thanks to the special material and the optimized material distribution, the shoe insert can adapt flexibly to the movements of the foot and shoe when walking, and in particular to the respective joint heel of the shoe.

Fig. 1

einen ersten Einlagenkern für orthopädische Schuheinlagen für Hohlfüße,

Fig. 2

einen zweiten Einlagenkern für orthopädische Schuheinlagen für Plattfüße, wobei die Einlagenkerne der Fig. 1 und 2 eine automatische Anpassungsfähigkeit an die jeweils vorgegebene unterscheidliche Gelenksprengung, d. h. Absatzhöhe, besitzen,

Fig. 3

einen dritten Einlagenkern für orthopädische Schuheinlagen, in diesem Fall geformt als Schaleneinlage für Kinder mit Hohlfuß,

Fig. 4

einen vierten Einlagenkern für orthopädische Schuheinlagen, in diesem Fall geformt als Schaleneinlage für Kinder mit Plattfuß, wobei die Einlagenkernschalen der Fig. 3 und 4 auch die sonstigen statischen oder krankheitsbedingten Fehlformen des Kinderfußes zu korrigieren ermöglichen, und

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf eine fertiggestellte langsohlige orthopädische Schuheinlage.

The invention will be explained in more detail in the form of exemplary embodiments with the aid of the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a first insert core for orthopedic shoe insoles for hollow feet,

Fig. 2

a second insert core for orthopedic shoe inserts for flat feet, wherein the insert cores of FIGS. 1 and 2 have an automatic adaptability to the respectively predetermined different joint heel, ie heel height,

Fig. 3

a third insert core for orthopedic shoe insoles, in this case shaped as a shell insert for children with hollow feet,

Fig. 4

a fourth insert core for orthopedic shoe insoles, in this case shaped as a shell insert for children with flat feet, the insert core shells of FIGS. 3 and 4 also making it possible to correct the other static or disease-related malformations of the child's foot, and

Fig. 5

a plan view of a completed slow-root orthopedic shoe insert.

1 and 2 show in the injection molding process from thermoplastic plastic in the final form, injection-molded insert cores 2, in the case of FIG. 1 for the supply of hollow feet, in the case of FIG. 2 for the supply of flat feet. In the area of the support points 3, the material thickness is high to ensure an optimal support function for the sick foot, but on the other hand it is still sufficiently low so that the entire insert core 2 remains very elastic for optimal adaptation to the blasting of the shoe and the movements of the foot and Shoe when walking. In the heel area 5, the material is practically only extremely thin, since the weight is directly transferred to the insole and the heel of the shoe. The circumferential edge of the insert core 2, in particular, however, the transition 4 to the forefoot area, is designed to run out in order to prevent undesirable pressure loads on the feet as well as damage to the shoe or the insert itself.

The underside of the insert core 2 is optimally adapted to the inner surface of the shoe, i. H. essentially flat in the heel and joint area.

3 and 4 show insert cores 2 'which are injection molded from thermoplastic material in the final shape are, in this case, more than a shell insert intended for the care of children's feet. In children, because of the still flexible bone structure, there is the possibility of permanently correcting misalignments, which is favored by the shell shape.

Fig. 5 shows a plan view of a finished slow-soled insert 1. The insert cover 6 has a cross-slit 7 in the forefoot area, in particular in the area of the usually very sensitive metatarsal heads, thanks to which incorporated ball pads come into their own without the slit 7 itself being the foot disturbs or affects the durability of the insert 1.

With children in particular, there is a need to replace the corrective insoles after a relatively short wearing time. When using the insert blanket 6, it is now possible to take out the insert core 2 and to recycle the plastic material, which is completely free of adhesive or other foreign matter, i.e. H. to shred and spray again. In these cases, there is no longer any plastic waste.

Claims (3)

1. An individually adaptable orthopaedic insole (1), comprising an insole core (2) as a supporting member, which is injection moulded, so as to be thick at the support points (3), thin in the heel region (5) and tapering at the transitions (4), from a very tough and resilient thermoplastic material in the final moulds matched to the foot shapes and sizes requiring correction, and the underside of which is adapted in the heel region and ankle region to the inner surface of the shoe, characterised in that an insole cover (6) of leather or imitation leather is provided having a pocket for accommodating the insole core (2), and in that the insole cover (6) is grooved, in particular cross-grooved, in the forefoot and/or ball region.
2. An insole according to Claim 1, characterised in that the underside of the insole core (2) is smooth in the heel region and ankle region.
3. An insole according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the plastics material of the insole cores (2) is free of reinforcing fibres.

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