GB1602101A

GB1602101A - Orthopaedic footwear

Info

Publication number: GB1602101A
Application number: GB874577A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-11-04

Description

(54) ORTHOPAEDIC FOOTWEAR (71) 1, JOHN ALAN DREW, of 433 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, London, W.5, a British subject, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to orthopaedic footwear for use with leg calipers.

Leg calipers, whether below-knee calipers or full-length calipers, are connected at the lower end to a pair of lateral caliper stubs in the heel region of the wearer's shoe. For example, the stubs may be tubular and receive inwardly directed spurs on the leg calipers, or they may have pivotable connectors for fixing to the leg calipers. It is normal practice to adapt an already constructed shoe for this purpose by breaking the upper from the sole, providing caliper stubs in the heel region of the sole, and reassembling the shoe. This is obviously a skilled and time-consuming task.

The basic concept of the present invention is to provide a heel unit adapted to receive an insert constituting the caliper sockets.

The invention provides an article of orthopaedic footwear comprising: a heeland-sole unit comprising a heel unit of moulded plastics material connected to a sole unit of moulded plastics material, the upper surface of the heel unit having a recess from which two transverse apertures having a common axis extend to the sides of the heel unit; and an insert comprising a plug of moulded plastics material and two stubs for connection to leg calipers, the stubs extending from the plug in opposite directions along a common axis, the plug and the stubs fitting in the recess and the apertures, respectively, of the heel unit. The heel unit is preferably integral with the sole unit.

In another aspect, the invention provides an orthopaedic footwear kit comprising: a plurality of heel units of moulded plastics material, the upper surface of each heel unit having a recess from which two transverse apertures extend to the sides of the heel unit; a plurality of sole units of moulded plastics material connected or connectible to respective heel units as heel-and-sole units; at least one insert comprising a plug of moulded plastics materials and two stubs for connection to leg calipers, the stubs extending from the plug in opposite directions along a common axis, the plug and the stubs being capable of fitting into the recess and the apertures, respectively, of each heel unit; and a plurality of prefabricated - uppers connectible to respective heel-and-sole units. Preferably there are a plurality of the said inserts having different forms of stubs (e.g. of different shapes and dimensions). The uppers are preferably of thermosoftening plastics material, so that it can be shaped to suit the patient. The kit preferably includes adaption elements, e.g. soles, heels, floatouts (lateral extensions), wedges, and rockers, selectively connectible to the heeland-sole units.

It is preferable for the plastics material of the plug to be the same as that of the heel unit (preferably polyurethane). Each stub in the insert preferably comprises the end of a tube projecting from the plug; there may be two tubes end to end or (preferably) a single common tube. The apertures in the heel unit are preferably grooves in the upper surface of the heel unit.

The invention will be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a heel-and-sole unit for an orthopaedic shoe; Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the heel-and-sole unit; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an insert which fits in the heel unit of the heel-andsole unit; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of an orthopaedic shoe made from the heel-andsole unit and the insert.

The orthopaedic shoe illustrated in Figure 4 has an upper 1. In the embodiment illustrated, the upper 1 is of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) bonded to a backing of thermosoftening textile material which is in turn bonded to a lining 3 of low density "Plastazote" (a Trade Mark for an expanded cross-linked polyethylene). The upper is made by vacuum-forming and/or thermo-forming a flat blank of a last; with the upper turned inside out, the PVC is then autogenously welded by diathermy (high frequency heating) in the heel region to form a seam 4. A reinforcing back strip 6 of PVC covering the seam 4 is autogenously welded to the upper 1 by diathermy along two longitudinal welds 7 at the edges of the strip. The strip 6 may also be welded with spaced transverse welds along which the uppr can be cut to suit the patient. The upper 1 is adhesively secured to a heel-andsole unit 9 comprising a heel unit 9a integral with a sole unit 9b.

The heel-and-sole unit 9 (Figures 1 and 2) is injection moulded from polyurethane.

The upper surface of the heel unit 9a has a recess 21 from which two transverse apertures in the form of grooves 22a, 22h of U-shaped cross-section, having a common axis 23, extend to the sides of the heel unit.

The recess and grooves are formed during moulding by a mould plug through which the polyurethane is injected.

The heel unit 9a receives an insert 29 (Figure 3) which comprises a plug 31 injection moulded from polyurethane. Two hollow stubs 32a 32b which extend from the plug 31 in opposite directions are constituted by the ends of a tube 32 embedded in the plug 31 during the inlection moulding operation. The tube 32 is provided with transverse wings 33 to prevent movement relative to the plug.

The insert 29 is fitted in the heel unit 9a of the heel-and-sole unit 9 before the resulting heel-and-sole assembly is secured to the upper 1. The plug 31 fits in the recess 21, in which it is adhesively secured, and the stubs 32a, 32h fit in the respective grooves 22a, 22b and serve as caliper sockets, the axis 33 of the tube 32 coinciding with the axis 23 of the grooves.

An orthopaedic shoe kit, from which a shoe can be assembled to suit-a given patient, comprises: a plurality of heel-andsole units 9 of different sizes (lengths) and fittings (widths); a plurality of inserts 29 in each of which the plug 31 and stubs 32a, 32b are capable of fitting in the recess 21 and the grooves 22a, 22h, respectively, of each heeland-sole unit, the tubes 32 being of different internal diameter a plurality of uppers 1 connectible to the heel-and-sole units 9; at least one insole (not shown) comprising separate upper and lower layers of "Plastazote" of different density; and soles, heels, float-outs, wedges, and rockers (not shown) connectible to the heel-and-sole units. By means of this kit, a patient can be measured and supplied with a suitable orthopaedic shoe in a matter of minutes.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. An article of orthopaedic footwear comprising: (a) a heel-and-sole unit comprising a heel unit of moulded plastics material connected to a sole unit of moulded plastics material, the upper surface of the heel unit having a recess from which two transverse apertures having a common axis extend to the sides of the heel unit; and (b) an insert comprising a plug of moulded plastics material and two stubs for connection to leg calipers, the stubs extending from the plug in opposite directions along a common axis, the plug and the stubs fitting in the recess and the apertures, respectively, of the heel unit.

2. An article as claimed in claim I, in which the heel unit is integral with the sole unit.

3. An article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the unit and the plug are of the same plastics material.

4. An article as claimed in any of claims I to 3, in which the transverse apertures are grooves in the upper surface of the heel unit.

5. An article as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, in which each stub comprises the end of a tube projecting from the plug.

6. An article as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, including an upper of thermosoftening plastics material.

7. An article as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, including an insole of resilient expanded thermosoftening plastics material.

8. An article as claimed in claim 7, in which the insole comprises separate upper and lower layers of different density.

9. An article of orthopaedic footwear substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

10. An orthopaedic footwear kit comprising: (a) a plurality of heel units of moulded plastics material, the upper surface of each heel unit having a recess from which two transverse apertures extend to the sides of the heel unit; (b) a plurality of sole units of moulded plastics material connected or connectible to respective heel units as heel-and-sole units.

(c) at least one insert comprising a plug of moulded plastics material and two stubs for connection to leg calipers, the stubs extending from the plug in opposite directions along a common axis, the plug and the stubs being capable of fitting into

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. illustrated, the upper 1 is of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) bonded to a backing of thermosoftening textile material which is in turn bonded to a lining 3 of low density "Plastazote" (a Trade Mark for an expanded cross-linked polyethylene). The upper is made by vacuum-forming and/or thermo-forming a flat blank of a last; with the upper turned inside out, the PVC is then autogenously welded by diathermy (high frequency heating) in the heel region to form a seam 4. A reinforcing back strip 6 of PVC covering the seam 4 is autogenously welded to the upper 1 by diathermy along two longitudinal welds 7 at the edges of the strip. The strip 6 may also be welded with spaced transverse welds along which the uppr can be cut to suit the patient. The upper 1 is adhesively secured to a heel-andsole unit 9 comprising a heel unit 9a integral with a sole unit 9b. The heel-and-sole unit 9 (Figures 1 and 2) is injection moulded from polyurethane. The upper surface of the heel unit 9a has a recess 21 from which two transverse apertures in the form of grooves 22a, 22h of U-shaped cross-section, having a common axis 23, extend to the sides of the heel unit. The recess and grooves are formed during moulding by a mould plug through which the polyurethane is injected. The heel unit 9a receives an insert 29 (Figure 3) which comprises a plug 31 injection moulded from polyurethane. Two hollow stubs 32a 32b which extend from the plug 31 in opposite directions are constituted by the ends of a tube 32 embedded in the plug 31 during the inlection moulding operation. The tube 32 is provided with transverse wings 33 to prevent movement relative to the plug. The insert 29 is fitted in the heel unit 9a of the heel-and-sole unit 9 before the resulting heel-and-sole assembly is secured to the upper 1. The plug 31 fits in the recess 21, in which it is adhesively secured, and the stubs 32a, 32h fit in the respective grooves 22a, 22b and serve as caliper sockets, the axis 33 of the tube 32 coinciding with the axis 23 of the grooves. An orthopaedic shoe kit, from which a shoe can be assembled to suit-a given patient, comprises: a plurality of heel-andsole units 9 of different sizes (lengths) and fittings (widths); a plurality of inserts 29 in each of which the plug 31 and stubs 32a, 32b are capable of fitting in the recess 21 and the grooves 22a, 22h, respectively, of each heeland-sole unit, the tubes 32 being of different internal diameter a plurality of uppers 1 connectible to the heel-and-sole units 9; at least one insole (not shown) comprising separate upper and lower layers of "Plastazote" of different density; and soles, heels, float-outs, wedges, and rockers (not shown) connectible to the heel-and-sole units. By means of this kit, a patient can be measured and supplied with a suitable orthopaedic shoe in a matter of minutes. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. An article of orthopaedic footwear comprising: (a) a heel-and-sole unit comprising a heel unit of moulded plastics material connected to a sole unit of moulded plastics material, the upper surface of the heel unit having a recess from which two transverse apertures having a common axis extend to the sides of the heel unit; and (b) an insert comprising a plug of moulded plastics material and two stubs for connection to leg calipers, the stubs extending from the plug in opposite directions along a common axis, the plug and the stubs fitting in the recess and the apertures, respectively, of the heel unit.

the recess and the apertures, respectively, of each heel unit: and (d) a plurality of prefabricated uppers connectible to respective heel-and-sole units.

11. A kit as claimed in claim 10, in which there are a plurality of the said inserts having different forms of stubs.

12. A kit as claimed in claim 10 or 11, including adaptation elements selectively connectible to the heel-and-sole units.

13. A kit as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12, including at least one insole of resilient expanded thermosoftening plastics material.

14. A kit as claimed in claim 13, in which the insole comprises separate upper and lower layers of different density.

15. A kit as claimed in any of claims 10 to 14, in which the uppers are of thermosoftening plastics material.

16. An orthopaedic footwear kit substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.