GB2058545A - Improvements in and relating to shoe inserts - Google Patents

Abstract

An insert for use in shoes without toe caps to prevent the forward creep of the foot within the shoe comprises an insole which may be a complete insole or a forepart insole (10) and formed from an upper layer of soft pliable material and a lower layer of non-slip cushion material. Sandwiched between the two layers is a wedge or strip of resiliently deformable material such as rubber (26) which produces a ridge in at least the upper surface of the insert. The position of the ridge is chosen so as to conform to the junction between the metatarsals and the toe bones which is defined on the underside of the foot by a furrow which fits over the ridge. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to shoe inserts This invention concerns shoe inserts particularly devices for insertion into shoes and boots for supporting the toes of the foot.

Shoes which include a full toe cap cover and fully protect the toes of the foot. However, there are many designs of shoe which do not include a toe cap and which are designed to expose the toes.

In such shoes and particularly where they are combined with a relatively high heel as in ladys fashion footwear, the foot has a tendency to creep beyond the front of the shoe leaving the toes completely unprotected.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which inhibits the forward creep of the foot in such shoes. Such a device will be referred to as a toe support.

According to the broadest aspect of the present invention a shoe insert in the form of a toe support comprises a cushion of resiliently deformable material sandwiched between an upper layer of soft pliable material such a leather and a lower layer of spongy material such as sponge plastics or sponge rubber.

Preferably the resiliently deformable material is rubberorfoamed plastics material having athickness in the range of 2-6mm whilst the upper and lower layers have each a thickness of approximately 1mm.

Conveniently the lower layer is formed from sponge rubber which is perforated with a regular pattern of small holes typically of 1 mm diameter, the material being such as to have a relatively high coefficient of sliding friction between it and the inside surface of the sole of a shoe so that when placed therein there is little tendency for the material to slide relative to the inside of the sole of the shoe.

The device is shaped so as to correspond to the forepart of the sole of a ladies fashion shoe and the leading edge is cut-away so as to accommodate the toes of the foot and the position of the layer of resiliently deformable material sandwiched between the upper and lower layers is such as to correspond to the furrow which exists on the underside of the foot between the forward ends ofthe metatarsal bones and the beginnings of the toe bones of the foot. To this end the layers of resiliently deformable material extends generally transversely across the width of the device.

Where the device is to be permanently located in a shoe, the lower layer may be covered with an adhesive, and a protective sheet may be located over the adhesive and adapted to be peeled therefrom when the device is to be inserted into a shoe. Alternatively any normal adhesive compatible with the materials forming the device and the shoe covering to which it is to be fixed may be used.

In practice the choice of an appropriate foam rubber or plastics material for the underside of the device will normally render unnecessary any adhesive.

The device is positioned at the forward end of a shoe with the thickened portion extending across the device at the position which wilt coincide with the join between the metatarsal bones and the toe bones, and the wedging effect between the upper and lower portions of the shoe, the foot, and the thickened region of the device below the junction between the metatarsal bones and the toe bones, prevents the foot creeping forward and exposing the toes by more than a safe amount.

The invention is not limited to the size of the device and the latter may comprise a small insert corresponding to the forepart of the shoe or may comprise a complete insole with the thickened insert located between the upper and lower layers forming the insole at the appropriate position near the front end thereof.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are the upper plan views of two forepart inserts constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Figs 4 and 5 are the upper plan views of two full insoles incorporating the thickened region of the forward end in accordance with the invention.

Figs. 1,2 and 3 illustrate the typical application of the invention and comprise forepart inserts for ladies fashion shoes. A pair of such inserts are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are provided generally designated 10 and 12 one forthe left and the other for the right shoe. Each insert is cut-away at its forward end at 14 and 16 respectively to provide a cut-away region for the large toe and the other smaller toes rest on the leading edge of each of the devices designated by reference numerals 18 and 20 respectively.

Each of the inserts is formed from three layers a lower layer of sponge material such as sponge rubber or sponge plastics and visible only'in Fig. 3 and designated by reference numeral 22, an upper layer of leather or similar material designated by reference numeral 24 (this layer being visible in both Figs 1 and 2) and a hidden insert or wedge of resiliently deformable material such as rubber which is shown in dotted outline in Figs 1 and 2 and is denoted by reference numerals 26 and 28 respectively. The presence of the wedge 26 or 28 produces a bulge in the device in both the underside and the top side thereof as will be seen from Fig. 3, the bulge on the underside being denoted by reference numeral 30 and that on the upper surface 32.

It is the combination of the bulge 32 and the nonslip properties of the foam rubber or plastics material layer 22 which provide the retention properties of the device. The wedge producing the bulge 32 is positioned in the forepart insole so as to correspond with the position of the junction between the metatarsais and the toe bones so that the ridge fits within the furrow on the underside of the foot.

Because of the wedging action between the foot and the shoe uppers and this bulge 32 and the sole ofthe shoe, the foot is prevented from sliding in a forward direction thereby eliminating creep.

The constructions of the pair of full sized insoles also incorporating the invention shown in Figs 4 and 5 is similar. To this end wedges of resiliently deformable material such as rubber shown in dotted outline at 34 and 36 are sandwiched between upper and lower layers of material having the same characteristics as the layers 22 and 24 described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 and the only difference between the embodiments is that the insoles shown in Figs 4 and 5 extend into the heel of the shoe rather than being cut-off at the instep position as in Figs 1 and 2.

The edge view of the insoles of Fig 4 and 5 is the same as that shown in Fig 3 except the length of the insole will be longer.

Claims (8)

1. A shoe insert in the form of a toe support comprising a cushion of resiliently deformable material sandwiched between an upper layer of soft pliable material such as leather and a lower layer of spongy material such as sponge plastics or sponge rubber, the device being shaped so as to correspond to at least the forepart of the sole of a ladies fashion shoe, and the position of the layer of resiliently deformable material sandwiched between the upper and lower layers is such as to correspond to the furrow which exists on the underside of the foot between the forward ends of the metatarsal bones and the toe bones of the foot.

2. A toe support as claimed in claim 1 in which the leading edge of the device is cut-away so as to accommodate the toes of the foot.

3. Atoe support as claimed in claims 1 or 2 in which the lower layer is formed from sponge rubber which is perforated with a regular pattern of small holes the material having a relatively high coefficient of sliding friction between it and the inside surface of the sole of a shoe so that when placed therein there is little tendency for the material to slide relative to the inside of the shoe.

4. A toe support as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the resiliently deformable material is rubber or foamed plastics material having a thickness in the range of 2-6 mm whilst the upper and lower layers have each a thickness of approximately 1 mm.

5. A toe support as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which the layer of resiliently deformable material extends generally transversely across the width of the device.

6. Atoe support as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the device is to be permanently located in a shoe and where the lower layer is covered with an adhesive, and adapted to be peeled therefrom when the device is to be inserted into and secured in a shoe.

7. A toe support as claimed in any of the preceeding claims when secured at the forward end of a shoe, with the thickened portion extending across the device at the position which will coincide with the join between the metatarsal bones and the toe bones of the foot.

8. A toe support as claimed in claim 1 constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.