GB2074009A

GB2074009A - Shoe bottom

Info

Publication number: GB2074009A
Application number: GB8111505A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Taicher L D
Current assignee: Taicher L D
Priority date: 1980-04-22
Filing date: 1981-04-13
Publication date: 1981-10-28
Also published as: DE3115702A1; FR2480576A1

Abstract

A shoe bottom 10 has a center portion 16 that is of greater thickness than the front and rear portions 18 and 20 thereof to provide a rocking effect on the foot and leg of a user when walking or standing thereon. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Shoe bottom The present invention relates to shoes and, more particularly, to a new and improved shoe bottom that is so constructed to provide a rocking effect on the foot and leg of the user thereof.

Shoes having bottoms of various shapes and constructions are presently in use. While many of these shoes are attractive in appearance, they do not provide proper support for the feet of the user because of the shape and/or construction of the bottoms thereof which result in improper arch support or posture of the users of the shoes. Also, many shoe bottoms in present and past use have been expensive and difficult to manufacture because of their complicated shape and/or construction. A need has arisen, therefore, for a shoe bottom that is simple in construction and also that provides proper support for the foot of the user thereof.

The shoe bottom of the present invention is simple in construction and provides proper support for the foot of the user thereof. In addition, the present shoe bottom serves to exercise the foot and leg of the user thereof because of its novel construction which results in a rocking action about the center portion thereof.

The new and improved shoe bottom of the present invention preferably is of unitary construction and comprises a center portion that is of greater thickness than the front and rear portions thereof. The bottom surface of the shoe bottom is curved from the center portion toward the front and rear portions to result in a rocking effect about the center portion when the user is standing or walking thereon. This rocking action serves to exercise the foot and leg of the user during standing and walking thereon.

The enlarged center portion of the shoe bottom is located substantially beneath the arch of the foot of the user so as to provide support and a pivot point beneath the arch to promote rocking action and encourage movement of the user's foot and leg to maintain proper balance when standing or walking thereon.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe having a bottom constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an elevational view of the rear portion of the shoe bottom; Figure 4 is an elevational view of the front portion of the shoe bottom; Figure 5 is a plan view of the bottom surface of the shoe bottom; Figure 6 is a plan view of the bottom surface of a second embodiment of the shoe bottom of the present invention; Figure 7 is a side elevational view in section of a shoe having a third embodiment of the shoe bottom of the present invention; and Figure 8 is a plan view of the bottom surface of the third embodiment of the shoe bottom.

As shown in Figure 1, the shoe bottom 10 of the present invention may be provided with an upper 12 of any suitable construction for the purpose of retaining the foot F of the user thereon.

Referring to Figures 2-4, the shoe bottom 10 comprises a generally flat upper surface 14 that is slightly curved to conform to the bottom surface of the foot F to provide proper arch support. The center portion 16 of the shoe bottom is of greater thickness than the front portion 18 and rear portion 20 thereof, and these portions are connected by a generally curved bottom surface 22. The bottom surface 22 may be covered by an anti-skid, anti-wear or other suitable layer formed of any suitable material, such as rubber.

Because of the construction of the shoe bottom 10 and the location of the enlarged center portion 16 thereof beneath the arch of the foot F, the bottom provides proper support beneath the arch of the foot of the user and the enlarged center portion 16 serves as a pivot point beneath the arch to promote a forward and rearward rocking action and to encourage movement of the user's foot and leg to maintain proper balance when standing orwalking thereon.

This rocking action serves to exercise the foot and leg of the user when standing or walking thereon, while maintaining proper arch support because of the location of the pivot point substantially below the arch of the foot of the user.

Within the scope of the present invention, the bottom 10 preferably is of unitary construction and may be formed of any suitable material, such as wood, plastic or the like. The top and side surfaces thereof may be of any suitable shape and/or construction. The shoe bottom 10 of the present invention, because of its simple construction, may be easily and cheaply molded, for example, from any suitable plastic material.

For the purpose of minimizing the weight of the shoe bottom 10, its bottom surface 22 may be provided with recessed portions 26 and 28, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5. Alternatively, the bottom surface 22 may be generally flat with no recessed portions in the manner shown in Figure 6.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a third embodiment of the shoe bottom 10 of the present invention wherein a heel member 30 is secured to or formed on the bottom surface 22 of the bottom rearwardly of the center portion 16 thereof. The purpose of the heel member 30 is to limit the amount of rearward rocking action of the bottom to provide a desired degree of stability. The heel member 30 may be of any suitable shape and material depending on the amount of rocking action desired, and may be secured to the bottom surface 22 in any suitable manner.

As an illustrative example, the heel member 30 may be wedge-shaped as shown in Figures 7 and 8, and may be formed integrally with or adhesively secured to the bottom surface 22.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily apparent that the new and improved shoe bottom of the present invention is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and promotes exercise of the foot and leg of the user thereof because of its novel rocking action about the enlarged center portion thereof which is located to provide proper foot support.

Claims

1. A shoe bottom having a center portion, a front portion and a rear portion, said center portion being of greater thickness than said front and rear portions to promote a rocking action about said center portion to exercise the foot and leg of a user thereof.

2. The shoe bottom of claim 1 wherein said center portion, said front portion and said rear portion are connected by a curved bottom surface.

3. The shoe bottom of claim 1 wherein said center portion, said front portion and said rear portion are of unitary construction.

4. The shoe bottom of claim 2 wherein said center portion is located substantially below the arch portion of the foot of the user thereof.

5. The shoe bottom of claim 1 having an upper surface generally conforming to the bottom of the foot of a user thereof.

6. The shoe bottom of claim 3 wherein said center portion, said front portion and said rear portion are integrally formed in one piece.

7. The shoe bottom of claim 2 wherein said bottom surface has an anti-skid layer thereon.

8. The shoe bottom of claim 2 wherein said bottom surface is provided with a recessed portion therein.

9. The shoe bottom of claim 2 further comprising a heel member on said bottom surface rearwardly of said center portion to limit the rearward rocking action ofthe bottom.

10. The shoe bottom of claim 9 wherein said heel member is wedge-shaped.

11. Ashoe bottom substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5, or Figure 6 or Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.