GB2102276A

GB2102276A - Shoe inserts

Info

Publication number: GB2102276A
Application number: GB08116069A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leonard Arthur Marshall
Original assignee: MARSHALL AND SONS Ltd H AN
Current assignee: MARSHALL AND SONS Ltd H AN
Priority date: 1981-05-26
Filing date: 1981-05-26
Publication date: 1983-02-02
Also published as: GB2102276B

Abstract

An insert for use in shoes to prevent the forward creep of the foot within the shoe comprises a forepart insole having a resilient strip 24 sandwiched between an upper layer 22 of soft pliable material such as leather and a lower layer of non-slip cushion material. The upper layer 22 is of the same shape as the lower layer 20 but is larger than the lower layer so as to project therefrom around the complete periphery of the insert. This projection of the upper layer beyond the lower layer provides for an improved fit within a shoe. <IMAGE>

Description

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

Background to the Invention 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 ladies fashion footwear, the foot has a tendency to creep beyond the front of the shoe leaving the toes completely unprotected.

A device has been described and claimed in British Patent Application 8023748 now published under Serial No. 2 058 545 which prevents the forward creep of the foot within a shoe and comprises an insole which may be a complete insole or a forepart insole and is 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 materials such as rubber 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.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of shoe insert of the type described in the aforementioned application.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention the layer of non-slip cushion material attached to the underside of the soft pliable upper layer in a shoe insert of the type described in British Patent Application 8023748, is made slightly smaller than the overall dimensions of the upper layer of soft pliable material so as to provide for an improved fit within a shoe.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the lower layer of non-slip cushion material is on a size such that a gap of approximately .48 of a centimetre exists between the outer edge of the non-slip cushion material and the outer edge of the upper layer of soft pliable material.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is the upper plan view of a forepart insert constructed in accordance with the invention and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the underside thereof and Fig. 3 is an edge view of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Detailed Description of the Drawings In Fig. 1 a shoe insert 10 for locating at the forepart of a shoe under the toes is cut-away at 14 to provide a region for the large toe and the other smaller toes rest on the leading edge designated 1 8.

The insert is formed from three layers, a lower layer of sponge material 20 which is visible in Fig. 2, an upper layer of leather or similar material designated by reference numeral 22 in Fig. 1 and just visible as a peripheral region in Fig. 2, and a hidden insert or wedge of resiliently deformable material such as rubber shown in dotted outline in Figs. 1 and 2 at 24.

The presence of the wedge 26 produces a bulge in the device in both the underside and topside thereof as will be seen from Fig. 3 in which the bulge on the upper surface is denoted by reference numeral 30 and that on the underside by that of 32.

It is the combination of the bulge 32 and the non-slip properties of the foam rubber or plastics material layer 20 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 juriction between the metatarsals 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 of the shoe, the foot is prevented from sliding in a forward direction thereby eliminating creep.

The sponge rubber or sponge plastics material layer 20 may be perforated as denoted by the holes designated by reference numeral 34.

In accordance with the invention the shape of the underside layer 20 is similar to that of the upper layer material 22 but is slightly smaller in overall size so that a peripheral region of the upper material there is visible when the insert is viewed from below as in Fig. 2.

1. A shoe insert according to any of the claims of U.K. Specification No. 2,058,545 A, wherein the lower layer of material attached to the underside of the upper layer is made slightly smaller than the overall dimensions of the upper layer so as to provide for an improved fit within a shoe.

2. A shoe insert according to claim 1 , wherein the upper layer is of the same shape as the lower layer but projects therefrom around the complete periphery of the insert.

3. A shoe insert according to claim 2, wherein the upper layer projects from the lower layer by substantially 0.48 cm around the periphery of the insert.

4. A shoe insert according to any of the preceding claims and in the form of a forepart insole for covering the sole only of the inside of the shoe.

5. A shoe insert substantially as herein particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to shoe inserts Field of Invention This invention concerns shoe inserts particularly devices for insertion into shoes and boots for supporting toes of the foot. Background to the Invention 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 ladies fashion footwear, the foot has a tendency to creep beyond the front of the shoe leaving the toes completely unprotected. A device has been described and claimed in British Patent Application 8023748 now published under Serial No. 2 058 545 which prevents the forward creep of the foot within a shoe and comprises an insole which may be a complete insole or a forepart insole and is 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 materials such as rubber 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. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of shoe insert of the type described in the aforementioned application. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention the layer of non-slip cushion material attached to the underside of the soft pliable upper layer in a shoe insert of the type described in British Patent Application 8023748, is made slightly smaller than the overall dimensions of the upper layer of soft pliable material so as to provide for an improved fit within a shoe. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the lower layer of non-slip cushion material is on a size such that a gap of approximately .48 of a centimetre exists between the outer edge of the non-slip cushion material and the outer edge of the upper layer of soft pliable material. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is the upper plan view of a forepart insert constructed in accordance with the invention and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the underside thereof and Fig. 3 is an edge view of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Detailed Description of the Drawings In Fig. 1 a shoe insert 10 for locating at the forepart of a shoe under the toes is cut-away at 14 to provide a region for the large toe and the other smaller toes rest on the leading edge designated 1 8. The insert is formed from three layers, a lower layer of sponge material 20 which is visible in Fig. 2, an upper layer of leather or similar material designated by reference numeral 22 in Fig. 1 and just visible as a peripheral region in Fig. 2, and a hidden insert or wedge of resiliently deformable material such as rubber shown in dotted outline in Figs. 1 and 2 at 24. The presence of the wedge 26 produces a bulge in the device in both the underside and topside thereof as will be seen from Fig. 3 in which the bulge on the upper surface is denoted by reference numeral 30 and that on the underside by that of 32. It is the combination of the bulge 32 and the non-slip properties of the foam rubber or plastics material layer 20 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 juriction between the metatarsals 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 of the shoe, the foot is prevented from sliding in a forward direction thereby eliminating creep. The sponge rubber or sponge plastics material layer 20 may be perforated as denoted by the holes designated by reference numeral 34. In accordance with the invention the shape of the underside layer 20 is similar to that of the upper layer material 22 but is slightly smaller in overall size so that a peripheral region of the upper material there is visible when the insert is viewed from below as in Fig. 2. CLAIMS

2. A shoe insert according to claim 1 , wherein the upper layer is of the same shape as the lower layer and projects therefrom by a uniform dimension around the complete periphery of the insert.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 20 Sept. 1982 Superseded claims 1,2.

New or amended claims:

1. A shoe insert according to any of the claims of U.K. Specification No. 2,058,545 A, wherein the lower layer of material attached to the underside of the upper layer is made slightly smaller than the overall dimensions of the upper layer so as to provide for an improved fit within a shoe, and whereon the upper layer and the lower layer are in substantially parallel face-to-face contact around the periphery of the lower layer where the upper layer projects therefrom.