GB2411336A

GB2411336A - A shoe including a sole with wear indicating means

Info

Publication number: GB2411336A
Application number: GB0404332A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geraint Rhys Jones; Robert Wallace; George Hugh Mcdougall
Original assignee: BUCHANAN ORTHOTICS Ltd
Current assignee: BUCHANAN ORTHOTICS Ltd
Priority date: 2004-02-27
Filing date: 2004-02-27
Publication date: 2005-08-31
Also published as: GB0404332D0

Abstract

A shoe including a sole 1 adapted to include wear indication means 3, and an upper 2. The sole 1 comprises a main body section 4, a wear line body 5, an intermediate layer 6, and outer sole 7 with tread pattern. The intermediate layer 6 includes a coloured central portion 6a which is wholly contained within the body of the sole 1 and is not visible at the sides of the sole 1. The coloured central portion 6a of the intermediate layer 6 is only visible when the sole 1 has worn enough to expose the coloured portion 6a through the base 7 of the sole. The central portion 6a can thus act as an early warning to the wearer of the need to replace the shoe or have it repaired.

Description

2411 336

SHOES

This invention relates to shoes, and in particular, a wear indicator for shoes adapted to be used by patients ("orthotic shoesH), such as diabetic patients.

It is well known that patients, such as diabetes sufferers, have a tendency to develop sores when uneven pressure is applied across their feet. The pressure could simply be the pressure brought about by normal walking, and the uneven transfer of this pressure when walking could be exacerbated by using shoes which are worn. The problem at present is that these patients are not able to easily determine when there shoes are so worn that they . 15 need to be replaced or repaired to prevent sores and other . foot problems from developing. ë

The present invention is concerned with providing means A. where the wear on the sole of a shoe can be easily monitored, for example by visual inspection, and so provide an indication of when a shoe needs to be replaced A. : or repaired.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a shoe having a sole and upper wherein the sole is adapted by inclusion of a body of material wherein said body of material is shaped and located within the sole so as to be apparent when wear of the shoe has reached a predetermined level.

Walking exerts a pressure on the foot and the distribution of this pressure to the walkers feet becomes more and more uneven as the wear of the sole of a shoe increases. The wear can reach the level where distinct pressure points are generated and these can be very uncomfortable, particularly to diabetes sufferers as they can lead to the development of sores. The present invention is not intended to directly prevent the development of these pressure points but provide a means by which the wear can be easily monitored so as to determine when shoes need to be replaced or repaired and so avoid the problem. s

The sole may be provided with more than one body of material and these bodies may be located in the sole to become apparent, for example visible, at a predetermined level of wear. Alternatively the bodies of material may located to become apparent at various stages of wear.

The body of material may be a multi-coloured and multi- layered body the various colours becoming apparent as wear progresses by exposing laminations of differing colours.

: I. 15 e. - The sole may thereby be colour coded to indicate when the em..

wear is approaching critical or reached critical so the shoe must be replaced or repaired. ë :.

The body or bodies of material may be made from the same basic material as the sole of the shoe and may be mixed ë..

. with a colouring agent. Suitable materials for the sole ë and body or bodies of material are polymeric materials such as Ethyl Vinyl Acetate or micro-rubbers.

Whilst colours are a matter of choice, and not limiting in one embodiment of the invention one body of material is coloured yellow and a second body of material red wherein the bodies are located in the sole so that the yellow body becomes apparent, in this example visible, when the wear on the sole is approaching the stage where the shoe needs to be replaced and red later to indicate the shoe must be replaced or repaired. Normally available colouring agents may be used to colour the body or bodies of material.

The body or bodies of material may be enclosed in the material of the sole so that they only become apparent when the wear of the sole has reached a predetermined stage. Alternatively the body of material or bodies of material may be apparent at the side of the sole so that a wearer may monitor the progression of the wear. s

The sole of the shoe may be manufactured using layering techniques or alternatively using moulding techniques.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a sole as described above for use in shoes made in accordance with the present invention.

The invention also includes the use of soles as described above in shoes as a means to provide visual wear IS indication. ë

The invention will now be illustrated by way of description of embodiments of the present invention, by .

A. way of example only, by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: : .e . Fig. 1 shows a side view of a shoe made in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a side view of the construction of a sole for use in a shoe as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings; Figs. 3 & 4 show side and plan views of the sole shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings; and Fig. 5 shows an alternative sole construction for use with the present invention.

Fig. 1 of the drawings show a side view of a shoe made in accordance with the present invention. The shoe comprises a sole 1 and an upper 2. The upper 2 may be made from any suitable material in the conventional manner.

The sole 1 includes a wear indicator in the form of a line 3, for example a red line which is visible through the side of the sole 1. the location of the line 3 in the S sole is determined by the characteristics of the shoe, its wear and the patient. The sole 1 wears as the patient uses the shoes and the patient monitors the wear on the shoe by visual inspection of the wear line 3. When the wear approaches the red line the patient is warned that the shoe needs to be repaired or replaced. The wear line should not be breached.

The line 3 is formed by the visual edges of a body of coloured material which extends across the sole 1. The . 15 location of the line 3 in the sole 1 is calculated . dependent on the shoe and sole design.

The design is such that when the wear line is breeched the .

. body of material that forms the line 3 will also be apparent on the base of the sole giving the patient a clear visual indication. I.. . . ë

With increasing wear of the sole 1 there is an increasing tendency for the transfer of pressure during walking to become uneven leading to the potential problems discussed above. The line 3 is located in the shoe at a point wear the distribution of pressure transfer to the wearer approaches the stage where it is likely for that wearer to cause problems such as sores etc. if they continue to wear the shoes.

The sole 1 illustrated is a rocker type sole specifically designed and adapted for use by diabetic patients. The present invention may be used with any sole design and is not limited to use with this specific design of shoe.

Turning to Figs. 2 to 4 of the drawings there is shown one example of the construct of the sole 1. The sole shown in this example is commonly referred to as a skived sole.

The sole 1 comprises a main body section 4, a wear line S body 5, an intermediate layer 6, and outer sole 7 with tread pattern.

The main body section 4 has tapered toe and heel sections 4a, 4b. The heel section 4b has a raised section 4c which extends across the full width of the sole 1. A rend 4d extending around the outer periphery of the sole is provided.

Wear line body 5 is made of a coloured material such as a 15 red polymeric material, and extends across the full width . of the sole 1. Therefore when the sole 1 is assembled the . body5 appears as a thin line on casual inspection. This apparent thin lines acts as a visual indicator to enable ee. monitoring of the wear of the shoe with time.

The intermediate layer 6 comprises an outer section formed . from the same material as the remainder of the sole 1 and .

a central portion 6a coloured but not the same colour as the wear indicator 4. The coloured central portion 6a of the intermediate section is wholly contained within the body of the sole and is not visible at the sides of the sole 1, see Fig. 4. The coloured central portion 6a is only visible when the sole has worn enough to expose the coloured portion through the base of the sole. This central portion 6a can therefore act as an early warning t the wearer of the need to replace the shoe or have it repaired.

In this example of the invention the sole 1 is manufactured by layering techniques which are used in the shoe manufacturing industry.

roll. up - - Fig.5 shows an alternative design of sole 1 where the intermediate layer is not provided and the sole simply includes the wear line indicator 3. in all other aspects like numerals have been used to indicate like components S to that of the earlier described example. .. . .. ease ë . : * . ëee *. * .

Claims

l A shoe having a sole and an upper wherein the sole is adapted by inclusion of a body of material wherein said body of material is shaped and located within the sole so as to be apparent through the sole when wear of the shoe has reached a predetermined level.
2 A shoe as claimed in claim l, wherein the sole is provided with more than one body of material and these bodies are located in the sole to become apparent at various stages of wear.
3 A shoe as claimed in claim l or claim 2, wherein the body of material is multi-coloured and multi-layered body so the various colours becoming apparent as wear . progresses by exposing laminations of differing colours. r
4 A shoe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the 20 sole is coded to indicate when the wear is approaching :. critical or has reached critical level and needs to be replaced or repaired. .

, ,:
5 A shoe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the body or bodies of material are of the same basic material as the sole of the shoe and have a colouring agent mixed therein.
6 A shoe as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sole and the body or bodies of material are polymeric materials.
7 A shoe as claimed in claim 6 wherein the sole and the body or bodies of material are Ethyl Vinyl Acetate or a micro-rubber.
8 A shoe as claimed in the preceding claims, wherein the body or bodies of material are enclosed in the material of the sole.
9 A shoe as claimed in claim 1 to 7, wherein the body of material or bodies of material are apparent at the side of the sole.
A sole for use in a shoe as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the sole is manufactured using layering techniques or moulding techniques.
11 A shoe as claimed in the preceding claims wherein . . :.: .. one body of material is coloured yellow and a second body 15 of material red so that when the bodies are located in the; sole so that the yellow body becomes visible when wear on . . . .: the sole is approaching the stage that the shoe needs to . be replaced and red body becomes visible to indicate the shoe must be replaced or repaired. ë : 20

..
12 A sole for use in a shoe as claimed in any of the preceding claims.
13 A shoe substantially as described above w reference to Figs 1 to 4 of the drawings.
14 A shoe substantially as described above reference to Fig 5 of the drawings.
15 A sole substantially as described above reference to Figs 1 to 4 of the drawings.
16 A sole substantially as described abo reference to Fig 5 of the drawings.