JP3188694B2 - Universal shoe with deformable subtalar section - Google Patents

Abstract

Items of footwear are described, in particular a multi-purpose shoe comprising in a mutually mobile arrangement a calcanean shell (17) and a leg (22) for supporting the ankle, via a deformable talocalcanean section (21) which at least partially surrounds the foot around the talocalcanean joint in order to at least partially accommodate the eversion and inversion movements of the ankle. Applications: sports or rehabilitation footwear.

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to the technical field of footwear and, more specifically, to the technical field of shoes that cover at least a portion of the foot, heel, and ankle.

More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to general-purpose shoes that can be used as sports or simple walking shoes, and also as rehabilitation shoes.

The above application is given by way of example only and applies to any shoe capable of supporting the joints of human feet and ankles, regardless of the type of exercise and the type of activity involved. It should not be regarded as limiting the field of application for the purposes of the present invention.

Regardless of the field of application considered, the shoe must fulfill various functions, in particular mechanical protection, insulation, suitability for use, and maintenance or support of the joints of the feet and ankles. Depending on the specific application for which the shoe is intended, the properties and properties of the materials used may be adjusted, or the zone and thickness of the specific reinforcement may be provided or modified, or even the shoe itself. Or one or more functions may be prioritized over other functions.

So far, the contradiction that exists between the need to protect and support the joints of the ankles and ankles, and at the same time, at the same time, the need to unduly restrict and even disrupt the joints of the foot and ankles Has not been completely resolved.

The technical constraints involved in this are, in principle, inconsistent, since any attempt at stiffening the shoe covering structure improves joint support at the expense of user comfort. . Conversely, improved comfort for the user can be obtained through increased flexibility of the shoe covering structure, or at the expense of joint support. However, in both cases, the natural and optimal conditions of movement of the joints of the foot and the ankle are significantly deviated.

Thus, in spawning activities where the joints are very dynamically stressed, whether the fixation is absent or excessive,
It can cause very frequent torsion of the joints of the feet and ankles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The first type of sports shoes known at present consists of shoes that cover the movement of the foot and the heel in a short time. That is, the shoe only provides a flexible fixation of a portion of the calcaneus-finger block in a short time. The use of such shoes has been generalized to a number of sporting activities, such as tennis, football, athletics or jogging, and improvements have basically been based on dynamic shock cushioning, plantar bow support problems, And furthermore, it concerns the problem of adhesion.

This type of shoe, due to its design itself,
Moreover, it was not intended to fix the ankle, and no particular research was done in this area.

The second type of sports shoes is composed of sports shoes called short boots. That is, sports shoes of this type include not only a foot shell, but also an upper, ie, a flexible covering, which secures the entire joint of the foot and ankle.

Shoes made according to this traditional principle are basket,
Since the support and fixation used and achieved in most sports, such as football and tennis, are flexible, such shoes may cause the joints of the ankle to become disentangled when torsion occurs during sports activities. Does not protect effectively. Due to the flexibility of the fixation, in practice, the joints of the malleolus are not sufficiently supported in the event of unexpected torsion, which leads to sprains of the ligaments below the talus, and in some cases the tibia and tarsal ligaments. woken up.

In the case of walking shoes, especially climbing shoes, the fixation of the joint of the ankle is secured in a substantially rigid form, and even if it can be considered that torsional accidents such as spraining of the ankle can be avoided in most cases, The feeling of comfort is reduced, and it must be considered that ligament failure occurs at the knee level, not at the ankle joint level.

Detailed description of the invention Accordingly, the object of the present invention does not have the disadvantages of conventional shoes,
In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a general-purpose shoe that can support the natural joints of the foot and the ankle without sacrificing the use comfort while respecting the natural physiological movement of the joint of the foot and the ankle.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a general-purpose shoe which is simple in design, can be applied in various ways, and can be adapted to all kinds of sports.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a general-purpose shoe that can simultaneously protect the tacro-heel and tibial / tarsal joints.

It is an object of the present invention to have a reinforcement and fixation section with the purpose of supporting all or part of the calcaneus and short finger block. Deformable at least partly covering the foot at the level of the ankle joint to at least partially adapt to the varus and varus movements of the ankle, for example in general-purpose shoes of the type of sports shoes, walking shoes or rehabilitation shoes This is achieved by a universal shoe characterized by including a relatively possible calcaneal shell and an ankle support upper through a flexible subtalar section.

Various other features will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of non-limiting example, embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a schematic external side view of the ankle and foot joints in a shoe according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the ankle and foot joints as viewed from above along line II-II in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of a shoe according to the invention shown in side view.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a second modified embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing details of the bellows below the talar according to the present embodiment, as viewed from the front in a cross-sectional view along the line VV in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing another modified embodiment for the purpose of the present invention.

 FIG. 7 is a top view of a shoe according to the present invention.

EXAMPLE FIG. 1 schematically shows the arrangement of the bones which make up the ankle and heel joint of a human ankle 1 in one shoe in which the outer covering 2 and the sole 3 are shown in broken lines. The overall view shown here is a human right foot viewed from the outside according to a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the support and extension plane of the shoe embodied by the plane P and extends in the direction of the main longitudinal axis of the shoe. Instep 1
Can be regarded as an example. This plane P can be regarded as a support / extension plane of the sole 3.

The calcaneus of the ankle is composed of a calcaneus 4, a talus 5 and a cuboid 6, a scaphoid 7, and a series of bones including the wedge, metatarsal and phalanges partially shown in FIG. And a block called a calcaneus and short finger block including an assembly consisting of:

The talus 5 is tied to the calcaneus 4 via two intersecting ligaments 8,9. The movement of the calcaneal joint in space can be considered to be the result of the relative position in space of the entire position of the calcaneus and short finger block in relation to the talus 5. More precisely, these movements are anatomically conventional and consist of movements called varus and valgus movements of the ankle.

Ankle varus is a movement that combines a combination of movements in three planes of space, as follows: According to FIG. 1, the opposite foot in plane P and one horizontal plane A rotation called adduction because it is directed toward the inner surface; such adduction has a maximum of about 30 degrees relative to a normal vertical position where the longitudinal axis of the foot is approximately parallel to the plane of symmetry of the person. Present amplitude.

A so-called inner surface roll on the front surface corresponding to a position below a plane perpendicular to the plane P. Its amplitude is defined as about 25 degrees in relation to two extreme positions, which are called the upper limit and the lower limit of the magnitude of the roll.

A bend, referred to as plantar bend, in the sagittal plane not shown and embodied in the plane of the cross-sectional view of FIG. Its amplitude, in relation to the normal vertical position of the person relative to the horizontal plane is defined as 10 degrees directed along arrow f _1.

As a criterion, the amplitudes listed above correspond to averages derived from practice, and each amplitude is, of course,
Depending on human age and unique anatomical features, it can vary, for example, from about 5 to 10 degrees.

Similarly, valgus valgus is the movement that combines the total movement of the ankle, which is spaced from the human vertical symmetry plane, in three planes and directions of space. These valgus motions can be embodied by:-a maximum abduction of 30 degrees in the horizontal plane,-an external roll of about 20 degrees in the front face F,-an amplitude of about 10 degrees, FIG. in the sagittal plane that is oriented along the arrow f _2, the bending called back flexion.

Research conducted by Applicants on the movement and displacement of the ankle and heel joints of the foot and ankle has shown that these varus and valgus movements according to the plane and direction of the space described above can be described as the instantaneous displacement axis, It has been shown that the displacement circumscribes the geometrical covering that can be identified with the rotating cone 11, called the subtalar cone, and has an instantaneous axis of motion limited thereto.

Vertex S of the cone 11, a distance d of about few centimeters back of the heel bone 4 at a substantially equal height H ₁ in one third of the height H representing the height of the rear edge of the heel bone 4 You can think there is. The vertex S is also located approximately on the front E at the center of the geometric projection of the calcaneus 4. The cone 11 also has a constant slope in relation to the plane P,
It can be defined via two beams constituted by ligaments 8 and 9 with a point of intersection at 11 central axis 12. actually,
Angle α formed by the intersection of reference plane P and central axis 12
Is a value between 20 and 50 degrees, more generally preferably
It can be seen that the value ranges from 30 degrees to 45 degrees.

The cone 11 is further defined by its opening angle β (FIG. 2), the average value of which varies from 15 to 30 degrees depending on the age of the individual and its anatomical characteristics. FIG.
Shows a top view of the right foot placed in the shoe 2 projected on a horizontal plane such as a plane P. Here, the longitudinal main axis xx 'of the shoe 2 together with the central axis 12 of the cone 11 forms an angle g of approximately 10 to 30 degrees. Therefore, depending on the person, the subtalar cone 11 presents the direction of symmetry of the person, that is, the direction toward the inside of the foot.

Thus, the overall geometric and angular definition of the subtalar cone 11 makes it possible to define the spatial arrangement and orientation of the cone within which the instantaneous axis of motion of the talar joint moves. Thus, the subtalar cone 11 constitutes a geometric and mechanical model representing the motion of the ankle joint on an anatomical and physiological basis.

3 and 7 show an alternative embodiment of the universal shoe according to the invention. The shoe 15 comprises a sole shell 16 which can support and reinforce the sole mass of the foot formed by the calcaneus and short finger block in a conventional manner. As shown in FIG. 3, the sole shell
16 is advantageously the calcaneus shell and more specifically, the calcaneus 4
And a short finger shell 18 for supporting the front part of the foot, in particular. The sole shell 16 is integrated with a sole 19 for resting on the ground embodied in the plane P.

The fixation of the ankle and heel joint of the malleolus embodied by the subtalar cone 11 comprises an upper 22 called an intermediate upper which is specifically intended to accommodate the mass of the foot including a portion of the talus and at least a portion of the posterior mass of the foot. And the subtalar section 21 located between the calcaneal shells. This subtalar section 21 is mounted within the structure of the shoe 15 and ensures flexible fixation of the talar heel joint, and thus at least partially adapts the subtalar cone to at least partially accommodate the valgus and varus movements of the ankle. It is arranged so that it covers your feet at 11 levels. Ideally, the subtalar section 21
Covers the joint to perfectly match the cone 11 geometry, but this coverage may be limited to a portion of the cone 11 or may cover a larger area. The amplitude of valgus and varus movements allowed will vary accordingly, and the covering surface area of the subtalar section 21 will be selected depending on the type of use of the shoe.

Thus, the subtalar section 21 can be equated laterally, posteriorly and partially anteriorly with the fixation band covering the foot and talar joints at the level of the subtalar cone 11.
The subtalar section 21 follows the overall inclination of the cone 11,
Thus, its main axis is inclined in the direction of the upper part of the shoe 75, and thus its main inclination angle is from 20 degrees to 50 degrees, preferably
An angle α ′ equal to the inclination angle α of the cone 11 from 30 degrees to 45 degrees is formed.

The posterior zone 23 of the subtalar section 21 is near the top S of the cone 11, and the subtalar section includes the opening angle β of the cone 11 if the subtalar section 21 covers the front part of the foot.

In order for the subtalar section 21 to ensure flexible fixation of the talar-heel joint, the joint is deformable and has a lower stiffness than the material of which the intermediate upper 22 and the calcaneal shell 17 are made, It is necessary that the shell 22 and the shell 17 be relatively movable. To this end, the intermediate upper 22 and the calcaneal shell 17 are made of a rigid material, or at least a carbon-based or carbon-Kevlar that exhibits some rigidity.
It can be made of (Kevlar) type composite-based materials, as well as certain high-density plastic material-based materials. The subtalar section can be made of any deformable material of polymer or synthetic fiber type that can vary in elasticity depending on the type of application.

FIG. 5 shows the implementation and assembly details of the subtalar section 22 in cross-section. The subtalar section 22
In the example shown, a substantially circular concentric pleat 11 having a deformability corresponding to the valgus and varus movements of the ankle joint corresponding to the subtalar cone 11 and forming an accordion structure including the talar heel joint. It consists of a bellows 25 below the talus, such as 26. Here, the subtalar cone 11 is geometrically projected along the dashed line in FIG. 5 according to a plane parallel to the stretching plane P of the sole, inside the support band constituted at least in part by the bellows 25. Note that the bellows is arranged so as to wrap around the ankle and heel joint of the ankle. The bellows 25 may be attached to the intermediate upper by any suitable means known to those skilled in the art, for example, by sewing or gluing.
It is integrated with 22 and the calcaneal shell 17 and is located outside or even inside the shoe as shown in FIG. Bellows 25
It is also possible to add and secure a flexible protective loop to the vehicle. Advantageously, the cone 11 is completely projected onto the subtalar bellows 25, which constitutes a covering with a wider anterior part than a posterior part.

For example, during forced joint movement in valgus, the rigid calcaneal shell 17 can abut against the intermediate upper 22 due to deformation of the talus bellows 25, and the upper surface 17a of the calcaneal shell is It will be pressed against the lower surface 22a.

Of course, other mechanical means that can be radially deformed can be used in place of the subtalar bellows 25, in which case the deformability and stiffness are relative to the calcaneal shell 17 and the intermediate upper 22. The condition is to allow mobility.

As a variant, the separate subtalar section 21, which is directly integrated between the intermediate upper 22 and the calcaneal shell 17, can be used instead of a separate type subtalar section such as the subtalar bellows 25 described above. . This requires that the subtalar section 21, the calcaneal shell 17 and the intermediate upper 22 be made of the same composite material, for example of the carbon-Kevler type, with the composition of the material at the level of the coating representing the subtalar section. Needs to be gradually changed. Thus, by increasing the density of Kevlar relative to the density of carbon, it is possible to reduce the stiffness of the subtalar section 21 and provide it with a deforming capacity equal to that obtained by the subtalar bellows 25 Become.

Depending on the intended use of the shoe, in particular the required dynamic lateral force, one of the alternative embodiments of the subtalar section is selected.

FIG. 4 only shows the assembly of the deformable tibial and tarsal section 31 mounted on the intermediate upper 22 in FIG.
FIG. 4 shows a second variant embodiment of the shoe according to the invention, which differs from the variant shown in FIG. The tibial-tarsal section 31 has in combination an upward leg 32 that is hinged onto the intermediate upper 22 at the tibia-fibula clip 33 level using a uniaxial hinge device 34. The tibia / fibula clip 33 constitutes a rotation axis inclined from the symmetry plane of the person toward the horizontal plane P, and the uniaxial hinge device 34
Has a rotation axis that is integrated with the tilt axis. The lower limb upper 33 may be rigid, or may be only partially rigid and have a flexible portion in its upper portion, which rigid portion is restricted to the vicinity of the hinged device 34 .

The tibial-tarsal section 31 is supplemented with at least one, and preferably two, deformable bellows for surrounding the upper part of the ankle. Preferably, the deformable bellows of the tarsal bone is comprised of bellows called front bellows 35 and rear bellows 36, each having a specific opening angle.

The anterior bellows 35 and the posterior bellows 36 can be made of a flexible, deformable plastic material similar to that used for the realization of the subtalar section 25, and provide a series of approximately radial lines that provide an accordion structure to each bellows. It may be composed of folds. Advantageously, the lower limb upper 33 extends from about 30 degrees from front to back of the shoe, preferably toward the front of the shoe.
It can pivot about the transverse axis of the tibia-fibula clip 33 at an amplitude of 90 degrees, preferably about 45 degrees, and at an amplitude of about 30 to 90 degrees, preferably 60 degrees, toward the back of the shoe. The angle values thus determined are the front bellows 35 and the rear bellows, whose deformation over the aforementioned angular range allows the lower limb upper 33 to strike the intermediate upper 22.
It almost matches the opening angle of each of the 36.

A shoe with a tibia-tarsal section thus allows for the fixation of the tibia-fibula clip level joints, in addition to the fixation with mobility of the talar-heel joints, which applies to certain sports activities Improves the support of the joints of the feet and ankles without negatively affecting the user's comfort in some cases.

In the above two examples, the opening of the shoe can be done in a conventional manner by knitting or lacing of the front part of the shoe or alternatively by continuous fitting of the various components of the shoe on the subtalar section. it can.

To respect the physiology and anatomy of the ankle joint, with the realization of a universal shoe that includes a deformable subtalar section placed on the shoe according to the subtalar cone 11 representing the valgus and varus movements of the ankle. It is possible in a simple and effective way to obtain a shoe that simultaneously secures the perfect fixation and the comfort of the user.

In fact, the arrangement is such that all of the natural movements of the talar-heel joint are tolerated, and the valgus or varus movement of the ankle can create an instantaneous displacement axis outside the subtalar cone. The deformation of the subtalar section is not disturbing to the user, since only the so-called fixation starts. These limits then correspond to the butt compression of the calcaneal shell 17 against the intermediate upper 22, which then ensures an effective fixation of the talar-heel joint.

Of course, if the fixation must be improved, the abutment of the calcaneal shell 17 and the intermediate upper 22 can intervene before the instantaneous displacement axis reaches the covering limit defined by the subtalar cone. Yes, and thus the amplitude of the displacement of the tacroarticular joint is limited. Such limitations are of course advantageous in shoes designed for use in athletic rehabilitation.

The present invention is not limited to the illustrated example described above, and various changes can be made thereto. Thus, on the posterior covering tongue 41 integrated with the middle upper 22, via the uniaxial hinge device 40 located near the top S of the talar tongue cone 11, directly on the calcaneal shell 17 It is also conceivable to attach the upper 22 (FIG. 6). The single-axis system may advantageously be constituted by a pivot having an axis substantially unitary with the main axis 12 of the subtalar cone (11).

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The object of the present invention is particularly advantageous when used for the realization of sports shoes or rehabilitation shoes.

(56) References JP-A-1-148202 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A43B 23/02 101 A43B 5/00 A61H 3/00

Claims (12)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plantar shell (1) having a calcaneal shell (17).
6) and an upper (22) connected to the sole shell (16) via a member displaceable between the sole shell (16), and the upper (22) Supporting the majority of the foot, including the talar portion of the foot and at least the rear of the foot, the displaceable member is configured to allow the sole shell (16) and the upper (22) to move relative to each other. A subtalar section (21) that is less rigid than the upper (22) and the calcaneal shell (17), wherein the subtalar section (21) represents at least the varus and varus movement range of the ankle; A shoe characterized by being arranged corresponding to the shape of a rotating cone called a subtalar cone (11). 2. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein the subtalar section (21) is integral with a support band covering the talar-heel joint on the sides, the back and the front. 3. The subtalar section (21) includes a sole (19) within a covering wherein the subtalar cone (11) is at least partially defined by the subtalar section (21).
The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that it is arranged in such a way that it is projected along a plane parallel to the stretching plane (P) of the shoe. 4. The subtalar section (21) follows the general tendency of the subtalar cone (11) and tends in the direction of the upper part of the shoe, the angle of inclination of which is the main extension plane of the shoe (11). P) at an angle (α) of between 20 ° and 50 °, preferably between 30 ° and 45 °, and at a posterior zone near the top (S) of said subtalar cone (11); 4. The shoe according to claim 3, characterized in that it has an anterior zone covering an opening angle ([beta]) of the subtalar cone (11) of 30 degrees. 5. The subtalar section (21) is a bellows mounted between the upper (22) and the calcaneal shell (17) and comprising a fold (26) corresponding to the subtalar cone (11). The shoe according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising (25). 6. The lower talus cone (11) has a pivot axis substantially integral with the central axis (12) of the lower talus cone (11), and is near the top (S) of the lower talus cone (11). Via a pivot system (40) located in the rear part of the shoe at
A shoe according to any one of the preceding claims, mounted on the calcaneal shell (17). 7. The subtalar section (21) is integrated into a shoe (15) between the upper (22) and the calcaneal shell (17), wherein the upper (22) and the calcaneus 7. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein the shoe is made of the same material as the shell, but has a lower rigidity. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material is a carbon-Kevlar type composite material, wherein the subtalar section (21) has a lower rigidity than the upper (22) and the calcaneal shell (17). (22) and the calcaneal shell (17)
8. The shoe according to claim 7, wherein the shoe has a different proportion of the composite material. 9. The method according to claim 9, wherein the proportion of the composite material is
Shoe according to claim 8, characterized in that it changes progressively between 2) and the subtalar section (21) and between the subtalar section (21) and the calcaneal shell (17). . 10. Mounted on said upper (22) in combination with an upper lower limb upper (33) hinged on said upper (22) at the level of a tibia / fibula clip (32). Deformable tibia and tarsal sections (3
The shoe according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising (1). 11. The tibial-tarsal section (31) comprises two alterable bellows, one of which is an anterior bellow (35) and the other is a posterior bellow (36). 11. The shoe according to claim 10, wherein: 12. The lower leg upper (33), wherein the front bellows (35) has an opening angle which can vary from 30 to 90 degrees from the connecting axis of the lower leg upper (33), preferably about 45 degrees. The rear bellows (56) can change from 30 to 90 degrees from the connecting axis of the lower limb upper (33), preferably about 60 degrees.
The shoe according to claim 11, characterized in that it has an opening angle which is in degrees, so that the lower limb upper (33) can play sideways at the same angle rearward.