TH57790B - Sockliner and toe cap system combined. - Google Patents

Abstract

The DC60 insole includes a heel ring-like plate formed by a relatively rigid bottom and a softer upper. The heel ring is positioned beneath the arch and heel, and has a track in the upper surface. The forefoot has a forward sock-like portion that sits beneath the forefoot and a rear portion that fits snugly into the track of the heel ring and is attached to the heel. A softer foam pad is positioned within a recess in the underside of the forefoot and heel area. The insole system can include a combination insole with a knitted sock, featuring a thicker heel and rounded arch, a thinner arch, and a flatter upper surface that aligns with the sock. The insole system can also include a shoe, with the shoe complementing the insole's benefits. The insole includes a heel ring-like plate formed by a relatively rigid bottom and a softer upper. The heel ring is positioned beneath the arch and heel, and has a track in the upper surface. The forefoot has a sock-like portion. A forefoot that sits beneath the forefoot and a rear portion that fits snugly into a ring-like plate for the heel and is attached to it. A somewhat softer foam plate is placed within a recess in the underside of the forefoot and heel counter surface. Footwear systems can include a sock-like insole with a thick, contoured heel counter and a thinner, contoured upper, and the insole has a flat surface that aligns perfectly with the sock. Footwear systems can also include a shoe in combination with an insole, where the shoe complements the advantages of the insole.

Claims (8)

The insole for a shoe consists of a heel annulus formed and arranged to span the underside of the heel and arch of the foot, but short of the rounded end of the arch of the foot. The heel annulus defines the upper and lower surfaces and consists of a lower bottom member forming the lower surface of the heel annulus and a top member that sits on top of the lower bottom member. The bottom member and top member consist of a polymer foam and a lower bottom member that is somewhat stiffer than the top member; and a forefoot plate with a rear end portion superimposed and attached to the heel annulus and a forefoot portion extending beyond the heel annulus and providing support for the forefoot. The forefoot plate consists of a polymer foam layer defined by a forward recess in the underside of the forefoot and a rear recess in the underside of the heel. The forefoot plate further consists of foam sheets attached to each of the forefoot and metatarsal surfaces of the foam polymer layer. The foam insole is a somewhat softer type than the foam polymer layer and is positioned beneath the heel strike zone and metatarsal heads of the foot. To provide cushioning and support. 2. The insole of claim 1 herein, the heel ring comprising ethylene vinyl acetate foam. 3. The insole of claim 1 herein, the heel ring defined by a groove in its upper surface extending forward from a point beneath the heel, and the rear end of the front insole is shaped in a manner complementary to this groove and is adhesively or mechanically attached within this groove to join the heel ring and the front insole. 4. The insole of claim 3 herein, the groove is widened in a forward direction and the rear end of the front insole is shaped to substantially fill the groove. 5. The insole of claim 4 herein, the groove is located at the forward end of the heel ring covering substantially the full width of the heel ring. 6. The insole of claim 3 herein, the rear end of this groove is deeper than the The remainder of this track and the fitting portion of the rear end of the forefoot insole having a foam cushion for the heel strike area, a portion thicker than the remainder of the rear end and fitted into the rear end of this track. 7. The insole of claim 1, wherein the insole defines a raised curve. 8. The insole of claim 1, wherein the lower bottom member of the heel ring-like plate has a lesser lengthwise extension than the upper member of the heel ring-like plate, the upper member extending beyond the lower bottom member in a forward direction. 9. The insole of claim 1, wherein the lower bottom member of the heel ring-like plate is shaped so that it extends fully beneath the heel of the user's foot. 1 0. The insole of claim 1, wherein the forefoot further comprises a top layer of non-material. Foam attached to a polymer foam layer 1. The insole of claim 1, wherein the forefoot plate has a lower rhombic stiffness than the heel plate 1. 2. The foot wear system comprising the insole of claim 1 and a shoe in which the insole is arranged. The shoe comprises an outsole and a top piece attached to the top piece. The outsole defines a bottom surface, this bottom surface defines the heel area, the lateral arch area, the mid-arch area and the forefoot area, wherein the mid-arch area of the bottom surface is substantially parallel to the heel and the lateral arch areas of the bottom surface 1. 3. The foot wear system of claim 12, wherein the heel area of the outsole includes a sloped area on the side at the rear of the heel area, this sloped area is sloped relative to the rest of the heel area in a general aft and lateral direction 1. 4. The foot wear system of claim 12, wherein the shoe in which the foot area The forefoot is of a flexible type to prevent bending of the toes and arch of the foot during natural stride. 1 5. The insole and sock system comprises: a) The insole comprises a heel annulus formed and provided to extend beneath the heel and arch of the foot but terminating within the arch of the foot; the heel annulus defines the upper and lower surfaces and comprises a lower bottom member forming the lower surface of the heel annulus and a top member resting on top of the lower bottom member; the lower bottom member and the top member are composed of a polymer foam and a relatively stiffer bottom member; and a forefoot plate resting above and meeting the heel annulus and having a forefoot portion extending forward beyond the heel annulus and providing support for this forefoot area. The forefoot plate comprises a polymer foam layer, a forward recess in the lower surface of the forefoot member, a polymer foam layer, and a rear recess in the lower surface beneath the heel. The forefoot plate further comprises an attached foam plate. Within each of the forefoot and aft compartments are a foam polymer layer, a relatively softer foam padding layer than the foam polymer layer and is positioned beneath the heel strike area and metatarsal heads of the foot to provide cushioning and support, and b) the knitted sock comprises a heel counter and an arch counter positioned between the heel counter and the arch counter. Each heel counter and the arch counter are formed by a thicker knit fabric than the arch counter, thus providing a greater total amount of protection and cushioning over the arch counter when placed on the wearer's foot. 1 6. The insole and sock system of claim 15, wherein the insole comprises a rounded portion, a heel portion, and a raised arch portion located and arranged to receive the respective overlay portion of the knitted sock and provide a converging contact. The raised arch portion of the insole substantially fits the lengthwise extension of the knitted sock when placed on the wearer's foot, providing a substantially matching interfacial relationship for increased comfort and protection to the wearer. 1 7. The insole and sock system of claim 15, wherein a ring-like plate for the heel of the insole establishes a track lengthwise in the upper surface extending forward from a point under the heel of the foot and the rear end of the forefoot of the insole. The insole is shaped in a manner complementary to this track and is affixed within the track to meet the heel and forefoot of the insole. 1 8. The insole and sock system of claim 17, wherein the rear end of the forefoot of the insole is adhesively affixed to this track of the ring-like plate. 1. The insole and sock system of claim 17, wherein the track is made wide in a forward direction and the front of the insole is shaped to substantially fill the shape. 2. The insole and sock system of claim 19, wherein the track is at the front end of the insole and substantially fills the width of the insole. 2. 1. The insole and sock system of claim 15, wherein the lower bottom member of the heel ring-like plate of the insole has a lengthwise extension less than the upper member of the heel ring-like plate, the upper member extending beyond the lower bottom member in a forward direction 2. 2. A footwear system comprising an insole and a sock system according to claim 15, and a shoe wherein the insole is placed. The shoe comprises a top piece and an outsole attached to the top piece, the outsole defining said lateral surface, the underside defining a heel area, a lateral curvature area, a mid-curvature area and a forefoot area, wherein the mid-curvature area of the underside surface is substantially parallel to the heel area and the lateral curvature area of the underside surface 2. 3. The foot wear system according to claim 22, wherein the heel surface area under the outer plate includes a sloped area at the lateral and distal sides of the heel area, the sloped area being inclined relative to the rest of the heel area in a general distal and distal direction. 2. 4. The foot wear system according to claim 22, wherein the shoe in the forefoot area is of a flexible type to prevent bending of the toes and the arch of the foot during natural gait. 2. 5. A footwear system comprising a multi-density insole molded from two or more different polymer materials of varying durometer hardness and a shoe in which the insole is placed. The shoe comprises an upper and an outsole attached to the upper, the outsole defining a lower surface, the lower surface defining the heel area, the lateral arch area, the mid-arch area, and the forefoot area, wherein the mid-arch area of the lower surface is substantially parallel to the heel and the lateral arch areas of the lower surface. 2 6. The foot wear system according to claim 22, wherein the heel area of the surface under the outer plate includes a sloped area at the lateral side of the heel area, the sloped area being sloped relative to the rest of the heel area in a general aft and lateral direction. 2. 7. The footwear system of claim 25 further comprising a knitted sock comprising an arch, a heel, and an arch positioned between the arch and the heel, each of which is formed by a knitted fabric that is thicker than the arch, thus providing a greater total amount of protection and cushioning to be placed on the arch and heel of the wearer's foot than would be placed on the arch when placed on the wearer's foot. 8. The insole and sock system of claim 27, wherein the insole comprises a rounded portion, a heel portion, and a raised arch portion, the upper surfaces of each of the rounded portion, the heel portion, and the raised arch portion are located and arranged to receive the respective underlayment portion of the knitted sock and contact the same portion. The raised arch of the insole fits substantially to extend the length of the knitted sock when placed on the wearer's foot, so as to provide a substantially matched interfacial relationship for increased comfort and protection to the wearer.