US2020395A - Metatarsal pad - Google Patents

Description

zmmss Nov. 12, 1935.

A. A. BILBREY ET AL METATARSAL PAD Filed June 6, 1934 Patented Nov. '12, 1935 OFFICE- 2,020,395 METATARSAL PAD Albert A. Bilbrey and Moses '1). Vinyard, Salem reg., assignors to said Vinyard Application June ,6, 1934, Serial No. 729,329

' 1 Claim. ,(01. 36-71) Our present invention relates to an improved metatarsal pad or cushion, designed especially for use. in womens high-heel shoes, and adapted to be embodied in the shoe as a feature of its l1 constructionrduring the process of manufacture,

or, due to its simplicity in construction and assembly, the pad or cushion may readily be affixed for use by the wearer of the shoe.

The cushion or pad is fashioned from rubber, .10 rubber composition material, or other suitable resilient and elastic material appropriate for the performance of its required functions.

As is Well known to those familiar with the use of high-heel shoes,gthe shank portion of the sole,

or the arch of the shoe, is necessarilysloped or inclined downwardly toward the toe of the shoe, and a sharp bend or angle occurs between the sloping shank and the main portion of the sole of the shoe. Under such conditions, the lower 0 portion of the arch of the foot is not only unsupported, but discomfort as well as serious deformities of the metatarsal arch, and of the toes of the foot, result.

By the utilization of our invention we provide a metatarsal pad or cushion-support, conforming to the shape of the shoe/and to the shape of the foot of the wearer of the shoe, and which is so constructed as to assure comfort, proper balance for the wearer and correct posture while standing or walking, and which, at the same time permits coordination in the functions of all of the muscles of the foot, thereby maintaining the normal healthy condition of the foot, and preventing deformities.

As a relief forthe victim of a fallen arch, our pad or cushion-support is especially designed to adequately support the fallen arch, and relieve the abnormal strains that would otherwise be imposed upon the defective arch, and at the same time the presence of the pad enables the muscles to properly exercise their functions, thus restoring the foot to its normal healthy condition.

Our invention consists in certain novel combi- 4 nations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed. In a shoe, with the shank and sole of the shoe in section, and showing also the relation of the pad to the shank and sole of the shoe.

Figure 3 is a rear or bottom face view of the pad.

Figure 4 is an edge View of the pad.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the pad, as at line 55 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a front or top face view of the pad.

In order that the general arrangement and re- 10 lation of parts may readily be understood, we have shown in Figures 1 and 2 the typical highheel womans shoe, of which the heel is designated H, the main part of the shoe-sole as S,

- the downwardly inclined or sloping shank or arch l5 portion S, and the sharp angle or bend usually occurring between the arch and the main sole of the shoe is designated A.

The metatarsal pad or cushion-support, as indicated, approximates an oval-shape, with the :0 narrow or apex portion I at the top or rear edge of the cushion, and the side edges 3 and 4 of the pad'flare outwardly and downwardly to the widened and rounded base 5 of the pad, thus conforming to the shape of the arch or shank S of 26 the shoe and to the rear portion of the flat sole of the shoe.

The pad is fashioned with a thin fin or continuous edge 6 that tapers substantially to zero thickness at its periphery, in order that the con- 30 tinuous edge of the pad may merge with the face of that portion of the shoe on which the pad rests, when in place.

The front, or upper face 1 of the pad as shown is normally slightly convex, the maximum de- 35 gree of convexity occurring near the bottom portion of the pad, while the rear or bottom face of the pad is fashioned with an oval-shaped lobe or projection 8 having a convex face that merges with the surrounding portion of the front face of 40 the pad.

In attaching the pad to the shank or arch and to a portion of the flat main sole portion of the shoe, as at C in Figure 2, we preferably employ a suitable cement to afiix'the rear or bottom face of the pad to the insole of the shoe, including the faces of the bend or angle portion A.

The resilient and elastic lobe 8 on the rear or 7 under side of the pad, readily lends itself to the necessary adjustment for filling the angle or bend A, and the resiliency of the material permits the pad to be adjusted to and affixed to the shoe, so that when the cement has set, the pad is securely attached to the shoe.

We find by test that the pad as thus cemented to the shoe provides a durable support forming an element of the shoe, and that while the cemented face of the pad remains at all timesrigidly aflixed to the shoe, the body of the pad, because of its resilience, readily conforms to the natural formation of the foot. This faculty of the resilient material in adjusting theformation of the lobe with respect to the under or bottom face and the upper or top face of the pad, also insures that the front or upper face of the pad will at all times be smooth, even, and without wrinkles, and this smooth front face provides a continuation of the normal true and natural lines between the shank and the main sole portion of the shoe, as well as with the heel portion of the shoe, as indicated in Figure 2.

Because of the presence of this smooth, unwrinkled, upper or wear-face of the pad, the whole of the under portion of the foot is supported in comfort, and has a normal bearing or load on the shoe, which permits the free exercise of the normal functions of the various parts of the foot.

It will be understood that the pads are fashioned in various sizes to fit different sizes of soft rubber having on its lower face a thin continuous attaching edge portion of substantial width and tapering to a periphery of substantially zero thickness, a convex oval-shaped, extended lobe on the under side of the pad having a maximum thickness below the transverse center line of the pad and merging with the inner boundary of the continuous edge portion of the pad, and a smooth continuous convex face on the upper side of the pad, whereby the lobe under the weight of the wearer is fitted snugly into the angle between the shank and sole of the shoe and the upper face of the pad maintains its convexity.

ALBERT A. BILBREY. MOSES D. VINYARD.

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