US2436716A

US2436716A - Insertable and detachable arch-supporting unit for footwear

Info

Publication number: US2436716A
Application number: US589647A
Authority: US
Inventors: James A Fikany
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-04-21
Filing date: 1945-04-21
Publication date: 1948-02-24
Anticipated expiration: 1965-02-24

Description

INSERTABLE AND DETACHABLE ARCH-SUPPORTIIIG UNIT'FOR FOOITWEAR J, A. FIKANY Filed April 21, 1945 Patented Feb. 24, 1948 NITED aines'AFlany Carbondale, Pa. t ',Afirlicafien-April 21,1945,seria1fNo. 589,647 fcims. (el: :a6- 71) My present 'invention-isfa'novelandimproved cushioning and arch-suppqrting: insertable and detachable vunit or padA to v beiittedv into boots and shoes after they i are other-wise. completed, Ywhich insertable unit has, preferably,A also-ran adjustable *arch-supporting, element fenclosedin the cushioning portion of the unit.

The present invention is an-improvement :over that of my prior-adjustable f`arclj 1 Patent vN o. 2,044,751, issued June 16, 19365-,whereinj1ihave illustrated, described-.and claimedfan .adjustable arch supporting element ibuilt intot-heshoe structure itself betweenthe.l insole randwnitsole of, a standard type o fgshoe. Inymygsaid: prior patent, however, the adjustable larch-supporting element was rigidly secured to'. the ,theel f portioncof vthe shoe structure, :preferably to the :heel itself, to facilitate the adjustable feature ,land;vv the' raising and lowering ofthel arch--supportfiexplained in my said =patent,which lifted and TAlowered the insole of the shoe.

wherein the: adjustatle'eierngent Vwas underneath the insole ,ofthegshoe requiring a c,ut-Qut`pa rt ofl the insole ,togfloe lifted, .a'djustments roughly made, and then ltheS'hQelltte-d fbacll on the foot, requiring av continu, iis'l cut'eandL-,trymethodgarid even then the ttingrcoiildllnotlbeas accurately In my presentdnvention Yl;.have-devised van improved detachable-and insertable ypad 'or unit, having a cushioning andfootsupporting relement and an adjustable.arch-snpporting feature which may be moved, adjusted, and secured in desired position for lthe .foot ofwthe individual wearer, for positioninga metatarsal-.arch-supporting element in proper position for the wearer.

In my said prior patent, a novel and important feature was vthe raisingandlowering of the archsupporting element.underltheinsole;y but in my present invention, which-:comprises aninsertable and removable unit, the adjustment of' themetatarsal supporting `element isi-koi.primeimportance, as the insertable1 .unit.orpad, and cushioning member itself constitutesga; lifting Pandsupporting feature forI the longitudinal .arch of the wearer. By means Yof the, removable andjnsertable unit constraction-v Qi?vv rny. present invention, varying types, .thickne ss es,.andelengths of ymy inserta-ble unitAv canb'e, ,instantlynttedato; any. type of 4standard`footw'earQ.an' 'l `be-,prggressively changed yfrom `,t ir'ne to' time ioot, treatinent,.` if desired. in addiiionothe .arise-.eifadjristment provided by the s ng 'oi the nietatarsal arch within theinsertab eun1tts'e1f. My present invention thusv enables an adjust,.-

ment and nttirigtqit' maeeto'tnefoptef'the wearerby the Vadjjistrre'nt ofthemetatarsal'archsupporting elements-before :the `pad is inserted in the' shoe, "thusfgratly'facilitating accuracy, speed, and correct iitting"in'fthea'diustment 'desired for'eacnindi'vidual usfr. Su'hfan advantage was Ynot possibleinftherpri'or:fcon'stru'ctiom obtained as Wherafintmypresent invention, the detachable jpa'dl is,4 fittedtothefpot of' thel wearer in. full view fof 'the operatorfandiuseni Furthermore, lmy present,dir iprc'wedl insertab'le and detachableunit canlbefshifted .from one,A pair of shoes to another .which,..of course, islamost important advantage,

In the .manufacture Vof ,.my. present improved foot-cushioning and arch-supporting unit .,I prefer to form the-.same of two layers of suitable yielding materialwhichmaytbe of leather, synthetic plastic, felt,. or thelike;fand1 I ft between the two Iayeraaeushioning element in addition to the cushioningjeatures yprovidedtby .the layers constituting the-. t opand bottom; portion ofniy unit. vSecuredalsotoethebottom-'layer .isl Aan adjustable element permitting lready' adjustment of the metatarsal-'.archesupporting portionto'yltthe particular individual: wearer. jThis comprises a telescoping sliding-element, :having oneend secured and the other-.adjustable longitudinally thereof, together with meanswfor quicklylocking the twoV sliding elements fin fadjusted position. The top .Ilayerf secured fover and around kthe cushioning and Vadjustable 'Y arch-supporting' element an'd`is provided with annopeniiflg or recess to enable thev lockingand unlocking to be readily reached, and the z lengthwise adjustment `to be effected.

Further detailsjaldvantages,,and novel 'combinations will be i' hereinafter morel fully" pointed out, described; and claimed.

Referring to thedrawin'g's illustrating a'preferred embodiment ofimy vpresent invention:

`I'ie 1 is 'a'planv'iewofzthelcrnplete' detachable cushioning and archi-supporting element;

`Fig. 2 isa planview with'the upper foot-contacting layer rernve'd;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional vi'ew`on theline' 3-3 fFig. 1, -'and Fig. `4is a crossse'ctin'al'fview on rthe line 4-4 ofFig. 1. A

'As shownTin-'the'drawings mypr'esent unit comprises a' lower" layer t'I *and an upper layer'fZ of vyielding sheet`l niaterial,"having"acontour suitable to t within thesizestyle; and type of shoe for which the insertable .unit is to be utilized, these two layers being;.;united. around the'marg'inal portion y'asb'yristitching3. Any suitable .or

desirable contour can be employed, preferably extending from the extreme rear heel of the shoe to the ball of the foot of the wearer in order to extend beyond the position of the metatarsal arch of the wearer. The upper layer 2 is provided with a line of cut, as indicated at 5, Fig. 1, defining a window, leaving a tongue or flap 6, which flap is in position to close and open said window and to fit over the locking element of the longitudinally adjustable part of the shoe to facilitate access thereto.

The longitudinally adjustable element comprises a fixed metal guiding element III rigidly secured by rivets, or the like, Il, II to the layer I, and an adjustable sliding portion I5 fitted to slide over and upon the xed guide I0, said guide being provided with edge anges I2', I2 within which the shank of the sliding member I5 is retained. Preferably, these flanges may be extended and turned over at the top, as shown at I6. I6. Fig. 4, meeting in the middle and constituting a cover for the sliding member l5 and a supportI forY this portion of the top layer 2. Fitted at each side of the telescoping members Il) and I5 are cushioning members 2li. 20 extending lengthwise of the telescoping elements and of substantially equal or slightly greater thickness adjacent said telesconing members to provide a yielding support for the top layer 2 and, hence, fort-he foot of the wearer.

These cushioning members also constitute a longitudinal arch-supporting feature in addition to that afforded by the telescoping members. Said telescoping members may be constructed and arranged either to effect a raising and lowering during longitudinal adjustment or to be in the same arc or curve throughout the entire extent of their longitudinal adjustment, as a suitable unit can be fitted to the foot of the wearer to Yprovide for the longitudinal arch-supporting extent desired, irrespective of the telescoping elements. This is a further advantageous feature of my present detachable unit.

The sliding portion I5 preferably terminates at its outer end in a metatarsal arch-supporting structure 2|, having a convex surface for contact with the upper layer 2 merging into a slightly concave end portion 22; and, thereupon being bent backward in reverse direction to constitute avslidi'ng support 23 for contact with the lower layer I and thus facilitate the longitudinal adjustment of the telescoping elements III and I5.

In order to secure the telescoping elements I and I in any lengthwise adjustment desired, I provide a slot 24 near the end portion of the element I5 which is engaged by a headed screw 25. having the shank extending thru said slot and into a threaded opening in the xed element I0. Thus, a loosening ofthe screw 25 permits a relativel7 sliding cushion between the telescoping members I!) and I5 to provide lengthwise adjustment of the metatarsal arch support 2l; whereupon. tightening of the screw rholds the same in adjusted position, the ap 6 being readily raised for access to screw 25.

The operation and advantages of my improved invention will be readily appreciated. An appropriate unit to t the size and style of the shoe of the wearer to which such unit is to be adjusted, which unit may be made and marked corresponding to the size of footwear, is readily selected, whereupon the unit itself is adjusted to the foot of the wearer with the advantages o full vision for the iitting'and adjusting operation. Thereupon, the unltis applied to the shoe and.

the assembly is complete. At any time the unit can be removed for further adjustment, thus eiecting progressive treatments of the arch support and particularly the metatarsal arch-supporting feature; and, if necessary, additional units can be substituted or any of these units 'can be removed from one shoe and replaced in another pair ofthe wearers shoes.

I claim:

1. A detachable arch-supporting and cushioning unit comprising an upper and a lower yielding layer united around their marginal contour, a longitudinally adjustable pair of telescoping elements, one of said pair being xed to a selected one of the layers, and the other being longitudinally slidable relatively with said fixed member, theslidable member carrying a metatarsal arch support at its outer end, and a resilient cushioning element in the space alongside said telescoping elements and filling said space.

y2. A detachable arch-supporting and cushioning unit comprising an upper and a lower yielding layer united around their marginal contour, a longitudinally adjustable pair of telescoping elements. one of said pair being fixed to a selected one of the layers. and the other being longitudinally slidable relatively with said fixed member, a resilient cushioning element in the spaces alongside both sides ofsaid telescoping elements and lling said spaces, the slidable member carrying a metatarsal arch support convex at its outer end, said metatarsal arch support having its end turned in underneath its convex portion for facilitating sliding adjustment thereof.

3. A detachable cushioning and adjustable arch-supporting unit adapted to be assembled in a completed shoe, comprising a pair of layers of yieldable material united together, a pair of telescoping members secured between said layers and approximately in the lengthwise middle portion of said layers, having means for relatively longitudnal sliding action within said layers, a plurality of yielding cushioning elements lengthwise of and adjacent to said telescoping elements and of substantially equal thicknessto said telescoping members, means to adjust said telescoping members in lengthwise adjusted position, and means to lock said members in said adjusted position, said locking means being accessible thru one of said layers.

4. An arch supporting unit for use in a completed shoe, comprising a base layer` a pair of curved telescoping members for providing a support for the longitudinal arch of the foot, one of said members being fastened to said base layer, the other of said members being provided with a convex portion for fitting under and supporting the metatarsal arch of the foot, means for variably positioning and securing said telescoping members with respect to each other for varying the size of the arch provided by said members, an upper layer secured to the base layer and enclosing the telescoping members, thereby providing an arch supporting unit readily positionable in and removable from the shoe, said upper layer being provided with a window for giving access to the said means forvvariably positioning and securing said telescoping members.

5. An arch-supporting unit for use in a completed shoe, comprising a pair of curved telescoping members for providing a support for the longitudinal arch of the foot, one of said telescoping members being provided with a portion fOr ttina under and supporting the metatarsal arch f the foot, means for variably positioning and securing said telescoping members with respect to each other for varying the effective size of the arch provided by such members, upper and lower enveloping layers of sheet material secured to each other and enclosing the telescoping members, means in one of said layers of sheet material for giving access to said telescoping members for adjusting them, and means for securing one of said telescoping members to one of 10 said layers of sheet material, for providing an arch supporting unit readily positionable in and removable from the shoe.

JAMES A. FIKANY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS