US2475417A - Metatarsal pad - Google Patents

Description

July 5, 1949. wysowsKl I 2,475,417

METAIARSAL PAD Filed Jan. 23, 1947 Pad Position Outline of Foot Pressure Outline of Shoe 6 Fig. 3.

Inventor John Wysowski atenied July 5, 1949 l Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in metatarsal pads and more particularly to a pad constructed to support the metatarsal heads entirely across the foot.

In pads of this character commonly used, the same are designed to support only a few of the metatarsal bones, usually covering only the three center bones and leaving the two outside bones unsupported. Accordingly, it is an objector the present invention to provide a pad of this char= actor which supports all live metatarsal bones to prevent them from falling.

A further object oi this invention is to provide a pad of this character which may be placed as a separate element in a shoe, or which may be constructed as a part of an arch support.

A still further object is to provide an article oi this character of simple and practical construction, which is eificient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a bottom plan view showing the pad in position under a foot;

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views taken re= spectlvely on the lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Figure '1, and

Figure t is a perspective view of the pad.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration 1 have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral t designates the pad generally which is constructed of sponge rubber or other suitable material and including a flat base 6 and converted upper surface I, the upper surface merging with the base in a feather edge shown at c which ex tends entirely around the marginal edges of the pad.

The pad is of a substantially three corner construction to provide an inner corner 9 positioned at the inner edge of a foot it under the metatarsal bone 01 the large toe ii, an outer corner it which is positioned at the outer side of the foot under the metatarsal bone of the outside or little toe it and an inner corner it positioned substantially at the center of the foot in the region cf'the front portion of the arch thereof as shown in Figure l of the drawing.

The front edge of the pad shown at it is curved to conform to the curvature of the metatarsal bones of the several toes and extends transversely of the foot in the region of the forward portion of the ball thereof to relieve pressure on callouses it at the front portion of the foot. The edge of on the pad at the inside of the foot is slightly curved from the corner of the pad 9 to the corner it toward the inner edge of the foot as shown at it and the edge of the pad at the outer edge of the loot between the corners l2 and It is straight as shown at H.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the is constructed to extend entirely under the five metatarsal bones of the foot and with the fr t edge of the pad extending substantially reiy across the bottom of the foot as shown Figure l. of the drawing, to thus provide a support for all of the metatarsal bones of the foot.

The pad further helps to relieve the pressure from callouses which appear on the ball of the foot immediately behind the metatarsal bones.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that clear understanding of the de= vice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprebended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is: V

A metatarsal pad comprising a resilient body having a fiat bottom and a convexed top, said body embodying a three cornered construction and including an inner front corner, an outer front corner and a rear corner, the inner front corner adapted to be positioned under the metatarsal bone of the great toe, while the outer front corner is adapted to be positioned under the metatarsal bone of the little too and the edge of the pad between the front corners being curved to extend under all of the intervening metatarsal bones of a foot a substantially uniform distance rearwardly of the toes and in the region of the front portion of the ball of the foot, and the edges of the pad between the front corners and the rear corner converging and terminating at a point immediately rearwardly of the ball of the foot in the region of the front portion of the arch, all of said edges being feathered.

JOHN WYSOWSKI.

REFERENGES CITED The following referohlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,025,571 Howe May 'I, 1912 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 447,799 Great Britain May 26, 1936

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