WO1999047014A1

WO1999047014A1 - Insole for footwear

Info

Publication number: WO1999047014A1
Application number: PCT/DK1999/000125
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sirus Farzan
Original assignee: Sirus Farzan
Priority date: 1998-03-17
Filing date: 1999-03-12
Publication date: 1999-09-23
Also published as: AU2713899A; DK9800096U3

Abstract

This invention concerns an insole for footwear, which is new in having an uneven upper surface, consisting of many high supporting areas (6) for foot sole, with a very high elastic modulus, and many low air passages (7), stretched to upper surface's edges (9). Under the upper surface, there is an elastic air chamber, connected to the air passages by many air canals (8). Under the foot's pressure, both the upper surface and the air chamber act as air pumps, pumping the air through air passages and out of upper surface's edges. This brings the surface of the foot sole, sock or stocking in direct contact with exchanged and moving air, which yields a drier, cleaner and healthier foot sole. Furthermore, the insole is suitable for shock absorption, fitting the shoe's size and shape to the foot, adjustment of the foot sole's pressure distribution, temperature regulation, and physiotherapic purposes.

Description

Title of the invention

Insole for footwear.

Background of the invention

This invention concerns an insole for footwear of any type and shape, such as shoes, boots and sandals for women, men, and children.

The insole has an uneven upper surface, consisting of a number of high supporting areas for the foot sole, made of a material with a very low elastic modulus, and a number of low air passages, stretched to the edges of the insole's upper surface. There is an air chamber made of a material with a low elastic modulus under the insole's upper surface. The upper surface of the insole is connected to the air chamber by a number of air canals. Both the insole's upper surface and the elastic air chamber act as air pumps which under the pressure from the foot, pump the air through the upper surface's air passages and send it out of the upper surface's edges. This air pumping action brings the user's foot sole, sock or stocking in direct contact with the exchanged and moving air, which results in a drier, cleaner and healthier foot sole. In addition, the insole is suitable for shock absoφtion, fitting the shoe's size and shape to the size and shape of the foot, adjustment of the foot sole's pressure distribution, temperature regulation, and physiotherapic purposes, such as massage and zone therapy.

The insole can be made both as a full insole which covers the shoe sole totally, and as a partial insole which covers just one area or some areas of the shoe sole, for example heel area or toe area.

Technical standpoint

Using insoles in shoes, for improving foot's hygienic conditions, including counteracting the microorganism growth, fitting the shoe's size and shape to the size and shape of the foot, thermal isolation, adjustment of the pressure distribution, shock absoφtion, adjustment of the shoe sole's hardness and other physical properties, different treatments for foot such as zone therapy and many other puφoses are well known. The common feature of the most types of insole is that the insole is made of, or equipped with a moisture and sweat absorbing layer which covers a considerable portion of the surface of the user's foot sole, sock or stocking. The purpose of using this method is to reduce the level of moisture and sweat on the foot sole.

Technical problem to be solved

The known insole which is made of, or equipped with a moisture and sweat absorbing layer is unsuitable for use in many situations, partly due to the following disadvantages: - The moisture and sweat absorbing layer covers a considerable portion of the surface of the user's foot sole, sock or stocking and prevents the user's foot sole, sock or stocking from having a direct contact with the moving air. This results in a poor ventilation of the foot sole, which leads to a wetter, uncleaner and unhealthier foot sole.

- Due to the growth of the microorganisms, the moisture and sweat absorbing layer becomes unclean, which may cause hygienic and odour problems.

- Usually, the moisture and sweat absorbing layer can not be cleaned easily or completely, since the unclean areas are not only on the layer's surface, but also inside the layer. - The moisture and sweat absorbing layer can not be made as a transparent layer. This makes the insole unsuitable for use in shoes with open areas in sides, front or behind, such as sandals, since the presence of the insole in the shoe may leads to an undesireable change in the shoe's appearance. The object of the invention is to create an improved type of the known insole, which is also suitable for shoes with open areas in sides, front or behind, such as sandals, and at the same time keeps the foot sole drier, cleaner and healthier.

New technical means The new aspect of the invention is that the new insole has an uneven upper surface, consisting of a number of high supporting areas for the foot sole, made of a material with a very low elastic modulus, and a number of low air passages, stretched to the edges of the insole's upper surface. Furthermore, there is an air chamber made of a material with a low elastic modulus under the insole's upper surface. The upper surface of the insole is connected to this air chamber by a number of air canals. Apart from these air canals, the air has no way out of the air chamber. The elastic air chamber acts as an air pump which under the pressure from the foot, pumps the air through the air canals to the upper surface's air passages. The air is then pumped out of the insole through the upper surface's edges. The insole's uneven upper surface and the air chamber's air pumping effect, brings that part of the user's foot sole, sock or stocking which is placed on the upper surface's air passages, in direct contact with the exchanged and moving air.

In addition, the volume of the upper surface's air passages decreases under the pressure from the foot sole, since the upper surface's high supporting areas have a very low elastic modulus. This results in that a major part of the air contained within the air passages is pumped out through the upper surface's edges. This air pumping effect is added to the air pumping effect of the elastic air chamber.

Technical effect 85 Using the technical aspects mentioned above, in connection with the known technic, leads to an improved type of the known insole which keeps the foot sole drier, cleaner and healthier.

The high supporting areas with a very low elastic modulus, which are present on the 90 insole's upper surface, act as supporting areas for the foot sole. In addition, these areas can be used for physiotherapic purposes, such as massage and zone therapy. Furthermore, the volume of the upper surface's air passages decreases under the pressure from the foot, since the upper surface's high supporting areas have a very low elastic modulus. This results in that a major part of the air contained within the air passages is pumped out through the 95 upper surface's edges. This air pumping effect, brings that part of the user's foot sole, sock or stocking which is placed on the upper surface's air passages, in direct contact with the exchanged and moving air.

The low air passages on the insole's upper surface, which are stretched to the edges of the loo insole's upper surface, act both as small air pumps and as entrance and exit ways for the air contained in the air chamber. Furthermore, these air passages are contact areas between the foot sole and the exchanged and moving air.

The elastic air chamber acts as an air pump which under the pressure from the foot, pumps 105 the air through the air canals to the upper surface's air passages. The air chamber's low elastic modulus makes the insole suitable for use as an impact shock absorbing insole.

The insole's characteristics result in that the insole does not have to be made of or equipped with a moisture and sweat absorbing layer. This gives the manufacturer a broader 110 choice of materials for production of the insole. For example, the insole can be made of a transparent material. This would make the insole also suitable for use in shoes with open areas in sides, front or behind, such as sandals.

The detailed description of the preferred embodiment is explained in the following.

115

List of drawings

FIG. 1 shows four examples of the new insole.

FIG. 2 shows 3 examples of shoes with open areas in sides, front or behind.

FIG. 3 shows the insole described under the first preferred embodiment of the invention, 120 seen from above.

FIG. 4 shows a magnified horizontal cross section of the insole described under the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a magnified vertical cross section of the insole described under the first preferred embodiment of the invention. 125 FIG. 6 shows the insole described under the second preferred embodiment of the invention, seen from above. FIG. 7 shows a magnified horizontal cross section of the insole described under the second preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows a magnified vertical cross section of the insole described under the second

130 preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 shows the multilayer insole described under the third preferred embodiment of the invention, seen from above.The shown multilayer insole is as an example illustrated with 3 layers, but the number of layers can be bigger or smaller than 3. The illustrated distances between the insole's layers are fictive, since the layers are sticked to each other, and the

135 illustrated distances are therefore used only for the purpose of clarity.

Description of the preferred embodiment

As the first example of the invention's favourable embodiments, the following is a description of a transparent insole which is coated on the underside 12 with a non- 140 hardening pressure sensitive transparent adhesive. The insole is shown in FIG. 3.

The insole has an uneven upper surface, consisting of a number of high supporting areas 6 for the foot sole, made of a material with a very low elastic modulus, and a number of low air passages 7, stretched to the edges 9 of the insole's upper surface. There is an air

145 chamber made of a material with a low elastic modulus under the insole' s upper surface. The upper surface's air passages are connected to this air chamber by a number of air canals 8. Apart from these air canals, the air has no way out of the air chamber. Inside the air chamber, there are a number of air gaps 10, and a number of supporting pieces 11 which are bearing the insole's upper surface. The low elastic modulus of the supporting pieces

150 results in that the volume of the air gaps decreases under the pressure from the foot, and increases when this pressure is relieved. Therefore the air chamber acts as an air pump.

Furthermore, the volume of the upper surface's air passages decreases under the pressure from the foot sole. This results in that a part of the air contained within the air passages is 155 pumped out through the upper surface's edges. This air pumping effect is added to the air pumping effect of the elastic air chamber.

Both the high areas of the insole's upper surface and the supporting pieces of the elastic air chamber are bell shaped in vertical cross section and oval shaped in horizontal cross

160 section.

The oval shaped cross section prevents the material from bending forward or backward under the pressure from the foot. The bell shaped cross section prevents the material from bending in any direction. In addition, the bell shaped cross section decreases the friction between the foot sole and the upper surface's supporting areas and increases the resistance

165 of the edges of the supporting pieces against cuts and cracks.

Using a non-hardening pressure sensitive adhesive results in that the insole stays firmly in the desired position on the upper surface 2 of the shoe sole 1. At the same time, the insole can be easily removed or exchanged. The insole's transparency results in that the insole can be used in any shoe, regardless of the shoe's colour or shoe sole's colour. Furthermore, the insole's transparency results in that the insole is less visible than the known insole, which is not transparent and causes an undesired change of the appearance of the shoe. These properties result in that the insole 175 can be used advantageously in shoes of different type and shape, specially in shoes with open areas in sides 3, front 4 or behind 5, such as sandals.

The insole is made of transparent elastomer based materials. Materials based on the natural or synthetic rubber specially in latex form, silicone rubber, polyethylene, polypropylene, 180 and polyurethane are among the favourable elastomer based materials.

As the second example of the invention's favourable embodiments, the following is a description of an insole containing an elastic air chamber made of foam 13. The insole is shown in FIG. 6. The insole is almost the same as the insole described under the first

185 example of the invention's favourable embodiments. The difference is that the insole's air chamber is made of foam and does not contain the previously mentioned supporting pieces 11. The air chamber which is made of foam, contains many air gaps. These air gaps are connected to each other and to the insole's air canals 8, so that the air contained in the air gap can be exchanged through the insole's air canals and air passages 7. The air canals are

190 stretched deep inside the air chamber, in order to be connected to a larger number of air gaps. This makes the exchange of the air contained in the air chamber easier.

As the third example of the invention's favourable embodiments, the following is a description of a multilayer insole. The multilayer insole consists of a number of separable 195 layers which are sticked to each other. Each layer (14, 15 and 16) is a transparent insole described under the first example of the invention's favourable embodiments, but without the air chamber and the air canals. The multilayer insole is shown in FIG. 9.

The advantage of the multilayer insole is that when a multilayer insole is being used, an 200 exchange of the insole consist only of an easy removal of the top layer 14. In contrast, an exchange of a known insole which does not contain separable layers, requires a removal of the insole, followed by applying a new insole. Furthermore, the risk of leaving adhesive remnants or damaging the upper surface 2 of the shoe sole 1 is less when a multilayer insole is used and not a known insole which does not contain separable layeres, because in 205 a multilayer insole only the lowest layer 16 is in contact with the upper surface of the shoe sole. Using a multilayer insole is specially advantageous when the user is, for hygienic reasons, interested in frequent exchange of the insole.

210

Claims

1. Insole for footwear of any type and form, characterized in that the insole has an uneven upper surface, consisting of a number of high supporting areas (6) for the foot sole, made of a material with a very low elastic modulus, and a number of low air passages (7), stretched to the edges (9) of the insole' s upper surface.

2. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 1, characterized in that the high supporting areas with a very low elastic modulus existing on the insole's upper surface have bell like vertical cross sections and horizontal cross sections which are oblong in the direction of the foot sole's toe area.

3. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the insole contains an air chamber made of a material with a low elastic modulus, which is connected to the insole's upper surface by a number of air canals (8).

4. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that there is an air chamber, made of a material with a low elastic modulus, under the insole's upper surface, which is connected to upper surface's air passages (7) by a number of air canals (8).

5. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the elastic air chamber contains a number of supporting pieces (11), made of a material with a very low elastic modulus, which are bearing the insole's upper surface.

6. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 5, characterized in that the air chamber's supporting pieces (11) have bell like vertical cross sections and horizontal cross sections which are oblong in the direction of the foot sole's toe area.

7. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the air chamber is made of foam (13) containing air gaps which are connected to each other and to the insole's air canals (8).

8. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is made of transparent materials.

9. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is made of elastomer based materials, such as natural or synthetic rubber specially in latex form, silicone rubber, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyurethane.

10. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is coated on the underside (12) with a non-hardening pressure sensitive transparent adhesive.

11. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole consists of a number of separable layers (14, 15 and 16) which are sticked to each other, and each layer is an insole according to any of the above claims. 12. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for improving foot's hygienic conditions.

13. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for impact shock absoφtion.

14. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for adjustment of the foot sole's pressure distribution. 15. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for fitting shoe's size and shape to the size and shape of the foot.

16. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for physiotherapic pmposes.

17. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for foot's temperature adjustment.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 9 August 1999 (09.08.99); original claims 1-17 replaced by amended claims 1-27 (3 pages)]

1. Insole for footwear of any type and form, including full or partial and permanent or replaceable shoe insole, shoe insert or shoe inlay, heel cup, heel cushion, heel mat or heel pad, metatarsal mat or metatarsal pad, arch mat or arch pad, characterized in that the insole has an uneven upper surface, consisting of a number of high supporting areas (6) for the foot sole, made of a material with a very low elastic modulus, and a number of low air passages (7), stretched to the edges (9) of the insole's upper surface.

2. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 1 , characterized in that the insole has an uneven upper surface, consisting of a number of high supporting areas (6) for the foot sole, made of a material with a very low elastic modulus, and a number of low air passages (7) placed between these high supporting areas.

3. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the high supporting areas with a very low elastic modulus existing on the insole's upper surface have bell like vertical cross sections.

4. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the high supporting areas with a very low elastic modulus existing on the insole' s upper surface have oblong horizontal cross sections.

5. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the high supporting areas with a very low elastic modulus existing on the insole's upper surface have bell like vertical cross sections and horizontal cross sections which are oblρng in the direction of the foot sole's toe area.

6. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the high supporting areas with a very low elastic modulus existing on the insole's upper surface have circular horizontal cross sections.

7. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the high supporting areas with a very low elastic modulus existing on the insole's upper surface have polygonal horizontal cross sections.

8. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the upper surfaces of the high supporting areas with a very low elastic modulus existing on the insole's upper surface have round edges. 9. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the high supporting areas with a very low elastic modulus existing on the insole's upper surface are made of a non-sticky elastomer based layer which does not stick to the user's foot sole.

10. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the upper side of the high supporting areas with a very low elastic modulus existing on the insole's upper surface are covered by a non-sticky coating which does not stick to the user's foot sole. 11. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is made of viscoelastic elastomers, such as viscoelastic polymers, viscoelastic gel materials, polymer gels, silicone gels, and sorbothane.

12. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole contains an air chamber made of a material with a low elastic modulus, which is connected to the insole's upper surface by a number of air canals (8).

13. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that there is an air chamber, made of a material with a low elastic modulus, under the insole's upper surface, which is connected to upper surface's air passages (7) by a number of air canals (8).

14. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the elastic air chamber contains a number of supporting pieces (11), made of a material with a very low elastic modulus, which are bearing the insole's upper surface.

15. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 14, characterized in that the air chamber's supporting pieces (11) have bell like vertical cross sections and horizontal cross sections which are oblong in the direction of the foot sole's toe area.

16. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the air chamber is made of foam (13) containing air gaps which are connected to each other and to the insole's air canals (8).

17. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is made of transparent materials.

18. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is made of elastomer based materials, such as natural or synthetic rubber specially in latex form, silicone rubber, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyurethane.

19. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is coated on the underside ( 12) with a non-hardening pressure sensitive transparent adhesive.

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19₎

9

20. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is coated on the underside (12) with a non-hardening

90 pressure sensitive transparent adhesive which is removeable and does not leave a noticeable amount of adhesive on the upper surface (2) of the shoe sole (1).

21. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole consists of a number of separable layers (14, 15 and 16)

95 which are sticked to each other, and each layer is an insole according to any of the above claims.

22. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for improving foot's hygienic conditions.

100

23. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for impact shock absoφtion.

24. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, 105 characterized in that the insole is used for adjustment of the foot sole's pressure distribution.

25. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for fitting shoe's size and shape to the size and l ιo shape of the foot.

26. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for physiotherapic puφoses.

115 27. Insole for footwear of any type and form according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the insole is used for foot's temperature adjustment.

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19₎

10