WO2010130283A1

WO2010130283A1 - Insert for soles and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2010130283A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/055699
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claudio Rossi
Original assignee: M.G.S. S.R.L.
Priority date: 2009-05-12
Filing date: 2009-05-12
Publication date: 2010-11-18

Abstract

An insert (10) for soles and the like comprising a hermetic pouch-like body (11) that forms internally a first compartment (12) that contains a first substance (13) and a second compartment (14) that contains a second substance (15). The first compartment (12) is separated from the second compartment (14) by a wall (16) that has at least one yielding portion (17), adapted to yield to a pressure applied to the hermetic pouch-like body (11), to allow the mixing of the first substance (13) with the second substance (15), the substances being adapted to combine in order to form a silicone (18).

Description

INSERT FOR SOLES AND THE LIKE Technical Field

The present invention relates to an insert for soles and the like. Background Art Various types of insert for soles, adapted to conform to the sole of the foot, are currently known.

One type of insert has a pocket filled with sand or powders so as to adapt dynamically to the sole of the foot while walking.

Shoes provided with inserts of this kind are often heavy, to the full detriment of their comfort in use.

Other known solutions propose a plantar insert made of a material that can be shaped and on which the user imprints his own footprint.

The plantar insert thus shaped is then heated, for example in a microwave oven, so that it loses its plastic properties and can no longer be deformed plastically during use.

A plantar insert obtained in this manner therefore has a foot contact face that is shaped complementarily thereto in static conditions, since the footprint that the user imprints on the plantar insert is formed simply by standing on it and letting it deform under the effect of body weight or of a pressure applied thereto by force.

Another known solution, used in particular to conform the innerboot of ski boots to the foot of the user, proposes an interspace that wraps around the foot and inside which silicone is injected.

The innerboot conforms to the foot of the user by injecting the silicone while the user is wearing the boot and by then waiting for the silicone to vulcanize.

These solutions of plantar inserts or innerboots that can be conformed to the foot of the user, however, have the drawback of reproducing the footprint that the user imprints therein statically, and therefore do not conform to the stresses that the foot of the user applies to the innerboot or plantar insert while walking.

Another drawback of these solutions is that both require a preparation operation before use; the plantar insert in fact requires heating, while the innerboot requires first the injection of the silicone and then the wait for vulcanization.

Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to provide an insert for soles and the like that conforms to the foot of the user not only as a function of the forces that such user applies thereto while he/she rests on it motionless, but also as a function of the forces that, he/she applies thereto while walking, thus adapting to the dynamic posture of the user.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an insert that does not require operations for preparation for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an insert that is simple and easy to use and can be manufactured with low costs.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an insert for soles and the like, characterized in that it comprises a hermetic pouch-like body that forms internally at least one first compartment that contains a first substance and at least one second compartment that contains a second substance, said at least one first compartment being separated from said at least one second compartment by a wall that has at least one yielding portion, said yielding portion being designed to yield to a pressure applied to said hermetic pouch- like body, for the mixing of said first substance with said second substance, said substances being adapted to combine in order to form a silicone. Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the insert for soles and the like according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an insert for soles according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the insert for soles of Figure 1 according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the insert for soles according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the insert for soles according to the invention applied to a shoe; Figure 5 is a sectional view of a solution for use of the insert for soles according to the invention;

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively perspective views of a third embodiment and of a fourth embodiment of the insert for soles according to the invention. Ways of carrying out the Invention

It is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 10 generally designates an insert for soles and the like, which comprises a hermetic pouch-like body 1 1 that forms internally at least one first compartment 12, which contains a first substance 13, and at least one second compartment

14, which contains a second substance 15.

In a preferred embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, the hermetic pouch-like body 1 1 advantageously forms internally just two compartments: a first compartment 12 and a second compartment 14.

The first compartment 12 is separated from the second compartment. 14 by a wall 16 that has at least one yielding portion 17. The yielding portion 17 is designed to yield to a pressure applied to the hermetic pouch-like body 1 1 for the mixing of the first substance 13 with the second substance 15, such substances being adapted to combine in order to form a silicone 18.

Preferably, the silicone 18 is soft and elastic, so as to give the insert appreciable comfort characteristics.

More particularly, when such a pressure as to break the yielding portion 17 is applied to the hermetic pouch-like body 11 , the first substance 13 and the second substance 15 come into contact.

This occurs, for example, when the user puts on a shoe 19 provided with an insert 10 that has a structure according to the invention and rests his/her own weight on it.

In this case, the body weight of the user in fact breaks the yielding portion 17.

Subsequently, during walking, the dynamic action that the foot applies to the hermetic pouch-like body 11 facilitates the mixing of the first substance 13 with the second substance 15 and vice versa, thus facilitating the vulcanization of the silicone 18 obtained from the combination of the first substance 13 with the second substance 15.

Preferably, the hermetic pouch-like body 1 1 is made of a material selected among polyester, polyethylene, impermeable paper and membranes that are impermeable to the first substance 13, to the second substance 15 and to the silicone 18 obtained from their combination.

The silicone 18 is preferably of the polyaddition type.

As an alternative, the silicone 18 is conveniently of the polycondensation type.

Further, the silicone 18 is advantageously of the RTV (acronym of

Room Temperature Vulcanizing) type, i.e., of the type that vulcanizes at room temperature, and preferably of the LSR (acronym of Liquid Silicone

Rubber") type. Conveniently, the hermetic pouch-like body 1 1 is elongated, flattened and contoured so as to imitate the profile of at least one portion of the sole of a foot.

With reference to Figure 3, a second embodiment of the insert for shoes 100 according to the invention has the hermetic pouch-like body 1 11 contoured so as to imitate a portion of the sole of the foot, such as for example the portion from the metatarsal region to the toes.

Advantageously, in this second embodiment the wall 1 16 yields along its entire extension and not only along a portion thereof.

In a third embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in Figure 6, the insert for shoes 200 according to the invention conveniently has the wall 216 that separates, inside the hermetic pouch-like body 21 1 , a first compartment 212, which surrounds a second compartment 214, which are respectively designed to contain such first substance and such second substance. The wall 216 conveniently has a plurality of yielding portions 217, which are adapted to break in order to allow the mixing of the first substance with the second substance.

In a fourth embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in Figure 7, the insert for shoes 300 according to the invention has a flattened hermetic pouch-like body 31 1 and the wall 316 is arranged therein so as to separate the first compartment 312, which is designed to contain the first substance and is superimposed on the second compartment 314, designed to contain the second substance.

Preferably, the wall 316 has a plurality of yielding portions 317, which are adapted to break in order to allow the mixing of the first substance with the second substance.

In alternative embodiments, not shown in the figures, the hermetic pouch-like body conveniently comprises a plurality of first compartments, which contain the first substance, and a plurality of second compartments, which contain the second substance, the first compartments being separated from the second compartments by walls which yield at least at one of their portions.

Advantageously, the first substance 13 comprises polyorganosiloxanes and platinum. The second substance 15 conveniently comprises polyorganosiloxanes and polydimethylhydrogensiloxanes.

Preferably, the first substance 13 and the second substance 15 have substantially identical viscosities for their effective mixing.

A non-water-soluble silicone is obtained conveniently from the combination of the first substance 13 with the second substance 15.

Use of the insert for soles according to the invention is as follows.

When the user puts on and walks with a shoe provided with an insert 10 having the structure according to the invention, the wall 16 yields due to the pressure that the user's foot applies to the hermetic pouch-like body 1 1. Therefore, the first substance 13 and the second substance 15 mix due to the dynamic stresses that the foot applies thereto while walking, combining into the silicone 18.

When vulcanization is complete, the insert bears a cast of the foot of the user that is shaped not only by the distribution of the pressures that the user applies to the insert while he/she is stationary but also by the stresses that he/she applies to it while walking.

In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, providing an insert for soles and the like that conforms to the foot of the user not only as a function of the forces that such user applies thereto while resting thereon motionless, but also as a function of the forces that he/she applies thereto while walking, thus adapting to the dynamic posture of the user.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. An insert (10, 100, 200, 300) for soles and the like, characterized in that it comprises a hermetic pouch-like body (1 1, 1 1 1 , 21 1, 31 1) that forms internally at least one first compartment (12, 212, 312) that contains a first substance (13) and at least one second compartment (14, 214, 314) that contains a second substance ( 15), said at least one first compartment (12, 212, 312) being separated from said at least one second compartment (14, 214, 314) by a wall (16, 116, 216, 316) that has at least one yielding portion (17, 1 17, 217, 317), said yielding portion (17, 217, 317) being adapted to yield to a pressure applied to said hermetic pouch-like body (1 1 , 11 1, 211 , 31 1), for the mixing of said first substance (13) with said second substance (15), said substances being adapted to combine in order to form a silicone (18).

2. The insert for soles and the like according to claim 1, characterized in that said hermetic pouch-like body (11 , 111, 211 , 311) is made of a material selected among polyester, polyethylene, impermeable paper and membranes that are impermeable to said first substance (13), to said second substance (15) and to said silicone (18).

3. The insert for soles and the like according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said silicone (18) is of the poly addition type.

4. The insert for soles and the like according to one or more of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said silicone (18) is of the polycondensation type.

5. The insert for soles and the like according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said silicone (18) is of the RTV (acronym of Room Temperature Vulcanizing) type, i.e., of the type that vulcanizes at room temperature.

6. The insert for soles and the like according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said silicone (18) is of the LSR type (acronym of Liquid Silicone Rubber).

7. The insert for soles and the like, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hermetic pouch-like body ( 1 1 , 1 1 1, 21 1, 31 1) is elongated, flattened and contoured so as to imitate the profile of at least one portion of the sole of a foot.

8. The insert for soles and the like according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first substance comprises polyorganosiloxanes and platinum.

9. The insert for soles and the like according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second substance comprises polyorganosiloxanes and polydimethylhydrogensiloxanes.