Shoe Insert

Abstract

A shoe insert includes a generally planar body having a perimeter defining a foot-shaped area on an upper side of the body, the foot-shaped area including first and second toe areas and a heel area configured respectively for placement of a first toe, a second toe, and a heel of a user. The upper side defines a channel extending along an axis passing through a space between the first and second toe areas and the heel area. A linear member may be placed in the channel to protrude from an upper surface of the body. When a user uses the insert, the user's foot may sense the channel (or linear member, if present) and activate mechano-receptors on the bottom of the foot along the channel, which, in-turn, may train the foot to extend in a predetermined position relative to the linear member to improve balance.

Claims

1. A shoe insert comprising: a generally planar body having a perimeter defining a foot-shaped area on an upper side of the body, the foot-shaped area including first and second toe areas and a heel area configured respectively for placement of a first toe, a second toe, and a heel of a user, the upper side defining a channel extending along an axis passing through a space between the first and second toe areas and the heel area.

2. The shoe insert according to claim 1, wherein: the channel extends from the space between the first and second toe areas to a midsole area.

3. The shoe insert according to claim 2, further comprising: an elongated member disposed in the channel and protruding above a surface of the upper side of the body.

4. The shoe insert according to claim 3, wherein: the elongated member is resilient and compressible.

5. The shoe insert according to claim 3, wherein: the channel is defined by a width and a depth and the elongated member is defined by an uncompressed width and depth, and wherein the uncompressed width and depth of the elongated member are larger than the width and depth of the channel.

6. The shoe insert according to claim 3, wherein: the elongated member is removably coupled to the body.

7. The shoe insert according to claim 1, wherein: the body defines a hole in the heel area.

8. The shoe insert according to claim 7, further comprising: a heel insert configured for insertion in the hole.

9. A shoe insert comprising: a generally planar body having a perimeter defining a foot-shaped area on an upper side of the body, the foot-shaped area including a first and second toe area and a heel area configured respectively for placement of a first and second toe and a heel of a user, the upper side defining a first sensory feedback structure extending along a first axis from a space between the first and second toe areas and the heel area, and defining a second sensory feedback structure located laterally of the first sensory feedback structure.

10. The shoe insert according to claim 9, wherein: the first sensory feedback structure includes a first channel, and the second sensory feedback structure includes a second channel.

11. The shoe insert according to claim 10, wherein: the second channel extends along a second axis that intersects with the first axis.

12. The shoe insert according to claim 11, wherein: the second channel extends at an angle between 1 and 15 degrees relative to the first channel.

13. The shoe insert according to claim 11, wherein: the first and second channels extend distally from a midsole area.

14. The shoe insert according to claim 13, wherein: the first channel extends from the space between the first and second toe areas to the midsole area, and the second channel extends from a third toe area to the midsole area.

15. The shoe insert according to claim 13, further comprising: a first elongated member disposed in the first channel and protruding above a surface of the upper side of the body; and a second elongated member disposed in the second channel and protruding above a surface of the upper side of the body.

16. The shoe insert according to claim 15, wherein: the first elongated member and the second elongated member are resilient and compressible.

17. The shoe insert according to claim 15, wherein: at least one of the first and second elongated members is removably coupled to the body.

18. A shoe insert kit comprising: a generally planar body having an perimeter defining foot-shaped area, the body having an upper side having a plurality of toe areas and a heel area configured respectively for placement of a plurality of toes and a heel of a user, the upper side defining at least one channel extending at an acute angle relative to a central longitudinal axis extending from a proximal end of the body at the heel area to a distal end of the body at the toe areas, and one or more elongated members configured for insertion in the one or more channels.

19. The shoe insert kit according to claim 18, wherein: at least one channel extends along a gravitational stress line extending along an axis from a space between a first toe area and a second toe area to the heel area,

20. The shoe insert kit according to claim 19, wherein: the body defines a hole in the heel area, and the kit further comprises at least one heel insert configured for insertion in the hole.

21. The shoe insert kit according to claim 18, wherein: the kit includes a symmetrical pair of bodies for left and right feet of a user.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 shows a top elevation view of a pair of shoe inserts in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the left shoe insert shown in FIG. 1.

[0012] FIG. 3 shows a top elevation view of a pair of shoe inserts in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a pair of shoe inserts 100 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. Shoe inserts may be provided in pairs for use in pairs of shoes. Each of the pair of shoe inserts preferably has mirror symmetry to correspond to the left and right feet. The inserts 100 include a body 1 defined by a perimeter la that surrounds a foot-shaped area 6 on an upper side of the body 1. The body 1 is generally planar, but may have an upper surface on the upper side that is at least partly contoured to conform to a user's foot or provide an advantageous orthotic support including, e.g., arch support. Also, the body 1 has a lower surface (not shown) on a lower side (not shown) that may be at least partly contoured to conform to an interior foot bearing surface of a user's shoe. The insert 100 extends from a distal end 100a to a proximal end 100b. The insert 100 is configured for placement in a user's shoe (not shown), either over or in place of the insole in the shoe. When used by a user, the user's heel is located on and toward the proximal end 100b of the insert 100 and the user's toes are located on and toward the distal end 100a of the insert 100, and preferably thereon. Optionally, the insert 100 may be sized or shaped such that the user's toes extend off of the distal end 100a of the insert 100.

[0014] In one preferred embodiment, the foot-shaped area 6 of the body 1 includes a plurality (five areas are shown) of toe areas 6a, a heel area 6b, and a mid-sole area 6c. The toe and heel areas 6a and 6b are configured, respectively, for placement of a user's toes and heel. The mid-sole area 6c is located about mid-way between the proximal end 100b and the distal end 100a of the insert 100.

[0015] The body 1 may define a through-hole 2 in the heel area 6c of the insert 100. The hole 2 may be used to locate the user's heel over the hole 2 for desired positioning of the foot relative to the user's shoe. The hole may have a diameter of ½″ to 3″. The hole 2 may be configured to receive a heel insert 3, which may be specifically configured for alleviation of symptoms of heel spurs and/or plantar fasciitis, for example. The heel insert 3 may fully (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) or partially fill in the hole 2. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the hole 2 and the heel insert 3 are both circular, but in at least one alternate embodiment, the heel insert 3 may be less than a fully circle, or provided in a different shape.

[0016] The heel insert 3 may be removable and replaceable and interchangeable with a plurality of different heel inserts. The heel insert 3 may be formed of a material that is different from the body 1. For example, the body 1 may be formed of rubber and/or polymer gel and the heel insert 3 may be formed of rubber and/or polymer gel. Also, the body 1 and the heel insert 3 may have different physical properties, including density and durometer to achieve a desired therapeutic effect.

[0017] The body 1 defines a continuous elongated channel 4 recessed in the upper side of the body 1. The channel 4 extends proximally from an area between a first toe area 6a1 and a second toe area 6a2. In one embodiment, the channel 4 extends to about the midsole area 6c. The channel 4 is linear and preferably straight, but may be curvilinear. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the channel 4 extends along a straight line that defines a gravitational stress line (GSL) that extends from a first end 4a (roughly between the first and second toe areas 6a1 and 6a2) to a second end 4b at the midsole area 6c. The channel 4 extends along an axis A-A that lies medially of a center of the hole 2. The channel 4 may have a depth between 1/16 inch and 1.5 inch, and may have a width between 1 mm and 1.5 cm.

[0018] The channel 4 can be used to train a user's gait to improve balance. Specifically, the bottom of a user's foot has mechano-receptors which, when contacted, can trigger a sensory response that can be processed in the user's brain to facilitate locomotion, and, more particularly, balance. When a user uses the insert 100 (i.e., wears a shoe having an insert 100 in the shoe), the user's foot may sense the open channel 4 and activate mechano-receptors on the bottom of the foot along the channel 4, which, in-turn, may facilitate training the foot to extend in a predetermined position relative to the linear member to promote a user's body to improve balance.

[0019] The channel 4 may be configured to receive an optional linear member 5, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The linear member 5 may be removable from the body 1 so that the insert 1 may be used with or without the linear member 5. The linear member 5 may be included with the body 1 as a kit, which may be configured and reconfigured (e.g., assembled or disassembled) for use as a shoe insert 100 by a user. The linear member 5 may be straight or curvilinear to conform to the linearity of the channel 4. The linear member 5 may have various cross sectional shapes, including a rectangular, square, or circular cross section, the latter circular shape being shown in FIG. 2. The linear member 5 may be dimensioned so that when it is positioned in the channel 4 and is not subject to pressure from the user's foot, a portion of the linear member 5 will extend upward (i.e., will be raised or protrude) with respect to the surface of the upper side of the body 1, as shown in FIGS. 2. The vertical distance that the linear member 5 protrudes from the surface of the top side may depend on the dimensions of the linear member 5 and the channel 4. For example, in one embodiment, the cross sectional diameter of the linear member 5 may be larger than the vertical depth of the channel 4 so that the linear member 5 will protrude from the surface of the top side of the body 1 even when the linear member 5 is in contact with the bottom of the channel 4. Also, by way of example, the cross sectional diameter of the linear member 5 shown in FIG. 2 may be at least equal to the width of the channel 4 so that the linear member 5 fits snugly against the side walls of the channel 4.

[0020] The linear member 5 may be formed of a resilient and compressible material so that it can compress when pressure is applied to it by a user's foot, and can expand when pressure is reduced (such as when a user lifts his or her foot from the floor while walking). Examples of materials comprising the linear member 5 include rubber, plastic, polymer, Poron™, petroleum base, any and all synthetics suitable to achieve the function of the linear member 5. Owing to the resilience of the linear member 5, when the linear member 5 is compressed it exerts outward restoring forces against the surface compressing (i.e., the user's foot). Thus, the linear member 5 may be configured to continuously urge itself into contact with the bottom of a user's foot in the shoe, even when the linear member 5 is partly or fully compressed. Such contact between the linear member 5 and the user's foo activate the mechano-receptors on the bottom of the foot along the linear member 5, which, in-turn, facilitate training the foot to extend in a predetermined position relative to the linear member to promote a user's body to improve balance.

[0021] In an alternate embodiment of the insert 100, instead of the linear member 5 and the channel 4, the body 1 has a sensory feedback structure formed as a raised ridge that is permanently formed on an upper surface of the body along the GSL.

[0022] FIG. 3 shows another pair of inserts 200, which are the same as the inserts 100 described above, except that the inserts 200 define a second channel 24′ in addition to a first channel 24. The reference numbers in FIG. 3 correspond to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 except that they are increased by “20”. Also, the second channel 24′ may optionally hold a second linear member 25′, which may be removable. The second channel 24′ and the second linear member 25′ may have the same features and dimensions as described above, respectively, as channel 4 and linear member 5. The insert 200 may also have a hole and insert in the heel area, which may be the same as the hole 2 and 3 described above for insert 100. The second channel 24′ is located laterally of the first channel 24, and the second channel 24′ extends proximally from at or adjacent a third toe area of the body 21. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the second channel 24′ extends from a first end just proximal of the third toe area to a second end at about midsole. The second channel 24′ extends in a straight line along an axis B-B that is not parallel to the axis A-A along which the first channel 24 extends. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the angle between the two channels is about 6 degrees, but may be in the range of 2 to 10 degrees.

[0023] It will be appreciated that the axis B-B and axis A-A, if extended in space, intersect with one another. Thus, the second channel 24′ triangulates off of the first channel 24, but within the range of motion initiated by the first channel 24. As a result, the second channel 24′ and/or the second linear member 25′ increases the total surface area of the foot to be stimulated during use of the insert 200, thereby increasing and improving the sensory feedback and improving the training of the foot to extend in a predetermined position relative to the channels 24 and 24′ to promote a user's body to improve balance.

[0024] There have been described and illustrated herein several embodiments of a shoe insert. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto, as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Thus, while particular materials have been disclosed, it will be appreciated that other materials having the same properties may be used as well. Also, while straight linear channels and linear members are preferred, it will be recognized that curvilinear channels and curvilinear members can similarly be used. It will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the provided invention without deviating from its spirit and scope as claimed.