Shoe insole
An insole easy to wash and excellent in adhesiveness to the sole of a shoe is provided. An insole produced by punching a piece of the shape of a sole of a shoe or the shape of the leading terminal of a sole of a shoe out of a thermoplastic elastomer by the injection molding technique.
This invention relates to an insole and particularly to an antifouling sheet for sandals such as sandals and sandal mules.
BACKGROUND ARTThe insoles have been used hitherto on the sole parts of sandals such as sandals and sandal mules with a view to preventing defilement, imparting a cushioning property to such a sandal, and preventing slippage of the wearer's foot on the sandal. As the insoles suitable for such purposes, the products resulting from punching pieces of prescribed shapes (the shapes of the whole undersurfaces of shoes or the shapes of the toe cap parts of shoe soles, for example) out of a sheet as of a silicone rubber have been being mainly used.
Since these insoles are made of silicone rubber, however, they have been at a disadvantage in affording insufficient adhesion to the soles of shoes and consequently, during the course of use, suffering themselves to be displaced or rolled up. Particularly when they have the shape of toe caps of the soles of shoes as in sandals for use by women, they are at a disadvantage in being displaced or rolled up because the soles are exposed to a large load and frictional force while the users' feet are being inserted into the toe caps.
An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a novel insole.
Another object of this invention is to provide an antifouling sheet particularly for a sandal, which affords a proper adhesion to the sole of a shoe and avoids being displaced or peeled on exposure to a large load and frictional force.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONThe objects mentioned above are accomplished by the following items (1)-(6).
(1) An insole produced by molding a thermoplastic elastomer into a sheet in the shape of a shoe sole or the shape of a toe cap of a shoe by the injection molding technique.
(2) An insole set forth in the preceding item (1), wherein the upper surface of the insole has undergone an embossing treatment.
(3) An insole set forth in the preceding item (2), wherein the protruding portions of the insole have escaped the embossing treatment.
(4) An insole set forth in any of the preceding items (1)-(3), wherein the insole is furnished with removable protrusions made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
(5) An insole set forth in the preceding item (4), wherein the protrusions are intended as a measure against hallux valgus.
(6) An insole set forth in the preceding item (4), wherein the protrusions are intended for correction of flat foot.
(7) An insole set forth in the preceding item (4), wherein the protrusions are intended for correction of knock-knees.
(8) An insole set forth in the preceding item (4), wherein the protrusions are intended for correction of bowlegs.
(9) An insole set forth in the preceding item (4), wherein the protrusions are intended for the absorption of shocks.
(10) An insole set forth in any of the preceding items (1)-(4), wherein the insole is a half insole.
(11) An insole set forth in the preceding item (10), wherein at least the foot-inserting side of the half insole is endowed with an inclination tapered in the direction of the surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Now, this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the annexed drawing.
Specifically, insoles land 2 according to this invention, as illustrated in
The insole is obtained by forming a thermoplastic elastomer in the shape of a sole of a shoe (refer to
In contrast, the undersurface (the surface contacting the sole of a shoe) of the insole is flat because it has not undergone the embossing treatment. When it is pressed during the course of use as described herein below, it affords unusually proper adhesion to the sole of a shoe.
The thickness of the insole 1 or 2 falls in the range of 0.4-1.2 mm, preferably in the range of 0.4-0.9 mm, and more preferably in the range of 0.4-0.7 mm. When the insole has the shape (half insole) 2 of the leading terminal of the sole of a shoe as illustrated in
When the embossing treatment is not performed in part of an insole 4, 5, particularly the portion destined to mount a protrusion as a measure against hallux valgus as specifically described herein below, as illustrated in
An insole 9 illustrated in
An insole 12 illustrated in
An insole 15 illustrated in
Then, an insole 18 illustrated in
The curves indicated by the symbols a-c in
The thermoplastic elastomer to be used in this invention is known in various types such as, for example, the polystyrene type, polyolefin type, polyurethane type, and polyester type. Among other types of thermoplastic elastomer enumerated above, the polyester type thermoplastic elastomer proves particularly favorable because it abounds in injection moldability, excels in adhesiveness, and capable of manifesting rubberiness at room temperature or lower temperature as well.
As concrete examples of the polyester ype thermoplastic elastomer, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer (SIS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS), and styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene block copolymer (SEPS) may be cited. These polyester type thermoplastic elastomers are preferably used as molding materials (molding compounds) having such polyolefins as polypropylene and polyethylene compounded as with oils for exalting hardness and fluidity.
Such a thermoplastic elastomer generally as a molding compound is molded to produce an insole by the injection molding technique.
Now, this invention will be described more specifically below with reference to working examples.
EXAMPLE 1 A molding compound having a styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS) compound with polypropylene and oil (made by Kuraray Plastic K.K. and sold under the trademark designation of “Septon KC-145A”) and aluminum foils added thereto were together molded by an injection molding device (made by Sumitomo Jukikai K.K. and sold under the product code of “SG-75”), with a nozzle temperature of 250° C., a first zone temperature of 240° C., and a second zone temperature of 230° C. to form an insole of the shape illustrated in
A protrusion 8 for prevention of hallux valgus having a shape illustrated in
The insole thus obtained, when laid on a sandal, manifested very satisfactory adhesiveness to the sole of the sandal and showed still better adhesiveness to the protrusion for prevention of hallux valgus. When a foot was inserted in the insole, this insole induced absolutely no displacement or separation. Since the portions 6, 7 for decision of position were transparent, the position of the protrusion 8 for prevention of hallux valgus could be determined very easily.
The half insole 5 illustrated in
Industrial Applicability
The insole according to this invention is produced by injection molding a thermoplastic elastomer as described above. It, therefore, has no possibility of inducing displacement or separation when a foot is inserted therein on account of pressing force or sliding force. When the portion for mounting a protrusion for prevention of hallux valgus is clearly indicated, the location of this position is very easy. The mutual adhesion between the protrusion for preventing hallux valgus and the insole is highly satisfactory without use of any special adhesive agent. The insole, when subjected to an embossing treatment, is enabled to prevent slippage infallibly. When a portion having escaped the embossing treatment is formed as required and the protrusion is mounted on that portion, the adhesiveness of the protrusion is greatly exalted at that portion. Depending on the portion using the combination, the correction of a flat foot, knock-knees, and bowlegs can be easily effected.
Further, since this insole can be removed from the shoe easily when it becomes dirty. Thus, it can be kept clean at all times and can be prevented from odor. The insole of this invention can be formed by the injection molding technique. Thus, the letter L or R (not shown) for indicating the left side or the right side and the results of cutting (a, b, c) depending on the size of a shoe, and other necessary matters can be easily inscribed on the insole during the course of molding.
Claims
1. An insole produced by molding a thermoplastic elastomer into a sheet in the shape of a shoe sole or the shape of a toe cap of a shoe by the injection molding technique.
2. An insole according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of said insole has undergone an embossing treatment.
3. An insole according to claim 2, wherein the protruding portions of said insole have escaped said embossing treatment.
4. An insole according to claim 1, wherein the insole is furnished with removable protrusions made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
5. An insole according to claim 4, wherein said protrusions are intended as a measure against hallux valgus.
6. An insole according to claim 4, wherein said protrusions are intended for correction of flat foot.
7. An insole according to claim 4, wherein said protrusions are intended for correction of knock-knees.
8. An insole according to claim 4, wherein said protrusions are intended for correction of bowlegs.
9. An insole according to claim 4, wherein said protrusions are intended for the absorption of shocks.
10. An insole according to claim 1, wherein the insole is a half insole.
11. An insole according to claim 10, wherein at least the foot-inserting side of the half insole is endowed with an inclination tapered in the direction of the surface.
12. An insole according to claim 2, wherein the insole is furnished with removable protrusions made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
13. An insole according to claim 3, wherein the insole is furnished with removable protrusions made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
14. An insole according to claim 2, wherein the insole is a half insole.
15. An insole according to claim 3, wherein the insole is a half insole.
16. An insole according to claim 4, wherein the insole is a half insole.
17. An insole according to claim 12, wherein the insole is a half insole.
18. An insole according to claim13, wherein the insole is a half insole.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 25, 2002
Publication Date: Mar 24, 2005
Inventors: Yasushi Kaneda (Tokyo), Minoru Morimoto (Chiba)
Application Number: 10/499,459