Shoe insole featuring sand / sand-like material

Abstract

A shoe insole using sand/sand-like material to provide improved comfort and support is presented. The inventive insole consists of a top layer composed of a natural fiber material, an intermediate lining layer for securing the sand/sand-like material, and an inner layer containing sand/sand-like material. The three layers are put together to form an insole for use in footwear.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a shoe insole featuring sand/sand-like material to provide improved comfort and support.

The following represents a listing of related art pertaining to footwear/insoles:

• U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,912 to Scholl Inc. on Feb. 17, 1987
• U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,831 to Charles Seltzer on Sep. 22, 1987
• U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,055 to Dennis Connor on Nov. 30, 1999
• U.S. Pat. No. 6,754,982 to Wolverine World Wide Inc. on Jun. 29, 2004
• U.S. Pat. No. 6,880,267 to Nike Inc. on Apr. 19, 2005

Scholl (U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,912) discloses an insole constructed using foam. Unlike the present invention, the Scholl patent makes no mention of using sand/sand-like material in the insole.

Seltzer (U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,831) discloses a “Massaging footwear” invention using ‘bumps’.

Connor (U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,055) discloses “insoles, liners and footwear incorporating sisal material”. While the Connor Patent makes mention of using natural materials such as ‘sisal materials’, it does not incorporate sand/sand-like materials into the insoles.

Wolverine World Wide (U.S. Pat. No. 6,754,982) discloses a shoe cushioning system and method of manufacture. Unlike the present invention, the Wolverine World Wide patent makes no mention of using sand/sand-like material in the insole to provide improved cushioning.

Nike (U.S. Pat. No. 6,880,267) disclosed a sole structure with adjustable characteristics using ‘inserts’.

While the prior art uses foam, ‘massage bumps’, sisal material, and ‘inserts’, to provide improved cushioning, support, and comfort, it fails to deliver these benefits in the same way as the present invention.

Unlike the common use of artificial foams and related materials in the insoles of the prior art, the use of sand/sand-like material by the present invention represents an entirely new use of materials in insoles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises an insole for use in footwear consisting of:

• • (a) a top layer composed of a natural fiber material,
  • (b) an intermediate lining layer for securing the sand/sand-like material,
  • (c) and an inner layer containing sand/sand-like material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of the insole in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is configured (1) to provide improved comfort and support in a shoe insole featuring sand/sand-like material.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the inventive shoe insole (2) consisting of a top layer (3) composed of a natural fiber material, an intermediate lining (4) layer for securing the sand/sand-like material, and an inner layer containing sand/sand-like material (5).

The first step in producing the present invention is to have a shoe insole (2) in the general outline of a human foot covered by a top layer (3) composed of a natural fiber material. Inside the insole (2) of the present invention a ‘hollowed-out’ section houses an intermediate lining (4) layer for securing the sand/sand-like material (5). Within the intermediate lining (4) layer of the inventive insole (2) is the sand/sand-like material (5).

Although the above description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention.

Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the example given.

Claims

1. An insole to provide improved comfort and support for use in footwear comprising of; a layer of sand.

2. The insole of claim 1 featuring a layer of sand-like material.

3. The insole of claim 1 wherein said insole features a top layer composed of a natural fiber material.

4. The insole of claim 1 wherein said insole features an intermediate lining layer for securing the sand/sand-like material.