Universal adjustable insole with an arch support and method of using it

Abstract

A universal adjustable insole with an arch support said insole and arch support is positioned under a foot and is sized and shaped to be removable placed within a foot support enclosure worn by a user. The insole comprises a top layer, a lower layer, a pocket between top and bottom layers corresponding to the arch-of-the-foot portion of the top pad layer for the arch support and one or several inserts free disposed inside said pocket.

Description

This application claims priority from U.S. provision application No. 61/191,812 filed Sep. 12, 2008.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of arch support for feet, and more particularly to a therapeutic arch support including a variably tensioned arch curve and a method of utilizing the arch support in treating foot disorders.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Prior foot support devices typically provide flexible cushioning material for support of an arch of a foot. Typical prior devices have provided pliable cushion pads that can be utilized to build up the cushioning materials for support of a heel or an arch. Other prior devices have provided shoes or boots that contain an integral and non-removable foot support structure that is installed as a single unit into a specially designed shoe or boot having an externally accessed adjustment screw or connector, which is not transferable to other shoes.

Prior foot instep supports typically provide an arch curve that is composed of flexible materials such as leather, foam, and pliable plastic to provide comfort for the wearer of the foot instep supports. Prior insole or instep devices generally are made to have a similar thickness along the length of the insole, or have a solid arch portion composed of flexible rubber or compressible foam material having a thickness extending continuously from the arch surface to a generally flat base of the insole. The prior foot instep supports were malleable and did not retain a rigid shape. The prior foot instep supports were purposefully made of malleable and flexible materials to allow changing of the curvatures to fit a user, and/or to allow the instep supports to be bent to fit into different styles of shoes. With no retention of the original curvature of the arch portion of prior instep supports, the arch portion would fail and flatten with use, and a user's arch curve was not properly supported after extended use of prior instep supports, leading to arch pain and/or heel pain identified in layman's terms as “falling arches.”

The stackable members of cushioning deformed and flattened during extended use, and the foot support devices permanently installed within shoes were not transferable to other pairs of shoes.

Commercially available sport shoe inserts typically provide a cushioned cover over a rigid length of plastic. The rigid length of plastic may extend from the arch curve portion to a heel portion of the foot, or may extend from the toes to the heel portion of the foot. The sport shoe insert typically is available in one or two arch curve heights such as a “high arch” or “medium arch” style, with the same arch curve height provided for both of the right and left shoe inserts. The user is expected to select a foot length and arch curve height (high or medium arch), that matches his or her foot, and the user is typically not provided with assistance from a trained professional. A user having a “low arch” must utilize a “medium arch” style, or locate a lower arch support insert.

There is a need for an adjustable arch support insole providing therapeutic rigid support of the longitudinal arch of the feet, with the insole transferable between pairs of footwear. A need exists for an adjustable arch support insole including a generally rigid medial longitudinal arch curve that is variably adjustable in tension along the slope of the arch curve during each weighted and outweighed cycle of walking and running. A further need exists for an adjustable arch curve insole including a generally rigid medial longitudinal arch curve having a means for adjusting the tension along the arch curve, to allow a user to adjust the tension and height of the arch curve for proper fit under each arch of the right and left foot, and for proper fit in various styles of footwear.

An additional need includes providing a method for utilizing an arch support insole being adjustable in tension along the arch curve, including varying the tension along the arch curve of the arch support insole for treatment of foot disorders under the supervision of a medical professional for a user suffering from heel spurs, plantar facilities, arch pain, tendinitis, metatarsalgia, and related foot disorders. A need exists for a method of adjusting the tension along the arch curve of an adjustable arch support insole, with maintenance over repetitive uses of a preferred arch curve tension and slope for support of the user's arches of the feet, with minimal training of the user and without the need for daily or weekly supervision of a medical professional.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a universal insole and an arch support for supporting having an arch curve being adjustably tensioned during use, said insole and arch support being positioned under a foot and being sized and shaped to be removable placed within a foot support enclosure worn by a user, comprising: an arch support being sized for support of the foot from underneath about the metatarsal bones of the foot, to underneath about the calcaneus's bone of the foot, said insole having a first surface being contoured for support of the foot the sole of a foot in a footwear; the sole comprising interconnecting superimposed pad layers including top and bottom superimposed pad layers, said pad layers made of a flexible material, and first intermediate means for specific adjustment of the thickness of the arch support of said insole for best fit of the foot inside said footwear wherein the first intermediate means fixedly or not fixedly connected with said bottom superimposed pad layer and wherein said first intermediate means is convex on the side facing the surface of the lower layer, and its top surface is made flat and wherein said first intermediate means is wedge-shaped or V-shaped.

In a preferred embodiment at least one additional intermediate means between top superimposed pad layer and said first intermediate means wherein said at least one intermediate means is convex on the side facing the upper surface layer, and its bottom surface is made flat and wherein said at least one additional intermediate means is wedge-shaped or V-shaped.

In another preferred embodiment the apparatus is using at least one more additional intermediate means and this one more additional intermediate means implemented lenticular and wherein said one more additional intermediate means is wedge-shaped or V-shaped and is located between first intermediate means and at least one intermediate means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an insole made accordingly with the teachings of the invention with intermediate means;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of an insole made accordingly with the teachings of the invention without intermediate means

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of intermediate means of said insole, shown on FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross section 4-4, shown on FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of intermediate means of said insole, shown on FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view additional intermediate means of said insole, shown on FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross section 7-7, shown on FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the insole of the invention is illustrated in the annexed FIGS. 1, 2 and referred to by numeral 100. Insole 100 comprises a main upper top pad layer 1 made preferably of leather. Layer 1 conforms to the general shape of the sole of a foot. The lower layer 2 insoles 100 tightly secured to the upper layer 1 insoles 100 through firmware for example in the zone under the arch curve portion of the foot. The lower layer 2 insoles 100 may be made of dense tissue, such as artificial leather. Fixing made by the curve, crossing the main upper top layer 12 through the arc in the zone under the arch curve portion of the foot. Region 3 of the lower layer 2 remains free on the edge 4 insoles 100. Thus formed pocket 5. By the bottom layer 2 attached the lower insert 6 (FIGS. 3,4). Said insert 6 may be made for example of rubber. The insert 6 in size slightly smaller than the lower layer 2 insoles 100 and has a convex side 7 and flat side 8 and is wedge-shaped or V-shaped in cross section and have thickness that began smaller from the region 3 to the curve, crossing the upper layer 12 through the arc. The convex side 7 directed to the lower layer 2 insoles 100 and a flat side 8 addressed to the upper layer 1 insole 100. At the flat side of 8 may be done ribs or other no-slip cover (not shown on the drawing). A bevel 10 may be done from the convex side 7 to the flat side 8 for comfortable use under the foot arch sone. The top layer 1 insoles 100, the lower layer 2 insoles, the pocket 5 and the insert 6 constitute the universal basic configuration insole 100.

The customer puts basic configuration insole 100 into the footwear (boots, shoes, slippers, sneakers) in the above configuration. If the consumer has low body height natural arches, the above configuration will be sufficient, and the consumer will feel comfortable. If natural height arches more or less than average, the consumer will not feel comfortable. In this case he removed insoles 100 and invests in the pocket 5 an additional insert 11. Configuration and dimension of additional insert 11 is similar to the insert 6 and this insert 11 may have the bevel 10. Additional insert 11 in the pocket 5 installed by his flat side 12 to the flat side 8 of the insert 6 and his convex side 13 to the main top pad layer 1.

Consumers once again puts new second configuration insole 100 into the footwear. If the consumer has middle body height natural arches, the above configuration will be sufficient, and the consumer will feel comfortable. If natural height arches more than average, the consumer will not feel comfortable. In this case he removed insoles 10 and invests in the pocket 5 a second intermediate additional insert 14 (FIGS. 1, 5-7). The second intermediate additional insert 14 has lenticular form, is wedge-shaped or V-shaped and is located between insert 6 and insert 11. Insert 14 smaller then insert 6 and insert 11 and haven't bevel 10. It is possible to have several intermediate additional inserts 14.

Iterative process of removing insole 100 and put or remove additional inserts is repeated several times before finding the consumer insole with optimal height for his natural arch.

The height of natural arch may be different during the day, and customer may use the inventive insole with different height during the day removing or adding inserts in or out pockets 5.

The open from one-side pockets 5 of insole 100 give the possibility to the costumers' very easy change the height of the arch part of the insole 100, and inserts don't leave the pockets 5 because region 3 is closed by shoe-upper.

While rubber is preferably used as a constituting material, it is to be understood that other comparatively firm but resilient material as cork can be used instead.

The dimensions of the insole 100 and inserts may be different and depend of the size of the shoes.

The universal adjustable insoles with an arch support reduce harmful effects of the flatfoot on the human body, preventing cardiovascular disease, vertebral and lumbar pain.

Claims

1. A universal adjustable insole with an arch support said insole and arch support being positioned under a foot and being sized and shaped to be removable placed within a foot support enclosure worn by a user, said insole having a surface being contoured for support a sole of the foot in a footwear and comprising

top and bottom superimposed pad layers, said pad layers made of a flexible material and the bottom layer fixedly connected with top layer so as to have free part from one side of the insole to form a pocket corresponding to the arch-of-the-foot portion of the top pad layer for the arch support being sized for support of the foot from underneath and at least one first intermediate means for specific adjustment of the thickness of the arch support of said insole for best fit of the foot inside said footwear

wherein said at least one first intermediate means is convex on one side and flat on another side, said first intermediate means is wedge-shaped or V-shaped in cross section and wherein said at least one intermediate means being placed in said pocket.

2. THe insole and an arch support of claim 1 future comprising an additional intermediate means between the top superimposed pad layer and said at least one first intermediate means.

3. THe insole and an arch support of claim 2 wherein said additional intermediate means is convex on one side and flat on another side, said addition intermediate means is wedge-shaped or V-shaped in cross section.

4. THe insole and an arch support of claim 1 future comprising at least one more additional intermediate means and this one more additional intermediate means implemented lenticular and wherein said one more additional intermediate means is wedge-shaped or V-shaped and is located between first intermediate means and at additional intermediate means.

5. THe insole and an arch support of claim 2 wherein said additional intermediate means comprising a bevel.

6. THe insole and an arch support of claim 1 wherein said at least one first intermediate means comprising a bevel.

7. THe insole and an arch support of claim 1 wherein said top pad layer is made of leather.

8. An insole and an arch support for supporting, said insole and arch support being positioned under a foot and being sized and shaped to be removable placed within a foot support enclosure worn by a user said insole having a surface being contoured for support a sole of the foot in a footwear and comprising

top and bottom superimposed pad layers, said pad layers made of a flexible material and bottom layer fixedly connected with top layer so as to have free part from one side of the insole to form a pocket corresponding to the arch-of-the-foot portion of the top pad layer for the arch support being sized for support of the foot from underneath, a first intermediate means for specific adjustment of the thickness of the arch support of said insole for best fit of the foot inside said footwear

wherein said at least one first intermediate means is convex on one side and flat on another side, said first intermediate means is wedge-shaped or V-shaped in cross section and wherein said at least one intermediate means being placed in said pocket, an additional intermediate means between the top superimposed pad layer and said at least one first intermediate means and at least one more additional intermediate means and this one more additional intermediate means implemented lenticular and wherein said one more additional intermediate means is wedge-shaped or V-shaped and is located between first intermediate means and at additional intermediate means.

9. A method of using an insole and an arch support for supporting said insole comprising a top layer, a lower layer, a pocket between top and bottom layers corresponding to the arch-of-the-foot portion of the top pad layer for the arch support and an insert inside said pocket as an universal basic configuration insole, said method comprising:

(a) putting the basic configuration insole into a footwear and try the footwear with said insole;

(b) removing said basic configuration insole if said basic configuration isn't sufficient for comfortable feeling and investing in the pocket an additional insert and use this insole as a second configuration;

(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) several times before finding the insole with optimal height of the arch support to receive comfortable feeling.