U.S. patent application number 09/968748 was filed with the patent office on 2003-04-03 for shock-absorbing insole for use in a shoe.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nam Liong Enterprise Co.,Ltd.. Invention is credited to Karsten.
Application Number | 20030061733 09/968748 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25514713 |
Filed Date | 2003-04-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030061733 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Karsten |
April 3, 2003 |
Shock-absorbing insole for use in a shoe
Abstract
A shock-absorbing insole includes an insole body having a heel
portion with first upper and lower surfaces opposite to each other.
The first upper surface has an inner peripheral edge region that
defines a through hole which extends from the first upper surface
to communicate with the first lower surface. A cushioning pad
includes a heel-cushioning portion with second upper and lower
surfaces and of a dimension substantially equal to that of the
through hole, a plurality of spaced apart shock-absorbing posts
extending downwardly from the second lower surface, and a
peripheral anchoring portion that surrounds the heel-cushioning
portion and that is superimposed upon the inner peripheral edge
region when the heel-cushioning portion is brought to mate with the
through hole such that the shock-absorbing posts extend through the
through hole, and have lower ends flush with the first lower
surface of the heel portion.
Inventors: |
Karsten; (Taipei City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHRISTENSEN, O'CONNOR, JOHNSON, KINDNESS, PLLC
1420 FIFTH AVENUE
SUITE 2800
SEATTLE
WA
98101-2347
US
|
Assignee: |
Nam Liong Enterprise
Co.,Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
25514713 |
Appl. No.: |
09/968748 |
Filed: |
October 1, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/43 ; 36/28;
36/35R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 21/26 20130101;
A43B 13/181 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/43 ; 36/28;
36/35.00R |
International
Class: |
A43B 013/18; A43B
021/26 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A shock-absorbing insole adapted to be disposed in a shoe,
comprising: an insole body having a heel portion with first upper
and lower surfaces opposite to each other in a transverse
direction, said first upper surface having an inner peripheral edge
region that defines a through hole which extends from said first
upper surface in said transverse direction to communicate with said
first lower surface; and a cushioning pad including a
heel-cushioning portion with second upper and lower surfaces
opposite to each other in said transverse direction and of a
dimension substantially equal to that of said through hole, a
plurality of spaced apart shock-absorbing posts extending
downwardly from said second lower surface, and a peripheral
anchoring portion surrounding said heel-cushioning portion and
superimposing upon said inner peripheral edge region when said
heel-cushioning portion is brought to mate with said through hole
such that said shock-absorbing posts extend through said through
hole, and have lower ends flush with said first lower surface of
said heel portion, said shock-absorbing posts being capable of
deforming when a foot treads on said second upper surface of said
heel-cushioning portion so as to absorb shocks resulting from the
treading action.
2. The shock-absorbing insole as defined in claim 1, wherein said
second upper surface of said heel-cushioning portion includes a
central section, and an annular intermediate section which
surrounds said central section and which is interposed between said
central section and said anchoring portion.
3. The shock-absorbing insole as defined in claim 2, wherein said
central section is disposed at an elevation higher than said
intermediate section such that said second upper surface of said
heel-cushioning portion inclines gradually and downwardly from said
central section toward said intermediate section.
4. The shock-absorbing insole as defined in claim 1, wherein said
inner peripheral edge region has an inner peripheral wall surface
extending from said first upper surface to said first lower surface
so as to confine said through hole, said shock-absorbing posts
cooperatively defining an outer peripheral engaging surface which
frictionally engages said inner peripheral wall surface to permit
snug-fitting of said shock-absorbing posts in said through
hole.
5. The shock-absorbing insole as defined in claim 1, wherein each
of said shock-absorbing posts is hollow, and has a hexagonal
cross-section.
6. The shock-absorbing insole as defined in claim 1, wherein each
of said shock-absorbing posts is solid, and has a hexagonal
cross-section.
7. The shock-absorbing insole as defined in claim 1, wherein said
insole body is made from a foam material having a first
stiffness.
8. The shock-absorbing insole as defined in claim 1, wherein said
cushioning pad is made from an elastomeric material having a second
stiffness different from said first stiffness.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a sole structure, more particularly
to a shock-absorbing insole which is adapted to be disposed in a
shoe in order to cushion a foot and which is capable of relieving
foot problems.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A human foot generally includes a heel portion, a toe
portion, and an intermediate arch portion between the heel and toe
portions. The intermediate arch portion is substantially curved
upward with respect to the heel and toe portions, thereby forming
an inwardly bent portion and consequently resulting in a void under
the intermediate portion of the sole of the foot. As a result, when
a foot is disposed in a shoe, most of the weight is distributed on
the heel portion and the toe portion that rest on the insole of the
shoe.
[0005] It is noted that most shoes are provided with cushioning
insoles for cushioning the foot. However, the conventional insoles
are generally made of a foam material, and have a uniform thickness
throughout the entire length thereof such that after a period of
use, the portions of the insole corresponding to the heel portion
of the foot get undesirably thinner due to weight concentration
thereon, which in turn causes deformation and aching at the heel
portion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The object of this invention is to provide a shock-absorbing
insole for use in a shoe so as to cushion the sole of a foot in
order to relieve pain and discomfort.
[0007] Accordingly, a shock-absorbing insole of the present
invention is adapted to be disposed in a shoe, and includes an
insole body, and a cushioning pad. The insole body has a heel
portion with first upper and lower surfaces opposite to each other
in a transverse direction. The first upper surface has an inner
peripheral edge region that defines a through hole which extends
from the first upper surface in the transverse direction to
communicate with the first lower surface. The cushioning pad
includes a heel-cushioning portion with second upper and lower
surfaces opposite to each other in the transverse direction and of
a dimension substantially equal to that of the through hole, and a
plurality of spaced apart shock-absorbing posts extending
downwardly from the second lower surface. The cushioning pad
further includes a peripheral anchoring portion which surrounds the
heel-cushioning portion and which is superimposed upon the inner
peripheral edge region when the heel-cushioning portion is brought
to mate with the through hole such that the shock-absorbing posts
extend through the through hole, and have lower ends flush with the
first lower surface of the heel portion. The shock-absorbing posts
are capable of deforming when a foot treads on the second upper
surface of the heel-cushioning portion so as to absorb shocks
resulting from the treading action.
[0008] Preferably, the second upper surface of the heel-cushioning
portion includes a central section, and an annular intermediate
section which surrounds the central section and which is interposed
between the central section and the anchoring portion. The central
section is disposed at an elevation higher than the intermediate
section such that the second upper surface of the heel-cushioning
portion inclines gradually and downwardly from the central section
toward the intermediate section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Other features and advantages of this invention will become
more apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment
of a shock-absorbing insole according to the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the cushioning pad shown in FIG.
1, illustrating how a plurality of shock-absorbing posts deform
when a foot treads on the cushioning pad;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the first
preferred embodiment; and
[0013] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a second
preferred embodiment of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the first preferred
embodiment of a shock-absorbing insole according to this invention
is adapted for use in a shoe in order to cushion the sole of a foot
of the wearer to relieve pain and discomfort, and is shown to
include an insole body 10 made of a foam material with a first
stiffness, and a shock-absorbing pad 20 made from an elastomeric
material with a second stiffness different from the first
stiffness.
[0015] As illustrated, the insole body 10 has a heel portion 11
with first upper and lower surfaces (11U, 11L) opposite to each
other in a transverse direction. The first upper surface (11U) has
an inner peripheral edge region (11R) that defines a through hole
(11H) which extends from the first upper surface (11U) in the
transverse direction to communicate with the first lower surface
(11L).
[0016] The cushioning pad 20 includes a heel-cushioning portion 21
with second upper and lower surfaces 211, 210 opposite to each
other in the transverse direction and of a dimension substantially
equal to that of the through hole (11H), a plurality of spaced
apart shock-absorbing posts 22 which extend downwardly from the
second lower surface 210, and a peripheral anchoring portion 212
which surrounds the heel-cushioning portion 21 and which is
superimposed upon the inner peripheral edge region (11R) when the
heel-cushioning portion 21 is brought to mate with the through hole
(11H) such that the shock-absorbing posts 22 extend through the
through hole (11H), and have lower ends flush with the first lower
surface (11L) of the heel portion 11. The shock-absorbing posts 22
are capable of deforming when a foot treads on the second upper
surface 211 of the heel-cushioning portion 21 so as to absorb
shocks resulting from the treading action.
[0017] The second upper surface 211 of the heel-cushioning portion
21 includes a central section (211C), and an annular intermediate
section (211I) which surrounds the central section (211C) and which
is interposed between the central section (211C) and the anchoring
portion 212. The central section (211C) is disposed at an elevation
higher than the intermediate section (211I) such that the second
upper surface 211 of the heel-cushioning portion 21 inclines
gradually and downwardly from the central section (211C) toward the
intermediate section (211I).
[0018] Preferably, the inner peripheral edge region (11R) has an
inner peripheral wall surface 23 extending from the first upper
surface (11U) to the first lower surface (11L) so as to confine the
through hole (11H). The shock-absorbing posts 22 cooperatively
define an outer peripheral engaging surface which frictionally
engages the inner peripheral wall surface 23 to permit snug-fitting
of the shock-absorbing posts 22 in the through hole (11H). Each of
the shock-absorbing posts 22 is hollow, and has a hexagonal
cross-section.
[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates the second preferred embodiment of this
invention. Unlike to the previous embodiment, the shock-absorbing
posts 22 are solid and have a hexagonal cross-section.
[0020] When a human is foot is disposed in a shoe provided with a
shock-absorbing insole of the present invention, the heel of the
foot is supported by the cushioning pad 20 which absorbs shocks
that result due to treading action of the foot over the cushioning
pad 20.
[0021] With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that
numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore
intended that this invention be limited only as indicated in the
appended claims.
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