U.S. patent application number 11/526500 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-27 for shoe insole and methods for identification.
Invention is credited to DeWayne L. Hays.
Application Number | 20080073229 11/526500 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39223760 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080073229 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hays; DeWayne L. |
March 27, 2008 |
Shoe insole and methods for identification
Abstract
An insole for a shoe providing information fields for
identifying the wearer of the shoe. The insole may have pre-printed
information fields providing spaces for a person to provide
information identifying the wearer of the shoe, as well as
pertinent medical and contact information. The insole is provided
in a preselected shape and size so that it removably and snugly
fits within a shoe of a given standard shoe size. In one
embodiment, design features may be added to the insole. A package
containing one or more insoles with such information fields may
also be provided, and may have a label indicating the standard shoe
size corresponding to the size and shape of the insole.
Inventors: |
Hays; DeWayne L.; (Cypress,
TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VINSON & ELKINS L.L.P.
1001 FANNIN STREET, 2300 FIRST CITY TOWER
HOUSTON
TX
77002-6760
US
|
Family ID: |
39223760 |
Appl. No.: |
11/526500 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/223 ;
206/281; 36/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 17/00 20130101;
A43B 23/24 20130101; A43D 999/00 20130101; A43B 3/0089 20130101;
A43B 3/0078 20130101; A43B 13/38 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/223 ; 36/43;
206/281 |
International
Class: |
B65D 71/00 20060101
B65D071/00; A43B 13/38 20060101 A43B013/38; B65D 85/18 20060101
B65D085/18 |
Claims
1. An insert for a shoe comprising: an insole having a top surface,
wherein said insole is of a selected shape and size and wherein the
top surface of said insole comprises information fields for
providing information identifying a person.
2. The insert according to claim 1 wherein the top surface further
comprises at least one visual design element.
3. The insert according to claim 1 wherein the information fields
comprise spaces for the name, date of birth, and address of a
person.
4. The insert according to claim 1 wherein the insole is of a size
adapted to fit snugly within a shoe of a standard size.
5. The insert according to claim 1 wherein the insole further
comprises a cushion.
6. A package comprising: at least one insole having a top surface
and a bottom surface, wherein said insole is of a selected shape
and size and wherein a surface of said insole comprises information
fields for providing information identifying a person; a permanent
marker; and a label indicating a standard shoe size to which said
insole corresponds.
7. The package according to claim 6 wherein the package further
comprises a plurality of said insoles.
8. The package according to claim 6 wherein the information fields
are on the top surface of the insole.
9. The package according to claim 8 wherein the information fields
comprise spaces for the name, date of birth, and address of a
person.
10. The package according to claim 9 wherein the information fields
further comprise at least one space for medical information for a
person.
11. The package according to claim 10 wherein the information
fields further comprise at least one space for identifying an
emergency contact for a person.
12. The package according to claim 11 comprising a plurality of
said insoles each having a plurality of information fields for the
name, date of birth, address, medical information, and an emergency
contact for a person.
13. The package according to claim 12 wherein each of said insoles
is of a size adapted to fit snugly within a shoe of a standard shoe
size.
14. A method of identifying a person, comprising: providing an
insole having a top surface comprising information fields thereon,
wherein the information fields include spaces for identifying
information for a person; adding identifying information for a
person in the information fields of said insole; and placing said
insole within a shoe worn by the person.
15. The method according to claim 14 wherein said insole further
comprises at least one information field for medical
information.
16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of
adding medical information for a person in the information field
for medical information of said insole.
17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of adding the
identifying information and the medical information comprises
writing the identifying information and the medical information in
the information fields for identifying a person and the information
field for medical information, respectively.
18. The method according to claim 14 wherein said insole further
comprises an ornamentation feature.
19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the ornamentation
feature includes at least one field adapted to receive
ornamentation.
20. The method according to claim 14 wherein said insole comprises
a material selected from the group consisting of: silicone gel,
foam rubber, sponge rubber, cloth, and a viscoelastic polymer,
wherein the viscoelastic polymer is selected from the group
consisting of styrene-olefin-rubber block copolymer; thermoplastic
polyurethane, thermoplastic polyolefin, polyamide, polyurea, and
polyester.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to shoe inserts which can identify
the wearer and/or provide useful information about the wearer or
owner of the shoe, such as medical information, and to articles and
apparatus which are useful in connection with such inserts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The problem of identifying someone who is unable to speak or
provide their name or other important information has been around
for many years. In particular, a number of attempts have been made
to provide means for identifying persons such as children. In
addition, the problem of providing convenient means to identify
adults who may be injured or become unconscious while running or
jogging and not carrying any identification has been around for a
number of years. Such problems can occur in any number of
situations, such as when a young child is lost. In addition, such
problems can arise when a natural disaster overwhelms a region,
such as the case with when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans
and other areas in 2005.
[0003] In the past, various attempts have been made to provide
means for identifying a person wearing a shoe. For example, in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,254,566, issued to Haskell on Mar. 10, 1981, a foldable
sheet is provided which can be secured via the shoelaces on an
athletic shoe. Identifying information, such as the wearer's name,
as well as pertinent medical information, can be placed onto the
sheet. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,543, issued to Fernau on Feb.
3, 2004, discloses a shoe-mounted identification assembly which
loops around shoelaces or the shoe tongue. For athletic and other
shoes which do not have either shoelaces or a tongue, such
conventional identification assemblies are not easily adapted for
use. Still another conventional approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No.
6,701,589, issued to Kliewer on Mar. 9, 2004. In Kliewer, a shoe
fastener is disclosed as an alternative to shoelaces, in which the
fastener can be used with shoes in place of the laces. Kliewer also
discloses that identification tags can be used with such fasteners.
Nonetheless, the fasteners shown in Kliewer are not easily adapted
for use with shoes which do not have openings or eyes for shoelaces
(or other fasteners). Yet another approach is disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,897,947, issued on Feb. 6, 1990, to Kass-Pious, in which
a hinged carrier member is provided that can contain identifying
information about the wearer, and which can be fastened to the shoe
by placing the shoelaces or VELCO fastening strips through a base
of the carrier.
[0004] Besides attempts to provide wearer identification assemblies
attached via shoelaces or other fasteners, conventional approaches
include providing identifying sheets in other locations of shoes.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,102, issued Sep. 9, 1986 to Hill,
discloses a label that is located under a flap of VELCRO on the
outside of a shoe heel. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,195, issued to
Capozzola on Sep. 5, 1989, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,136, issued to
Capozzola on May 17, 1994, an identification tag is disclosed which
can be located inside a shoe, such as in the shoe heel area or the
inside sole of the shoe.
[0005] Still another approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,494,431, issued on Feb. 27, 1996 to Telfer. In Telfer, a device
is disclosed for emblazoning identifying indicia onto the soles of
a shoe. As noted in Hill, U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,102 (described
above), however, labeling on any part of the shoe which comes into
contact with the ground is subject to removal or abrasion due to
the contact of the shoe with the ground. In addition, labeling on
parts of the shoe which come into contact with water, mud, sweat,
or the like may wear off.
[0006] Shoe inserts and cushions are conventional. For example,
U.S. Pat. No. 3,253,601, issued on May 31, 1966 to Scholl,
discloses a foot cushion which can be placed inside a shoe and
which conforms to the shape of the user's foot. Similarly, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,642,912, issued Feb. 17, 1987 to Wildman et al.,
discloses a shoe insole which can be placed inside a shoe and which
has multiple layers having specific compressive strength
properties. Still other approaches to shoe insoles are shown in
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 302,624, issued on Aug. 8, 1989, to Thompson et
al., and Des. 288,621, issued on Mar. 10, 1987 to Surpuriya, which
disclose different designs for shoe insoles. The use of foam or
sponge rubber to form insoles is conventional. More recently, the
use of gel insoles which contain a movable fluid or are made of a
viscoelastic gel have been used. Such gel insoles may have a cloth
layer attached thereto, such as by an adhesive. As described in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,321, issued to Crane et al. on Jul. 29, 2003, a
gel insole may be made of various materials, including
styrene-olefin-rubber block copolymers, thermoplastic
polyurethanes, thermoplastic polyolefins, polyamides, polyureas,
polyesters, and the like. In addition, spring walls can be provided
in one or more recesses in the toe and heel portions of such an
insole.
[0007] Each of the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,254,566, 6,684,543, 6,701,589,
4,897,947, 4,610,102, 4,863,195, 5,312,136, 5,494,431, 4,610,102,
3,253,601, 4,642,912, Des. 302,624, Des. 288,621, and U.S. Pat. No.
6,598,321 are hereby incorporated by reference herein as if fully
set forth.
[0008] None of the prior art provides an assembly for providing
identifying and medical information for the wearer of shoe that is
durable, comfortable, and relatively easily and quickly used.
Moreover, conventional approaches do not provide an assembly that
is cheap and can be used by anyone. In addition, conventional
approaches typically involve assemblies that are either
uncomfortable or deemed unsightly, and do not provide for
customization of ornamentation features. The invention in its
various embodiments solves these and other problems of the prior
art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The problems associated with conventional approaches can be
solved with the present invention. In one embodiment, an insert for
a shoe is provided that has preprinted spaces for identifying and
medical information so that appropriate information can be placed
on the top face of the insert and the insert then placed inside the
wearer's shoe. In one embodiment, the insert can be made and
provided in standard shoe sizes for children or for adults, and can
have additional design elements provided in addition to spaces for
identifying the wearer and/or providing medical information about
the wearer. In another embodiment, a package containing two inserts
that each have a top surface which provide spaces for identifying
information is provided, with the package also containing, for
example, a permanent magic marker or the like for adding the
desired information in the spaces provided on the top surface of
each insert, with each of the inserts made to fit into a shoe of a
standard shoe size, and with one insert for the left shoe and the
other insert for the right shoe.
[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide an
insert for a shoe that can provide useful identifying and/or
medical information.
[0011] It is another object of the invention to provide a package
providing a pair of left and right inserts that are made to fit
into corresponding left and right shoes of a standard size.
[0012] It is yet another object of the invention to provide a
package allowing easy and quick use to provide identifying
information to a shoe insert.
[0013] These and other objects of the invention are met via the
embodiments of the invention as shown in the accompanying figures
and the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a drawing of an insole for a shoe in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a drawing of an insole for a shoe in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a drawing of a package containing insoles for
shoes in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Referring first to FIG. 1, an insole 1 in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention is shown. As shown in FIG. 1, the
insole 1 is in the outline of a human foot. The insole 1 is
preferably made in a shape and size such that insole 1 easily slips
into a shoe of a standard size. For example, insole 1 can be a
man's size 8. In addition, the insole 1 can be made of such a size
and shape that it is slightly larger than necessary to fit into a
shoe of a preselected size (such as a man's size 8), so that the
user can trim the insole 1, such as by using scissors or the like,
to snugly fit inside a shoe. It will be appreciated that insole 1
can be made of any conventional material for insoles. such as those
that are commercially available under the DR. SCHOLL'S trademark
from the Schering-Plough Healthcare Products, Inc. company. Such
materials may include cloth, foam or sponge rubber, or viscoelastic
polymers or silicone gels, such as described in U.S. Pat. No.
6,598,321 (discussed above).
[0018] Still referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the insole 1
is in the shape of a normal human left foot. It will be appreciated
that the following discussion, although made with respect to the
insole 1 of FIG. 1, applies equally to an insole made in the shape
of a normal human right foot. It will also be appreciated that
although a particular size may be provided in the examples, the
invention is not limited to any particular size. Furthermore, the
insole 1 may be snugly placed inside a shoe without any adhesive
or, alternatively and if desired, the insole 1 may be provided with
an adhesive (not shown) on the bottom surface to secure the insole
1 within a shoe. For example, double-sided tape may be provided on
the bottom of the insole 1 so that a user can secure the insole 1
within a shoe with such tape.
[0019] In FIG. 1, the insole 1 has a number of information fields
5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, and 65. As shown in
FIG. 1, each of information fields 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40,
45, 50, 55, 60, and 65 has a printed term followed by one or more
lines for someone to provide the appropriate information.
Information field 5, for example, has the printed term "Name" in
order to prompt a user to write the name of the wearer in the
following space of information field 5. A user can use any
conventional means to provide the name information in field 5. For
best results, I prefer the use of a permanent magic marker, such as
those which are commercially available under the SHARPIE trademark.
It will be understood that the information can be added to the
information fields by other means, such as a pen.
[0020] Still referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the
information fields include spaces for the following information:
field 5 provides a space for a person's name; field 10 provides a
space for a person's address; field 15 provides a space for a
person's city and state of residence; field 20 provides a space for
a person's telephone number; field 30 provides a space for a
person's allergies (if any); field 35 provides a space for the name
of an emergency contact; field 40 provides a space for the
telephone number of an emergency contact; field 45 provides a space
for the name of a person's doctor; field 50 provides a space for a
person's date of birth; field 60 provides a space for a person's
medications (if any); and field 65 provides spaces for any
additional pertinent information. Other information fields with
additional or different information may be provided. Similarly, the
order of the various information fields as shown and described
herein may be varied as desired. The information fields can be
durably printed on the top surface of the insole 1 by any
conventional means, such as silk-screening with permanent ink.
Although shown and described as being pre-printed on the top
surface of the insole 1, it will also be appreciated that the
information fields can be durably printed on the bottom surface of
the insole 1, so that the information provided in the information
fields is not readily visible to a casual observer once the insole
1 is placed in shoe, but is nonetheless available to anyone who
removes the insole 1 from a shoe.
[0021] Referring now to FIG. 2, another embodiment of the invention
is shown. As shown in FIG. 2, insole 100 is provided in the shape
of a normal human left foot. Insole 100 differs from insole 1
(shown in FIG. 1 and described above), however, as insole 100 also
has one or more ornamentation features 101 located on the top
surface thereof. In FIG. 2, the ornamentation features 101 consist
of a series of basketballs, and a basketball player, such as would
be appropriate for a person who is fond of basketball. It will be
appreciated, however, that other designs may be used, such as
footballs, baseballs, baseball bats, and the like. In addition,
logos of college, professional and other sports teams may be
provided as ornamentation features.
[0022] As shown in Figure in FIG. 2, another ornamentation feature
105 is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, feature 105 consists of an
alternating design around the edge of the insole 100. Those skilled
in the art will appreciate that the ornamentation feature 105 need
not be limited to the edge of the insole 100 (as is shown in FIG.
2), but can be provided anywhere desired on the surface of the
insole 100. In addition, the ornamentation feature 105 can be any
desired pattern or color, including a plurality of colors, as may
be desired.
[0023] Still referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that insole 100
has information fields 110, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, and 145, with
information fields 110, 120, 125, 130, 135, and 140 for providing
identifying information for the wearer of a shoe in which the
insole 100 is placed, and information field 145 for providing
medical information for the wearer. As shown in FIG. 2, information
field 110 includes a space for the name of the wearer, information
field 120 includes a space for the address of the wearer,
information field 135 includes a space for the city and state of
the wearer's residence, information field 130 includes a space for
the telephone number of the wearer's parents (such as would
typically be desired if the wearer is a child), information field
135 includes a space for the wearer's age, information field 140
includes a space for the wearer's school, and information field 145
includes a space for a listing of any allergies of the wearer.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that additional or
different information fields for either or both identifying
information and medical information may be provided by insole 100.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any design or
ornamentation features may be used that are pleasing to the wearer
or the purchaser of the insole. It will also be appreciated that
the insole 100 may be made of a material with a single desired
color or with multiple colors or with multiple patterns. For
example, the insole 100 can have a top surface background which is
pink if the insole 100 is of a shape and size corresponding to a
women's or girl's shoe size. In addition, those skilled in the art
will appreciate that the insole 100 can have ornamentation features
(not shown) that allow or encourage further ornamentation. For
example, the insole 100 can be provided with outlines of figures of
people, animals, and/or objects such that a person, such as the
wearer, can color in the outlines and thereby customize the insole
100.
[0024] Now referring to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the invention
is shown. As shown in FIG. 3, a package 300 is provided. Package 3
has two outer plastic parts 302, 304, which fit sealingly together
at the side, top and bottom edges and provide a cavity portion to
hold the contents. Preferably, the plastic of package 3 is
transparent so that potential customers can easily view the
contents. The package 300 preferably includes a first insole 305
and may also contain a second foot insole (not shown). It will be
appreciated that insole 305 may be of the type of insole 1 or
insole 100 described above.
[0025] Still referring to FIG. 3, the insole 305 of package 300 is
made of a desired shape and size so that insole 305 is easily
inserted into a standard shoe size, such as described above in
connection with insoles 1, 100. For example, insoles 305 can be
made so that it is easily inserted and removably and snugly fit
into a boy's size seven shoe. For a package 300 containing insole
305 of such a shape and size, the front outer surface of package
300 can provide a label 320 indicating that the insole 305 in the
package 300 is for a boy's size 7. Doing so allows a potential
purchaser to more easily identify and select an appropriate package
300 from a retail display (not shown) of multiple packages 300.
[0026] Still referring to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the package
300 includes an opening 312 therethrough adapted to allow the
package 300 to be hung from a hook of a conventional retail display
(not shown). As shown in FIG. 3, the package 300 includes a body
portion 350 which contains the insole 305, as well as a permanent
marker 340. The body 350 includes an opaque area 310, upon which
appropriate labels and other information can be provided, such as
the size label 320 indicating the shoe size for which the insole
305 is designed, any instructions 325 that may be deemed desirable,
such as instructions for use of the insole 305, and any trademarks
or other information that may be desirable to include. The opaque
area 310 defines the outside of a viewing portion through which a
potential purchaser can see the insole 305 and the marker 340. As
also shown in FIG. 3, the insole 305 contains information fields
360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, and 366, adapting for providing a
user's name, phone number, address, city and state, information
about medications, information about any allergies, and contact
information, respectively. Those skilled in the art will appreciate
that the package 300 can be made of various materials and have
various shapes and sizes as may be desired. In one embodiment, the
package 300 can be made of plastic, with a first portion containing
the body portion 350 sealingly attached to a second, flat backing
portion of package 300, as is conventional for retail packaging of
many consumer items. The package 300 can be made of a clear,
transparent plastic, or it can be translucent or opaque, and can be
of differing colors as well. Those skilled in the art will also
appreciate that the package 300 can also include more than just one
insole 305. For example, the package 300 may include a first insole
305, such as a for a shoe for a left foot of a particular size, and
then a second insole (not shown) for a right foot for a shoe of the
same size. Alternatively, the package 300 may include the insole
305 and also a second insole of the same size and for the same
foot, such as may be used as a replacement. Similarly, the package
300 may include more than one marker 340, such as by including
multiple markers (not shown) of various colors to allow a user to
customize the insole 305 by coloring the insole 305 with the
multi-colored markers (not shown).
[0027] The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative
only, and those skilled in the art will appreciate and understand
that the invention may be modified and practiced in different but
equivalent manners. Any and all such modifications from the
particular embodiment disclosed are considered within the scope and
spirit of the invention. The invention is to be defined only by the
claims as set forth below. For example, those skilled in the art
will appreciate that additional information fields beyond those
shown and described may be used as desired, such as additional
identifying information and/or medical information. In addition,
those of skill in the art will appreciate that the invention can be
practice with various materials, including one or more of those
noted above. For example, the insole could be made of a gel portion
with a cloth surface layer attached thereto, such as by an
adhesive.
* * * * *