U.S. patent number RE32,698 [Application Number 06/849,383] was granted by the patent office on 1988-06-21 for orthotic insert.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Northwest Podiatric Laboratories, Inc.. Invention is credited to Dennis N. Brown.
United States Patent |
RE32,698 |
Brown |
June 21, 1988 |
Orthotic insert
Abstract
An orthotic insert for use in various types of foot gear
consisting of a first blank and a second blank fused together. The
first blank is a flexible pad generally contoured to the bottom of
a person's foot and the second blank is more rigid and contoured to
the calcaneal and arch regions of a specific individual's foot. In
combination the first and second blank form an orthotic insert
which offers support to and is resiliently deformable in the heel
area and flexible in the toe area thus emulating the requirement of
the human gait cycle.
Inventors: |
Brown; Dennis N. (Blaine,
WA) |
Assignee: |
Northwest Podiatric Laboratories,
Inc. (Blaine, WA)
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Family
ID: |
26997627 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/849,383 |
Filed: |
April 3, 1986 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
352708 |
Feb 26, 1982 |
04439934 |
Apr 3, 1984 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
36/44; 12/146M;
12/146S; 36/173; 36/76C; 428/408 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B
7/28 (20130101); Y10T 428/30 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A43B
7/14 (20060101); A43B 7/28 (20060101); A43B
013/38 (); A43B 013/41 () |
Field of
Search: |
;36/44,43,76C
;12/146M,146S,146B,146BR ;428/408 ;264/223 ;128/595,614 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1489605 |
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Oct 1977 |
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GB |
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1521682 |
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Aug 1978 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Kee Chi; James
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hughes, Cassidy & Multer
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An insert removeably placed within a finished article of
footwear comprising, in combination:
a full length first blank dimensioned to underlie the plantar
surface of a person's foot amd formed of flexible, resiliently
deformable material along its entire extent,
a second blank extending from a calcaneal area of the person's
plantar surface to a metatarsal head area bonded to a bottom face
of said .[.front.]. .Iadd.first .Iaddend.blank and formed from
alternating layers of fiberglass/resin and graphite,
two of said fiberglass/resin layers forming outer most surfaces of
said second blank, said second blank molded and set to conform
identically to the plantar surface of the person's foot along the
areas of support therefor when the foot is beneficially
oriented,
each said graphite layer formed from a bundle of graphite fibers
directionally oriented along specific axes to provide controlled,
preprogrammed deformation of said insert when used in a gait
cycle,
whereby said insert nests within the inner portion of the finished
footwear article and provides continuous control of weight
distribution to the foot by insert distortion as the weight is
shifted from the calcaneal area forward through the subtalar and
midtarsal joint and thence to the metatarsal heads.
2. The device of claim 1 including posts encapsulated within said
second blank oriented to alter the deformation pattern of said
second blank during use of said insert.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein said post is placed in an arch
area of said insert.
4. The device of claim 2 wherein said post is placed at the
calcaneal area of said insert.
5. The device of claim .[.4.]. .Iadd.1, wherein said graphite layer
includes a bundle of graphite fibers disposed in a longitudinal
direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said insert.
6. The device of claim .[.4.]. .Iadd.1, wherein said graphite layer
is disposed such that said graphite are oriented transverse to the
longitudinal axis of the insert.
7. The device of claim .[.4.]. .Iadd.1, wherein said graphite layer
is formed and oriented such that its bundle fibers are pointed
diagonally relative to the longitudinal and latitudinal aspects of
said insert.
8. The device of claim .[.7.]. .Iadd.1, wherein plural graphite
layers are provided.
9. The device of claim .[.4.]. .Iadd.1, wherein said graphite layer
is formed from a plurality of strands uniformly equidistant one
from the other along its entire layer.
10. A method for forming an orthotic device to be removeably placed
in finished footwear such as shoes or the like comprising the steps
of:
providing a first blank and dimensioning said first blank to
underlie a plantar surface of a person's foot,
providing a second blank extending from a metatarsal head area to
the calcaneal area of a person's foot,
forming said first blank from a resilient pad which underlies an
abrasion resistant and perspiration dispersing layer,
forming said second blank from alternate layers of resin
impregnated mesh and graphite bundles, orienting said graphite
bundles in appropriate directions to encourage deflection of said
insert in certain areas and retard deflection in other areas,
heating said insert to render deformable said insert,
providing a mold of the plantar surface of the person's foot,
positioning said first blank against the mold,
positioning said second blank against said first blank,
applying force on said insert against the mold to deform said
insert thereto exactly,
and allowing said insert to set,
whereby said insert not only replicates the contour of the mold and
therefore the person's plantar foot surface but also controls and
supports foot flexure in a preprogrammed manner by the graphite
bundle orientation.
11. The method of claim 10 including placing a post within said
second blank between a layer of resin impregnated mesh and a
graphite bundle layer.
12. The method of claim 11 including placing a post within the arch
area of said second blank.
13. The method of claim 11 including placing said posts adjacent a
calcaneal area.
14. The method of claim .[.12.]. .Iadd.10, .Iaddend.including
orienting said graphite bundle layer such that the bundles are
directed in a longitudinal direction relative to said insert.
15. The method of claim .[.14.]. .Iadd.10, .Iaddend.including
orienting the bundles traverse to the longitudinal axis.
16. The method of claim .[.15.]. .Iadd.10, .Iaddend.including
orienting the bundles in a diagonal manner relative to the
longitudinal and latitudinal aspects.
17. The method of claim .[.16.]. .Iadd.10, .Iaddend.including
curing the insert using heat and pressure at 350.degree. for
forty-five minutes. .Iadd.
18. An insert removably placed within a finished article of
footwear comprising:
a first blank dimensioned to underlie a plantar surface of a
person's foot and formed of flexible resiliently deformable
material along its entire length, and extending from a calcaneal
area to at least a metatarsal head area of the plantar surface, and
extending laterally across substantially an entire width of the
plantar surface;
b. a second blank extending from said calcaneal area to said
metatarsal head area and being bonded to a bottom face of said
first blank, said second blank comprising layers of resin and
graphite, with the second blank extending laterally cross
substantially an entire width of the plantar surface;
c. said second blank molded to and set to conform identically to
the plantar surface of the person's foot along areas of support
therefor when the foot is beneficially oriented in a manner that a
midfoot portion of the second blank is particularly positioned
relative to a rear portion of the second blank to properly orient a
midfoot portion of the plantar surface of the foot relative to a
calcaneal area of the foot;
d. said second blank comprising at least one graphite layer formed
from a bundle of graphite fibers which are bonded to one another to
form a relatively rigid structure and which are directionally
oriented along a specific axis so as to have greater resistance to
bending along a direction parallel to said axis and less resistant
to bending along a direction transverse to said axis, to provide
controlled, preprogrammed deformation of said insert when used in a
gait cycle;
whereby said insert is able to nest within an inner portion of the
finished article of footwear to provide continuous control of
weight distribution to the foot by insert distortion as weight is
shifted from the calcaneal area forward through subtalor and
midtarsal joints of the foot and thence to midtarsal heads of the
foot. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
19. The insert as recited in claim 18, further comprising at least
one post encapsulated within said blank, said post oriented to
alter a deformation pattern of said second blank during use of said
insert. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The insert as recited in claim 19,
wherein said post is placed in an arch area of said insert.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The insert as recited in claim 19, wherein said
post is placed at a calcaneal area of said insert. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.22. The insert as recited in claim 18, wherein said graphite
layer has said bundle of graphite fibers disclosed substantially
along a longitudinal axis which is parallel to a lengthwise axis of
the person's foot. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The insert as recited in
claim 18, wherein said graphite layer includes a bundle of graphite
fibers disposed in a direction slanted to a longitudinal axis which
is parallel to a lengthwise axis of the person's foot. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.24. The insert as recited in claim 18, wherein there is a
plurality of graphite layers. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The insert as
recited in claim 24, wherein each of said graphite layers is formed
from a plurality of strands substantially uniformly equidistant
from one another. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. The insert as recited in
claim 18, wherein said graphite layer is formed from a plurality of
strands substantially uniformly equidistant from one another.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.27. A method for forming an orthotic insert to be
removably placed in finished footwear such as shoes or the like
comprising the steps of:
a. providing a first blank and dimensioning said first blank to
underlie a plantar surface of a person's foot and extending
laterally across substantially an entire width of the plantar
surface;
b. providing a second blank extending from a metatarsal head area
to the calcaneal area of a person's foot with the second blank
extending laterally across substantially an entire width of the
plantar surface;
c. forming said first blank from a resilient pad which underlies an
abrasion resistant and perspiration dispersing layer;
d. forming said second blank from layers of resin and graphite,
with said graphite layer comprising a bundle of graphite fibers,
orienting said graphite fibers in a direction to encourage
deflection of said insert in certain areas and retard deflection in
other areas;
e. heating said insert to render deformable said insert;
f. providing a mold of the plantar surface of the person's
foot;
g. positioning said first blank against the mold;
h. positioning said second blank against said first blank in a
manner that a midfoot portion of the second blank is particularly
positioned relative to a rear portion of the second blank to
properly orient a midfoot portion of the plantar surface of the
foot relative to a calcaneal area of the foot;
i. applying force on said insert against the mold to deform said
insert thereto exactly;
j. and allowing said insert to set, with said graphite fibres being
bonded to one another to form a relatively rigid structure;
whereby said insert not only replicates the contour of the mold and
therefor the person's plantar foot surface but also controls and
supports foot flexure in a preprogrammed manner by the graphite
bundle orientation.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The method as recited in claim 27, including
placing a post within said second blank. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. The
method as recited in claim 28, including placing said post within
an arch area of said second blank. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. The method
as recited in claim 28, including placing said post adjacent a
calcanea area of said second blank. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. The method
as recited in claim 27, including orienting said graphite fibers
such that the fibers are directed substantially in a longitudinal
direction which is parallel to a lengthwise axis of the foot.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.32. The method as recited in claim 27, including
orienting said fibers in a direction slanted to a longitudinal axis
which is parallel to a lengthwise axis of the foot. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.33. The method as recited in claim 27, including curing the
insert using heat and pressure of at least approximately
350.degree. F. and for at least forty-five minutes. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to orthotic inserts for use
in conjunction with various types of footwear.
The following patent application deals with developments concerning
applicant's own U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,002 issued Nov. 30, 1976, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,237,626 issued Dec. 9, 1980 and application Ser. No.
294,306 filed Aug. 19, 1981.
The first citation teaches the use of an orthotic casting system
whereby a slipper mold is taken of the plantar surface of an
individual's foot which, when the mold is cured, provides a
negative template from which a positive cast can be fabricated. The
final insert is then constructed using the positive cast to emulate
the plantar surface of the individual's foot.
The second of applicant's patents cited teaches the use of a heel
cup insert which is deformable and which can take an impression of
the plantar surface of the heel and maintain that contour when
cured so that the angulation of the calcaneal area can be adjusted
to correct for rear foot varus or valgus.
The application cited provides a significant time saving in the
ortho-casting process because it eliminates the necessity of making
a negative mold from which the positive insert is constructed.
Instead, the original mold itself becomes the insert. By
eliminating a time consuming and labor intensive step custom fit
orthosis can be created quickly and at a reduced cost.
The instant application represents a significant and novel
improvement over the art disclosed in the above citations. Although
a process may be somewhat the same as that described in applicant's
U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,002, the materials employed in the instant
application exhibit certain synergistic characteristics that
further enhance desirable effects in a new, novel and unobvious
manner.
The structure disclosed herein employs the orthocasting method in
applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,002 to form a negative mold or
slipper cast from which a positive cast of the plantar surface of
an individual's foot is formed. Using this positive cast as a
template, an orthotic insert is formed to underlie the area under
the foot from the calcaneal area forward to the first metatarsal
head, including the arch area, and from there laterally to the
distal side of the foot or fifth metatarsal head. The insert itself
is fabricated by applying to the positive cast a fiberglass and
resin wafer selectively impregnated between layers having graphite
fibers. The insert is then heat cured and cut to the limits of the
cast. This is significant because of the unexpected benefits
associated with the resulting structure due to the order and
direction in which they are laminated together. The flexing
characteristics of the insert, which are integral to its
performance, can be beneficially controlled by adjusting the
placement, amount, and direction of the graphite fibers impregnated
between the layers of resin and fibre glass. The insert formed
using the structure disclosed herein is extremely lightweight and
relatively thin in comparison and is even more tuneable to the
person's foot and activities because flex and rigidity can be
adjusted over different areas of the insert to emphasize certain
orthotic needs and compensate for certain orthotic abnormalities.
If orthotic adjustment is painful to the patient because of
excessive rigidity in a particular portion of that orthotic then it
can be initiated gradually by introducing a further insert with a
preferred zone of accentuated flexibility in the appropriate area,
while maintaining a preferred rigidity throughout the remainder of
the insert. This is accomplished by varying the configuration of
the impregnated graphite and the thickness of the resinous
core.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to
provide a novel orthotic insert device in which the flexibility of
the insert can be beneficially controlled and altered in specific
zones to conform to the podiatric requirements of each individual
person.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel
orthotic insert device which can flex and dissipate stress
differentially according to the activity for which it was
designed.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a
novel orthotic insert device which gives the podiatrist, the
athlete, and the general consumer a whole new range of control to
beneficially adjust and tune one's foot gear to one's requirements
and activities.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel
orthotic insert device which is extremely lightweight and lends
itself well to mass production techniques.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a
novel orthotic insert device which is relatively rigid in the heel
and arch areas for support and alignment and relatively flexible in
the toe area and ball of the foot to allow for easy execution of
the later phases of the gait cycle.
A further object contemplates providing a device of the character
described above which can exhibit varied resistance to leading
along its surface as a function of its composition.
These and other objects will be made manifest when considering the
following detailed specification when taken in conjunction with the
appended drawing figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a top view of the first blank where the dotted line shows
the positioning of the second blank beneath.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the second blank.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the layers comprising the second
blank and the positive cast upon which they are contoured.
FIG. 4 is a series of top views of the graphite layers indicating
the various directions in which the graphite fibers may be
configured.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the finished insert with cutaway
sections.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference
numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures,
reference numeral 10 refers generally to a two-layered first blank
which is generally configured in the outline of the bottom of an
individual's foot, and 20 refers to the second blank.
As shown in FIG. 1, the first blank includes layer 1 of a cloth
material such as nylon, Dacron, cotton or the like which is
abrasion resistant and absorbs perspiration well. A second layer 2
is a thin flexible layer of rubber or neoprene or the like which is
coextensive with and adhered to the first layer 1. The two layers
together 1 and 2 form a first blank 10 which with second blank 20
forms an entire insert 30.
The blank 10 has the shape generally conforming to one's foot with
a calcaneal or heel area 8, an area underlying the arch 3, an area
underlying the ball of the foot 4 and a toe area 5.
FIG. 2 shows a second blank generally referred to by reference
numeral 20, which is designed to underlie the first blank 10 from
the calcaneal area 8 to the arch area 3 and terminate at the first
and fifth metatarsal head 6 as shown by the dotted line in FIG.
1.
The first blank 10 and the second blank 20 become annealed or fused
together after the second blank 20 has been custom formed to the
individual's foot.
After the second blank 20 becomes contoured to the portion of the
foot which it underlies, by a process to be described hereinafter,
it is relatively rigid compared to the first blank 10 which must
remain flexible. This is because during the human gait cycle the
stress of the body weight is initially placed on the rear foot and
then the weight is shifted forward through the sub-talar joint and
mid-tarsal joint onto the metatarsal heads and finally through the
toes. The first ray (first metatarsal) 6 is prime mechanism from
which one propels himself forward. The first ray 6 must remain
stable for this to occur efficiently. This stability is predicated
upon a locked mid-tarsal joint and adequate muscular assistance.
Thus, the insert may be relatively rigid beneath the calcaneal area
8, the arch area 3 and the first metatarsal head area 6, but must
remain flexible in the ball of the foot area 4 and the toe area 5
so that the entire footgear can bend during the later part or toe
roll segment of the gait cycle.
The rigidity of the insert beneath the first metatarsal head area 6
helps stabilize this area during propulsion thus preventing such
abnormalities as Hallux valgus (bunion) and plantar callosities
which may result from inadequate stabilization of the first ray
during propulsion. Therefore, the shape and rigidity of the second
blank 20 lends support and stabilization to the foot at the chief
site of propulsion 6 and the flexibility of the first blank 10
allows the forefoot and the associated footgear to flex during the
later stages of the gait cycle.
The second blank 20 can be formed and contoured around a positive
cast obtained using the method and apparatus disclosed in
applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,002. However, alternative layers of
fiberglass, resin, and graphite, from which the second blank 20 is
formed, are layed upon the positive cast thus contouring the shape
of the second blank 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the second blank 20 is
constructed from a plurality of layers. A first layer 11 is
preferably a sheet constructed from a cloth such as fiberglass or
nylon mesh and impregnated with resin. A second layer 12 can be a
sheet of graphite with the woven graphite fibers running preferably
diagonally from corner to corner. A next layer 13 is also a glass
and resin sheet which may be the same as the first sheet 11 or may
be a different thickness or contain a different percentage of
resin. A next layer 14 can be a graphite sheet with the woven
graphite fibers running orthogonally to the sides of that layer. A
bottom layer 11 maybe a glass and resin sheet similar to the top
layer 11. These various layers are applied to a positive cast 15
formed as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,002 so that the final lamination
will replicate the contours of the positive cast 15. It should also
be noted that the second blank 20 can be formed from as few as
three layers such as layers 11, 12 and 13. Furthermore, once the
second blank 20 is contoured, it forms a peripheral lip 9 around
the heel area which cups the heel when load is brought to bear on
the insert 30. Thus, the insert 30 beneficially deforms to grasp
and support the calcaneal area.
The graphite layers 12 and 14 can be formed with the graphite
fibers running in a variety of different directions, as shown in
FIG. 4. Alternately, the graphite layers 12 and 14 can appear with
the fibers interwoven into a grid as shown in FIG. 3. If the
graphite layer is configured with the graphite fibers running
horizontally (16 FIG. 4), then the blank 20 will tend to flex more
readily about the axis parallel to the fibers, line C. Similarly,
the fibers can be arranged in any direction to create a series of
axes about which the insert will flex more readily, 17, 18 and 19
FIG. 4. Thus, the arrangement and configuration of the fibers
relative to themselves and relative to the glass and resin layers
determines the amount and direction of the flexibility of the
completed insert 30. Furthermore, if preferred zones of rigidity or
flexibility are desired, the configuration, and the number of the
graphite layers can be varied to achieve the desired effects. For
example, the insert 30 may require arch and heel posts 21 FIG. 5 in
order to properly support the foot and provide a proper transition
from the insert 30 to the footgear. The posts 21 also provide a
means to limit motion in the subtalar joint and in so doing the
post determines the position of the calcaneus to the ground
(supporting surface).
After the second blank 20 has been formed to the specific contours
of the individual's foot as described above, it is best cured at
350.degree. for 45 minutes and then it is ready to be fixed to the
bottom of the first blank 10 to create the final insert 30, as
shown in FIG. 5.
Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it
should be understood that numerous structural modifications and
adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of
the invention.
* * * * *