Patent Grant
8117768
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of footwear devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel anatomical footwear toepiece that is adapted for integration with an article of footwear for providing stability, comfort and control to a wearer.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Footwear manufacturers continually strive to improve comfort, fashion and functionality of footwear items. Because wearers select footwear based on appearance, comfort and function, footwear apparel must address several criteria such as aesthetics, balance, comfort and control during walking, skating, and other ambulatory-related activities.
The sole and footbed are target areas for innovation, especially concerning footwear articles having limited upper sections and ankle support such as strappy sandals and flip flops having only a V-shaped band element extending atop the wearer's foot. Footwear items having limited upper elements especially lack support elements for cushioning a foot and/or enabling sufficient control. Without proper support, a foot may pronate or supinate, causing the arch to flatten upon impact and that may lead to knee pain and back pain. Additionally, articles of footwear lacking complete uppers fail to restrain a foot sufficiently enough to prevent forward and lateral sliding, which may lead to stubbed toes and/or broken sandal straps.
Some shoe manufactures address balance, comfort and support criteria by adding support to the outsole or between the outsole and footbed. Running sneakers, for example, commonly incorporate gel cushions, springs or air pockets into the heel of the sole for softening the blow when a wearer's foot strikes a solid surface. Too much cushioning, however, may lead to pronation, and manufactures often add interior arch supports to compensate for this. Arch supports in the interior of the footwear article are typically positioned beneath the footbed or are incorporated as an integral part of the footbed. These arch supports therefore occupy substantial volume within the article of footwear. This may lead to wearer discomfort because the reduced interior space causes the top of the foot to abut the shoe upper, restricting circulation and proper flexing of the metatarsals and cuneiform bones positioned in the middle of the foot.
Some sandal and flip flop manufacturers attempt to add cushioning by incorporating soft, formable materials, such as cork and formable gels, into the footbed. These materials indent under pressure from a wearer's foot, forming groves particularly in and around the heel and metatarsals for receiving the foot into a particular position after a sufficient amount of repeated use. Such cushioning materials fail to support a pronating or supinating foot, however, and they also fail to prevent a foot from sliding too far forward or to either side. Sandal wearers often stub toes because of such slippage or step out of their footwear apparel altogether. Some sandal devices incorporate a toe loop for receiving the big toe to prevent the sandal from inadvertently falling off a wearer's foot. Other sandals incorporate ankle straps that wrap around a wearer's ankle, thereby securing the footwear item by a safety strap. These improvements, however, fail to prevent significant lateral movement, and these lose fitting footwear items thus may cause a wearer to trip and/or roll an ankle inward or outward because of an inherent lack of control.
One inexpensive, easily manufactured footwear cushioning and anti-slip device comprises a cushioning gel insert with an adhesive on its underside for securing the device to the footbed. Adhesive backed cushions applied in the metatarsal region may help to prevent forward slippage, but they fail to provide adequate structure for controlling the footwear and preventing injury associate with such lack of control.
A need therefore exists for an easily manufactured device that adds comfort and control to articles of footwear so that a user may balance properly and avoid any injury. Furthermore a need exists for such a device adapted for incorporation particularly within articles of footwear lacking significant structure, such as sandals substantially lacking upper support elements.
The present invention is directed to an anatomical toepiece that is adapted for insertion into the footbed of a footwear article. One embodiment of the toepiece comprises a core comprising an anchoring flange for embedded attachment within the footbed of the footwear article. Additionally, the core comprises an inter-toe engagement portion which extends upwardly from the anchoring flange for engagement between the great toe and the adjacent digit, and a wing which caps the inter-toe engagement portion and extends outwardly in both directions over a portion of the upper forefoot.
The present invention also is directed to a method of manufacturing an anatomical toepiece that is adapted for insertion into the footbed of a footwear article. One embodiment of the method comprises forming a core comprising an anchoring flange for embedded attachment within the footbed of the footwear article. Additionally, the core comprises an inter-toe engagement portion which extends upwardly from the anchoring flange for engagement between the great toe and the adjacent digit, and a wing which caps the inter-toe engagement portion and extends outwardly in both directions over a portion of the upper forefoot.
The present invention resolves the stated deficiencies of footwear apparel. Various features and advantages of the present invention are described below with reference to preferred embodiments and variations thereof. Those skilled in the art, however, will understand that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the scope and principles of the described invention.
In one embodiment, the anatomical toepiece 200 and components thereof may be manufactured from one or more rigid or semi-rigid materials comprised of one or more plastic substrates. For example, the anatomical toepiece 200 may be extruded or molded from one or more plastic substrates such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), nylon, propionate, copolyester, PC/ABS, CROSLITE and other engineered plastic blends suitable for use in footwear devices. In one embodiment, the rigid or semi rigid anatomical toepiece 200 is adapted for receiving a comfort coating layer of lower durometer relative to that of the anatomical toepiece 200, and the comfort coating layer at least covers portions of the anatomical toepiece 200 which extend above the footbed 110 for contacting a foot. In one embodiment, perforations in one or more portions of the anatomical toepiece 200 enable the comfort coating layer to penetrate through and around the core for secured attachment. In yet another embodiment, the anatomical toepiece 200 may be made entirely of the comfort coating material. One skilled in the art will recognize than any number of materials are suitable for manufacturing a durable anatomical toepiece having the characteristics herein described.
Turning now to a description of the elements of a preferred embodiment of the anatomical toepiece 200, the flange portion 205 integrates with the footbed 110 of the footwear article 100 as
As
Just as the flange portion 205 attaches to the footbed 110 of the footwear article 100, the wing portion 215 is adapted for integration with an upper portion of the footwear article 100. In the embodiment of
Turning back to the elements of the anatomical toepiece 200, the wing portion 215 connects to the flange portion 205 by the intertoe engagement portion 210. The intertoe engagement portion 210 rises upward from the flange portion 205 integrated with the footbed 110 of the footwear article 100 and terminates at the wing portion 215 designed to rest atop a foot. In one embodiment, the base of the intertoe engagement portion 210 extends the width of the flange portion 205 as shown in
The base of the embodiment of the intertoe engagement portion 210 shown in
Other characteristics of an embodiment of the anatomical footwear toepiece 200 add to wearer comfort and reliable engagement with a foot. Each of the three portions of the anatomical toepiece 200 comprises structural characteristics adapted for accommodating the anatomical features of a foot, and those features provide increased comfort and dexterity. As described above, one embodiment of the intertoe engagement portion 210 is structured substantially like an I-beam and resists lateral and front to back stresses applied by an engaged foot. Additionally, the embodiment the intertoe engagement portion 210 shown in
Just as the instep sidewall 211 and outer sidewall 212 are curved from top to bottom, the back surface 213 of the intertoe engagement portion 210 is also curved. As
In addition to the contours of the intertoe engagement portion 210 and the wing portion 215, the flange portion 205 also provides anatomical support. The flange portion extends laterally across the footbed 110 in a configuration designed to receive and support the toes and forward foot joints. As the top view of the embodiment of the anatomical toepiece 200 in
Additionally, in one embodiment, the flange portion 205 comprises a support ridge positioned above the footbed and extending across the anchoring flange and optionally extending across the inter-toe engagement portion in other embodiments. The support ridge is adapted for proper sizing and positioning on the flange portion so as to support the toes. In one embodiment, the support ridge supports the middle phalanges of the toes other than the great toe, and the interphalangeal joint of the great toe. In the embodiment shown in
The embodiments of the anatomical toepiece 200 therefore incorporate several critical elements for fitted support that improves wearer comfort in addition to improving balance and control of the footwear article. The anatomical toepiece 200 further is adapted for proper anatomical engagement with each foot, the left and the right. Additionally, the anatomical toepiece 200 may be sized to fit different sized feet and the curvatures may be altered to compensate for feet with higher or lower rises and greater or lesser thicknesses. These considerations address differences between male and female bone structure, and adult and child anatomical differences.
It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; Rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20100018078 A1 | Jan 2010 | US |
