This disclosure relates to the field of footwear. More particularly, this disclosure relates to an improved shoe for better comfort and for preventing slipping of a foot within the shoe.
Sliding of the foot within a shoe may cause pain in a foot of the wearer of the shoe. For example, forefoot pain may result from elevating a back of the foot relative to the front, which may be caused by deformity of certain digits of the foot (such as the fourth and fifth digits of the foot). This is commonly referred to as “Hammertoe” and may occur more frequently for women than men, such as due to shoes that have higher heels. Other issues such as Hallux Valgus, Claw Toe, and Mallet Toe may also be caused by wearing shoes where the foot may slide within the shoe. Issues related to comfort of the foot can result not only from shoes where the heel is higher than a forward portion of the shoe, but also in flatter shoes such as running shoes or flats.
Runners may suffer from a condition called “runner's toes.” This may be caused by poor shoe fitting. When an athlete runs, their feet may slide or shift within the shoes on each step, thereby contacting the naïve highly vascular nail bed against portions of the shoes, such as the top of the shoes. With repeated micro-trauma, tissue under the nail may bleed and create a painful condition called “subungal hematoma.”
Problems related to ill-fitting shoes or slippage of the foot within the shoe may, although seemingly insignificant, create substantial problems such as preventing runners from completing a marathon. Other athletes such as soccer players may have similar issues, and other issues related to ill-fitting shoes.
Referring to
Attempts have been made to alleviate these issues. For example, various insoles may be available that may be inserted into a shoe. However, adding or replacing an insole in a shoe may take up additional space inside the shoe, and insoles are typically not formed for a particular shoe. Conventional shoes are not formed to address these issues, and the addition of an insole or other modification of the shoe may lead to further discomfort or may not adequately address issues related to comfort of the wearer of the shoe.
Plastazole insoles may be used for diabetic patients that are capable of molding to a particular anatomical shape of a wearer's foot. However, such insoles are typically bulky and are limited in use to extra-depth sneakers or dress shoes. Further problems may relate to a material of the sole not being durable and must be changed frequently.
What is needed, therefore, is a shoe that is anatomically fitted to increase comfort of the shoe to the wearer and to prevent issues such as sliding of the foot within the shoe.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an anatomically fitted shoe including: a midsole surface located along a bottom of an interior of the shoe, the midsole surface including a peripheral area located towards a front of the shoe; a crescent pad located on the peripheral area of the midsole surface, the crescent pad located across the peripheral area of the midsole surface and extending from a first longitudinal end located towards an inner side of the shoe to a second longitudinal end located towards an outer side of the shoe, the crescent pad having a width that tapers from the first longitudinal end to the second longitudinal end, wherein the crescent pad is shaped to conform to a sulcus of a foot of a wearer of a shoe; a wing support located along a side of the midsole surface, the wing support extending laterally from the midsole surface towards an inside of the shoe, the wing support shaped to support a navicular bone of a wearer of the shoe at an apex of an arch of a foot; and a concave shaped portion located towards a back of the shoe, the concave shaped portion contoured to fit with a calcaneus of a foot of a wearer of the shoe.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein the crescent pad has a thickness that tapers from a thicker portion at the first longitudinal end of the crescent pad to a thinner portion at the second longitudinal end of the crescent pad.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein the crescent pad has a width that tapers from a wider portion at the first longitudinal end to a narrower portion at the second longitudinal end.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein a first side of the crescent pad has a first radius and a second side of the crescent pad has a second radius such that the first radius contours to a portion of the sulcus at distal phalanges of a foot of a wearer while the second radius contours to a portion of the sulcus towards proximal phalanges of a foot of a wearer.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein the crescent pad extends across a width of the shoe such that the crescent pad is beneath a foot of a wearer of the shoe when the shoe is worn by the wearer between a second toe and a fifth toe of the foot of the wearer of the shoe.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein the crescent pad is embedded within the midsole surface such that the crescent pad creates a bump corresponding to a shape of the crescent pad on an upper surface of the midsole surface.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, further including a wing support located on the midsole surface of the shoe such that the wing support is shaped to support a navicular bone of a wearer of the shoe at an apex of the arch of the foot.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein the wing support extends laterally from an inner side of the midsole surface.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein an outer edge of the wing support is rounded to conform to the foot of the wearer of the shoe when the shoe is worn.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein the crescent pad and the wing support are integrally formed on the midsole surface.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, further including a metatarsal bar located on the peripheral area of the midsole surface.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein the metatarsal bar has a thickness that is greater towards a front of the metatarsal bar and wherein the thickness tapers to a thinner portion at a back of the metatarsal bar.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, the metatarsal bar further including an extension portion located towards the front of the metatarsal bar, wherein the extension is located proximate to a first metatarsal head of a foot of a wearer of the shoe when the shoe is worn.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein the shoe is one of a running shoe or a flat shoe.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an anatomically fitted shoe including: a midsole surface located along a bottom of the shoe, the midsole surface including a peripheral area located towards a front of the shoe; a crescent pad located on the peripheral area of the midsole surface, the crescent pad located across the peripheral area of the midsole surface and extending from a first longitudinal end located towards an inner side of the shoe to a second longitudinal end located towards an outer side of the shoe, the crescent pad having a width that tapers from the first longitudinal end to the second longitudinal end, wherein the crescent pad is shaped to conform to a sulcus of a foot of a wearer of a shoe, the crescent pad having a thickness that tapers from a thicker portion at the first longitudinal end of the crescent pad to a thinner portion at the second longitudinal end of the crescent pad, and wherein the crescent pad has a width that tapers from a wider portion at the first longitudinal end to a narrower portion at the second longitudinal end; and a concave shaped portion located towards a back of the shoe, the concave shaped portion contoured to fit with a calcaneus of a foot of a wearer of the shoe.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, further including a wing support located along a side of the sole inner liner, the wing support extending laterally from the midsole surface towards an inside of the shoe, the wing support shaped to support a navicular bone of a wearer of the shoe at an apex of an arch of a foot.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein the crescent pad and the wing support are integrally formed on the midsole surface.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an anatomically fitted shoe including: a midsole surface located along a bottom of the shoe, the sole inner liner including a peripheral area located towards a front of the shoe; a crescent pad located on the peripheral area of the midsole surface, the crescent pad located across the peripheral area of the midsole surface and extending from a first longitudinal end located towards an inner side of the shoe to a second longitudinal end located towards an outer side of the shoe, the crescent pad having a width that tapers from the first longitudinal end to the second longitudinal end, wherein the crescent pad is shaped to conform to a sulcus of a foot of a wearer of a shoe, the crescent pad having a thickness that tapers from a thicker portion at the first longitudinal end of the crescent pad to a thinner portion at the second longitudinal end of the crescent pad, and wherein the crescent pad has a width that tapers from a wider portion at the first longitudinal end to a narrower portion at the second longitudinal end; a concave shaped portion located towards a back of the shoe, the concave shaped portion contoured to fit with a calcaneus of a foot of a wearer of the shoe; and a metatarsal bar located on the peripheral area of the midsole surface.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, wherein the metatarsal bar has a thickness that is greater towards a front of the metatarsal bar and wherein the thickness tapers to a thinner portion at a back of the metatarsal bar.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shoe, the metatarsal bar further including an extension portion located towards the front of the metatarsal bar, wherein the extension is located proximate to a first metatarsal head of a foot of a wearer of the shoe when the shoe is worn.
Further features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying figures, wherein elements are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:
Various terms used herein are intended to have particular meanings. Some of these terms are defined below for the purpose of clarity. The definitions given below are meant to cover all forms of the words being defined (e.g., singular, plural, present tense, past tense). If the definition of any term below diverges from the commonly understood and/or dictionary definition of such term, the definitions below control.
An anatomically fitted shoe 10 is shown in
The crescent pad 14 may be located on the shoe such as on an underside of or within midsole surface 16 towards a forefoot of a wearer of the anatomically fitted shoe 10. The crescent pad 14 may have a thickness such that the crescent pad 14 creates a corresponding rise or bump on an upper surface of the midsole surface 16 to substantially support the sulcus of the wearer of the anatomically fitted shoe 10. For example, the crescent pad 14 may be embedded within the midsole of the anatomically fitted shoe 10.
The shape and location of the crescent pad 14 is based on a length of the shoe, width of the shoe, and angle of the wearer's foot within the shoe. The shape of the crescent pad 14 is such that the crescent pad fits within a sulcus of the foot. The crescent pad 14 may be located at a peripheral area 20 of the shoe, as shown in
The crescent pad 14 may be formed according to the crest pad described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,721,996. The crescent pad 14 may be embedded within or located on the midsole of the anatomically fitted shoe 10 rather than being located on an insole or other removable portion of the anatomically fitted shoe 10 such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,721,996. Referring to
The shape of the crescent pad 14 may be such that the crescent pad 14 fits within the sulcus such that a wider and thicker portion of the crescent pad 14 at the first longitudinal end 13 corresponds to a shape of the sulcus at the second toe of a foot of a wearer of the anatomically fitted shoe 10 while the narrower and thinner portion of the crescent pad 14 at the second longitudinal end 24 corresponds to a shape of the sulcus at the fifth toe of a foot of a wearer of the anatomically fitted shoe 10, as shown in
As shown in
Referring to
The crescent pad 14 is located on the midsole surface 16 such that the crescent pad 14 does not raise an entire structure of the forefoot, thereby preventing raising of the forefoot to contact an upper part of the shoe as shown in
The shape of the crescent pad 14 described herein advantageously allows the crescent pad 14 to fit a variety of foot shapes. For example, referring to
The anatomically fitted shoe 10 may further include a metatarsal bar 15 located on the midsole surface 16 to support a transverse arch of the foot and maintain the foot in an anatomically correct position. The metatarsal bar further may reduce pressure at the balls of the foot during a propulsive/pushoff stage of a gait cycle. The metatarsal bar 15 may further prevent forward slippage of the foot, particularly when used in conjunction with the crescent pad 14. Referring to
The metatarsal bar 15 may include a thicker portion located towards a front of the metatarsal bar. The metatarsal bar 15 may have a thickness that tapers from the front of the metatarsal bar 15 to a thinner portion at a back portion of the metatarsal bar 15. As shown in
The anatomically fitted shoe 10 described herein advantageously provides comfort to a wearer of the shoe and may prevent toes of a wearer of the shoe from sliding forward within the shoe. The crescent pad 14, located at the sulcus, acts as a stop to prevent sliding of the foot forward within the shoe. The crescent pad 14 further prevents toes from curling and causing bony and dermal deformities. The concave shaped portion 12 or heel cup, together with the crescent pad 14, metatarsal bar 15, and wing support 18 act to “sink” the foot within the footbed or midsole surface 16 the shoe, thereby stabilizing the foot during walking or running. Advantages further include supporting the metatarsals of the foot and the foot as a whole to decrease pain, straighten toes, and otherwise improve comfort of a shoe. The anatomically fitted shoe may provide these advantage not only in high-heeled shoes but also sneakers, flat shoes, and open sandal shoes.
Further, the anatomically fitted shoe 10 provides the above and other benefits without requiring use of a thicker insole or other mechanism added to the shoe, thereby preventing crowding of the foot within the shoe as a result of adding an insole or otherwise significantly changing an interior volume of the shoe.
The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The described preferred embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the disclosure to the precise form(s) disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the disclosure and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the concepts revealed in the disclosure in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the disclosure as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.
This application is a national stage application filed under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT/US2022/078476 filed Oct. 21, 2022, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/262,816 for an “Anatomically Fitted Shoe” filed on Oct. 21, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2022/078476 | 10/21/2022 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63262816 | Oct 2021 | US |