Insole

• US 20030061738A1
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frank Friedrich Grohninger
• Original Assignee: Frank Friedrich Grohninger
• Inventors: Grohninger, Frank Friedrich
• Granted Patent: US 6,779,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/89
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/035 provided with a pump or valve
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/14 with foot-supporting parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/141 having an anatomical or curved form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/142 situated under the medial arch, i.e. under the navicular or cuneiform bones
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1425 situated under the ball of the foot, i.e. the joint between the first metatarsal and first phalange
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/143 situated under the lateral arch, i.e. the cuboid bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/144 situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1445 situated under the midfoot, i.e. the second, third or fourth metatarsal
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/16 with elevated heel parts inside

Abstract

An insole which extends from the toes to the heel includes at least one fluid-filled container; a control unit for enabling a user to increase or reduce an amount of fluid in the container; and a stirrup-shaped device for immobilizing the talocalcaneonavicular joint and for controlling and/or stabilizing the ankle joint. The insole is a prefabricated insole selectable from a range of differently shaped insoles for the various forms of foot prophylaxis and the various shoe sizes. The insole can also be configured in combination with a athletic sock and can be configured as a partial insole. This enables users to adapt the prefabricated insoles suitable for their shoe size and form of foot prophylaxis to their own personal needs.

Claims

1. An athletic sock comprising:

an insole securely fastened to the athletic sock, and a flexible stirrup-shaped device extending from the insole vertically into two legs, a medial leg and a lateral leg for immobilizing a talocalcaneonavicular joint and for controlling and/or stabilizing an ankle joint and forming a unitary piece with the insole, and a band extending in substantially horizontal direction for securely holding the two legs in place.

2. The athletic sock of claim 1, wherein the insole is attached to the athletic sock by means of a removable or non-removable attachment.

3. The athletic sock of claim 2, wherein the removable attachment is by means selected from the group consisting of glued-or sowed attachment or by a hook and loop-type fastener.

4. The athletic sock of claim 2, wherein the insole is bonded to the athletic sock by a plastic spray-bonding method.

5. The athletic sock of claim 1, further comprising a plastic layer over each of the two vertical legs of the device.

6. The athletic sock of claim 5, wherein the plastic layer is from a material harder than the material of the legs of the stirrup-type device.

7. The athletic sock of claim 1, wherein the plastic layer is set into the vertical legs of the stirrup-type device.

8. The athletic sock of claim 1, wherein the insole is of a size selected from the group consisting of covering only the heel portion of the foot, covering the midfoot portion, covering the entire foot.

9. The athletic sock of claim 1, wherein the insole includes at least one fluid-filled container and control means for enabling a user to increase or reduce an amount of fluid in the container;

and

10. The athletic sock of claim 9, wherein the control means includes a valve.

11. The athletic sock of claim 10, wherein the valve is located at a side of the insole.

12. The athletic sock of the claim 9, wherein the container is made of a material selected from the group consisting of gel and foamed plastic.

13. The athletic sock of claim 9, wherein the container has a graduation for indication of the amount of fluid in the container.

14. The athletic sock of claim 13, wherein the graduation has graduation marks running transversely to a longitudinal axis of the insole.

15. The athletic sock of claim 1, wherein the container is located at least in a region selected from the group consisting of heel, lateral longitudinal arch, and an area extending from fifth metatarsal head to first metatarsal head.

16. The athletic sock of claim 1, being prefabricated and selected from a range of insoles for different forms of foot prophylaxis and different shoe sizes.

17. The athletic sock of claim 16, for use for one of standard foot prophylaxis and various degenerative fallen-arch processes.

18. The athletic sock of claim 1, and further comprising a shinbone protector integrated in the stirrup-shaped device.

19. The insole of claim 1, and further comprising an insertion wedge for elevating a heel region of the insole.

20. The insole of claim 1, wherein an area between forefoot and distal tarsus is flattened for elevating a heel region of the insole.