MEMORY FOAM SHOE INSERT
First Claim
Patent Images
1. The combination comprising:
- a shoe including a sole and a shoe upper, which cooperatively present a substantially enclosed toe region having an open cross-sectional dimension; and
a resilient insert being located within the toe region and comprising an insert body formed of memory foam, said insert body presenting a shape that generally corresponds with a portion of the toe region, said insert body including a proximal toe-engaging face that substantially spans the cross-sectional dimension, said toe-engaging face being positioned so that the insert body is compressed by at least some of the toes of a wearer of the shoe.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Improved shoe inserts (22, 56, 63) are provided which are designed for placement within the toe regions (37, 52, 64) of shoes (34, 50, 62) to provide enhanced comfort to the shoe wearers. The inserts (22, 56, 63) are preferably cut from initial pillow-shaped bodies (20) to give the custom-designed inserts (22, 56, 63). The inserts (22, 56, 63) are designed to substantially occupy the distal end of the shoe toe region and present a proximal toe-engaging face that substantially spans the cross-sectional dimension of the toe-region. The inserts (22, 56, 63) are preferably formed of heat-sensitive, viscoelastic, polyurethane foam material.
51 Citations
20 Claims
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1. The combination comprising:
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a shoe including a sole and a shoe upper, which cooperatively present a substantially enclosed toe region having an open cross-sectional dimension; and
a resilient insert being located within the toe region and comprising an insert body formed of memory foam, said insert body presenting a shape that generally corresponds with a portion of the toe region, said insert body including a proximal toe-engaging face that substantially spans the cross-sectional dimension, said toe-engaging face being positioned so that the insert body is compressed by at least some of the toes of a wearer of the shoe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A shoe insert comprising:
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a substantially quadrate body formed of heat-sensitive, viscoelastic polyurethane memory foam, said body having a length of from about two to four inches, a width of from about three-quarter to one and one-half inches, and a maximum thickness of from about one-quarter to three-quarter of an inch, said body being severable to present a preformed and pre-sized insert body adapted to be placed within the toe region of a shoe. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of increasing the comfort of a shoe during wearing thereof, wherein the shoe presents a substantially closed toe region having a cross-sectional dimension, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a shoe insert body formed of memory foam, with the insert body including a proximal toe-engaging face dimensioned to substantially span the cross-sectional dimension of the toe region;
(b) placing the insert body within the toe region of the shoe, with the toe-engaging face directed proximally; and
(c) donning the shoe so that at least some of the toes of the wearer come into contact with the toe-engaging face and compress the insert body. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification