INSOLE AND FOOT ORTHOTICS MADE OF SHAPE MEMORY MATERIAL (SMM) THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACER FABRICS

• US 20130291399A1
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MX Orthopedics Corp
• Inventors: Fonte, Matthew, Palmer, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/936,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20130291399A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/44
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/028 Synthetic or artificial fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/386 multilayered
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/006 multilayered
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• 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 7/144 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 7/28 Adapting the inner sole or the side of the upper of the shoe to the sole of the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 1/022 involving making footprints or permanent moulds of the foot

Abstract

A shoe insole comprising:

• • a spacer fabric comprising a bottom layer, a top layer, and a plurality of interconnecting filaments extending between said bottom layer and said top layer;
  • wherein at least one of said bottom layer, said top layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.

Claims

1. A shoe insole comprising:

a spacer fabric comprising a bottom layer, a top layer, and a plurality of interconnecting filaments extending between said bottom layer and said top layer;

wherein at least one of said bottom layer, said top layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.

2. A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said shape memory material is superelastic.

3. A shoe insole according to claim 2 wherein said shape memory material is Nitinol.

4. A shoe insole according to claim 2 wherein said shape memory material is a Titanium near-beta alloy.

5. A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.

6. A shoe insole according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material and wherein at least one of said top layer and said bottom layer do not comprise a shape memory material.

7. A shoe insole according to claim 5 wherein wherein said bottom layer, said top layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments all comprise a shape memory material.

8. A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said shape memory material is engineered to have a martensitic state between 0 degrees C. and 90 degrees C.

9. A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein the shape memory material is engineered to oscillate between phase transformations so as to maximize its peak dampening characteristics and storage modulus.

10. A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said shoe insole is contoured so as to provide increased support to specific regions of a user'"'"'s foot

11. A shoe insole according to claim 10 wherein said contouring is achieved by shape-setting said shoe insole using a heating source.

12. A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein voids in said spacer fabric are filled with a material.

13. A shoe insole according to claim 12 wherein said material is a gel.

14. A shoe insole according to claim 12 wherein said material comprises a polymer capable of transitioning between a solid state and a viscous state due to loading and unloading of said shoe insole.

15. A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said shape memory material is coated with silver to impart antibacterial and antifungal properties to said shape memory material.

16. A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said shoe insole comprises an orthotic.

17. A shoe upper comprising:

a spacer fabric comprising a bottom layer, a top layer, and a plurality of interconnecting filaments extending between said bottom layer and said top layer;

wherein at least one of said bottom layer, said top layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.

18. A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein said shape memory material is superelastic.

19. A shoe upper according to claim 18 wherein said shape memory material is Nitinol.

20. A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.

21. A shoe upper according to claim 20 wherein wherein said bottom layer, said top layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments all comprise a shape memory material.

22. A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein said shape memory material is engineered to have a martensitic state between 0 degrees C. and 90 degrees C.

23. A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein the shape memory material is engineered to oscillate between phase transformations so as to maximize its peak dampening characteristics and storage modulus.

24. A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein voids in said spacer fabric are filled with a material.

25. A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein said shape memory material is coated with silver to impart antibacterial and antifungal properties to said shape memory material.