FOREFOOT WEDGE INSERT FOR FOOTWEAR

• US 20150047226A1
• Filed: 08/13/2013
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Marie Smirman
• Original Assignee: Marie Smirman
• Inventors: SMIRMAN, MARIE
• Application Number:
  US13/965,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20150047226A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/88
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1641 characterised by the sole skates with special foot-plates for the boot A63C1/22; characterised by the attachment of the skate A43B5/1633 takes precedence; skates rigidly mounted to the sole of the boot A63C1/02
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/14 with foot-supporting parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/142 situated under the medial arch, i.e. under the navicular or cuneiform bones
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/143 situated under the lateral arch, i.e. the cuboid bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/24 Insertions or other supports preventing the foot canting to one side , preventing supination or pronation
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/08 having multilayered parts

Abstract

A forefoot wedge insert, and methods for forming same, are described for a piece of footwear, such as but not limited to ice skating boots, or a shoe, such as but not limited to exercise, therapeutic, or physiological footwear, for correcting a pronation and/or supination condition wherein the insert permits the subtalar joint of the affected foot to be placed and/or maintained in a neutral position. In this manner, the insert can provide the corrected foot with adequate balance relative to the skate blade during typical ice skating maneuvers. Also described is a skating boot, or shoe, having an adjustable toe cap portion that is selectively operable to be raised up to accommodate the uplifted forefoot portion of the wearer when the forefoot wedge insert is being used.

Claims

1. A footwear system, comprising:

a shoe having an upper and a sole, wherein the sole includes a curved bottom surface extending outwardly away from the upper; and

a substantially wedge-shaped insert placed on a toe end of the sole, the insert having a perimeter formed by a front curved edge and an opposing back rear edge, and a first side edge and an opposing second side edge, the insert having a planar top surface and a substantially planar bottom surface which are sloped relative to each other forming the wedge-shaped insert;

wherein the insert gradually tapers in a first direction rearwardly from the front curved edge to the back rear edge, and in second direction from one of the first and second side edges to the other opposing side edge, wherein the front curved edge bevels inwardly and downwardly from the top surface to the bottom surface;

wherein the insert extends, in the first direction, from a toe end of the sole and terminates in an area of the sole that corresponds substantially to a ball area of a wearer'"'"'s foot and extends, in the second direction, laterally across an entire width of the sole so as to extend under all of the toes of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

wherein the insert upwardly tilts the toes of the wearer'"'"'s foot relative to a heel portion of the wearer'"'"'s foot; and

wherein the insert positions or maintains a pronating foot in the subtalar neutral position or positions or maintains a supinating foot in the subtalar neutral position.

2. (canceled)

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7. A method for manufacturing an insert for correcting pronation or supination of a foot in a piece of footwear, comprising:

determining a varus or valgus angle of a forefoot portion of the foot;

determining a varus or valgus angle of a rearfoot portion of the foot;

determining a total wedge angle according to the following formula;

total wedge angle=forefoot angle (+varus or −

valgus)+rearfoot angle (+varus or −

valgus); and

forming the insert, wherein the insert includes a first side portion, a bottom surface and a substantially planar top surface, wherein the top surface gradually tapers towards a second side edge spaced and opposed from the first side edge, and wherein the top surface gradually tapers towards a rear edge of the insert;

wherein a vertex formed by the intersection of the bottom surface and the top surface has an angle substantially corresponding to the total wedge angle.

8. The invention according to claim 7, wherein the insert is substantially wedge-shaped.

9. The invention according to claim 7, wherein the insert is placed on a forefoot area in the piece of footwear.

10. The invention according to claim 7, wherein the piece of footwear is selected from the group consisting of shoes, boots, and combinations thereof.

11. The invention according to claim 7, wherein the piece of footwear is selected from the group consisting of figure skating boots, hockey boots, and combinations thereof.

12. The invention according to claim 7, wherein the insert is selectively operable to position or maintain a foot in a subtalar neutral position.

13. The invention according to claim 7, wherein the insert is selectively operable to position or maintain a pronating foot in a subtalar neutral position.

14. The invention according to claim 7, wherein the insert is selectively operable to position or maintain a supinating foot in a subtalar neutral position.

15. A footwear system, comprising:

a shoe having an upper and a sole, wherein the sole includes a curved bottom surface extending outwardly away from the upper;

a substantially wedge-shaped insert placed on a toe end of the sole, the insert having a perimeter formed by a front curved edge and an opposing back rear edge, and a first side edge and an opposing second side edge, the insert having a planar top surface and a substantially planar bottom surface which are sloped relative to each other forming the wedge-shaped insert;

wherein the insert gradually tapers in a first direction rearwardly from the front curved edge to the back rear edge, and in second direction from one of the first and second side edges to the other opposing side edge, wherein the front curved edge bevels inwardly and downwardly from the top surface to the bottom surface;

wherein the insert extends, in the first direction, from a toe end of the sole and terminates in an area of the sole that corresponds substantially to a ball area of a wearer'"'"'s foot and extends, in the second direction, laterally across an entire width of the sole so as to extend under all of the toes of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

wherein the insert upwardly tilts the toes of the wearer'"'"'s foot relative to a heel portion of the wearer'"'"'s foot; and

wherein the insert positions or maintains a pronating foot in the subtalar neutral position or positions or maintains a supinating foot in the subtalar neutral position; and

a toe cap portion of the shoe, wherein the toe cap portion is selectively operable to be raised upwardly away from a surface of the upper of the shoe so as to maintain complete coverage of and accommodate the upwardly tilted toes of the wearer'"'"'s foot when it is positioned on the insert.

16. (canceled)

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20. (canceled)