Insole construction for footwear

• US 6,675,501 B2
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Phoenix Footwear Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Phoenix Footwear Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Pfander, Wilhelm
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony D.
• Application Number:
  US09/360,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20010001905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 36/115, 36/44, 36/43, 36/28, 36/30.R, 36/29, 36/31, 36/3.R, 36/3.B, 36/25.R, 36/75, 36/78, 361/41
• US Class Current: 36/28
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/187 Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/40 with cushions
• 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

Abstract

An insole construction for footwear comprising a base member, an intermediate member formed of a soft foam and having a plurality of substantially uniformly spaced raised cushioning elements on the upper surface thereof, and a flexible cover member surrounding the intermediate member and extending beneath the base member. The intermediate member preferably is formed of a foam such as polyurethane foam having a density rating of approximately 60-90. The raised cushioning elements are of a height of approximately 6 millimeters above the upper surface of the intermediate member and are spaced approximately 10-30 millimeters from each other. The thickness of the intermediate member is approximately 6 millimeters.

Claims

1. An insole construction for footwear comprising:

a base member;

an intermediate member formed of a soft foam and having an upper surface and a plurality of raised cushioning elements on said upper surface thereof; and

a flexible cover member surrounding said intermediate member to conform substantially to the shape of said upper surface and the plurality of raised cushioning elements thereof, said cover member extending beneath said base member, and said raised cushioning elements being of a height, size and spacing so as to be self-adjusting to the foot of the wearer to surround it and prevent it from slipping thereon;

said raised cushioning elements having a height of approximately 6 millimeters above the upper surface of said intermediate member and being substantially uniformly spaced on said upper surface at a spacing of approximately 10-30 millimeters.

2. The insole of claim 1, wherein said base member is substantially flat and flexible.

3. The insole construction of claim 2, wherein said base member is provided with a plurality of perforations to increase the flexibility thereof.

4. The insole construction of claim 1 wherein said foam is polyurethane foam.

5. The insole construction of claim 1 wherein said intermediate member has a thickness of approximately 6 millimeters.

6. The insole construction of claim 1, wherein said cover member is perforated.

7. An insole construction for footwear comprising:

a relatively flat, flexible base member;

an intermediate member formed of a soft foam, and having an upper surface and a plurality of raised cushioning elements substantially uniformly spaced on said upper surface thereof, said intermediate member having a thickness of approximately 6 millimeters, and said raised cushioning elements having a height of approximately 6 millimeters above the upper surface of said intermediate member and being of a size and spacing to be self-adjusting to the foot of the wearer to surround it and prevent it from slipping thereon; and

a flexible cover member surrounding said intermediate member to conform substantially to the shape of said upper surface and the plurality of raised cushioning elements thereof, said cover member extending beneath said base member.

8. The insole construction of claim 7, wherein said raised cushioning elements are generally curved in shape and are spaced at approximately 10-30 millimeters from each other.

9. The insole construction of claim 8, wherein said flexible cover member is perforated and is secured to said base member.

10. The insole construction of claim 9 wherein said base member is perforated.

11. The insole construction of claim 7, wherein said base member comprises soft, compressible inserts in the front and rear portions thereof to provide additional cushioning for the foot of the wearer.

12. An article of footwear, comprising:

an outsole; and

an insole construction mounted on said outsole and comprising a base member, an intermediate member, and a cover member;

said intermediate member being formed of a soft foam and having an upper surface and a plurality of raised cushioning elements on said upper surface thereof; and

said cover member being flexible and surrounding said intermediate member to conform substantially to the shape of said upper surface and the plurality of raised cushioning elements thereof, said cover member extending beneath said base member, and said raised cushioning elements being of a height, size and spacing so as to be self-adjusting to the foot of the wearer to surround it and prevent it from slipping thereon;

said raised cushioning elements having a height of approximately 6 millimeters above the upper surface of said intermediate member and being substantially uniformly spaced on said upper surface at a spacing of approximately 10-30 millimeters.

13. The footwear article of claim 12, wherein said intermediate member is approximately 6 millimeters in thickness.

14. The footwear article of claim 12, wherein an upper is secured to said outsole.

15. The footwear article of claim 12, wherein said outsole has perforations in the upper surface thereof.

16. The footwear article of claim 12, wherein said outsole has an upstanding rim surrounding said insole construction.