Shoe and last

• US 8,601,722 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nancy C. Frye
• Original Assignee: Nancy C. Frye
• Inventors: Frye, Nancy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patterson, Marie
• Application Number:
  US10/790,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20040168351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,571 Days
• Field of Search: 36/43, 36/44, 36/88, 36/91, 36/25.R, 361/32, 36100-105, 361/10, 361/13, 361/14, 361/29, 36/15, 361/36, 36140-144
• US Class Current: 36/44
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/143 provided with wedged, concave or convex end portions, e.g. for improving roll-off of the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/148 Wedged end portions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/163 specially adapted for health or hygienic purposes, e.g. comprising electrically conductive material allowing the discharge of electrostatic charges
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/18 Devices for holding overshoes in position
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/20 Heel-less overshoes
• 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 7/1435 situated under the joint between the fifth phalange and the fifth metatarsal bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1445 situated under the midfoot, i.e. the second, third or fourth metatarsal
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/145 situated under the toes, i.e. the phalanges
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 3/021 for orthopaedic footwear

Abstract

A footwear exercising device for use by a wearer in improving various aspects of the wearer'"'"'s physical condition, health and overall appearance. The footwear exercising device of the present invention includes a reverse wedge for wear below the sole of a wearer'"'"'s foot, and may be worn with a wide variety of fashion. Prolonged use of the device of the present invention has been shown to improve the tone of the muscle groups of a wearer'"'"'s body which have to do with the wearer'"'"'s posture. Prolonged use of the instant invention has also been shown to improve the blood circulation in a wearer'"'"'s legs and to strengthen significantly the muscles supporting a wearer'"'"'s knees. The design of the device is such that prolonged wear of the invention is neither strenuous nor taxing.

Claims

1. A shoe, comprising:

an upper;

an insole enclosed by the upper, the insole being a single piece layer of the shoe, the insole having a forward toe section and a rear heel section;

an outsole supporting the insole, the outsole having a planar support surface directly supporting the forward toe section and the rear heel section of the insole, the outsole having a planar walking surface;

wherein the rear heel section of the insole has a surface closer to the planar walking surface of the outsole than a surface of the forward toe section of the insole to place a wearer'"'"'s foot in a position where the wearer'"'"'s heel is closer to a walking surface than the wearer'"'"'s toes during normal wearing conditions;

wherein the forward toe section of the insole has a substantially constant thickness from a forward periphery edge of the shoe to the rear heel section, the rear heel section of the insole having a decreasing thickness from the forward toe section of the insole to a rear periphery edge of the shoe, wherein the rear heel section of the insole and the forward toe section of the insole meet at a point substantially halfway with respect to the upper surface.

2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the rear heel section of the insole and the forward toe section of the insole have a same thickness at the point where the rear heel section of the insole and the forward toe section of the insole meet.

3. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the forward toe section of the insole and the rear heel section of the insole are separated by a cavity.

4. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the forward toe section of the insole extends short of a forward periphery edge of the shoe.

8. The shoe of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more midsoles between the insole and the outsole.

9. The shoe of claim 8, wherein the midsoles allow the insole to maintain a position of the wearer'"'"'s heel to be closer to the walking surface than the wearer'"'"'s toes.

5. A shoe, comprising:

an upper;

an insole under the upper, the insole being a single piece layer of the shoe, the insole having a forward toe section and a rear heel section, the insole being configured with a constantly thick forward toe section and a decreasingly thick rear heel section;

an outsole under the insole, the outsole having a planar support surface directly supporting the forward toe section of the insole and the rear heel section of the insole, the outsole having and a planar walking surface;

wherein the rear heel section of the insole has a surface closer to the planar walking surface of the outsole than a surface of the forward toe section of the insole to place a wearer'"'"'s foot in a dorsiflexion position, wherein the constantly thick forward toe section of the insole and the decreasingly thick rear heel section of the insole meet at a point substantially halfway with respect to the outsole.

6. The shoe of claim 5, further comprising:

one or more midsoles between the insole and the outsole.

7. The shoe of claim 5, wherein the insole is removable.

10. A shoe, comprising:

an upper;

an insole enclosed by the upper, the insole being a single piece layer of the shoe, the insole having a forward toe section and a rear heel section;

a midsole separating the outsole from the forward toe section of the insole and the rear heel section of the insole;

an outsole supporting the midsole and the insole, the outsole having a planar support surface supporting the midsole and the insole, the outsole having a planar walking surface, wherein the rear heel section of the insole has a surface closer to the planar walking surface of the outsole than a surface of the forward toe section of the insole to place a wearer'"'"'s foot in a position where the wearer'"'"'s heel is closer to a walking surface than the wearer'"'"'s toes during normal wearing conditions;

wherein the forward toe section of the insole has a substantially constant thickness from a forward periphery edge of the shoe to the rear heel section of the insole, the rear heel section of the insole having a decreasing thickness from the forward toe section of the insole to a rear periphery edge of the shoe, wherein the rear heel section of the insole and the forward toe section of the insole meet at a point substantially halfway with respect to the outsole.

11. The shoe of claim 10, wherein the rear heel section of the insole and the forward toe section of the insole have a same thickness at the point where the rear heel section of the insole and the forward toe section of the insole meet.

12. The shoe of claim 10, wherein the midsole has substantially planar upper and lower surfaces.