Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
VARIABLY ADJUSTABLE SHOE INSERT
BA~KGROUND OF THE IN~IENTION
This inv~ntion relates generally to orthotic
appliances.
Fairly recently, greater attempts have been made to
provide footwear which is anatomically correct so as to not only
increase the comfort of the wearer, but also to minimize fatigue
and injuries. This requires an analysis of the typical human
gait. When one is moving substantially in a single linear
¦direction, the gait consists of three distinct phases. First, the
heel strike phase occurs during which the foot is essentially 3
"mobile adapter" ready to conform to the topographical contours
encountered. Second, the transistion or mid-6ait phase transforms
the mobile adapter into a "rigid lever" where the mid-tarsal joint
becomes locked preparing the foot for translation of the
accumulated forces in a stable manner throughout the foot during
the remainder of said cycle and the impact forces are lissipated
through the ankle and leg bones to the upper torso. Third, the
"toe roll" phase finishes the gait cycle and the next step is
begun. The critical phase is the mid-gait or transition phase
where the foot is transformed from a "mobile adapter" to a "rigid
lever". The optimum configuration for the ankle at this point is
to have the sub-talar joint in a neutral position as the
mid-tarsal joint becomes loc~ed and the foot becomes a "rigid
lever". This allows the impact load to be properly dissipated.
While podiatrists have long been aware of the need to maintain the
foot's proper orientation relative to the leg to provide a "rigid
lever" and accordingly have prescribed orthoses for that purpose,
the general populous rarely avails themselves of these services
until after a certain amount of discomfort and/or damage nas been`
done.
The following citations reflect the state o~ the 3rb
1 ~
lof which applicant is aware in so far as these patents appe3r to
,be germane to the patent process:
2,669,814 Ritchey 1,240,066 French-Stra3b3ch
2,680,919 Riggs 465,940 British-~ing
3 9 92Z,801 Zente
, Of these, the patent to Ritchey appears to be of
great interest since he teaches the use of an orthopedic device
~suitably positioned within a shoe or the like, in which the upper
surface thereof has a complex contour addressed to the
peculiarities of a given foot. The instant invention can be
contrasted over this prior art by noting the contrasting ease with
~Iwhich the apparatus according to the instant application can be
¦¦initially ~itted to a person, or successively fi-tted as a function
¦lof time, while providing immediate relief.
Similarly, the patent to Riggs teaches the use of an~
insole type appliance having a compound contour like the Ritchey
inven'cion configured in such a manner as to provide foot relief ',
based on Rigg's perception of a universal foot disorder.
Similarly, the Zente patent teaches the use of a
liquid filled orthopedic apparatus comprised of a plurality of
discrete internal liquid filled ampules which are strategically
placed between upper and lower laminae and sealed in place to
provide separate support for various parts of the foot.
The remaining references show the state of the ar'c
¦ further the British patent teaching the use of an insert having a,
compound contour based on the inventor's attempts at defining a
¦ single insert for addressing a wide spectrum of problems,
23~7
01 SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTIO~J
02 By way of contrast, the instant application is
03 directed to and specifies an orthotic appliance adapted to be
04 placed as an insert within a shoe, boot, or the like formed
05 initially as a blank having an upper surface that generally
06 follows the contour of the plantar surface of a foot.
07 Thereafter, on a bottom portion of the appliance, means
08 defining recesses having various dimensions are provided, all
09 of which are adapted to have inserted therewithin plugs,
finger like members, or absorptive pads capable of different
11 degrees of resilience so that such an insert can be modified
12 to "fine tune" the insert to accommodate the wearer.
13 Specifically, resilient fingers disposed within certain areas,
14 and certain plugs are adapted to beneficially distort the
upper surface contour of the insert so as to provide an
16 identical correspondence with the plantar surface of a foot,
17 and in addition to provide beneficial angulation of the foot
18 as may be desired, and in addition to encourage the foot to
19 remain and return to a neutral position in which the proper
alignment is provided between the leg and the foot so as to
21 encourage a uniform force distribution and dissipation
22 throughout the bone structure of the foot and of the leg,
23 thereby minimizing unwanted torsion etc., a frequent cause of
24 discomfort or injury. Additionally, the contour of the insert
can be modified to accornmodate and support any patient but
26 especially the geriatric patients so that by specially
27 modifying -the cuboid and shaft on the lateral metatarsal areas
28 of the foot or anywhere else along the lateral aspect of the
29 foot to provide relief of pressures. Similarly the contour
along the medial arch area or along the medial aspect of the
31 foot may be accommodated and supported. Such accommodation
32 and support along the medial and lateral segments of the foot
33 are frequently necessary in all age groups but especially with
34 the geriatrics. Moreover, the device according to the present
invention i~ provided with a recessed area on the bottom
36 - 3 -
3t~.
face thereof so that force applied by the foot onto 'che in~er'~
encourges greater support of the foot, and the naf,-~lral elonga,,ion
of the foot during a walking or running mode can be benef~cia''L,~
accommodated by the dynamic characteristics o~ t'la inser;, in wh ch
longitudinal elongation of the foot during its fle~ure is taken
into account by the insert geometry.
An additional preferred form of the invention
provides an orthotic insert formed from t~o pieces, one piece
~irunning substantially the length of the foot, similar to a first,
,~embodiment, and a second piece serving as a cap whic'n underlies
and is removably affixed to the first piece not only for ease of
manufacture, but also for an additional degree of freedom. In
~this embodiment, some of the plug members may be formed and
carried along the initial blank, and score lines are provided for '
separation from the blank so as to reduce manufacturing costs.
l Thus, it is a primary object of this inven~ion to
¦ provide an orthotic insert that is to be disposed within a shoe,
boot or the like whose contour and angulation can be modified
¦initially and incrementally thereafter in an iterative process so ,
¦ as to support the foot properly and encourage correct relative
I bone orientation.
¦¦ It is yet a further object of this inventiorl to
provide a device of the character described above WhiCIh iS
¦ relatively inexpensive to manufacture, extremely durable in
¦I construction, safe to use, and lends itself to mass proAuction
3I techniques.
i It is yet a further object of this inveni,ion to
~ provide a device of the character described above in w'hicl ?lural
31 adjustments can be effected in order to address a wide spectrum of~
orthopedic problems.
1 It is still a further object of this invention to
! provide a device of the character descrihed above which is so
oonfigured ~s to lend ;tsel~ iy adlp;;3tion to a plurality of
specific needs (walking, running, basketball, ts-nnis, etc.)
specifically by the plural altera',;ions available.
It is still a furt'ner object of tn:i3 invention to
pr~ ;1e ~ d~ ice Oî the ('narac'cer described above which encoura~e3
a proper orientation of the foot, its associated bones, relative
,I to the leg in such a manner that the weight distribution is
substantially uniform along the longitudinal axis of the foot
based upon the individual foot components' weig'nt bearing
I capabilities.
il It is an object of the invention to provide a device~
which assists in orienting the sub-talar joint so as to be more
aligned towards the neutral position, the mid tarsal joint also
in its more functional position, that is locked. -.
¦ These and other objects will become manifest when
considering t'ne following detailed specification wlneil taken in
oonjunotion wlth the appended drawlng figures.
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Il
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01 According to the present invention, there
02 is provided ar. orthotic device for controlling the
03 relationship between the sub-talor and mid-tarsal
04 joints of a person's foot during a gait cycle
05 comprising in combination, apparatus for absorbing the
06 impact caused by the foot at heel strike in a
07 controlled manner when the foot is a mobil adapter,
08 deforming apparatus adjacent the absorbing apparatus
09 for supporting the heel area of the foot just after
heel strike in a controlled manner when the foot is
11 still a mobil adapter, and transition apparatus
12 proximate the deforming apparatus and forward of the
13 absorbing apparatus for delivering the foot from a
14 mobil adapter to a rigid lever, whereby the sub-talor
joint i5 in a neutral position when the mid-tarsal
16 joint becomes locked thereby the gait cycle is
17 completed with the foot locked in a neutral position.
18
19 - 5a -
~D
BRIEF DESCRIPTLO~I OF THE DRA~ 5 FIGUR~~,
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the appar~tu3
according to the present invention,
Figure 2 is a sectional view taken alo,~g li~e~, 2-2
of Fig, 1;
~I Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line3 3-3
¦ of Fig. 1 s'nowing the application of the ort'notic in a shoe as an
example; and
Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the forward
portion shown in Fig. 1;
¦ Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of a top portion of a
second form of t'ne invention;
Figure 6 is a top plan view of that which is shown
¦ in Fig. 5;
Figure 7 is a partial sectional view taken along
I lines 7-7 of Fig. 5;
Figure 8 is a top plan view of the cap portion of
khe insert according to the second preferred embodiment adapted to
eng3ge the bottom surface of that which is shown in Fig. 5, and
Flgure 9 i9 a bottom plan view of the oap oi Fig. 8
;
DESCRIPTION OF TH- PREFERRED EMBOD~1e~lT
Referring to the drawings now whe-rein like reference
numerals refer to like parts throughout the Yarious drawing
I figures, reference numeral 10 is directed to the orthotic inser'
according to the present invention.
The insert 10 is formed initially as a blank haYins
ll a top surface 1 formed from an abrasion resistant padded material
il such as a synthetic fabric, nylon, dacron, felt, cloth and a
resilient underlying pad 21 of rubber or the like which is affixed
to a lo~er portion 2 by means of adhesion or fusion. The lowe~
por~ion 2 is preferably formed from a foamed material su lQ as
Freelen , Plastizote , or any open or closed cell foams
characterized in being relatively resilient, having sufficien'G
memory to return to its original state when unstressed, and
capable of moderate shock absorption properties.
I! Specifically, the tOp surface 1 reflects the contour
of a top surface of the lower portion 2 and includes an arch
support area 3 of raised dimension, a depressed heel cup area 7,
~1¦ and a heel supporting rim or lip 4 which surrounds the heel in a
I manner to be defined shortly.
; The bottom surface 2 of the insert is provided with ,
~ an elongate rectangular recess 5 e~'cending substantially from the
¦¦ calcaneal area 7 of the foot up to the cuboid and lateral
¦¦ metatarsal areas 8, the transition of the recess along the
¦¦ longitudinal axis having a substantially beveled edge ~ so that a
! smooch transi'cion between the normal undersole 2 and the recess 5
¦ along the longitudinal axis is provided. The lateral edges 24 of
Il the recess are provided with an abrupt drop-off so that when the
Il foot applies force onto the insert, the distortion of the inser~
that takes place occurs along a central longitudinal axis where~y
~I the foot at that area translates vertically downwardly to a
¦I greater extent than along the edges of the heel due to recess 5,
and a minor distortion of the insert occurs so that the peripheral
, heel support area 4 turns in slightly and grasps the neel gf ths
person somewhat more greatly, this heel cupping effe~t is enhanced
by foot elongation which occurs during the heel strike phase of
the gait cycle when the foot elongates and becomes somewnat more
narrow allowing emphasis of the deformation of the lip 4.
The insert is provided with a medial edge 14, a
lateral edge 13 so as to provide two strips: a medial strip 11
and a lateral strip 12 about the recess 5 and between edges 24, 13
and 14. These strips 11,12 underlie upper zones 22 and 23 and are
provided with a plurality of holes so that plugs may be
frictionally disposed therein. These plugs 15 define inserts for
controlling height, will increase or decrease the long or medial
arch, and can adjust calcaneal inclination. The lateral strip 12
as shown inoludes the ability to protect the subluxed cuboid by
llits proximate position thereto, thus during the transitional or
mid-gate phase of the gait cycle tnese strips 11, 12 and their
associated plugs 15 ensure the proper alignment of the sub-talor ~,
joint in a neutral position as the mid-tarsal joint becomes locked
and the "mobil adapter" becomes a "rigid lever". Furthermore,
tnese plugs can be deployed and adjusted to tune the insert for
l~certain types of activities involving extensive lateral movelnent
~¦such as racquetball or tennis where the impact loads are often
¦Iplaced on the areas of the foot overlying these strips 11~ 12.
Accordingly, bv selecting plugs of appropriate resiliency and
llgeometrical configuration based on specific needs, the device
enables one to cradle, cushion, and continuously realign the foot
on the long axis thereof. Note the depiction in Fig. 3 in which
¦the insert is aligned to the shoe's longitudinal axis for example,
which provides one application assuring proper alignment for
,,greater responsiveness. As shown, the strips 11 and 12 have a
somewhat curved oontour to assist in the beneficial deformation
about the recess 5, thereby "rolling" the lip 4 up about the foot.
I Additionally however, the righthand portion (Fig. 1)
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il :
;23~
of the insert which is indicative of 'che back ~0 of f,he 'neel i3
provided with a plurality of similar reae33es a~d a3sociated pl-l~g3
19 therefore which are advantageously deployed at this area and
Idisposed to serve as shock absorber inserts. These can be coded
,with different durometeric values to aid function in gait and
jogging, basketball, and in any sport. I~ f~c" ,'ne choice of
llmaterials for this area lends itself to improved res~llcs wne~
i~running or walking in this m3~n2r.
i Reference numeral 3 is directed to the general
region where the cuboid and metatarsal bases meet and a minor
ridge 9 is provided on the bottom surface 2 of the sole along this
area to correspond to the general anatomy of most people regarding
flex. ~owever, among geriatric patients this area is frequently
susceptible to pressures along the lateral segment of the foot a3
well as the metatarsal heads and by the apparatus according to the
instant application the pressures can be relieved by selectively
building up areas adjacent the pressures sensitive heads so as to
relieve the pressure. Specifically, a plurality of apertures 15
~'l are disposed on the bottom face of the insert and adapted to be
,I frictionally forced therewithin a plurality of fingers 17, the
fingers preferably being slightly oversized relative to the holes
to assure their exact placement. As with the plugs, these fingers~
Il 17 can be replaceable with varying degrees of density so as to
¦I customize the shock absorption as required.
Similarly, a plurality of holes 18 are provided
forward of the metatarsal area, preferably in the area between the~
ball of the foot and the toes, these apertures 18 suitably
dimensioned to receive by frictional fit similar fingers 17, the
disposition of which therewithin will cause a raised area on the
~I top surface of the insert so as to provide a purchase area for the
i toes, commonly known as toe cresting so as to have the top surface
of the insert follow as closely as possible the contour of the
~ foot. Futhermore, these fingers 17, help maintain the neutral
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z~
position of the sub-talar joint during the final or "toe rollin~"
phase of the gait cycle.
As pointed out hereinbefore, the plugs and finger~
,', can be made of varying degrees of density to lend themselves to
li adaptation in many environments, and it is believed that a plug or
jl finger made from Sorbathane lends itself quite well to one
specific application of these plugs and fingers.
Typically, a person desiring to improve the load
¦~ distribution, support, and orientation of his feet will take the
¦ insert as described hereinbefore and adjust the calcaneal
inclination at area 7 anywhere from zero to 22 degrees through
plugs 19 as would be determined by known techniques. Thereafter,
a plurality of different plugs 19 would be available so that after
initialization of the insert as by exercising, running, walking,
etc, various iterative modifications in the toe cresting or other
areas can be effected by the individual himself to take into
¦account whatever type of endeavor is to be undertaken. For
e~ample, if one should desire to engage in running of one form or
other, the plugs 19 may be replaced with ones having greater
! resilience, and conversely if one were to engage in a sport
entailing lateral shock loads as in tennis or racquetball, the
~¦plugs 15 on the strips 11, 12 on either side of the recess 5 can
¦be altered to accentuate the recess 5. Additionally, it should be
¦appreciated that a pad or an appropriately dimensioned larger
"plug" can be placed within the recessed area 5 to alter the
¦amount of deformation the shoe undergoes should it be desirable.
In this regard, the lower portion 2 at the recess area 5 can be so
! formed as to create a "zone of lesser resilience". In such an
! event, the recess can be dimensioned smaller or non-existant in
¦Iwhich case the gradation in the lower portion~s resilience at area
~5 provides the deformation. Additionally, it should be observed
from the foregoing that the plugs while generally described and
shown as being in cylindrical configuration can in fact have any
1 0
i~ '.
type of contour and is therefore not seen to be a limi'~atioQ Th~
plugs may h3ve angulated top faces, proximate to tne ~op surface 1
for further contouring. For example~ the 'neel plugs 1g can be
dimensioned for heel posting and lifting.
A second preferred form of the invention, shown in
Fig.s 5 through 9 detail lends itself especially well to mass
production techniques with a minimal amount of complex die
tooling, and will now be described solely by 'che differences
between the instant embodiment and that which was previously
discussed.
As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the blank 40 forms a top
piece having generally the same attributes as the previously
discu3sed embodiment, that is a recess 5 having a fea~hered
leading and trailing edge, etc. The bottom face (Fig. 5 )
discloses a plurality of holes 31 disposed about the reces3, the
recess 5 havi~g thickened areas 35 extending into the recessed
area so that the medial and lateral strips 11 and 12 have
additional surface area to respond beneficially to the plugs that
are to be disposed therein which will now be explained. The
forward portion of the first piece 40 includes a score line 34
allowing a marginal web portion 33 to be separable therefrom as by~
bending and thereafter fracturing, and it is within the web
portion that the plugs 15 can be disposed and therefore provided
all in one manufacturing process.
As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a plurality of upwardly
extending interlocking lugs 32 are provided on a top face of the
second piece 50, the locking lugs adapted to be received within
the holes 31 of Fig. 5. Thus9 as shown in Fig. 7, tne appliance
30 according to the second form of the invention is defined by a
cap forming a second piece 50, a first piece 40 which engages the
plantar portion of a person's foot, each first and second pieces
~lare relatively separable and joinable by the friction fit of the
locking lugs 32 into their respective holes 31. In this manner,
3~
'she recess 5 can contain 'cherein a s'nock absorbing mato-ri31 o~
different resilience, or no absorber a'~ all a~ is required, and
the top face of the cap 50 could similarly have an indent3tio? 'o
accentuate the recess 5 and its charac'seri3tics.
Fig. 3, sho~ds the ability to dispose the plugs 15
and 19 within the associated holes provided on the bottom face of
the cap 50 as set forth earlier embodiment.
Moreover, it should be appreciated that numerous
structural modifications are contemplated as being a part of this
invention as set forth hereinabove and as defined hereinbelow by
the claims.
12
