Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02803733 2013-01-29
COMFORT-ENHANCING FOOTWEAR INSERT
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to footwear inserts, and specifically to
footwear inserts intended to
enhance user comfort.
Background of the Invention
It is known in the art of footwear manufacturing that the use of fastening
means such as laces or
buckles, while providing advantages in terms of tightly securing the footwear
to a user's foot, can
result in discomfort and even pain due to the fastening means "biting" into
the user's skin. This
is the ease even where a tongue is positioned between the fastening means and
the user's foot.
The "lace-bite" problem is particularly acute in sports footwear, such as ice
hockey skates or ski
boots, where the footwear is composed of hard, firm materials and undergoes
significant stresses
during use, pressing repeatedly and firmly against the top of the user's foot
and the ankle region.
The resulting pain caused to tendons and other parts of the user's foot and
ankle region can not
only reduce the pleasure of engaging in the activity but may even block the
user's ability to
engage in the activity altogether.
Numerous attempts have been made to address the lace-bite problem. The
proposed solutions
normally entail an insert positionable between the fastening means and the
user's foot (or
between the footwear tongue and the user's foot). These inserts are commonly
composed of gel
pads or plastic but can incorporate air-inflated pockets. While such proposed
solutions are
readily commercially available, it has been found that they fail to fully
address the pain and
discomfort from lace bite, particularly where pain is already occurring, and
they are sometimes
cost-prohibitive. Also, gel pads and air-pocket pads can rupture from the
extreme conditions
encountered during some sports activities, leaking into the footwear and
negating any potential
benefits of the inserts.
CA 02803733 2013-01-29
What is needed, therefore, is a barrier that is durable and provides the
necessary comfort, that
can be positioned between the foot/ankle region and the footwear's tongue.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention therefore seeks to provide such a barrier, in the form
of a polyurethane
foam or "memory foam" insert.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
insert for use with
footwear having a tongue, the insert configured for insertion between the
tongue and a user's
foot, the insert comprising polyurethane foam.
In exemplary embodiments of the first aspect, the footwear may comprise an
upper ankle-
supporting portion, the insert configured for insertion between the tongue and
the user's foot and
ankle region. The polyurethane foam is preferably viscoelastic,
chlorofluorocarbon-free and
made using a soy polyol. The insert preferably comprises a narrowed end for
positioning
adjacent a user's toes, and most preferably a beveled end. The insert is
preferably of sufficient
dimensions that, upon compression between the tongue and the user's foot, the
insert will cover
the top of the user's foot and at least a portion of the sides of the user's
foot, and also ¨ where the
footwear comprises an upper ankle-supporting portion ¨ the front of the user's
ankle region and
at least a portion of the sides of the user's ankle region.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
method of using a
polyurethane foam footwear insert configured for insertion between a footwear
tongue and a
user's foot, the method comprising the steps of:
a. providing the insert;
b. loosening fastening means of the footwear and inserting the user's foot at
least partially
into the footwear;
c. inserting the insert between the tongue and the user's foot;
d. inserting the user's foot and the insert fully into the footwear; and
e. tightening the fastening means such that the insert is pressed against the
user's foot.
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In exemplary embodiments of the second aspect, the insert preferably comprises
a narrowed end,
and most preferably a beveled end, such that step c comprises positioning the
narrowed end
adjacent the user's toes. Upon tightening the fastening means such as laces or
buckles, the insert
is preferably allowed to compress and cover the top of the user's foot and at
least a portion of the
sides of the user's foot. Where. the footwear comprises an upper ankle-
supporting portion and the
insert is configured for insertion between the tongue and the user's foot and
ankle region, upon.
tightening the fastening means, the insert is preferably allowed to compress
and cover the top of
the user's foot, at least a portion of the sides of the user's foot, the front
of the user's ankle region
and at least a portion of the sides of the user's ankle region.
A detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is
given in the
following. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be
construed as being
limited to this embodiment.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment. of the
present
invention:
Figure 1 illustrates side, outer face and end views of an insert according to
the present
invention;
Figure 2a is a side elevation view of a user loosening the laces of an ice
hockey skate;
Figure 2b is a side elevation view of a user pulling the footwear tongue and
laces away
from the user's foot and ankle region;
Figure 2c is a side elevation view of a user inserting an insert according to
the present
invention between the tongue and the user's foot and ankle region;
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Figure 2d is a side elevation view of a user compressing the insert against
the user's foot
and ankle region using the tongue; and
Figure 2e is a side elevation view of the footwear laces tightened after
insertion of the
insert.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with
reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiment
Turning now to Figure 1, an insert 10 is shown. The insert 10 is made with a
polyurethane foam,
or "memory foam", which is viscoelastic to enable it to mold to the user's
foot and ankle region
during use. While various densities of memory foam are commercially available
or capable of
production, those skilled in the art will be able to determine appropriate
material densities for a
given application. The polyurethane foam is preferably chlorefluorocarbon-
free and
manufactured using a soy polyol, although these features address environmental
sustainability
issues rather than product utility. The polyurethane foam should be cured and
off-gassed before
shaping into the form of insert 10 illustrated in Figure 1, which shaping is
preferably
accomplished using machine cutting of a foam block.
The use of polyurethane foam or memory foam presents numerous advantages over
the prior art
materials. The primary benefit is that such foam can be compressed against the
user's foot and
ankle region and, due to its temperature-sensitive open-cell structure, it can
mold itself to the
user's foot and ankle region and thereby provide a comfortable fitted contact
that affords
cushioned support. When removed from contact with the user's foot and ankle
region, the foam
will slowly return to original or near-original form for use in other footwear
or by another user.
Unlike inserts or pads that have a gel- or air-filled chamber, the insert 10
cannot be ruptured and
lose its utility ¨ compressing the foam will simply cause it to mold to the
user's foot and ankle
region, arid stresses will be highly unlikely to be sufficient to cause any
tearing of the foam due
to its viscoelastic properties.
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Figure 1 presents side, outer face and end views of the insert 10. The insert
10 has two opposed
sides 12, opposed flat and beveled ends 20, 14, and opposed inner and outer
faces 16, 18, In use,
the beveled end 20 is inserted adjacent the user's toes, with the inner face
16 against the user's
foot and ankle region and the outer face. 18 against the tongue. Note that the
tongue can be rigid,
semi-rigid, or even elasticized, and may take any number of conventional
forms, including
without limitation tongues that are connected to the footwear at only the
tongue's lowermost
edge (as in most ice hockey skates; see Figures 2b and 2c) or tongues that are
connected to the
footwear on all edges of the tongue except for the uppermost edge, and the
invention is
accordingly not limited to any particular tongue/footwear arrangement. The
beveled end 14 can
take numerous forms, including chamfered or rounded, as long as the end
narrows; this is to
provide additional user comfort by helping to avoid bunching of the insert 10
across the user's
toes.
The insert can be manufactured according to any desired dimensions. For
example, in a "junior"
model intended for children and youth, the dimensions can be as follows: inner
face 16 length of
4 3/8 inches for positioning against the user's foot and ankle region; outer
face 18 length of 5
inches for positioning against the tongue; side 12 height of 1.5 inches; and
outer face 18 width of
4 inches. As a further example, in a "senior" model intended for adults, the
dimensions can be as
follows: inner face 16 length of 6 inches for positioning against the user's
foot and ankle region;
outer face 18 length of 7 inches for positioning against the tongue; side 12
height of 2 inches;
and outer face 18 width of 4 inches. These dimensions are exemplary only, and
any desired
dimensions can be employed depending on the footwear, user and application.
The beveled end
is preferably created with an angle of 65 to 70 degrees, but this can also be
modified as necessary
for different applications.
Turning to Figures 2a through 2e, a method for using the insert 10 is
illustrated. Figure 2a shows
a user loosening the laces 24 of an ice hockey skate 22, initially pulling the
laces 24 away from
the tongue 26; it will be recopized, however, that this method can be used
with other types of
footwear, such as ski boots with buckles. The user then, as shown in Figure
2b, pulls the tongue
26 and laces 24 away from the user's foot 28 and ankle region 30. Once the
tongue 26 and laces
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24 are sufficiently loosened, the user can then position the insert 10 between
the tonne 26 and
the user's foot 28 and ankle region 30, as shown in Figure 2c. As can be seen,
the beveled end
14 is presented toward the user's toe, and it is preferably positioned
approximately half-way
down the top of the user's foot, which would position the flat end 20 above
the line of the ankle
region 30.
Once the insert 10 is in position, Figure 2d illustrates the user compressing
the insert 10 against
the user's foot 28 and ankle region 30 using the tongue 26. The user can then
tighten the laces
24, as shown in Figure 2e, thereby holding the insert 10 in place and allowing
it to conform to
the shape of the user's foot 28 and ankle region 30. The insert 10 is
preferably made in a size
sufficient to allow it to mold across the top of the user's foot 28 and the
front of the user's ankle
region 30, but also extend at least partially around the sides of the foot and
ankle region 28, 30 to
provide additional comfort and support.
It has been found in actual use that an insert in accordance with the above
description provides
the desired comfort and support.
As can be readily seen, there are numerous advantages presented by the present
invention. The
insert can enhance user comfort, even where the user had been experiencing
pain and discomfort.
It can be made with cost-effective memory foam material using very simple
manufacturing
processes. There is no rupture risk as with certain prior art inserts. The
insert molds to the user's
foot and ankle region, but it can rebound to original or near-original form
after use, while the
beveled end provides additional comfort to the user.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the
invention. The scope of
the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the
foregoing
examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the
specification as a
whole..
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