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EP 3 485 756 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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17.06.2020 Bulletin 2020/25 |
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Date of filing: 17.11.2017 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC):
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FOOTBED FOR A SHOE AND SHOE WITH SUCH FOOTBED
FUSSBETT FÜR EINEN SCHUH UND SCHUH MIT SOLCH EINEM FUSSBETT
SEMELLE DE CHAUSSURE ET CHAUSSURE DOTÉE DE CETTE SEMELLE
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL
NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR |
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Date of publication of application: |
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22.05.2019 Bulletin 2019/21 |
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Proprietor: Intral d.o.o. |
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1000 Ljubljana (SI) |
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Inventor: |
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- Schroll, Anja Lukez
1000 Ljubljana (SI)
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Representative: Tergau & Walkenhorst
Patentanwälte PartGmbB |
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Lurgiallee 12 60439 Frankfurt am Main 60439 Frankfurt am Main (DE) |
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References cited: :
WO-A1-92/11779 US-A- 1 964 364
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AT-B- 403 113
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] The invention relates to a footbed for a shoe, in particular for a slipper, sandal,
half-shoe, or boot, said footbed extending along a longitudinal direction and comprising
a number of wooden blocks and a connection structure of resilient material connecting
neighboring wooden blocks with each other. It further relates to a shoe with such
a footbed.
[0002] A shoe with a segmented wooden footbed of this type is known from
EP 0 398 869 B1. The combination of segmented wooden blocks with intermediate connector sections
made of resilient material in principle allows for enhanced comfort of the shoe. However,
these benefits are only limited in the structure known from
EP 0 398 869 B1. Further, a footbed in accordance with the preamble of claim 1 is known from
AT 403 113 B.
[0003] Therefore, the object of the present invention is now to provide a structure of this
type with even higher and improved wearing comfort.
[0004] The invention relates to a footbed for a shoe as specified in appended independent
claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
[0005] According to the present invention, this object is achieved with a connection structure
which, with respect to the longitudinal direction, comprises a number of transversal
strips connecting neighboring wooden blocks in longitudinal direction, and further
comprises a number of longitudinal strips connecting neighboring wooden blocks in
transversal direction, wherein one or more of the longitudinal strips in longitudinal
direction extend beyond the transversal strips.
[0006] The invention is based on the consideration that for particularly high wearing comfort,
the footbed should made on the basis of natural material - wood - and further should
include elastic elements for enhancing flexibility, in particular in the ball region,
to a particularly high degree. Accordingly, the elastic elements should be designed
specifically in order to enable the foot to move (stretch) in every possible direction
(lengthwise and width wise) in order to make the foot particularly comfortable since
it can move in its natural way. Therefore, flexibility should be provided in at least
to dimensions.
[0007] In particular, the connection structure comprises a block of resilient material positioned
in the ball region of the footbed. The combination of the block structure (in the
ball region of the footbed) with the strips or extensions is particularly beneficial
since it allows to absorb and support the entire body weight of the wearer (in the
block structure) and distribute or divide it laterally into the extensions, thereby
using enhanced flexibility for particularly high wearing comfort. The combination
of the block structure with extensions both in longitudinal and in transversal direction
is particularly preferred.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one of the longitudinal strips
extends to the front end of the footbed. This provides particular flexibility also
for bending around the longitudinal axis.
[0009] The resilient material for connection structure preferably is selected under the
consideration of high durability in combination with particular flexibility and in
view of these considerations preferably is made of polyurethane (PU).
[0010] An embodiment of the invention is described in greater detail with reference to the
drawings, in which:
- FIG. 1
- shows a shoe with a footbed, and
- FIG. 2
- shows the footbed of the shoe according to FIG. 1.
[0011] Like parts are provided with like reference numerals throughout the drawings.
[0012] The wooden shoe 1 as shown in FIG. 1 is designed as a slipper and principally extends
along a longitudinal direction as indicated by arrow 2. The shoe 1 comprises a footbed
4 and an upper portion 6 attached to the footbed 4. The upper portion 6 is made of
leather or any other appropriate material and in the embodiment shown surrounds the
forward region next to the front end 8 of the footbed 4 in the manner of a slipper,
yet leaves the heel region free. In alternative embodiments, the upper portion 6 or
even the entire shoe 1 may have other forms or shapes, for example the form of a continuous
or divided strap, or it may be designed as a boot.
[0013] The footbed 2 as shown in FIG. 2 is designed as a multi-piece system and comprises
a number of wooden blocks 10. Neighboring wooden blocks 10 are connected with each
other by elements of a connection structure 12 of resilient material. The elements
of the connection structure 12 of resilient material are connected to the respective
wooden blocks 10 by adhesion or foaming. The connection structure 12 is integrally
joined to a sole 14, in the embodiment shown also made of resilient material, disposed
on the underside of the footbed 4 and basically covering the entire underneath surface
of the footbed 4. Such connection of neighboring blocks 10 by resilient material allows
for an overall flexible structure on the basis of individual wooden elements. This
flexibility allows individual adaptation of the footbed 4 to the shape of the foot,
thereby providing enhanced comfort and wearability for the wearer, in combination
with the pleasant feeling of wood as basic carrier material. Preferably, the connection
structure 12 is made of polyurethane (PU).
[0014] In the embodiment shown, the connection structure 12 is specifically designed in
order to allow for enhanced flexibility of the footbed structure, in support of particularly
high wearing comfort. For this purpose, the connection structure 12, with respect
to the longitudinal direction, comprises a number of transversal strips 20 connecting
neighboring wooden blocks 10 in longitudinal direction, and a number of longitudinal
strips 22 connecting neighboring wooden blocks 10 in transversal direction. The transversal
strips 20 in the preferred embodiment shown extend over the entire width of the footbed
4, thereby allowing for bending of the front part of the footbed 4 relative to its
rear part.
[0015] One or more of the longitudinal strips 22, in the embodiment shown all longitudinal
strips 22, in longitudinal direction extend beyond the transversal strips 20, thereby
providing a number of backwards extensions 24 of the connection structure 12 and a
number of forward extensions 26 of the connection structure 12. By providing the extensions
24, 26, which are considered inventive independently of each other, enhanced flexibility
is made available since bending of various parts of the footbed 4 around the longitudinal
axis is made possible. In the preferred embodiment shown, at least one or as shown
two of the longitudinal strips 22 forming the forward extensions 26 extend all the
way to the front end 8 of the footbed 4.
[0016] As an additional, separately inventive feature, the connection structure 12 comprises
a central block 28 of resilient material positioned in the ball region of the footbed
4. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment as shown features a combination of the block
structure 28 in the ball region of the footbed with the strips or extensions 24, 26.
This structure is particularly beneficial since it allows to absorb and support the
entire body weight of the wearer in the block 28 and distribute or divide it laterally
into the extensions 24, 26 thereby using enhanced flexibility for particularly high
wearing comfort. The block 28 is the point where the whole body weight of the wearer
is concentrated and then divided into different canals/extensions in the connection
structure 12.
[0017] By the design as shown, the footbed 4 is made on the basis of natural material -
wood - which also includes elastic elements for enhanced flexibility, in particular
in the ball region. The elastic elements enable the foot to move (stretch) in every
possible direction (lengthwise and width wise) in order to make the foot particularly
comfortable since it can move in its natural way.
List of reference numerals
[0018]
- 1
- shoe
- 2
- arrow
- 4
- footbed
- 6
- upper portion
- 8
- front end
- 10
- wooden blocks
- 12
- connection structure
- 14
- sole
- 20
- transversal strips
- 22
- longitudinal strips
- 24
- backwards extensions
- 26
- forward extensions
- 28
- central block
1. Footbed (4) for a shoe (1), in particular for a slipper, sandal, half-shoe, or boot,
said footbed (4) extending along a longitudinal direction and comprising a number
of wooden blocks (10) and a connection structure (12) of resilient material connecting
neighboring wooden blocks (10) with each other, wherein the connection structure (12),
with respect to the longitudinal direction, comprises a number of transversal strips
(20) connecting neighboring wooden blocks (10) in longitudinal direction, wherein
the connection structure (12) comprises a number of longitudinal strips (22) connecting
neighboring wooden blocks (10) in transversal direction, wherein one or more of the
longitudinal strips (22) in longitudinal direction extend beyond the transversal strips
(20), characterized in that, in combination with the strips (20, 22) or extensions (24, 26), the connection structure
(12) comprises a block (28) of resilient material positioned in the ball region of
the footbed (4).
2. Footbed (4) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the longitudinal strips
(22) extends to the front end (8) of the footbed (4).
3. Footbed (4) according to any one of claims 1 through 2, wherein the connection structure
(12) is made of Polyurethane.
4. Shoe (1) having a footbed (4) according to any one of claims 1 through 3.
1. Fußbett (4) für einen Schuh (1), insbesondere für einen Hausschuh, eine Sandale, einen
Halbschuh oder einen Stiefel, wobei das Fußbett (4) sich entlang einer Längsrichtung
erstreckt und eine Anzahl von hölzernen Blöcken (10) und eine Anschlussstruktur (12)
aus elastischem Material umfasst, die benachbarte hölzerne Blöcke (10) miteinander
verbindet, wobei die Anschlussstruktur (12) in Bezug auf die Längsrichtung eine Anzahl
von Querstreifen (20) umfasst, die die benachbarten hölzernen Blöcke (10) in Längsrichtung
aneinander anschließen, wobei die Anschlussstruktur (12) eine Anzahl von Längsstreifen
(22) umfasst, die benachbarte hölzerne Blöcke (10) in Querrichtung anschließen, wobei
ein oder mehrere der Längsstreifen (22) sich in Längsrichtung über die Querstreifen
(20) hinweg erstrecken, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Anschlussstruktur (12) in Kombination mit den Streifen (20, 22) oder Erweiterungen
(24, 26) einen Block (28) aus elastischem Material umfasst, der in der Ballenregion
des Fußbetts (4) angeordnet ist.
2. Fußbett (4) gemäß Anspruch 1, wobei sich wenigstens einer der Längsstreifen (22) zum
vorderen Ende (8) des Fußbetts (4) erstreckt.
3. Fußbett (4) gemäß irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1 bis 2, wobei die Anschlussstruktur (12)
aus Polyurethan hergestellt ist.
4. Schuh (1) mit einem Fußbett (4) gemäß irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3.
1. Semelle intérieure anatomique (4) pour une chaussure (1), en particulier pour une
pantoufle, une sandale, une chaussure basse ou une botte, ladite semelle intérieure
anatomique (4) s'étendant le long d'une direction longitudinale et comprenant un nombre
de blocs en bois (10) et une structure de connexion (12) en matériau résilient connectant
les blocs en bois (10) avoisinants les uns aux autres, la structure de connexion (12)
comprenant, par rapport à la direction longitudinale, un nombre de bandes transversales
(20) connectant les blocs en bois (10) avoisinants en direction longitudinale, la
structure de connexion (12) comprenant un nombre de bandes longitudinales (22) connectant
des blocs en bois (10) avoisinants en direction transversale, l'une ou plusieurs des
bandes longitudinales (22) s'étendant en direction longitudinale au-delà les bandes
transversales (20), caractérisée en ce que la structure de connexion (12) comprend, en combinaison avec les bandes (20, 22)
ou des extensions (24, 26), un bloc (28) en matériau résilient positionné dans la
région des coussinets plantaires de la semelle intérieure anatomique (4).
2. Semelle intérieure anatomique (4) selon la revendication 1, au moins l'une des bandes
longitudinales (22) s'étendant vers l'extrémité frontale (8) de la semelle intérieure
anatomique (4).
3. Semelle intérieure anatomique (4) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 2,
la structure de connexion (12) étant fabriquée en polyuréthane.
4. Chaussure (1) présentant une semelle intérieure anatomique (4) selon l'une quelconque
des revendications 1 à 3.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description