Insole holder and shoe with such insole holder

Abstract

 An insole support (1) comprises a support element (2) having a top surface (5) that extends over a plane and is designed to receive an insole (10) and a bottom surface (6). The bottom surface (6) is at least partially covered by a layer (7) of adhesive material for fixation of the insole support (1) to the sole (21) of an open shoe (20). At least at one of its front and rear ends (3, 4) said support element (2) has a retaining edge (8, 9) projecting out of the top surface (5) substantially transverse to the plane defined by the top surface (5).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an insole support.

[0002] Particularly, the insole support of the present invention finds use in the orthopedic field, especially where orthopedic and/or proprioceptive insoles are required to be continuously worn even with Summer shoes, such as sandals and open shoes and/or slippers and clogs.

[0003] Orthopedic and/or proprioceptive insoles are known to have no element for securing them to the shoe sole. Therefore, generally speaking, these insoles cannot be used with Summer shoes and/or slippers. In this case, during walking, such insoles would slip out of the shoe or anyway tend to move out of their proper position.

[0004] Therefore, any treatment based on the use of orthopedic and/or proprioceptive insoles could not be continued in Summer, if Summer shoes are used, or at home, if slippers or clogs are used.

[0005] No special medical article is known in the art for allowing a user to properly wear orthopedic and/or proprioceptive insoles in Summer shoes, whereby the specialist might have no guarantee on treatment results, as continuous use of the medical article especially prepared for the patient cannot be ensured.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide an insole support that allows insoles to be also, but not restrictedly, used in Summer shoes, while allowing the insole to be reused in other Summer and/or Winter shoes.

[0007] This object is fulfilled by an insole support as defined in claim 1.

[0008] Further characteristics and advantages of the insole support of this invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, which is given by way of illustration and without limitation with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

• Figure 1 is a lateral view of an insole support of the present invention,
• Figure 2 is a top view of the insole support of Figure 1,
• Figure 3 is a perspective exploded view of a shoe with insole support of the invention, and an orthopedic insole.

[0009] Referring to the annexed figures, numeral 1 generally designates an insole support of the present invention.

[0010] The insole support 1 comprises a support element 2 that extends between a front end 3 and a rear end 4.

[0011] The support element 2 may be made of leather, cork, plastic or silicone material.

[0012] The support element 2 has a top surface 5 extending over a plane and designed to receive an insole 10 and a bottom surface 6.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the support element 2 has the peripheral profile 2a substantially corresponding to the profile of an insole, e.g. the profile 10a of the insole 10.

[0014] The insole 10 extends between a front end 11 and a rear end 12 and has a top surface 13 that defines a bearing surface for the sole of the foot of a user and a bottom surface 14 that is designed to lie on the top surface 5 of the support element 2.

[0015] The insole support 1 is designed to be fastened to the sole 21 of a shoe 20. Particularly, the insole support 1 is designed to be fastened to the top surface 21a of the sole 21. For this purpose, the bottom surface 6 of the support element 2 is at least partially covered with a layer of adhesive material 7.

[0016] In one embodiment, the layer of adhesive material 7 extends, advantageously in discontinuous sections, possibly of different length, along the peripheral profile 2a of the support element, i.e. along the peripheral profile 6a of the bottom surface 6.

[0017] Advantageously, the layer of adhesive material 7 is obtained by applying a double-sided adhesive layer having a top surface 7a attached to the bottom surface 6 and a bottom surface 7b designed to be attached to the top surface 21a of the sole 21.

[0018] At least at one of the front and rear ends 3, 4 the support element 2 has a retaining edge 8, 9 projecting out of the top surface 5 substantially transverse to the plane defined by the top surface 5 itself. Thus, an insole 10 may be placed on the top surface 5 and retained on the top surface 5 by the retaining edge 8, 9. The insole support 1 may be fastened by attaching it to the sole 21 of the shoe 20 to allow the orthopedic or proprioceptive insole 10 to be used in any type of shoe.

[0019] Therefore, the insole support 1 prevents the insole from slipping away from the shoe 20.

[0020] As for flip-flop shoes, the front end 3 of the support element 2 will have a groove for receiving the flip-flop portion of the shoe.

[0021] In one embodiment, the support element 2 has a front retaining edge 8 projecting out of the top surface 5 at the front end 3 and a rear retaining edge 9 projecting out of the top surface 5 at the rear end 4.

[0022] Each retaining edge, e.g. the front edge 8, extends from the top surface 5 to a distal end 8c and has an inner surface 8a which faces towards the top surface 5 of the support element 2 and an outer surface 8b which is contiguous with the peripheral profile 2a.

[0023] Hence, the inner 8a and outer 8b surfaces extend from the distal end 8c to a corresponding proximal end 8d, 8e.

[0024] Advantageously, the inner surface 8a tapers from the distal end 8c to the proximal end 8d thereby connecting to the top surface 5.

[0025] The retaining edges 8, 9 may be applied by gluing, stitching or be formed of one piece with the top surface 5 of the support element 2,

[0026] The height of the retaining edges 8, 9 depends on the height of the insole 10 to be applied on the top surface 5 and typically ranges from 2 to 3 cm for orthopedic insoles and less than 5 mm for proprioceptive insoles.

[0027] Whenever the user intends to use the insole 10 with a different shoe, he/she shall simply remove the insole 10 and provide an insole support of the invention attached to the sole of such different shoe. Thus, a single insole may be used on multiple shoes, by simply providing an insole support of the invention attached to the shoe sole.

[0028] It will be appreciated from the above that the insole support of the present invention fulfills the intended objects by providing a solution that allows insoles to be used also, but without limitation, in Summer shoes, by removal and application thereof to other shoes.

[0029] Those skilled in the art will obviously appreciate that a number of changes and variants may be made to the insole support of the invention as described hereinbefore to meet specific needs, without departure from the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. An insole support (1) comprising a support element (2) which extends between a front end (3) and a rear end (4), said support element (2) having a top surface (5), that extends over a plane and is designed to receive an insole (10), and a bottom surface (6), characterized in that

- said bottom surface (6) is at least partially covered by a layer (7) of adhesive material for fixation of the insole support (1) to the sole (21) of a shoe (20), and

- at least at one of said front and rear ends (3, 4) said support element (2) has a retaining edge (8, 9) projecting out of the top surface (5) substantially transverse to the plane defined by the top surface (5).

2. An insole support (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support element (2) has a peripheral profile (2a) substantially corresponding to the profile of an orthopedic or proprioceptive insole (10).

3. An insole support (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said layer of adhesive material (7) extends along the peripheral profile (6a) of the bottom surface (6) of the support element (2).

4. An insole support (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein said support element (2) has a front retaining edge (8) projecting out of the top surface (5) at the front end (3) and a rear retaining edge (9) projecting out of the top surface (5) at the rear end (4).

5. An insole support (1) as claimed in any claim from 2 to 4, wherein each retaining edge (8) extends from the top surface (5) to a distal end (8c) and has an inner surface (8a) which faces towards the top surface (5) of the support element (2) and an outer surface (8b) which is contiguous with the peripheral profile (2a) of the support element (2).

6. An insole support (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the inner (8a) and outer (8b) surfaces of each retaining edge (8) extend from the distal end (8c) to a corresponding proximal end (8d, 8e).

7. An insole support (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inner (8a) and outer (8b) surfaces of each retaining edge (8) tapers from the distal end (8c) to the proximal end (8d) thereby connecting to the top surface (5).

8. A shoe (20) comprising:

- a sole (21) having a top surface (21a),

- an insole support (1) as claimed in any claim from 1 to 7, said insole support (1) being attached to the top surface (21a) of said sole (21) by said layer of adhesive material (7) and

- an insole (10) lying on said top surface (5) of the insole support (1).

Drawing