Boots – shoes – and leggings – Insoles – Laminated
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-17
2001-03-27
Kavanaugh, Ted (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Insoles
Laminated
C036S160000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205685
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to insoles for shoes and, more particularly, this invention relates to an adjustable orthotic by which the eversion and abduction of the tarsal and metatarsal joints can be controlled by the user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has been recognized that many of the minor and major traumatic conditions of the foot, leg and knee can be caused by the misalignment of the joints in the foot. These conditions can be hereditary such as the presence of a longer or shorter leg, can be acquired through traumatic injury or can be caused by repetitive stress or strain on the joints experienced during industrial or athletic activity.
Misalignment of the foot can cause minor trauma such as inflammation, blisters, rashes, calluses, corns, ingrown toe nails or more aggravated conditions such as bunions or bone spurs, typically in the heel area. Over-the-counter insoles are available to relieve minor discomfort. However, they are available in fixed sizes and thicknesses. It is possible to reduce discomfort and promote healing of inflamed areas by custom-cutting thick cushioning products such as Moleskin® into pads which can be locally adhered to the traumatic area or adjacent to the traumatic area. Pads and insoles only treat the symptoms of the misalignment and simply reduce irritation and attempt to prevent further trauma by reducing pressure, rubbing, or abrasion on the sensitive area of the foot. Sometimes surgery is utilized to remove the calluses, corns or bunions.
A more scientific approach has been to develop customized biomechanical devices that are intended to correct the misalignment of the joints. These devices, known as orthotics, are prescribed by medical specialists such as orthopedic doctors, podiatrists or doctors specializing in sports medicine. After extensive physical measurements of the patient, a plaster impression of the foot is taken. The orthotic is manufactured from the impression to specifications provided by the doctor as to the degree of pronation correction required. A soft layer of foam can be applied to the top or bottom surface of the orthotic to provide comfort and to prevent the orthotic from sliding when in a shoe.
Orthotics are very expensive, on the order of several hundred dollars a pair. Since they are so expensive, they are usually designed to provide the final correction. The degree of correction can be so severe that the orthotic causes such pain and discomfort to the patient, that it discourages usage of the orthotic and eventually it is no longer used. It is not possible to adjust the fit of the hard plastic orthotic.
STATEMENT OF THE PRIOR ART
Boisvert, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,157) discloses a shoe insert in which the thickness of the arch region of a shoe insert can be changed by peeling off superimposed films of padding material. This product is not found on the market. This is probably because the films are adhesively secured and residual adhesive can transfer to socks and/or collect on the surface of the permanent insole. The thickness adjustment is limited to one area of the insole.
Greenwalt (U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,590) discloses an arch support unit containing preformed resilient elements located in the arch area. The support is fastened to the shoe by hook and loop fastener elements located in the heel portion of the support and adhered to the support and to the insole of the shoe. The heel cushion disclosed by Scheuerman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,404) contains a soft insert of silicone rubber opposite the location of a heel spur in the patients heel.
Andrews (U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,078) discloses a molded, resilient foam shoe insert having depressions 18 in the heel and in the arch support region. The depressions can be filled with adhesively secured, resilient plastic inserts 19 or may be left empty as dictated by the comfort of the wearer.
Engle (U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,232) discloses a multilayer laminated permanently adhered shoe insole formed of materials of different shore hardness.
Kristan (U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,193) discloses a composite leather-cork shoe lining filled with resilient pads of sponge or with foam rubber glued to the lining. Bittner (U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,812) discloses a thermoplastic insole that can be sized to shape by tearing off portions of the sole along heat sealed seams.
The prior insoles were mainly designed to alleviate pain and discomfort. Most of these products were formed of soft resilient materials having no memory or very hard, rigid materials that must be preformed to a desired shape. Adjustable thickness is provided only in set locations and usually by removing pads to form cushions opposite painful areas of the foot.
An insole having provision for placement of pads of varying thickness anywhere along the bottom surface of an insole is disclosed and claimed in application Ser. No. 07/690,661, filed Apr. 24, 1991, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. The insole is formed of a deformable plastic with memory. The bottom surface contains longitudinal strips of loop or hook material along the bottom surface of the insole. The surface may also contain an index scale for locating the correct place to position a pad.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a further improvement in the design of an insole that allows it to perform as an orthotic. The insole can be modified by the user to contain elevated and/or relieved areas anywhere on the insole to form an orthotic-like device. By trial and error placement of pads of varying thickness on the bottom surface, letting comfort or discomfort be the guide, the user can create a customized therapeutic device capable of relieving pain and stress and capable of biomechanically correcting or alleviating misaligned conditions in the patient's foot. More expert alignment can be provided by a doctor of medicine trained in correcting misalignment of the feet.
The orthotic of the invention provides infinite adjustability in the location and thickness of the orthotic at any location. The orthotic can be adjusted and shaped at a doctor's clinic. The custom-shaped orthotic can be the permanently prescribed orthotic or can be a temporary device until a permanent orthotic is fabricated. The custom-configured orthotic can be shaped to provide only a fraction of the correction initially and the pads can be increased or decreased in thickness and/or location to provide gradual and more comfortable correction. The patient can be provided with a supply of pads of varying thickness and be allowed to change the pads under supervision of the clinic without the expense and inconvenience of numerous visits to the physician.
The insole of the invention is designed to permit the pads to be secured to the top or bottom surface. Since feet are symmetrical this allows the same insole to be used on the right or left foot permitting sale of single insoles. The tooling and manufacturing costs are significantly reduced.
The invention also includes specially shaped inclined ramps which when appropriately located provide pronation correction. The invention also provides pads with all edges smoothed to provide comfort to the user. The invention also relates to use of improved materials and manufacturing processes to form the insole.
These and other features and many attendant advantages of the invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2221202 (1940-11-01), Ratcliff
patent: 2421088 (1947-05-01), Sims
patent: 2909854 (1959-10-01), Edelstein
patent: 3084695 (1963-04-01), O'Donnell
patent: 4316333 (1982-02-01), Rothschild
patent: 4633877 (1987-01-01), Pendergast
patent: 4756096 (1988-07-01), Meyer
patent: 4813157 (1989-03-01), Boisvert et al.
patent: 4841648 (1989-06-01), Shaffer et al.
patent: 5014706 (1991-05-01), Philipp
patent: 5138774 (1992-08-01), Sarkozi
patent: 5154682 (1992-10-01), Kellerman
patent: 5799414 (1998-09-01), Kellerman
Kavanaugh Ted
Kellerman Company LLC
Sternfels Lewis B.
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