Boots – shoes – and leggings – Boots and shoes – Shoe attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-26
2001-11-06
Sewell, Paul T. (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Boots and shoes
Shoe attachment
C036S140000, C036S015000, C036S115000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311416
ABSTRACT:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to therapeutic shoes and, in particular, it concerns shoes suited for mass production which allow selective and personalized weight shifting or pressure relief to critical regions of the foot.
It is known that various patients require selective relief of pressure on parts of their feet, either as part of the treatment for an existing medical condition or to prevent certain conditions developing. This is particularly true for patients prone to peripheral circulatory problems such as is a common consequence of diabetes. Pressure control is also often required or desirable during recovery post-operatively and due to various other sources of foot trauma.
Relief of pressure could be achieved by modifying a shoe so that weight is transferred to other parts of the foot. However, since the region in which pressure relief is required varies from patient to patient, this approach would require manual modification of shoes on an individual basis. Such an approach would be very labor intensive and costly. The shoe, once modified, would also becomes useless when the pressure relief therapy was no longer required.
A related problem, again particularly in patients prone to peripheral circulatory problems, results from localized pressure which may be applied for extended periods on the heel of the foot while the patient is in bed.
There is therefore a need for a therapeutic shoe suitable for mass production which would allow readily adjustable weight shifting, which would offer protection to the heel from pressure while sleeping, and which would allow the shoe to be used as a conventional shoe at other times.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a therapeutic shoe.
According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided, a therapeutic shoe configured to facilitate shifting the weight exerted on the foot of a wearer in a frontward or rearward direction as required, the shoe comprising: (a) a sole providing an upper surface for supporting the foot of the wearer and a lower surface, the sole having a long dimension termed length; (b) an upper portion associated with the sole and configured to retain the foot of the user in contact with the sole; (c) a recessed track formed in the lower surface of the sole and extending substantially parallel to the length along a major portion of the length; and (d) a support block having an engagement projection configured for engaging the recessed track and a load-supporting body configured to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length, the support block being configured so as to be attachable to the lower surface at any one of a plurality of positions along substantially the entirety of the recessed track.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the recessed track includes at least one undercut ridge, the recessed track being open at at least one end, and wherein the engagement projection is configured to engage the undercut ridge.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the recessed track is a substantially T-shaped track open at at least one end, and wherein the engagement projection is formed as a complementary T-shaped projection.
According to a further feature of the present invention, wherein the load-supporting body is formed with a rounded lower profile as viewed along its direction of extension.
According to a further feature of the present invention, there are also provided at least two threaded fastening elements for attaching the support block to the lower surface.
According to a further feature of the present invention, there is also provided an additional support block having an engagement projection configured for engaging the recessed track and a load-supporting body configured to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length, the support block and the additional support block being attachable at different positions along the recessed track.
According to a further feature, the present invention is additionally configured to avoid pressure on the heel of a foot while a wearer is lying in a supine position on an underlying surface, the upper portion being configured to retain the foot in a position such that the heel of the foot lies adjacent to the rear edge of the sole, the upper portion having at least one opening adjacent to the rear edge so as to avoid contact with at least a part of the heel of the foot, the shoe further comprising a pressure release bracket configured to releasably engage the sole so that the sole is supported by the pressure release bracket with the rear edge raised above the underlying surface.
There is also provided according to the teachings of the present invention, a therapeutic shoe configured to avoid pressure on the heel of a foot while a wearer is lying in a supine position on an underlying surface, the shoe comprising: (a) a sole providing an upper surface for supporting the foot of the wearer, the sole having a rear edge; (b) an upper portion associated with the sole and configured to retain the foot of the user in contact with the sole in a position such that the heel of the foot lies adjacent to the rear edge, the upper portion having at least one opening adjacent to the rear edge so as to avoid contact with at least a part of the heel of the foot; and (c) a pressure release bracket configured to releasably engage the sole so that the sole is supported by the pressure release bracket with the rear edge raised above the underlying surface.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the sole features a slot adjacent to the rear edge, and wherein the pressure release bracket is implemented as a substantially flat sheet configured to engage the slot.
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Friedman Mark M.
Mohandesi Jila
Sewell Paul T.
Shimi-Shoe Walking Technologies Ltd.
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