US2748502A - Wide arch insole - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1956 w. M, SCHOLL 2,748,502

WIDE ARCH INSOLE Filed June 13. 1952 ff if A A l f MHE United States Patent z,74s,soz

WIDE ARCH rNsoLE william M. schon, chicago, nl. Application June 13, 1952,*Serial No. 293,371

1 claim. (c1. 36-44) This invention relates to improvements in a wide arch l insole, and more particularly to a cushion type insole for free disposition in an article of footwear, the insole being particularly shaped to give added comfort to the parts of the foot in the vicinity of the longitudinal arch, although the invention will have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of freely insertable insoles have been developed, but in every instance of which I am aware, these insoles, while underlying the full plantar surface of the human foot, were sized in keeping with the built-in insole of a shoe, so as to lie intimately over that built-in insole, and, if anything, were slightly less in overall area and width at various points than the built-in insole. Consequently, the foot turned away in the region of the longitudinal arch from the cushion insole, in substantially the same manner that the foot turns away from the built-in insole in the same region. 'Ihe fact that the cushion insole provided a greater height in this region, left a space between the foot and the shoe upper in the shank portion of the shoe and consequently the structure would not be as comfortable and well fitting as is desirable. t

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a cushion type insole for free insertion in an article of footwear, which insole is wider than usual in the region of the longitudinal arch, so that it lies over the built-in insole of the shoe or the like, and extends up on the inside arch of the shoe upper.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of an insole for insertion in an article of footwear, which is so constructed that it turns upwardly along with the curvature of the sho-e upper in the region of the inner longitudinal arch, and thus gives greater comfort and better lit to substantially any type of shoe.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a cushion type insole for insertion in an article of footwear, such as a shoe, and which insole, while substantially following the contour of the built-in insole of the shoe throughout, is shaped to snug up against the curvate portion of the shoe upper in the region of the inner longitudinal arch, beyond the extent cushion type insoles have heretofore done, and thus give greater comfort to the user and better iit to the shoe.

Still a further feature of this invention resides in the provision of an insole for insertion in an article of footwear, such as a shoe or the like, which is simple in construction, highly economical, may be laundered whenever desired, aifords ventilation to the foot, and also contacts the fleshy part of a foot in the region of the longitudinal arch in a manner to give greater comfort to the wearer.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in Which- Figure l is a top plan view of an insole embodying 2,748,502 Patented June 5, 195,6

improvements of the instant invention, indicating the difference in shape over an insole of the same general character heretofore known;

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged central vertical sectional view through the insole of Fig. l; and l Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the disposition of the insole inside a shoe, looking toward the rear of the shoe and taken substantially in the location indicated by the section line III- III of Fig. l.

As shown on the drawings:

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention there is shown an insole generally indicated by numeral 1 of the insertable type for free disposition in a preformed article of footwear, such as a shoe or the like. The insole is preferably of uniform thickness throughout, and comprises a sheet 2 of cushioning material which is preferably foam latex because of its lightness in weight, the fact that the cells therein are intercommunicative thus providing ventilation, it is readily laundered when desired, and retains its restorative powers indefinitely, and does not compact or vulcanize by virtue of body heat and pressure. This layer of cushioning material 2 is covered with a thin cover 3 which may satisfactorily be of a smooth slick surfaced fabric.

With reference to Fig. l it will be seen that the insole is given a contour different from that of insoles heretofore known and commonly used heretofore. The dotted lines 4 indicate the shape of insoles of this character heretofore used. It will be noted that the dotted lines are narrower than the instant insole in the region of the longitudinal arch of the foot. The known insole as represented by the dotted lines was of a shape and size consistent with the built-in insole of a shoe, and would overlie such a built-in insole almost exactly, being if anything, slightly less in area than the built-in insole. The instant invention distinguishes itself from these heretofore known insoles mainly by the additional width in the region of the longitudinal arch as indicated at 5 and 6 in Fig. 1. The portion 5 being adjacent the outer longitudinal arch need not be as wide as the portion 6 which is adjacent the inner longitudinal arch, where there is a greater upward curvature in a foot.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated rather diagrammatically a cross section of a shoe including an outer sole 7, a filler 8, a built-in insole 9, and an upper 10. Now if the heretofore known type of insertable insole were placed in the shoe of Fig. 3, it would overlie the built-in insole 9 only, and extend upwardly from the points 11 and 12. Thus there would be a considerable rise straight up from these poiri'ts and the foot of a user would not contact the shoe upper for a considerable space on each side of the longitudinal arch portion of the foot. Thus, there would be some discomfort in that a normal foot would not be contacting the shoe or anything in it at these points at all, while a weak foot would tend to drop so the ileshy parts would contact the shoe, adding to the aggravating condition of such foot.

However, when the instant insole is placed in the shoe, it will be noted that the portion 5 snugs against the curved part of the upper beyond the built-in insole 9, and the portion 6 on the opposite side, curves upwardly along with the upper to a greater extent because of its greater width and also snugs against the upper. Therefore, there is contact of the foot with the insole and upper substantially throughout, and this contact is in accord with the structure of a normal foot. Thus, a normal foot will be more comfortable, the shoe will t better, and the wearer will be more pleased and satisfied and acquire more beneit than with the narrow type insole heretofore known. In addition, it will be noted that the instant structure wlll provide benecial aid to a weak foot by left uncovered and when this cushionV sheet i'sf made of ai substance such as foam latex', it will exert al gentle fric-1 tional gripping action on the built-ini insole and adjacent upper portion of the shoe, andl thus; stay in proper posi tion without the aid of any additional securenent means such as adhesive or the like. Thus the insole may be changed from one shoe to another at the will of the' user, may be removed and laundered whenever necessary, and adequate ventilation is attainable at all times` over the entire cushion sheet.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided a simple form of insole for free insertion` a preformed article of footwear, which iseconomical, long lived, interchangeable from one shoe to another, and which adds greatly to the comfort of the user, lends beneficial aid to a weak foot, and renders any shoe better fitting, thus providing a much better feel to the user.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be eected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

A cushion type insole comprising a at one-piece sheet of soft resilient cushioning material of uniform thickness throughout, said sheet having a relatively Wide intermediate transverse portion with opposite upwardly extending lateral margins, said outer lateral margin extending ap- A: proximately from the ball line to the heel breast line, and said inner lateral margin extending approximately into the toe area and in to the heel area of the insole, whereby greater comfort and support is imparted to the user along the inner and outer longitudinal arches of the foot.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 968,020 Yandoll Aug. 23, 1910 1,111,361 Carr Sept. 22, 1914 1,208,638 Phillips Dec. 12, 1916 1,248,108 Hays Nov. 27, 1917 1,630,135 Roberts May 24, 1927 2,502,774 Alianiello Apr. 4, 1950 2,505,508 Shapiro Apr. 25, 1950 2,537,156 Pennell Jan. 9, 1951 2,563,092 Zacks Aug. 7, 1951 2,585,692 Scholl Feb. 12, 1952 2,648,144 Stein Aug. 11, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,131 Great Britain of 1892 196,958 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1938 569,226 Great Britain May 14, 1945 626,052 France May 2, 1927 865,645 France Mar. 3, 1941 867,651 France Aug. 18, 1941

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