CA1241192A

CA1241192A - Sole for therapeutic, sport and free time shoes, with an air tube and elastic distancing elements

Info

Publication number: CA1241192A
Application number: CA000491348A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Francesco Galasso; Riccardo Galasso
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-07-26
Filing date: 1985-09-23
Publication date: 1988-08-30
Also published as: IT8548417A0; EP0215995A1; IT1209964B

Abstract

Abstract A sole for therapeutical shoes consists of inside (upper) and outside (lower) layers. Small pistons of elastomeric material are fixed to or integral with the bottom of the inside layer supporting the foot and are separated from the lower layer.

Description

Sole_for _h_r_~euti__l__hoes The invention concerns a sole to be used in making therapeutical shoes of the sports type, consisting of an inside sole, whose top part is in contact ~ith the foot S and on whose bottom part there are many small pistons integral with said sole. These small pistons, when they are under stress arising from the load on the sole caused by different parts of the foot, are dynamically displaced, since they are free in their lower end. There is also a closing or bottom sole.
The problem in providing a sole offering adequate resistance to the foot when walking or engaging in sports activities has been solved by soles consisting of different elastomeric materials. In Petrosky U.S. patent 4,229,889 issued October, 1980 there is a double sole with a spacing provided by separation baffles, and there are some foam material elastomeric blocks inside. The elastomeric material has sometimes been replaced by elastomeric spacers, whose function i~5 to create a deformable air space between the two soles, as in Whispell, Harrison and Lingarcl patents ll.S. 4,462,171 issued July, 1984; U.S. 1,~98,838 issued June, 1924 and British 15~21/99 of December 1899.
In the Whispell patent, the mechanical arrangement, through the separation baffles, which are able to create ~'~

'~ .

:~LZ~ 9 some cross-like rigid supports to the foot, determines for each compartment an inflation and a deflation of air, and the pistons, connected to the bottom sole, perform the function of receiving the load. Pistons have also been used in a sole within a shoe, as in Daswich U.S. patent ~,345,3~7 issued August 1982.
The object of the present invention is to create a sole for therapeutic shoes obtained with several small pistons arranged between a bottom layer of plastic material and an upper one supporting the foot, in such a way to determine an original elasticity.
Round base surfaces of small pistons are fastened on the bottom of the upper layer by glue or are integral therewith or otherwise secured in such a way as to create a resiliently deformable support, since the pistons are always oriented with their axes at right angles to the radius with each bending of the foot in accordance with the load. These pistons are fixed to the upper layer of the sole but their lower parts are not connected to the layer that is in contact with the ground.
An embodiment of the invention is represented in the attached drawing, in which:-Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view;
Figure 2 shows a complete shoe in side view; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view in a vertical cross section, showing the deformation caused by the foot.
The figures show a sole for therapeutîc and sport shoes having many small pistons 1 arranged between a lower layer 3 of plastic material and an upper layer 2 supporting the foot, such pistons determining the separation of these layers.
The circular hase surEaces of the pistorls 1 are fastened to the upper layer 2 either by being integral therewith or by gluing or by some other appropriate fixing methocl. They provide an elastically deforrnable suppor~, ~2~

since the pistons are always oriented with their axes at 90 to the radius of the foot bottom and therefore of every deformation of the top sole, in accordance with the load projection (see Figure 3).
In the rest condition when stress is absent the pistons 1 do not come in contact with the lower layer 3 (see Figure 2).
The pistons 1 may consist of an elastomeric material with a solid structure, (resulting in high resistance to displacement) or of an elastomeric material with an empty structure (resulting in easier deformation). In any case, the sole has the main purpose of supporting in different manners the different parts of the foot, and can provide different elastomeric resistances under those parts that, due to anatomic and/or functional anomalies, would be otherwise improperly supported.
If it is necessary to provide a more rigid support, the sole can have pistons 1 with a larger diameter, or even with the same diameter but made of a more compact material.
On the other hand, in the parts of the foot that require a more yielding support the sole can have some pistons 1' with a smaller diameter or otherwise of the same diameter but hollow, or of the same diameter but made of a softer material.

Claims

Claims:

1. A sole for therapeutical shoes including:
an upper layer to support the foot;
a lower layer; and a number of small cylindrical pistons distributed in a space between the layers, the pistons being fastened to or integral with the upper layer and not attached to the lower layer, whereby to provide an elastomeric deformable support such that the pistons are always oriented with their axes at right angles to the radius of every part of the foot bottom in accordance with the load thereof on the sole.

2. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the pistons are solid whereby to have a high elastomeric resistance.

3. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the pistons are hollow whereby to provide a soft support.

4. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the diameters and/or the nature of the pistons vary in different parts of the sole to accommodate the different loading of various parts of the foot.