US3220416A - Foot pad - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 30, 1965 E. M. BROWN 3,220,416

FOOT PAD Filed March 4, 1963 INVENTOR.

50/775 M BROWN United States Patent 3,220,416 FOOT PAD Edith M. Brown, Rte. 2, Brighton, Mich. Filed Mar. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 262,401 1 Claim. (Cl. 128586) This invention relates to a foot pad for shoes, and in particular to such a pad for ladies high-heeled shoes for preventing the wearers foot from slipping forward in the shoe.

Many foot ailments, such as corns, bunions, tired aching feet, etc., are caused by slipping of the foot forwardly in the shoe. Such slipping results in the toes of the foot being jammed against the toe portion of the upper with each step the person wearing the shoe takes. In addition, the rubbing of the foot against the shoe due to this slippage often results in irritation and soreness of the wearers feet, The tendency of the foot to slip forward in the shoe is most pronounced with the present day widespread adoption of ladies shoes having an elevated heel, which shoes are generally referred to as high-heeled shoes.

As the foot of the wearer of high-heeled shoes is disposed at an appreciable angle with respect to the walking surface such as a sidewalk, floor or the like, the wearers weight is directed both downwardly and forwardly in the shoe, forcing the foot into cramped engagement with the toe of the shoe. The more elevated the heel, of course, the greater the tendency for the foot to slide forward.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a foot pad which may be removably positioned in a shoe to prevent the foot of the wearer from sliding forward in the shoe, no special construction or alteration of the shoe being necessary to accommodate the pad.

A concomitant object of the invention is the provision of a foot pad as described which takes up very little space in the shoe, and which serves to cushion the foot of the wearer while preventing any slipping of the foot within the shoe.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious features will more fully appear from the following specification, claim and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of the foot pad embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the pad shown in FIG. 1, with the pad being upside-down;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1, with the pad being shown upside-down;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the foot pad showing the provision of a metatarsal support on the pad;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG, 4; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section through a ladies high-heeled shoe showing the wearers foot therein and the foot pad of my invention interposed between the foot and the sole of the shoe.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the foot pad 10 embodying my invention in general comprises a relatively thin sheet of resilient flexible material exhibiting a plurality of ribs 12 projecting from the underside thereof. The pad is preferably of the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, with the ribs 12 extending transversely the widest portion thereof. The pad is inwardly tapered toward the rear thereof to provide a rear portion 14 adapted to conveniently lie flat against that portion of the shoe insole which supports the arch of the wearers foot. Forwardly of the ribs there may be provided an extension 16 adapted to underlie the toes of the person wearing the shoe.

The pad '10 must be sufficiently flexible to conform to 3,220,416 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 the shoe insole and the wearers foot, and is preferably of a molded construction made out of silicone rubber or the like. One material that has been found particularly well suited for this purpose is Silastic S6508, a relatively soft silicone rubber. Silastic is a registered trademark of the Dow Corning Corporation, Midland, Michigan.

The ribs 12 are resiliently deformable under pressure from the persons weight placed on the foot, and are generally triangular in cross section, as shown most clearly in FIG. 2. The leading or forward edge 18 of each rib extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pad, with the trailing edge 20 inclined toward the rear of the pad. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the end portions 22 of the ribs 12 are rounded to provide maximum comfort to the wearer.

The foot engaging or upper surface 24 of the pad 10 is generally flat, and must be slip-resistant to prevent slipping of the wearers foot therealong when the pad is inserted in a shoe. A somewhat tacky surface is exhibited by certain silicone rubbers, especially silicones containing a peroxide vulcanizing agent when vulcanized in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. Such silicone rubbers present a good slip-resistant surface, as does the specific produce, Silastic, referred to hereinabove. However, other rubberlike materials may be well suited. It is within the scope of the instant invention to provide a pad .10 having a slightly roughened or irregular upper surface 24 to achieve the necessary slip-resistance.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, my pad 10 may be provided with a metatarsal support member 26 juxtaposed thereon. Metatarsal pads are well known in the art, and are generally made of relatively soft sponge rubber or the like. Member 26 may be aflixed to pad 10 in any convenient fashion, as by the use of a suitable adhesive or by bonding. To assist in the provision of a slip-resistant upper surface contacting the wearers foot, the member 26 is preferably ridged as at 28 (see FIG. 5).

In FIG. 6 is shown a foot pad 10 embodying my invention positioned in a ladies shoe 30 having a high heel 32, with the foot of the wearer of the shoe generally indicated by numeral 34. The surface on which the per-son wearing the shoe is standing is shown by the line 36. Because the rear portion of the shoe is elevated by the high heel 32, there is a pronounced tendency for the foot 34 to slide forward in the shoe when the person is standing or walking, resulting in the toes being jammed against the forward end or toe 38 of the shoe. Furthermore, the rubbing contact between the foot and shoe if such sliding is permitted causes irritation and soreness of the foot wherever it engages a portion of the shoe.

By positioning the pad 10 inside the shoe 30 with the ribs 12 engaging the shoe insole, such sliding is effectively prevented. The weight of the wearer on the pad 10 deforms the ribs 12 to some extent, and the sharp edge between the leading edge 18 and trailing edge 20 (see FIG. 2) engages the shoe insole, preventing any movement of the pad 10 within the shoe, even if the shoe insole be of shiny, slippery leather or the like, as is generally used in the manufacture of shoes. The slip-resistant upper sur face 24 of pad 10 prevents the foot of the wearer from sliding along the pad. Thus there is no sliding or slipping of the foot forward in the shoe, and consequently no jamming of the toes into the constricted space at the forward or toe end of the shoe. Eliminating slippage of the foot within the shoe also prevents irritation resulting in soreness of various areas of the foot which are in intimate contact with the shoe, such as for example, the instep and heel.

The pad shown and described herein is designed to be positioned in ashoe, as shown in FIG. 6, with the ribs 12 disposed generally under the ball of the wearers foot.

During Walking, the persons weight is generally concentrated onthe ball of the foot, rather than on the heel. With the pad 10 thus positioned, the ball of the foot is cushioned by the deformable ribs 12, resulting in greater comfort to the wearer. In addition, and more importantly, the pressure of the foot upon the pad 10, forces the ribs 12 into intimate contact with the shoe insole, effectively preventing the foot from slipping forwardly toward the toe of the shoe. As the heel of the foot carries little or no weight during at least a portion of each step, it is considered to be of small value to position the pad underlying the wearers heel.

Thus it can be seen that I have provided a device effective to prevent slipping of the foot within a shoe which may be conveniently inserted and removed from the shoe, and which requires no special shoe construction. Furthermore, the pad need not be aflixed to the shoe to insure that it will remain in the proper position in the shoe during use.

What I claim is:

A foot pad for a ladies high-heeled shoe comprising a sheet-like pad of flexible resilient material adapted to be positioned within the shoe juxtaposing the shoe insole, said pad having a broad forward portion having a metatarsal region adapted to be engaged by the ball of a foot and a narrow rear end portion, and having a plurality of generally transversely extending ribs generally triangular in cross section and projecting downwardly from the broad forward portion of the pad, said pad also having a plurality of generally transversely extending ribs generally triangular in cross section and projecting upwardly from the broad forward portion of the pad, the ribs which project upwardly from the pad doing so throughout said metatarsal region of the pad and being formed of a generally soft flexible resilient sponge rubber-like material and projecting generally upwardly but having leading edges projecting somewhat toward the rear end of the pad, and the ribs which project downwardly from the pad doing so throughout said metatarsal region thereof and likewise being formed of a generally soft flexible resilient sponge rubber-like material and projecting generally downwardly but having leading edges projecting somewhat toward the forward end of the pad, said metatarsal region of the pad being of increased thickness as compared with the narrow rear end of the pad.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,320,364 10/1917 Boone 128621 X 2,613,456 10/1952 Amico 128-621 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,282,592 12/1961 France.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. LOUIS R. PRINCE, Examiner.

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