Shoe with ergonomic insole unit

Abstract

A shoe includes an ergonomic insole unit, and an upper with a bottom margin attached directly to the insole unit via a lasting process. The insole unit has a heel part which includes a bottom face, a rear upward flange extending upward from the heel part and a concave top surface conforming to the heel of the wearer's foot. In order to permit the bottom margin of the upper to be lasted over the heel part, the bottom face is coplanar at least in a peripheral region which extends along a corner defined by the bottom face and the upward flange.

1 . A shoe comprising: 
 an ergonomic insole unit, and an upper having a bottom margin attached directly to said insole unit via a lasting process,    said insole unit including a heel part which includes a base, a rear upward flange projecting upward from a periphery of said base and making a U-shaped turn around said base, said upward flange forming a corner with said base along said U-shaped turn, said bottom margin of said upper being folded over said corner,    said base having a bottom face, and a top face opposite to said bottom face, said top face having a downward concave area, said bottom face being coplanar at least in a peripheral region which extends along full length of said corner.    
     
     
         2 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an entire part of said bottom face is coplanar.  
     
     
         3 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said insole unit further includes an insole element which has a uniform thickness and which includes a toe section, a heel section, and a shank section interconnecting said toe and heel sections, said heel part being formed as a separate piece from said insole element.  
     
     
         4 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said heel part is disposed beneath said heel section of said insole element and connected integrally to said insole element.  
     
     
         5 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said heel part is disposed above said heel section of said insole element and connected integrally to said insole element.  
     
     
         6 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said insole unit further includes a toe part, and a shank part connected between said toe part and said heel part, said heel part, said toe part and said shank part being formed as a one-piece sole-shaped member.  
     
     
         7 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said insole unit further includes a toe part formed as a separate piece from said heel part.  
     
     
         8 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said insole unit further includes a shank part formed as a separate piece from said heel part.  
     
     
         9 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said heel part further has a rear outward flange which projects outward from said upward flange and which is substantially coplanar with said bottom face.  
     
     
         10 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said heel part has a protrusion projecting downward from said bottom face within said peripheral region.  
     
     
         11 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said insole unit further includes a toe part, and a shank part connected between said toe part and said heel part, said toe part, said shank part and said heel part being formed as a one-piece sole-shaped member, said one-piece member having a bottom face that extends from said toe part to said heel part and that includes said bottom face of said heel part, said bottom face of said one-piece member having a protrusion that projects downwardly.