Arch support with ribbed surface

Abstract

An arch support orthotic device is insertable into an item of footwear which comprises an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of which is contoured to conform generally to the shape of the arch of a wearer's foot and is formed of a deformable semi-rigid material responding flexibly to the weight of the wearer and the lower surface of which faces the shoe inner sole surface of the item of footwear when inserted into said item, said lower surface comprising a plurality of ribs and crenellations, wherein said ribs and crenellations function during use to control the deformability of the device so as to reduce loss of the arch supporting function when worn by the wearer while preventing essentially complete deformation against the shoe inner sole surface of the wearer's footwear.

1 . An arch support orthotic device insertable into an item of footwear which comprises an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of which is contoured to conform generally to the shape of the arch of a wearer's foot and is formed of a deformable semi-rigid material responding flexibly to the weight of the wearer and the lower surface of which faces the shoe inner sole surface of the item of footwear when inserted into said item, said lower surface comprising a plurality of ribs and crenellations, wherein said ribs and crenellations function during use to control the deformability of the device so as to reduce loss of the arch supporting function when worn by the wearer while preventing essentially complete deformation against the shoe inner sole surface of the wearer's footwear. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said ribs are of sufficient length to prevent complete deformability of said lower surface to the shoe sole inner surface of the wearer's footwear. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the width of said crenellations are sufficient to prevent complete deformability of said lower surface to the sole of the wearer's footwear. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said ribs are of sufficient length to prevent complete deformability of said lower surface to the shoe sole inner surface of the wearer's footwear and the width of said crenellations are sufficient to prevent complete deformability of said lower surface to the sole of the wearer's footwear. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein said upper surface and said lower surface are part of a unitary device. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the device comprises a heel section and a toe section attached to the arch support section at the respective ends thereof.