Gel Insole

Abstract

An insole for insertion into footwear, comprising a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion and a heel portion; the midfoot portion connecting together the forefoot portion and the heel portion; said insole comprising a cushioning layer of a viscoelastic gel material which provides a cushioning function; and wherein the midfoot portion and the heel portion comprise a peripheral edge that curves upwards.

1 . An insole for insertion into footwear, said insole comprising a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion and a heel portion; the midfoot portion connecting together the forefoot portion and the heel portion; said insole comprising a cushioning layer of a viscoelastic gel material which provides a cushioning function; and wherein the midfoot portion and the heel portion comprise a peripheral edge that curves upwards. 
     
     
         2 . An insole according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said forefoot portion and said heel portion contains a substantially dome shaped pillow protruding from said cushioning layer thereat. 
     
     
         3 . An insole according to  claim 2 , wherein said cushioning layer and said pillow(s) are formed from the same viscoelastic gel material as a unitary, one-piece structure. 
     
     
         4 . An insole according to  claim 3  wherein said pillow(s) are formed from a material other than the viscoelastic gel material of the insole. 
     
     
         5 . An insole according to  claim 4 , wherein said pillow(s) are formed from a foam material. 
     
     
         6 . An insole according to  claim 1 , wherein said insole contains an arrangement for maintaining said insole in position in said footwear during use. 
     
     
         7 . An insole according to  claim 6 , wherein said arrangement comprises providing a high friction material on the surface of the insole that contacts said footwear. 
     
     
         8 . An insole according to  claim 7 , wherein said high friction material comprises an adhesive applied to at least a portion of the surface of the insole that contacts the footwear. 
     
     
         9 . An insole according to  claim 8 , wherein said adhesive is a release adhesive that permits removal of the insole from the footwear and repositioning the insole in the footwear. 
     
     
         10 . An insole according to  claim 9 , wherein said high friction material comprises tackifier material added to said viscoelastic gel material. 
     
     
         11 . An insole according to  claim 2 , wherein said pillow(s) comprise a plurality of spaced apart spring walls formed from said viscoelastic gel, said spring walls extending from a lower surface of said cushioning layer. 
     
     
         12 . An insole according to  claim 11 , wherein said spring walls each have a height which is greatest at a center of said pillow and which tapers in height toward edges of said pillow. 
     
     
         13 . An insole according to  claim 11 , wherein each of said spring walls is formed in a generally sinusoidal wave shape. 
     
     
         14 . An insole according to  claim 1 , wherein said cushioning layer has a substantially uniform thickness of about 2 mm 
     
     
         15 . An insole according to  claim 2 , wherein said pillow(s) have a height less than about 3 mm. 
     
     
         16 . An insole according to  claim 1 , further comprising a top cover secured to an upper surface of said cushioning layer. 
     
     
         17 . An insole for insertion into footwear comprising a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion and a heel portion; said insole comprising a cushioning layer of a viscoelastic gel material which provides a cushioning function; wherein at least one of the forefoot portion and heel portion comprising at least one substantially dome shaped pillow protruding from the cushioning layer; and wherein the insole comprises a peripheral edge that curves upwards at the midfoot portion and the heel portion. 
     
     
         18 . An insole according to  claim 17 , wherein said cushioning layer and said pillow(s) are formed from the same viscoelastic gel material as a unitary, one-piece structure. 
     
     
         19 . An insole according to  claim 17 , wherein said pillow(s) are formed from a material other than the viscoelastic gel material of the insole. 
     
     
         20 . An insole according to  claim 19 , wherein said pillow(s) are formed from a foam material. 
     
     
         21 . An insole according to  claim 17 , wherein said insole contains an arrangement for maintaining said insole in position in said footwear during use. 
     
     
         22 . An insole according to  claim 21 , wherein said arrangement comprises providing a high friction material on the surface of the insole that contacts said footwear. 
     
     
         23 . An insole according to  claim 22 , wherein said high friction material comprises an adhesive applied to at least a portion of the surface of the insole that contacts the footwear. 
     
     
         24 . An insole according to  claim 22 , wherein said adhesive is a release adhesive that permits removal of the insole from the footwear and repositioning the insole in the footwear. 
     
     
         25 . An insole according to  claim 9 , wherein said high friction material comprises tackifier material added to said viscoelastic gel material. 
     
     
         26 . An insole according to  claim 17 , wherein said pillow(s) comprise a plurality of spaced apart spring walls formed from said viscoelastic gel, said spring walls extending from a lower surface of said cushioning layer. 
     
     
         27 . An insole according to  claim 26 , wherein said spring walls each have a height which is greatest at a center of said pillow and which tapers in height toward edges of said pillow. 
     
     
         28 . An insole according to  claim 26 , wherein each of said spring walls is formed in a generally sinusoidal wave shape. 
     
     
         29 . An insole according to  claim 17 , wherein said cushioning layer has a substantially uniform thickness of about 2 mm 
     
     
         30 . An insole according to  claim 17 , wherein said pillow(s) have a height less than about 3 mm. 
     
     
         31 . An insole according to  claim 17 , further comprising a top cover secured to an upper surface of said cushioning layer. 
     
     
         32 . An insole according to  claim 31 , wherein the top cover comprises a low friction film material. 
     
     
         33 . An insole according to  claim 32 , wherein the film material comprises a styrenic block copolymer. 
     
     
         34 . The insole according to  claim 33 , wherein the film material comprises a copolymer chosen from the group consisting of styrene/ethylene-co-butylene/styrene (SEBS), styrene/butadiene/styrene (SBS) and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         35 . An insole according to  claim 34 , wherein the gel film consists essentially of SEBS, mineral oil and polypropylene. 
     
     
         36 . An insole according to  claim 32 , wherein the film material comprises the entire top surface of the gel insole. 
     
     
         37 . An insole according to  claim 32 , wherein the film material comprises only a portion(s) of the top surface. 
     
     
         38 . An insole according to  claim 37 , wherein the insole comprises film material covering only areas of the insole that will come in contact with one or more of the toes, ball of foot, and heel when in the insole comes in contact with a foot. 
     
     
         39 . A method for constructing a gel insole comprising a viscoelastic gel material to comprise a low friction top surface, which method comprises the steps of placing a film material comprising a styrenic block copolymer and having top and bottom surfaces in an injection mold, and injecting viscoelastic gel material into the mold to form the gel insole on the bottom surface of the film material, thereby providing the low friction top surface for the gel insoles. 
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the film material comprises the entire top surface of the gel insole. 
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the film material comprises only a portion(s) of the top surface of the gel insole. 
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 41 , wherein the insole comprises film material covering only areas of the insole that will come in contact with one or more of the toes, ball of foot, and heel when in the insole comes in contact with a foot. 
     
     
         43 . An insole comprising a forefoot portion, a mid-foot portion, and a heel portion, said forefoot portion, mid-foot portion and heel portion forming a cushioning layer comprising a resilient material having a first hardness and which provides a cushioning function, and a cushioning insert comprised within a recess in said cushioning layer and extending down from said cushioning layer; said cushioning insert comprising a resilient material having a second hardness that is less than the hardness of said cushioning layer. 
     
     
         44 . An insole for insertion into footwear comprising a forefoot portion, a mid-foot portion and a heel portion forming a cushioning layer having upper and lower surfaces; which cushioning layer comprises a first elastomeric gel material having a first hardness and a second elastomeric gel material having a second hardness less than the hardness of the first elastomeric gel material, said second elastomeric gel material disposed within a recess in the bottom surface of the cushioning layer, the recess located substantially in the mid-foot portion positioned below the arch of the foot.