Footwear insole

Abstract

A human shoe sole or insole, sockliner or orthotic for insertion into a human shoe having a foot supporting upper surface including a first region for supporting at least the first, metatarsal head of the foot, and a second region surrounding the first region. The first region provides less resistance to downward motion than the second region, and includes a hollow or depressed area, sized and located to promote eversion of the first metatarsal head as the wearer moves from midstance through propulsive phase. Also provided human insole or orthotic for insertion into a human shoe having a bottom surface with a hard shell covering at least a heel portion of the bottom surface, which reduces the deformation of the footbed under load. The insole or orthotic may also include a series of grooves located to increase flexibility where necessary.

1 - 61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . An insole, orthotic or sockliner for insertion into a human shoe having a foot supporting upper surface having regions of varying hardness that approximately match the regions of varying hardness of the underside of the wearer's foot, and a bottom surface comprising a hard shell covering at least a heel portion of the bottom surface. 
     
     
         63 . The insole, orthotic or sockliner of  claim 62 , characterized by one or more of the following features:
 (a) wherein the hard shell includes side walls that partially surround the heel portion of the insole;   (b) further comprising an asymmetric heel pad, and optionally further comprising a depression in the hard shell corresponding to the asymmetric heel pad;   (c) wherein the hard shell further comprises a frictional surface for preventing slipping;   (d) wherein the bottom surface includes a plurality of grooves that are located beneath the second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal heads of the foot, and forward of the first metatarsal head of the foot;   (e) including a footbed, a lateral arch region, a medial arch region and a heel region, wherein the footbed and the lateral arch region have a first hardness value, the medial arch region has a second hardness value that is softer than the first hardness value, and the heel region has a third hardness value that is harder than the first and second hardness values;   (f) wherein the footbed includes a forward region which includes a hollow or depression underlying the first metatarsal head of the wearer; and   (g) wherein the medial arch region has a second hardness value that is at least 5 Shore C points softer than the first hardness value, but not more than 10 Shore C points softer, and the heel region has a third hardness value that is at least 10 Shore C points harder than the first hardness values, but not more than 20 Shore C points harder.   
     
     
         64 . An insole, orthotic or sockliner for insertion into a human shoe having a foot supporting upper surface including a first region for supporting at least the first metatarsal head of the foot, and a second region surrounding the first region for supporting the remainder of the foot, at least in part, wherein the first region provides less resistance to downward motion than the second region, wherein the first region includes a hollow or depressed area relative to the remainder of the first region having a medial border portion and a lateral border portion, wherein the depression has its lowest point skewed to the medial side of center, whereby to promote eversion of the first metatarsal head as the wearer moves from midstance through propulsive phase, wherein the depression is formed in a location that is approximately 72.5% of the length of the length of the insert, measured from the heel, minus 10 mm. 
     
     
         65 . The insole, orthotic or sockliner of  claim 64 , characterized by one or more of the following claims:
 (a) wherein the first region has a lower durometer than the second region, and wherein the first region preferably has a Shore A hardness of  30 - 35 ;   (b) wherein the first region is formed of a plug of material surrounded by the second region;   (c) wherein the depressed area comprises an opening formed and extending from the upper foot supporting surface;   (d) wherein the depression comprises a hollow formed below the foot supporting upper surface; and   (e) having a bottom surface that includes a hard shell covering at least a heel portion of the bottom surface.   
     
     
         66 . An insole or orthotic for insertion into a human shoe having a foot supporting upper surface, and a bottom surface comprising a hard shell covering at least a heel portion of the bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface includes a plurality of grooves located beneath the second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal heads of the foot, and forward of the first metatarsal of the foot, and an asymmetric heel pad having a depression located beneath the heel. 
     
     
         67 . The insole or orthotic of  claim 66 , characterized by one or more of the following features:
 (a) futher including a plurality of vent holes connecting the grooves to the upper surface for passing moisture away from the upper surface;   (b) wherein the hard shell includes side walls that partially surround the heel portion of the wearer's foot;   (c) wherein the depression in the hard shell is tear shaped; and   (d) wherein the depression comprises a hole formed in the hard shell.   
     
     
         68 . A human shoe having a foot supporting upper surface having regions of varying hardness that approximately match the regions of varying hardness of the underside of the wearer's foot, and a bottom surface comprising a hard shell covering at least a heel portion of the bottom surface. 
     
     
         69 . The human shoe sole of  claim 68 , characterized by one or more of the following features:
 (a) wherein the hard shell includes side walls that partially surround the heel portion of the insole;   (b) further comprising an asymmetric heel pad;   (c) further comprising a depression in the hard shell corresponding to the asymmetric heel pad;   (d) wherein the hard shell further comprises a frictional surface for preventing slipping;   (e) wherein the bottom surface includes a plurality of grooves that are located beneath the second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal heads of the foot, and and forward of the first metatarsal head of the foot;   (f) including a footbed, a lateral arch region, a medial arch region and a heel region, wherein the footbed and the lateral arch region have a first hardness value, the medial arch region has a second hardness value that is softer than the first hardness value, and the heel region has a third hardness value that is harder than the first and second hardness values, wherein the footbed preferably includes a forward region which includes a hollow or depression underlying the first metatarsal head of the wearer; and   (g) wherein the medial arch region has a second hardness value that is at least 5 Shore C points softer than the first hardness value, but not more than 10 Shore C points softer, and the heel region has a third hardness value that is at least 10 Shore C points harder than the first hardness values, but not more than 20 Shore C points harder.   
     
     
         70 . A human shoe having a foot supporting upper surface including a first region for supporting at least the first metatarsal head of the foot, and a second region surrounding the first region for supporting the remainder of the foot, at least in part, wherein the first region provides less resistance to downward motion than the second region, wherein the first region includes a hollow or depressed area relative to the remainder of the first region having a medial border portion and a lateral border portion, wherein the depression has its lowest point skewed to the medial side of center, whereby to promote eversion of the first metatarsal head as the wearer moves from midstance through propulsive phase, wherein the depression is formed in a location that is approximately 72.5% of the length of the length of the insert, measured from the heel, minus 10 mm. 
     
     
         71 . The human shoe sole of  claim 70 , characterized by one or more of the following features:
 (a) wherein the first region has a lower durometer than the second region, wherein the first region preferably has a Shore A hardness of  30 - 35 ;   (b) wherein the first region is formed of a plug of material surrounded by the second region;   (c) wherein the depressed area comprises an opening fouled in and extending from the foot supporting upper surface;   (d) wherein the depression comprises a hollow formed below the foot supporting upper surface; and   (e) having a bottom surface that includes a hard shell covering at least a heel portion of the bottom surface.   
     
     
         72 . A human shoe having a foot supporting upper surface, and a bottom surface, the bottom surface includes a plurality of grooves located beneath the second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal heads of the foot, and forward of the first metatarsal of the foot, and an asymmetric heel pad having a depression located beneath the heel. 
     
     
         73 . The human shoe sole of  claim 72 , characterized by one or more of the following features:
 (a) further including a plurality of vent holes connecting the grooves to the upper surface for passing moisture away from the upper surface;   (b) wherein the foot supporting upper surface includes side walls that partially surround the heel portion of the wearer's foot; and   (c) wherein the depression beneath the heel is tear shaped.   
     
     
         74 . An insole, or orthotic or sockliner for insertion into a human shoe having a foot supporting upper surface having regions of varying hardness that approximately match the regions of varying hardness of the underside of the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         75 . The insole, or orthotic or sockliner of  claim 74 , wherein the foot supporting upper surface includes a footbed, a lateral arch region, a medial arch region and a heel region, wherein the footbed and the lateral arch region have a first hardness value, the medial arch region has a second hardness value that is softer than the first hardness value, and the heel region has a third hardness value that is harder than the first and second hardness values. 
     
     
         76 . The insole, or orthotic or sockliner of  claim 73 , characterized by one or more of the following features:
 (a) wherein the lateral arch region has a Shore C hardness value of 20 to 60;   (b) wherein the lateral arch region has a Shore C hardness of about 40;   (c) wherein the medial arch region has a Shore C hardness of about 15 to 55;   (d) wherein the medial arch region has a Shore C hardness of about 35;   (e) wherein the heel region has a Shore C hardness of about 30 to 70;   (f) wherein the heel region has a Shore C hardness of about 50;   (g) wherein the footbed includes a forward region which includes a hollow or depression underlying the first metatarsal head of the wearer; and   (h) wherein the medial arch region has a second hardness value that is at least 5 Shore C points softer than the first hardness value, but not more than 10 Shore C points softer, and the heel region has a third hardness value that is at least 10 Shore C points harder than the first hardness values, but not more than 20 Shore C points harder.   
     
     
         77 . A human shoe having a foot supporting upper surface having regions of varying hardness that approximately match the regions of varying hardness of the underside of the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         78 . The human shoe of  claim 77 , wherein the foot supporting upper surface includes a footbed, a lateral arch region, a medial arch region and a heel region, wherein the footbed and the lateral arch region have a first hardness value, the medial arch region has a second hardness value that is softer than the first hardness value, and the heel region has a third hardness value that is harder than the first and second hardness values. 
     
     
         79 . The human shoe of  claim 78 , characterized by one or more of the following features:
 (a) wherein the lateral arch region has a Shore C hardness value of 20 to 60;   (b) wherein the lateral arch region has a Shore C hardness of about 40;   (c) wherein the medial arch region has a Shore C hardness of about 15 to 55;   (d) wherein the medial arch region has a Shore C hardness of about 35;   (e) wherein the heel region has a Shore C hardness of about 30 to 70;   (f) wherein the heel region has a Shore C hardness of about 50;   (g) wherein the upper surface includes a forward region which includes a hollow or depression underlying the first metatarsal head of the wearer; and   (h) wherein the medial arch region has a second hardness value that is at least 5 Shore C points softer than the first hardness value, but not more than 10 Shore C points softer, and the heel region has a third hardness value that is at least 10 Shore C points harder than the first hardness values, but not more than 20 Shore C points harder.