Multiplex sockliner system

Abstract

A sockliner for use in a shoe assembly designed to strategically distribute underfoot pressure and to facilitate air circulation within a shoe. The sockliner includes a base having a top face, a bottom face and a plurality of perforation holes positioned across the length of the base and extending therethrough. The sockliner further includes a plurality of ventilation grooves located along a peripheral edge of the sockliner designed to cooperate with the perforation holes to encourage air flow. The bottom face of the sockliner further includes a plurality of zones, each zone including a plurality of lugs which are strategically designed and located to support the weight of the wearer and provide cushioning to the wearer's foot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sockliner comprising:
 a base having a top face and a bottom face;   a plurality of perforation holes positioned across the length of said base and extending therethrough;   a plurality of zones located on the surface of the bottom face, each zone having a plurality of lugs extending downwardly from said bottom face for providing support and cushioning to the foot.   
     
     
         2 . The sockliner of  claim 1  including a plurality of ventilation grooves located along a peripheral edge of the sockliner. 
     
     
         3 . The sockliner of  claim 1  wherein said top face is anatomically shaped. 
     
     
         4 . The sockliner of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the total surface area of the bottom face to the total surface area of said plurality of lugs is approximately 0.25. 
     
     
         5 . The sockliner of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of zones includes four zones, a hindfoot zone, a midfoot zone, a metatarsal zone and a phalange zone, at least one of said zones having a ratio of total surface area of lugs to total surface area of said zone of approximately 0.25. 
     
     
         6 . The sockliner of  claim 5  wherein at least one of said zones having a ratio of total surface area of lugs to total surface area of said zone of approximately 0.24. 
     
     
         7 . The sockliner of  claim 6  wherein at least one of said zones having a ratio of total surface area of lugs to total surface area of said zone of approximately 0.27. 
     
     
         8 . The sockliner of  claim 7  wherein at least two of said zones having a ratio of total surface area of lugs to total surface area of said zones of approximately 0.25. 
     
     
         9 . The sockliner of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the total surface area of the bottom face to the total surface area of said plurality of lugs is in the range of between 0.2 and 0.3. 
     
     
         10 . The sockliner of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of zones includes four zones, a hindfoot zone, a midfoot zone, a metatarsal zone and a phalange zone, at least one of said zones having a ratio of total surface area of lugs to total surface area of said zone in the range of between 0.2 and 0.3. 
     
     
         11 . The sockliner of  claim 10  wherein at least two of said zones having a ratio of total surface area of lugs to total surface area of said zones in the range of between 0.2 and 0.3. 
     
     
         12 . The sockliner of  claim 10  wherein at least three of said zones having a ratio of total surface area of lugs to total surface area of said zones in the range of between 0.2 and 0.3. 
     
     
         13 . The sockliner of  claim 10  wherein all of said zones having a ratio of total surface area of lugs to total surface area of said zones in the range of between 0.2 and 0.3. 
     
     
         14 . The sockliner of  claim 1  wherein the hardness of the base is in the range of about 20 to about 50 on the Asker “C” Scale. 
     
     
         15 . The sockliner of  claim 1  wherein the hardness of the lugs is in the range of about 20 to about 50 on the Asker “C” Scale. 
     
     
         16 . The sockliner of  claim 1  wherein the diameter of the perforation holes is in the range of about 1.5 mm to about 4 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The sockliner of  claim 2  wherein the width of the grooves is in the range of about 1 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
         18 . A sockliner comprising:
 a base having a top face and a bottom face;   a plurality of perforation holes positioned across the length of said base and extending therethrough;   a plurality of ventilation grooves located along a peripheral edge of the sockliner; and   a plurality of zones located on said bottom face, each zone having a plurality of lugs extending downwardly from said bottom face for providing support and cushioning, said lugs being spaced within each said zone so as to allow sufficient space for each lug to compress and expand horizontally relative to each other.   
     
     
         19 . The sockliner of  claim 13  wherein said top face is anatomically shaped.