Insoles, shoes and production methods

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improvement to footwear. An insole is disclosed which is especially advantageous for users of high-heeled shoes. The insole comprises a cushioning pad arranged in a heel region and/or a toe region of the insole. The cushioning pad comprises an inner pad material and an outer pad material, the outer pad material enclosing the inner pad material to form a hermetically sealed pocket containing at least air and the inner pad material. A viscoelastic foam layer which extends continuously from one end of the insole to the other end of the insole in a longitudinal direction is arranged on the two cushioning pads. A shock-absorbing layer is arranged between the cushioning pad and the viscoelastic foam layer. A top layer which also extends continuously from one end of the insole to the other end of the insole in a longitudinal direction is arranged on the viscoelastic foam layer and comprises perforations provided in the heel region and the toe region.

1 . An insole for footwear comprising:
 a first material extending continuously from one end of the insole to the other end of the insole in a longitudinal direction; and   a cushioning pad arranged in a heel region and/or a toe region of the insole;   wherein the cushioning pad comprises an inner pad material and an outer pad material, the outer pad material enclosing the inner pad material to form a hermetically sealed pocket containing at least air and the inner pad material.   
     
     
         2 . An insole according to  claim 1 , wherein said cushioning pad is arranged below the first material. 
     
     
         3 . An insole according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner pad material is a mesh spacer fabric. 
     
     
         4 . An insole according to  claim 3 , wherein the mesh spacer fabric has a structure comprising a fibrous core sandwiched between two mesh layers, and the inner pad material comprises two of said structures stacked on top of each other. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . An insole according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner pad material is a viscoelastic foam, preferably an open-celled viscoelastic foam. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . An insole according to  claim 6 , wherein the inner pad material is a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . An insole according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer pad material is made from at least one of: polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyvinyl chloride and polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         11 . An insole according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material is a viscoelastic foam, preferably an open-celled viscoelastic foam, preferably a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An insole according to  claim 11 , wherein the first material has one or more of the following properties:
 a) a density of between 120 and 450 kg/m 3  measured with ASTM D3574-95 Test A;   b) a compression set of between 0 and 15% measured with ASTM D3574 Test D at 70 degrees Celsius;   c) a compression force deflection of between 0 and 350 kPa measured at 5 mm/min, strain rate force measured at 25% deflection; and   d) a ball rebound resilience value of between 0 and 30% measured with ASTM D2632-96, vertical rebound.   
     
     
         15 . An insole according to  claim 1 , further comprising an upper layer arranged above the first material and extending continuously from one end of the insole to the other end of the insole in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         16 . An insole according to  claim 15 , wherein the upper layer comprises perforations. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . An insole according to any one of  claim 15 , wherein the upper layer is porous. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An insole according to  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate layer arranged between the cushioning pad and the first material. 
     
     
         22 . An insole according to  claim 21 , wherein the intermediate layer is a viscoelastic foam, preferably an open-celled viscoelastic foam, preferably a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . An insole according to  claim 22 , wherein the intermediate layer has one or more of the following properties:
 a) a density of between 80 and 100 kg/m 3  measured with ASTM D3574-95 Test A;   b) a compression set of between 0 and 1% measured with ASTM D3574, compressed by 25% for 22 hours at 70 degrees Celsius;   c) an indentation force deflection of between 10 and 50 lb/(50 in 2 ) measured with ASTM D3574 Test B1; and   d) a ball rebound resilience value of between 0 and 3.5% measured with ASTM D3574.   
     
     
         26 . An insole according to  claim 21 , wherein the intermediate layer is an ethylene-vinyl acetate foam. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . An item of footwear comprising an insole according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         31 . An item of footwear according to  claim 30 , further comprising a heel, wherein said heel is preferably higher than 4 cm. 
     
     
         32 . A high-heeled shoe comprising an insole, said insole comprising a cushioning pad arranged in a heel region and/or in a toe region of the insole and further comprising a continuous material over said cushioning pad, wherein the cushioning pad comprises an inner pad material and an outer pad material, the outer pad material arranged around the inner pad material to form a hermetically sealed pocket containing at least air and the inner pad material. 
     
     
         33 . A method of making an insole for footwear comprising:
 enclosing an inner pad material and air with an outer pad material;   hermetically sealing the outer pad material to form a cushioning pad having an inner pocket containing at least the inner pad material and air;   adhering a continuous piece of material to the cushioning pad such that the cushioning pad is arranged in a heel region and/or a toe region of the insole.   
     
     
         34 . (canceled)