Footwear insert

Abstract

Shock/impact relieving footwear inserts that include a main body member having an upper surface and a lower surface, a plurality of spaced apart cavities extending downward from the upper surface, a plurality or protrusions extending downward from the lower surface, and a projecting wall extending from the upward surface. The main body member and/or the projecting wall can include one or more holes/vents for ventilation. The protrusions can be interconnected to form a lattice, or not interconnected. A primary aperture in the main body member can accommodate a resiliently compressible and slidable shock absorber.

1 . A footwear insert comprising:
 a heel insert of unitary construction, the heel insert comprising:
 a main body member having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface defining an outer edge that includes a front portion, a curved rear portion, and two substantially straight opposing side portions; 
 a plurality of protrusions extending downward from the lower surface, upper limits of the plurality of protrusions defining a protrusion region on the lower surface, the plurality of protrusions being integral with the lower surface of the main body member; and 
 an area within the protrusion region that is devoid of protrusions, the area being at least as large as four of the protrusions. 
   
     
     
         2 . The footwear insert of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cavities extending from the upper surface towards the lower surface, each of the cavities having a top and a bottom, the top being open and the bottom being open or closed and above the lower surface, the tops of the plurality of cavities defining a cavity region of the upper surface. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear insert of  claim 2 , further comprising a primary aperture extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, an upper limit of the primary aperture being disposed within the cavity region of the upper surface, the primary aperture being at least substantially centralized with respect to: a) a front and a back of the footwear insert and/or b) opposing sides of the footwear insert. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear insert of  claim 3 , wherein the primary aperture is centralized with respect to: a) the front and the back of the footwear insert and b) the opposing sides of the footwear insert. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear insert of  claim 3 , wherein a lower limit of the primary aperture is disposed within the protrusion region of the lower surface. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear insert of  claim 1 , further comprising a projecting wall extending at least partially in an upward direction from at least the rear portion of the outer edge of the upper surface of the main body member, the projecting wall comprising a curved rear component. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear insert of  claim 1 , further comprising air vents, the air vents comprising a plurality of holes extending between the upper surface and the lower surface of the main body member. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear insert of  claim 7 , wherein some of the air vents are elongated holes. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear insert of  claim 7 , wherein at least some of the air vents are configured in a plurality of parallel rows. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear insert of  claim 9 , wherein the rows of air vents include round air vents. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear insert of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of cavities extending from the upper surface towards the lower surface, each of the cavities having a top and a bottom, the top being open and the bottom being open or closed and above the lower surface, the tops of the plurality of cavities defining a cavity region of the upper surface, wherein the rows of air vents are disposed between a front of the footwear insert and a frontmost row of the cavities. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear insert of  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of cavities extending from the upper surface towards the lower surface, each of the cavities having a top and a bottom, the top being open and the bottom being open or closed and above the lower surface, the tops of the plurality of cavities defining a cavity region of the upper surface, wherein the air vents include a pair of triangular air vents, and wherein at least one of the cavities is disposed between the pair of triangular air vents. 
     
     
         13 . A footwear assembly comprising:
 a heel insert of unitary construction, the heel insert comprising:
 a main body member having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface defining an outer edge that includes a front portion, a curved rear portion, and two substantially straight opposing side portions; 
 a plurality of cavities extending from the upper surface towards the lower surface, each of the cavities having a top and a bottom, the top being open and the bottom being open or closed and above the lower surface, the tops of the plurality of cavities defining a cavity region of the upper surface; and 
 a primary aperture extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, an upper limit of the primary aperture being disposed within the cavity region, the primary aperture being at least substantially centralized with respect to: a) a front and a back of the footwear insert and/or b) opposing sides of the footwear insert; and 
   a resiliently compressible shock absorber extending above, below, and through the primary aperture.   
     
     
         14 . The footwear assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the shock absorber is adapted to expand horizontally within the primary aperture when the shock absorber is vertically compressed. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the shock absorber is not attached to the heel insert and is adapted to vertically slide within the primary aperture. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear assembly of  claim 13 , wherein a first vertical portion of the shock absorber is made of a material having a different compressibility from a second vertical portion of the shock absorber. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the primary aperture is centralized with respect to: a) the front and the back of the heel insert and b) the opposing sides of the heel insert. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the upper limit of the primary aperture occupies an area at least as large as the tops of four of the cavities. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a lattice of protrusions and connecting members extending downward from the lower surface of the heel insert, wherein a lower limit of the primary aperture is disposed within the lattice. 
     
     
         20 . A an article of footwear comprising:
 an upper member;   an outsole, the outsole having a heel portion, the heel portion including a vertically extending bore having an open top and an open bottom;   a heel insert of unitary construction, the heel insert being positioned within the upper member and above the outsole and comprising:
 a main body member having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface defining an outer edge that includes a front portion, a curved rear portion, and two substantially straight opposing side portions; 
   a plurality of cavities extending from the upper surface towards the lower surface, each of the cavities having a top and a bottom, the top being open and the bottom being open or closed and above the lower surface; and
 a primary aperture extending between the upper surface and the lower surface and at least partially surrounded by some of the plurality of cavities, the primary aperture being at least substantially centralized with respect: a) a front and a back of the footwear insert and/or b) opposing sides of the footwear insert, the primary aperture being vertically aligned with and in communication with the vertically extending bore; and 
   a resiliently compressible shock absorber extending through the primary aperture and the vertically extending bore.