Visco-elastic insert

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016235159-A1
Application number	US-201615137914-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 25, 2016
Priority date	Oct 25, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to visco-elastic inserts, in particular to shoe inserts, and in particular to heel supports having a main body with regions of dissimilar hardness.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heel support comprising:
a main body including a first region made from a first visco-elastic material with a first hardness, a second region made from a second visco-elastic material with a second hardness, and a third region made from a third visco-elastic material with a third hardness; and, a shell arranged on an outer edge of said main body; said second region being surrounded by said first region and said third region being surrounded by said second region; said second visco-elastic material of said second region being softer than said first visco-elastic material of said first region; said third visco-elastic material of said third region being softer than said second visco-elastic material of second region; said first region having a first abutting edge, said second region having second inner and outer abutting edges, and said third region having a third abutting edge; said first abutting edge, said second inner and outer abutting edges, and said third abutting edge having protrusions and abutting clearances; said first abutting edge of said first region and said second outer abutting edge of said second region being intermeshed with each other through the protrusions and abutting clearances of said first abutting edge and said second outer abutting edge in a mutually matching serpentine manner or in a toothed manner; said second inner abutting edge of said second region and said third abutting edge of said third region being intermeshed with each other through the protrusions and abutting clearances of said second inner abutting edge and said third abutting edge in a mutually matching serpentine manner or in a toothed manner; and, said second region having a kidney-like or a tear-like planar shape.

2 . The heel support of claim 1 , wherein:
said first visco-elastic material has a hardness of 45 to 60 Shore, said second visco-elastic material has a hardness of 25 to 50 Shore, and said third visco-elastic material has a hardness of 20 to 30 Shore.

3 . The heel support of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the main body tapers off toward a front area thereby forming a front edge of the main body, and
wherein the shell does not extend to the front edge of the main body.

4 . The heel support of claim 1 , wherein the first visco-elastic material with the first hardness, the second first visco-elastic material with the second hardness, and the third first visco-elastic material with the third hardness are silicone-based rubber materials.

5 . The heel support of claim 1 , wherein the second region that is made from the second visco-elastic material with the second hardness and the third region that is made from the third visco-elastic material with the third hardness are coated with the first visco-elastic material with the first hardness to compose a surface of the main body that points toward the sole of a foot.

6 . The heel support of claim 1 , wherein the second region that is made from the second visco-elastic material with the second hardness and the third region that is made from the third visco-elastic material with the third hardness are integrally cast in the first visco-elastic material with the first hardness.

7 . A heel support comprising:
a main body including a first region made from a first visco-elastic material with a first hardness, a third region made from a second visco-elastic material with a second hardness, and a second region made from the first visco-elastic material with the first hardness in which elements made from the second visco-elastic material with the second hardness are embedded; and, a shell arranged on an outer edge of said main body; said second region being surrounded by said first region and said third region being surrounded by said second region; said second visco-elastic material of said third region being softer than said first visco-elastic material of said first region; and, said second region having a kidney-like or a tear-like planar shape.

8 . The heel support of claim 7 , wherein:
said first region has a hardness of 45 to 60 Shore, said second region has a hardness of 35 to 50 Shore, and said third region has a hardness of 20 to 50 Shore.

9 . The heel support of claim 7 , wherein the elements made from the second visco-elastic material are cylindrically shaped, spherically shaped, rod-shaped, or hexahedron-shaped.

10 . An insert comprising:
a main body including a first region made from a first visco-elastic material with a first hardness, a third region made from a second visco-elastic material with a second hardness, and a second region made from the second visco-elastic material with the second hardness in which elements made from the first visco-elastic material with the first hardness are embedded; and, a shell arranged on an outer edge of said main body; said second region being surrounded by said first region and said third region being surrounded by said second region; said first visco-elastic material of said first region being softer than said second visco-elastic material of said third region; and, said first region having a first abutting edge, said second region having second inner and outer abutting edges, and said third region having a third abutting edge; said first abutting edge, said second inner and outer abutting edges, and said third abutting edge having protrusions and abutting clearances; said first abutting edge of said first region and said second outer abutting edge of said second region being intermeshed with each other through the protrusions and abutting clearances of said first abutting edge and said second outer abutting edge in a mutually matching serpentine manner or in a toothed manner; said second inner abutting edge of said second region and said third abutting edge of said third region being intermeshed with each other through the protrusions and abutting clearances of said second inner abutting edge and said third abutting edge in a mutually matching serpentine manner or in a toothed manner; and, said second region having a kidney-like or a tear-like planar shape.

Assignees

• Bauerfeind Ag

Inventors

• Bauerfeind Thomas

Classifications

• A43B7/38

  Elevating, i.e. height increasing (with elevated heel parts inside A43B7/16; lengthening pieces for natural legs A61F3/00) · CPC title

• F16B5/0628 Primary

  allowing for adjustment parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the sheets or plates · CPC title

• E04F15/02044

  Separate elements for fastening to an underlayer (E04F15/02133, E04F15/0215 take precedence) · CPC title

• E04F15/02183

  for outdoor use, e.g. in decks, patios, terraces, verandas or the like · CPC title

• E04F2015/02061

  adjustable perpendicular to the underlayer · CPC title