Field of invention
The present invention relates to an in-sole or insock for shoe. In particular the
present invention relates to a multi-layer insock for shoe for providing increased
comfort while maintaining necessary protection and grip to the user's foot while
walking.
Background of the invention
Use of insock in footwear is known in the art. Most of the conventional insocks are
insertable in nature into the footwear or shoe to form an additional upper member
inside the shoe, which remains in direct contact with the user's foot. Often the
insock is also made fixed to the shoe interior by suitable means. The insock
primarily acts as a cushion thereby increasing comfort and also helps in better
fitting of the user's foot with respect to the shoe interior.
However, conventional insocks do not provide adequate grip to the user's foot and
also do not cater to the increasing need of a specially designed insock that would
provide better support of the user's foot while walking. It is also desirable to
provide additional support means for positions in the foot where maximum support
is required or where maximum part of body weight of the user is exerted. Thus
there is a need of an improved insock which can fulfill such long felt needs.
Objects of the invention
Thus the basic object of the present invention is to provide an improved insock for
footwear/shoes for enhanced grip and protection of the user's foot.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved insock for
footwear/shoe which would offer better support to the user's foot and hence more
comfort while walking.
Summary of the invention
Accordingly, the present invention provides a multi-layer insock for footwear
comprising:
a bottom layer made of a material selected from EVA or polyurethane;
a middle layer made of latex foam or p.e. foam;
a top layer made of a material selected from leather or any suitable synthetic
material, wherein said bottom, middle and top layers substantially cover the entire
lower surface of the user's foot; and
a rubber pad/patch positioned in the heel region.
Detailed description of the invention
The multi-layer insock of the present invention, made from selected materials and
the rubber pad suitably placed in the heel region, provides the much needed
comfort and grip to the user's foot. The rubber pad is placed such that maximum
body weight of the user is exerted on it, thus providing the necessary grip and
comfort.
According to a preferred aspect, the bottom layer extends beyond the lower
surface area of the user's foot in the heel region, so as to cover fully or partially
the sides of the user's foot in contact of the shoe. Such a construction provides
addition comfort to the user's foot as well as side-support which is much required
while walking, running or exercise.
The rubber pad may be fixed to the upper portion of the top layer in the heel
region. The pad may be of any desired shape or size. Preferably the pad is
circular is shape for aesthetic reasons. The rubber pad may have a corrugated
upper profile for better grip. However, such corrugation should not be much as
that would be uncomfortable to the user while standing or walking.
The rubber pad may be partly or fully embedded in the top layer. In such an
embodiment, the pad will be placed between the top and middle layers in the heel
region. An opening; little smaller that the size of the pad may be cut in the top
layer to enable a portion of the pad to come in contact with the heel region of the
user's foot. The pad may be stitched along its perimeter to the top/middle layer or
fixed by suitable adhesive means.
The invention will now be described with respect to a non-limiting preferred
embodiment and accompanying drawing in which:
Figure 1 shows a side cross-section of the insock of the present invention
Figure 2 shows a top view of the insock
Figure 3 shows an isometric view
Description of preferred embodiment
The insock comprises three layers, bottom layer (1) made of ethyl venyl acetate or
EVA, middle layer (2) made of latex foam or p.e. foam and top layer (3) made of
leather. The rubber pad (4), placed in heel region (5), remains partially embedded
between the middle layer (2) and top layer (3). The rubber pad (4) is circular in
shape, a part of which remains in direct contact with the user's foot. To achieve
this a circular opening (6) is cut in the top layer, the opening being slightly smaller
than the size of the rubber pad so that the outer annular portion of the rubber pad
remains embedded within the top and middle layers. The rubber pad may be so
designed such that the said outer annular portion has a submerged profile, to
match with the depth of the top layer, with respect to a middle portion.
Figure 2 shows the position of rubber pad with respect to insock of the present
invention. As seen in the figure, the rubber pad is stitched along its perimeter to
the top layer.
Figure 3 shows an isometric view of the insock. As seen in the figure, the bottom
layer may have side extensions so as to cover a part of the sides of the user's foot
which remains in contact in the inner sides of the shoe.
WE CLAIM:
1. A multi-layer insock for footwear comprising:
a bottom layer (1) made of a material selected from EVA or polyurethane;
a middle layer (2) made of latex foam or p.e. foam;
a top layer (3) made of a material selected from leather or any suitable synthetic
material, wherein said bottom, middle and top layers substantially cover the entire
lower surface of the user's foot; and
a rubber pad/patch (4) positioned in the heel region.
2. A multi-layer insock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom layer extends
beyond the lower surface area of the user's foot in the heel region so as to cover
fully or partially the sides of the user's foot in contact of the shoe.
3. A multi-layer insock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rubber pad/patch is
circular in shape.
4. A multi-layer insock as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said rubber pad
is partially or fully embedded between the top and middle layers.
5. A multi-layer insock as claimed in claim 4, wherein said rubber pad remains in
contact with heel of user's foot through an opening in said top layer.
6. A multi-layer insock as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said rubber pad
is stitched either to the middle or top layer.
7. A multi-layer insock as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said rubber
pad is fixed to said top/middle layer by suitable adhesive means.
8. A multi-layer insock as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said rubber
pad has a corrugated upper profile.

A multi-layer insock for footwear for providing increased comfort while maintaining
necessary protection and grip to the user's foot while walking. The insock
comprises a bottom layer made of a material selected from EVA or polyurethane;
a middle layer made of latex foam or p.e. foam; a top layer made of a material
selected from leather or any suitable synthetic material, wherein said bottom,
middle and top layers substantially cover the entire lower surface of the user's
foot; and a rubber pad/patch positioned in the heel region.