AU2012216359A1 - Footbed - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A footbed (17) comprising an adjustable contoured portion (23) which is adjustable between a firm configuration and a soft configuration to suit a person's foot. Figure 3 Figure 4

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Footwear Industris Pty Ltd Actual Inventor Michael Harding Address for service is: WRAYS Ground Floor, 56 Ord Street West Perth WA 6005 Attorney code: WR Invention Title: Footbed The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 Footbed Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention generally relates to a footbed for footwear. In particular the present invention relates to a footbed which incorporates an adjustable portion. Background Art [0002] Like many parts of the human body, feet vary in size and geometry from person to person. This makes it difficult to provide a shoe which is comfortable for the many varieties of foot shapes. What feels comfortable to one person may feel uncomfortable to another. [0003] An area in which foot anatomy varies significantly is in the midfoot. The midfoot comprises five irregular bones which form the foot arches. The foot arches act as a shock absorber and assist to maintain a person's balance. It is therefore important to ensure the foot arch is properly supported when the foot is in a shoe, and that the arch is not in a stressed condition. [0004] Shoes typically comprise an outer sole for engaging the ground, an upper section which surrounds a person's foot and a footbed, which is received within the shoe and is typically fitted during the manufacturing process. The footbed is typically contoured to provide support for the foot and may be made of a material which absorbs some of the force exerted on the foot as it engages a surface. [0005] A shortcoming of available shoes and orthotics is that they are not manufactured to support a variety of foot arches. A shoe which has inner arch support for a foot with a large arch would end up stressing a foot having a low foot arch, resulting in discomfort for the person. To alleviate this from occurring contoured footbeds are available which may be placed in a shoe to better suit the shoe to a foot. These footbeds may be in the form of expensive orthotics which are individually formed to suit each foot, or are produced in different sizes so that a person can select from a predetermined range of sizes. 2 [0006] The preceding discussion of the background to the invention is intended only to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application. Summary Of Invention [0007] The present invention seeks to provide a footbed for footwear which may be adjusted to support different foot arches. [0008] This particularly invention is directed to the footbed. The footbed of the present invention may be fitted to any type of footwear. Therefore, whilst this specification largely discusses a footbed with respect to a conventional shoe, the present invention is for a footbed which may be incorporated in any type of footwear. [0009] The present invention provides a footbed comprising an adjustable contoured portion which is adjustable between a firm configuration and a soft configuration to suit a person's foot. [0010] The adjustable contoured portion may be adapted to support the arches of a foot in a piece of footwear. [0011] The adjustable contoured portion may be adjustable between a firm configuration, a medium configuration, and a soft configuration. [0012] The firm configuration may be suited for feet having a high arch, the medium configuration is suited for people having a medium arch and the soft configuration is suited for people having a low arch. [0013] The adjustable contoured portion may co-operate with a support insert, wherein the support insert allows the adjustable contoured portion to be adjusted between the firm, medium and soft configurations. 3 [0014] The adjustable contoured portion may incorporate a plurality of slots. [0015] Each slot may extend from a first surface of the footbed to a position between the first surface and a distal surface of the footbed. [0016] Each slot may define a hollow cavity. [0017] The support insert may comprise a base having a plurality of projections extending therefrom. [0018] The projections may be in the form of teeth. [0019] The teeth may be adapted to be received in the hollow cavities. [0020] The teeth may frictionally engage the hollow cavities. [0021] At least a portion of each tooth may be textured to enhance the frictional engagement. [0022] Each projection may have a line of weakness along its length to allow an end part of each projection to be easily removed and thus shortened. [0023] The footbed may be provided with a plurality of different support inserts. [0024] The support insert may be adapted to be received in a recessed portion of the footbed such that when in position the support insert is flush with a surface of the footbed. [0025] When the support insert is fully positioned in the adjustable contoured portion whereby the projections extend substantially along the entire length of respective cavities, the adjustable contoured portion may be in the firm configuration, enabling the footbed to support a foot having a high arch. [0026] When the support insert is fully positioned in the adjustable contoured portion whereby the projections extend substantially to half the length of 4 respective cavities, the adjustable contoured portion may be in the medium configuration, enabling the footbed to support a foot having a medium arch. [0027] When the support insert is fully provided in the adjustable contoured portion whereby the projections do not extend into respective cavities, the adjustable contoured portion may be in the soft configuration, enabling the footbed to support a foot having a low arch. [0028] When the support insert is not positioned in the adjustable contoured portion the adjustable contoured portion may be in the soft configuration, enabling the footbed to support a foot having a low arch. Brief Description of the Drawings [0029] The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of several specific embodiments thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of the mid and rear sections of a conventional footbed; Figure 2 is a side view of the mid and rear sections a footbed according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of a footbed having a footbed therein according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a view similar to figure 3 with the support insert removed from the footbed; Figure 5 is a of a portion of the footbed shown in figure 4; and Figure 6 is a view of a portion of the footbed without the support inserts therein. 5 [0030] In the drawings like structures are referred to by like numerals throughout the several views. The drawings shown are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the present invention. Description of Embodiments [0031] A footbed is typically fitted to the inner part of a shoe after the manufacturing process to tailor a shoe to a person's foot. A conventional prior art footbed, as shown in Figure 1, is formed from a shock absorbing material and is contoured to support a person's foot. The contour usually includes an upper heel part 11, a raised arch part 13 and a lower front part 15. The proportions of these parts vary from footbed to footbed. However, they generally do not allow for adjustability. As a result it is important that a person selects a footbed which best suits the shoe as well as their foot. [0032] Figure 2 shows the footbed of figure 1 modified to provide less support in the raised arch part, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 illustrates a footbed 17 according to the present invention whereby the footbed would provide support comfortable for a foot with a low foot arch. The adjustable contour portion 23 includes cavities 25 that enable the adjustable contour portion 23 to compress further than is possible in prior art footbeds. [0033] Figures 3 to 6 illustrate the footbed of figure 2 from a variety of angles. The invention provides a footbed 17 having a first surface 19 and a distal surface (not shown). The footbed also incorporates an adjustable contoured portion 23. [0034] The adjustable contoured portion 23 is adjustable between a firm configuration, whereby the footbed is best suited to support a foot having a high arch, a medium configuration, whereby the footbed is best suited to support a foot having a medium arch, and a soft configuration, whereby the footbed is best suited to support a foot having a low arch. Of course it would be obvious to a skilled addressee that the adjustable contoured portion 23 may be adjustable for other configurations and that such variations are within the scope of this 6 invention. However, it is envisaged that for most applications the firm, medium or soft configurations provide the footbed with sufficient adjustability to accommodate most feet. [0035] The adjustable contoured portion 23 includes a recessed portion 27 formed in the first surface 19 of the footbed. Extending from the recessed portion 27, towards the distal surface, is a plurality of slots, each slot defining a cavity 25. Each cavity 25 extends into the adjustable contoured portion 23, terminating prior to the distal surface. [0036] The recessed portion 27 and cavities 25 are adapted to receive and retain a support insert 29. The support insert 29 comprises a base 31 having a plurality of projections, in the form of teeth 33, extending therefrom. Each tooth 33 is adapted to be received in a respective cavity 25, such that when the teeth are in place the teeth stiffen the adjustable contoured portion 23. [0037] As shown in Figure 3, when the support insert 29 is in place, the base 31 engages the recessed portion 27 of the bottom outer surface 19, as best shown in figure 6. This, along with the frictional engagement of each tooth 33 with the respective cavity 25, assists to retain the support insert 29 in position. [0038] To increase the frictional engagement of the support insert 29, the outer surface of the support insert can be roughened. The outer surface of the support insert 29 and teeth 33 can be textured, knurled, include different substances with differing friction coefficients or treated in other ways known by the skilled addressee to increase frictional engagement between the support insert and the cavities 25. [0039] As mentioned above, when the support insert 29 is in place, the adjustable contoured portion 23 is more rigid and the footbed is in a firm configuration due to the teeth 33 extending substantially the entire length of the cavities 25. [0040] To provide a footbed for medium foot arches, the adjustable contoured 7 portion 23 need only be in a medium configuration, where the footbed is able to compress, from the distal surface, towards the base of the footbed beyond the extension limit of the cavities 25. To achieve this, a support insert 29a having teeth 33 approximately half the length of the support insert used in the firm configuration is required. This may either be in the form of a medium support insert having shorter teeth, or each tooth 33 may be formed to have a line of weakness along its length. This allows a person to easily snap the teeth in half and insert the support insert 29a (not shown) into the adjustable contoured portion 23 to provide a footbed suited for medium sized arches. In this arrangement the teeth 33 extend only a fraction of the length into the cavity 25. [0041] To provide a footbed for low foot arches, the adjustable contoured portion 23 must be in a soft configuration. In this configuration the footbed is able to compress a substantial way along the cavities 25 towards the base surface 19. To achieve this, either no support insert is inserted into the adjustable contoured portion 23, or a support insert 29b (not shown) having substantially no teeth is inserted. Again the support insert may be formed to have an additional line of weakness at the base of each tooth allowing a person to easily snap each tooth from the base and insert the support insert 29b (not shown) into the adjustable contoured portion 23 to provide a footbed suited for low foot arches. [0042] Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to the skilled addressee are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention. For instance, the adjustable contoured portion may align with a different part of the foot, or the footbed may have more than one adjustable contoured portion. [0043] Reference to positional descriptions, such as lower and upper, are to be taken in context of the embodiments depicted in the figures, and are not to be taken as limiting the invention to the literal interpretation of the term but rather as would be understood by the skilled addressee. [0044] Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be 8 understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. 9

Claims (19)

1. A footbed comprising an adjustable contoured portion which is adjustable between a firm configuration and a soft configuration to suit a person's foot.

2. The footbed as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustable contoured portion is adapted to support the arches of a foot in a piece of footwear, the adjustable contoured portion being adjustable between a firm configuration, a medium configuration, and a soft configuration for different foot arches.

3. The footbed as claimed in claim 2, wherein the adjustable contoured portion co-operates with a support insert, wherein the support insert allows the adjustable contoured portion to be adjusted between the firm, medium and soft configurations.

4. The footbed as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjustable contoured portion incorporates a plurality of slots.

5. The footbed as claimed in claim 4, wherein each slot extends from a first surface of the footbed to a position between the first surface and a distal surface of the footbed.

6. The footbed as claimed in any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein each slot defines a hollow cavity.

7. The footbed as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the support insert comprises a base having a plurality of projections extending therefrom.

8. The footbed as claimed in claim 7, wherein the projections are in the form of teeth.

9. The footbed as claimed in claim 8 when dependent on claim 6, wherein the teeth are adapted to be received in the hollow cavities.

10. The footbed as claimed in claim 9, wherein the teeth frictionally engage 10 the hollow cavities.

11. The footbed as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least a portion of at least one tooth is textured.

12. The foot bed as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein each projection has a line of weakness along its length to allow an end part of each projection to be easily removed and thus shortened.

13. The footbed as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 10, including a plurality of different support inserts.

14. The footbed as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 13, wherein the base of the support insert is adapted to be received in a recessed portion of the footbed such that when in position the support insert is flush with a surface of the footbed.

15. The footbed as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 14, wherein when the support insert is positioned in the adjustable contoured portion whereby the projections extend substantially along the entire length of respective cavities, the adjustable contoured portion is in the firm configuration, enabling the footbed to support a foot having a high arch.

16. The footbed as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 14, wherein when the support insert is positioned in the adjustable contoured portion whereby the projections extend substantially to half the length of respective cavities, the adjustable contoured portion is in the medium configuration, enabling the footbed to support a foot having a medium arch.

17. The footbed as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 14, wherein when the support insert is positioned in the adjustable contoured portion whereby the projections do not extend into respective cavities, the adjustable contoured portion is in the soft configuration, enabling the footbed to support a foot having a low arch. 11

18. The footbed as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 14, wherein when the support insert is not positioned in the adjustable contoured portion the adjustable contoured portion is in the soft configuration, enabling the footbed to support a foot having a low arch.

19. A footbed substantially as herein described with reference to the figures 2 to 6. 12