GB2459455A

GB2459455A - Shoe support

Info

Publication number: GB2459455A
Application number: GB0807302A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lynn Patrick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-04-22
Filing date: 2008-04-22
Publication date: 2009-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 2028-04-22
Also published as: GB2459455B; GB0807302D0

Abstract

A shoe support 10, for use in a shoe, comprises a support body 12 that is formed from a resiliently deformable material. The support body 12 is engagable with at least heel and instep regions of a shoe to maintain the shape of the shoe.

Description

I

A SUPPORT

This invention relates to a support for use in a shoe.

A conventional support for a shoe, such as a shoe tree, includes several elements made from solid wood, usually Cedar. These elements are interconnected with one another and biased relative to one another such that they may be placed inside a shoe in an attempt to maintain the shape of the shoe.

However, the inclusion of solid elements of wood and the need to interconnect these elements so that they are resiliently biased relative to one another results in a relatively complex arrangement which is heavy and expensive to manufacture. Moreover, the support that such a conventional shoe tree is able to provide to a shoe is limited by the manner of interconnection, and so is only able to act in a finite number of dimensions, usually one or two.

There is, therefore, a need for a simpler support for a shoe that is lightweight, and which is able to provide a greater degree of support to a shoe.

According to the invention there is provided a support, for use in a shoe, comprising a support body integrally formed from a resiliently deformable material, the support body being engagable with at least heel and instep regions of a shoe to maintain the shape of the shoe.

Integrally forming the support body from a resiliently deformable material obviates the need to interconnect elements of the support, and does away with the need to resiliently bias such elements relative to one another. This simplifies the support, making it easier to manufacture and lighter in weight than a conventional shoe support.

In addition, the use of a resiliently deformable material allows the support to act in an infinite number of dimensions to support a shoe, and thereby provide a greater degree of support to the shoe. As a result the support is able to maintain the fullness of the shoe, i.e. maintain the shoe in its original form, and so help reduce the signs of wear.

Preferably the resiliently deformabie material is or includes a foam. The inclusion of a foam provides for further weight-saving in the support. f.

Optionally the foam is or includes a polyurethane foam. Such a material is readily mouldable into a desired form.

The support body may include heel and instep portions lying adjacent to one another, the heel portion being engagable with an entire interior surface of at least the heel region of a shoe and the instep portion being engagable with an entire interior surface of at least the instep region of the said shoe. The ability to engage with an entire interior surface of a region of a shoe allows the support to provide a maximum degree of support to the shoe, and so further help eliminate the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of wear in the shoe.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the support body further includes an ankle portion adjacent to the heel portion, the ankle portion being engagable with an ankle region of a shoe to maintain the shape of the ankle region of the shoe. Such an arrangement permits the support to provide support to ankle regions of, e.g. boots, and the ankle strap of, e.g. a ladies shoe.

Optionally the ankle portion is engagable with an entire interior surface of the ankle region of a shoe. The ability to engage with an entire interior surface of an ankle region of a shoe allows the support to provide a maximum degree of support to the ankle region, and so further help eliminate sings of wear in the shoe.

Preferably the support body further includes a toe portion adjacent to the instep portion, the toe portion being engagable with a toe region of a shoe to maintain the shape of the toe region of the shoe. Such an arrangement provides still further support for a shoe.

The toe portion may be engagable with an entire interior surface of the toe region of a shoe. The ability to engage with an entire interior surface of a toe region of a shoe allows the support to provide a maximum degree of support to the toe region, and so help to eliminate the appearance of age and wear in the shoe.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention the toe portion includes a first high density portion having a higher density than the remaining toe portion. The inclusion of a first high density portion helps to reduce the tendency of a toe region of a shoe to curl upwards, away from the sole, and thereby help to reduce the formation of crease lines across the bridge of a shoe.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the first high density portion is separable from the toe portion. Such an arrangement allows a user to remove the first high density portion, so as to render the support more lightweight when, e.g. travelling.

Optionally the support includes an extension member couplable with the toe portion, the extension member being engagable with an entire interior surface of the toe region of a shoe. The inclusion of an extension member allows a user to use the support with a shoe having an exceptionally pointed toe, such as a high-fashion shoe or a cowboy boot.

The extension member may have a wedge-shaped cross-sectional profile. Such a cross-sectional profile helps to ensure that the extension member is able to engage, as desired, with an entire interior surface of the toe region of a shoe.

Preferably the extension member includes a second high density portion having a higher density than the remaining extension member. The inclusion of a second high density portion helps to reduce the tendency of a toe region of a shoe to curl upwards, away from the sole, and thereby help to reduce the formation of crease lines across the bridge of a shoe.

The support may further include at least one insert member couplable with the support body to selectively increase the volume of the support body. The inclusion of one or more insert members allows a user to selectively stretch a region of a shoe according to the positioning of the insert member relative to the support body.

Preferably the support body includes an aperture extending therethrough, the aperture receiving a scented member. Such a feature helps the support to counter any unpleasant odour emanating from a shoe.

Optionally the support further includes a visual indicator coupled with the support body.

The inclusion of a visual indicator allows, for example, a user to readily identify his or her support from those of a partner or colleague.

In a still further embodiment of the invention the support includes a cover enveloping the support body. Such a cover helps to protect the support while providing readily customisable decorative options for the support.

The cover may be separable from the support body. This allows the cover to be cleaned and/or washed without the need to wash the whole support.

There now follows a brief description of preferred embodiments of the invention, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in 1 D which Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a support according to a first embodiment of the invention.

A support according to a first embodiment of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10.

The support includes a support body 12 which is integrally formed, i.e. formed as a single element, from a resiliently deformable material.

In the embodiment shown, the resiliently deformable material is a foam, and more particularly a polyurethane foam. One suitable type of such a foam is magnathane foam.

In other embodiments of the invention (not shown) the support body may be formed from a different resiliently deformable material.

The support body 12 shown includes a heel portion 14 which is engagable with the entire interior surface of the heel region of a shoe (not shown), and an instep portion 16 that is engagable with the entire interior surface of an instep region of the said shoe. The heel and instep portions 14, 16 lie adjacent to one another, as shown in Figure 1.

The support body 12 also includes an ankle portion 18 which lies adjacent to the heel portion 14.

The ankle portion 18 may extend further from the heel portion 14 than is shown in Figure 1, so as to be engagable with a calf and/or knee region of a shoe such as a boot.

In the embodiment shown, the ankle portion 18 is engagable with the entire interior surface of an ankle region of a shoe.

The support body 12 further includes a toe portion 20 which is engagable with an entire interior surface of a toe region of a shoe. Other embodiments of the invention may include a toe portion which is engagable with only one or more parts of the interior surface of a toe region of a shoe.

The toe portion 20 includes a first high density portion 22 (illustrated by a dashed line in Figure 1) having a higher density that the remaining toe portion 20. The first high density portion 22 is separable from the toe portion 20, and may be a metal insert.

The support 10 also includes a visual indicator 24 in the form of a knotted ribbon 26 which allows a user to readily identify his or her support 10. The knitted ribbon 26 may also be used to secure the support 10 relative to a shoe having an open construction, i.e. a shoe such as a sandal (not shown). A user may tie the knotted ribbon 26 around the instep of, e.g. the sandal, to hold the support 10 in position relative to the sandal.

Another embodiment of the invention includes an extension member (not shown) which is couplable with the toe portion 20. The extension member includes a complementary portion which has a shape that complements the shape of a desired portion of the toe portion 20, such that the extension member is able to lie against the toe portion 20. The extension member is formed from the same material as the support body, and has a wedge-shaped cross-sectional profile. The extension member is also engagable with an entire interior surface of the toe region of a shoe.

The extension member includes a second high density portion which has a higher density than the remaining extension member. The second high density portion may be a metal insert.

A further embodiment of the invention includes at least one insert member (not shown) that is couplable with the support body 12. The insert member includes a complementary portion which has a shape that complements the shape of a desired portion of the support body 12, such that the insert member is able to lie against the support body 12.

The or each insert member selectively increases the volume of the support body 12, and in a preferred embodiment of the invention is couplable with the instep portion 16 of the support body 12, so as to abut a bridge region of a shoe. The or each insert member is preferably formed from the same material as the support body.

A still further embodiment of the invention includes a support body 12 having an aperture (not shown) extending therethrough. The aperture receives a scented member such as a peppermint sack, or a mandarin infused sack. The aperture may extend completely through the support body, and/or be located in the ankle portion 18 of the support body 12.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the support 10 includes a cover (not shown) which envelops, either partially or completely, the support body 12. The cover is separable from the support body 12, and may be or include a fabric.

In use a user inserts the support 10 into a shoe (not shown). The heel, instep, ankle and toe portions 14, 16, 18, 20 of the support body 12 engage with the corresponding regions of the shoe to maintain the shape of the shoe. The resiliently deformable nature of the support body 12 ensures that the support 10 acts to support the shoe in an infinite number of dimensions, and so helps to avoid the appearance of unsightly folds, creases and other imperfections in all regions of the shoe.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A support, for use in a shoe, comprising a support body integrally formed from a resiliently deformable material, the support body being engagable with at least heel and instep regions of a shoe to maintain the shape of the shoe.
2. A support according to Claim 1 wherein the resiliently deformable material is or includes a foam.
3. A support according to Claim 2 wherein the foam is or includes a polyurethane foam.
4. A support according to any preceding claim wherein the support body includes heel and instep portions lying adjacent to one another, the heel portion being engagable with an entire interior surface of at least the heel region of a shoe and the instep portion being engagable with an entire interior surface of at least the instep region of the said shoe.
5. A support according to Claim 4 wherein the support body further includes an ankle portion adjacent to the heel portion, the ankle portion being engagable with an ankle region of a shoe to maintain the shape of the ankle region of the shoe.
6. A support according to Claim 5 wherein the ankle portion is engagable with an entire interior surface of the ankle region of a shoe.
7. A support according to any of Claims 4 to 6 wherein the support body further includes a toe portion adjacent to the instep portion, the toe portion being engagable with a toe region of a shoe to maintain the shape of the toe region of the shoe.
8. A support according to Claim 7 wherein the toe portion is engagable with an entire interior surface of the toe region of a shoe.
9. A support according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein the toe portion includes a first high density portion having a higher density than the remaining toe portion.-S
10. A support according to Claim 9 wherein the first high density portion is separable from the toe portion.
11. A support according to any of Claims 7 to 10 wherein the support includes an extension member couplable with the toe portion, the extension member being engagable with an entire interior surface of the toe region of a shoe.
12. A support according to Claim 11 wherein the extension member has a wedge-shaped cross-sectional profile.
13. A support according to Claim 11 or Claim 12 wherein the extension member includes a second high density portion having a higher density than the remaining extension member.
14. A support according to any preceding claim further including at least one insert member couplable with the support body to selectively increase the volume of the support body.
15. A support according to any preceding claim wherein the support body includes an aperture extending therethrough, the aperture receiving a scented member.
16. A support according to any preceding claim further including a visual indicator coupled with the support body.
17. A support according to any preceding claim further including a cover enveloping the support body.
18. A support according to Claim 17 wherein the cover is separable from the support body.