FR2508779A1 - Massage sole for footwear - contains liquid moved by thin supple plates actuated by foot movement - Google Patents

Abstract

The sole for footwear contains a liquid that is moved continuously from the front to the back by foot pressure, giving a continuous massage to the sole of the foot. Thin supply plates in the form of teeth, orientated towards the heel, move the liquid and channels around the edge feed it to the front. The top of the sole is thin to fit the foot exactly and to transmit its deformation to the plates. The lower part is thicker as it forms the outer sole.

Description

 The present invention relates to soles for footwear, the purpose of which is to improve and activate the blood circulation in the lower part of the foot.

We know that the inner part of the foot is undoubtedly the most richly vascularized region of the lower limb (see treatises on anatomy and works by Lejars)
Numerous arteries reach it and a very large network of veins originates there.
The circulatory massage of the sole in the direction of the return circulation causes an increase in the circulatory flow, which affects the entire lower limb.

 This action promotes blood exchanges between the arteries and; veins, she finds. its usefulness in all cases of arterial and venous failure both for medical indications (edema of the foot and leg, varicose veins, arteritis) as well. for improvements related to strong comfort (heavy legs, fatigue when standing and walking).

The object of the present invention in which collaborated
Jean Mauger and Guy Bouzeloc, concerns a sole for geese. footwear, the property of which is to perform a circulatory massage of the lower part of the foot using the weight of the body and the movement of its supports during standing and walking
Lrob; jet of the present invention is therefore a sole that can be adapted to an article of footwear (example: vulcanized, injected manufacturing or any other process allowing adaptation under the upper) or placed inside a finished footwear.

 The present invention is achievable according to two possibilities concervant the same principle.

 1,) This sole is directly included under a shoe upper in certain products, it is therefore constitutive of the footwear.

2) This sole is removable, and for use is introduced into a footwear item
The object of the present invention is therefore a sole performing a massage of the lower part of the feet characterized by the fact that it comprises, between an upper part and a lower part, a liquid which has qualities of fluidity, of lubricant , resistance to cold and non-corrosion.

 The upper face of the sole which comes into contact with the foot is formed by a tight, thin and flexible sheet.

The underside of the sole, according to the invention, is constituted by a more or less thick plate (depending on its use as an integral sole of the shoe or as a removable insole), the upper part of which consists of transverse lamellae oriented towards the taloa
A possible embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, Figures 1.2.3.4 etS.

The upper face (1) has the property of being extremely
thin in order to fit exactly the smallest movements of the
foot and faithfully transmit deformation; s of the
soft. or alveoli and the passage of liquid.

The underside (2) in contact with the ground or the interior
laughing shoe sufficiently thick to support the slats or cells.

 The slats (3) are in the shape of a sawtooth and oriented towards the heel in order to facilitate the projection of the liquid towards the rear.

The camal (C) faithfully hugs the circumference of the sole and stops at the heel and toe to allow the passage of liquid
The liquid (L) fills all the hollowed out parts of the sole block.

 Optionally the lamellae can be replaced by cells (A) arranged symmetrically or not shown in Figure 6) provided with valves (V) or valves (Figures 7 and 8).

 The entire sole is made up of a block of resistant and perfectly waterproof material such as rubber, various elastomers and generally any material capable of allowing molding.

 The liquid filling the vacuum of the sole can be put in place either by injection after molding, or placed in the lower face before welding of the upper part.

For the use the sole can be constitutive of the sure shoe It can also be removable and, for its use, be inserted in the shoe
The. foot being shod and moving (walking, trampling, etc.) obviously presses on the upper part of the sole causing the crushing of the internal lamellae which drive the liquid back and forth.

 The simultaneous movement of the slats and the liquid causes a permanent undulation of the upper part of the sole providing the desired massage.

 This results in a constant stimulation of the circulation back and forth of the foot which is the object of this invention.

 It is understood that in this text, under shoe means any article of footwear whatever its precise name such as shoe, boot, slipper, training or other.

The following examples will illustrate the invention without limiting it
Example 1
Removable soles are produced in the manner shown in FIGS. L and 2 in which there is shown diagrammatically, without a determined scale and a sole for right foot, the sole for left foot being naturally symmetrical.

Of course these soles are made at the desired size this does not change their constitution * The sole has a very thin upper face (1) and a lower block (2) provided with lamellae (3) oriented from front to back. together represents a block molded around the periphery (P) corresponding to the desired size. All around this block (and naturally inside) is provided a channel (C) allowing the circulation of the liquid (L) filling all the hollowed out parts of the sole block . If the thickness of the sole allows it, the lateral canals can also be accommodated in this thickness (this system making it possible to widen the active central part performing this massage.)
This liquid, as indicated above, has in particular the properties of being slightly lubricating to facilitate its circulation and of freezing only at the temperature of -250.

The whole of this removable sole will be of a reasonable thickness (and variable according to the shape of shoes) to be introduced into a finished shoe.

Example 2
The soles are an integral part of the shoe. Their constitution is the same as in example l @ with the only essential difference being a much greater thickness of the lower block (2) which will be in contact with the ground and will wear out naturally. walking.

Mode of action of the massage system
During standing and walking the pressure applied by the lower part of the foot moves from the heel forward. At this time the pressure exerted on the upper part of the sole is also felt at the level of the lamellae making up the internal part of the sole. Due to the orientation of these liquid lamellae enclosed inside the sole is driven out towards the rear of the foot, passes over the rear lamellae and undulates the upper part of the sole
This system therefore performs an interaction between the liquid, the lamellae and the upper part of the sole in contact with the sole. Whatever the distribution of the support (heel, arch or forefoot) the liquid contained in the sole goes backwards. At this level, he engages in an opening opening into the two lateral channels which take him back to the forefoot dtoW he resumes his circuit without stopping.

Claims (7)

1-Sole for footwear characterized in that it  has a sealed enclosure between an upper part  upper (1) and a lower part (2) provided with strips  (3) and / or cells (A) and circulation channels (C)  a liquid (L) in constant movement from front to back at  the slightest pressure of the foot causing a continuous massage  with all His plantar face. 2-sole according to claim 1 characterized in that  the upper part (1) is very thin allowing  follow exactly the slightest movements of the foot and  faithfully transmit the deformations of the lamellae and  lo passage of the liquid. 3-sole according to claim 1 characterized by the fact  that the lower part (2) is thicker  large that the upper part (1) pierces that intended  to be in contact with the ground for walking, this thick  can be used to house one or more  multiple channels or with the inside of the shoe  in the case of a removable sole. 4-sole according to claim 1 characterized by the fact  that the lamellae (3) have a silk tooth shape, a  flexibility and an orientation towards the heel to effect  kill the massage by taking the liquid backwards  as indicated in the mode of action of the  massage. 5-sole according to claim t characterized in that  the alvecles (A) arranged symmetrically or not, are  equipped with valves (V) or valves used to channel the  front to back liquid as @  slats with which they can be associated. 6-sole according to claims 1 and 3 characterized by  the fact that the channels (C) faithfully follow the pros  sole circumference or are housed in the lower thickness  laughing (2) and they are open at the heel and toe  to allow the circulation of the liquid as indicated  in the mode of action of the massage system. 7-sole according to claim 1 characterized in that  the liquid (L) contained in the whole sole block  is of perfect tolerance with the materials which  its lubricating properties, antifreeze and its  viscosity will facilitate its movement.