Self-massaging insole for slippers or mules

Abstract: The instant invention concerns a moulded insole for slippers or mules, with clusters of bristles for te massage of the sole of the foot. In more detail, each group of bristles juts out from the bottom of a containing recess on the insole, in such a way that only the end part of each bristle juts upwards with respect to the the surface defined by the flat areas connecting the series of recesses.

Description: This patent application concerns an insole for slippers or mules, produced from moulding, which has clusters of bristles for the massage of the sole of the foot. It is well-known and scientifically proven how healthy and beneficial foot massage is in stimulating and increasing blood circulation, sometimes deficient in the more peripheral joints. These needs and well-being acquire even more importance in certain circumstances or work situations, where one is obliged to spend many hours of the day continuously on the move in some cases, or vice-versa, more or less standing still in others. With these considerations in mind, for some time now moulded insoles have been available which are called self-massaging and which are able to carry out massaging action on the whole sole of the foot, due to the fact that they have a tightly-packed series of cylindrical bristles, with a rounded tip, jutting out from a profiled plate of uniform thickness; it being often provided that said bristles are of different heights in order to be able to create a resting surface in conformity with anatomical requirements. An insole of this type is illustrated in US patent US-A-3722113 involving a plastic moulded insole whose top face is completely covered by a closely-packed series of plastic bristles of different heights whose tips form a punctiform surface shaped anatomically like the sole of a foot. The massaging action is guaranteed by the elastic spring-back of said bristles, which are continually flexed in a non-uniform casual manner, according to the distribution of pressure when walking or when at rest. However, it is true to say that not all the bristles on these insoles are able to flex under the weight of the body, in as much as most of them, as a result of their reduced height are practically rigid and consequently, unable to undergo any deformation of note under pressure. In other words, these protrusions of reduced height do not flex or get squashed, therefore, in actual fact, they are not able to contribute at all to the massaging action effected by the remaining bristles, those which are taller and thinner. The aim of the instant invention is to produce a moulded insole, of the type described above, in which all the bristles however, have a slim shape which guarantees their ability to deform in an elastic manner under pressure. A further aim of the invention is to produce an insole with massaging bristles, able to carry out a massaging action on specific areas, limited to certain pre-established points on the sole of the foot, which correspond to those points defined as the "plantar reflective points". In fact, as is known, modern study has revealed that flux lines, which reach particular parts of the epidermis, branch off from certain of our internal body organs, and that by stimulating these parts it is possible to send stimuli directly to the internal organ concerned. The sole of the foot comprises several of these "reflective points", each one linked with a specific organ in the circulatory or glandular or nervous system. Rather than a general massage effected all over the sole of the foot, massage aimed only at specific areas which correspond to the terminal points of the aforementioned flux lines, is advisable. In this way, it is possible to offer the sole of the foot a flat resting surface, which is therefore safer and more comfortable, interrupted only at certain points which correspond to needle-shaped islands, where the massaging action really produces stimulating and beneficial effects, outside of which any mechanical stimulation is practically ineffectual and superfluous. In this light, the model in question was created, consisting of an insole, moulded in synthetic material or rubber, which has on its upper surface, namely where the sole of the foot rests, clusters of flexible bristles, which form needle shaped islands, linked by flat areas. The distinctive feature of said clusters of bristles consists in the fact that each group of bristles juts out from the bottom of a recess on the insole, in such a way that only the end part of each bristle juts upwards in relation to the surface defined by the aforementioned flat connecting areas. On the lower surface of the insole, there is a bearing framework, designed to sustain both the bottom of each recess and the flat connecting areas. Said framework can be of any suitable configuration; for example, it can consist of a tightly-packed network of ribs, with a mesh of any poligonal, rectangular or rhomboid shape, square for example; alternatively said framework can consist of a closely-packed series of hollow supports of any transversal section. For further clarity of explanation the description of the invention continues with reference to the attached drawings included for illustrative and not limitative purposes wherein: Fig.1 is a schematic drawing of the upper surface of the insole according to the invention; Fig.2 is a section of Fig.1, along the II-II plane; Fig.3 shows a portion of the lower surface of the insole in question ; With reference to the aforementioned figures, the model in question consists of an insole (1), moulded in synthetic material or rubber, which can be applied to any kind of footwear, but is particularly suited to slippers or mules, which is the kind of footwear normally adopted as being the most comfortable by those people in the type of job which involves long hours standing. The upper surface (1a) of said insole (1) has a flat surface in compliance with anatomical requirements, interrupted only at certain points which correspond to islands (2), made up of closely-packed bristles (3), jutting out from the bottom (4a) of recesses (4) of different depths and size according to the area in which they are positioned. These recesses (4) are positioned both at the centre and at the edges of the insole (1); in the latter case, said recesses are open in as much as they do not have a closing edge on the external side. Moreover, it should be indicated that the bristles (3) of each cluster are of different heights, gradually decreasing from the centre outwards, where the tip of the bristle juts slightly over the edge of the recess (4). The insole (1) has a lower perimetral edge (1b) of varying height, as a result of the anatomical profile of the upper surface (1a) of the insole (1). This perimetral edge (1b) will adhere perfectly to the inside of the corresponding edge which marks the boundary of the cavity provided on the bottom of the slipper or mule to house the insole (1). On the lower surface of the insole, a bearing framework is created during the moulding phase, which is made up of a closely-packed series of hollow cylinders (5), on a vertical axis, designed to support from underneath, both the bottom (4a) of the recesses (4) and the flat connecting areas between one recess and another. In this sense, the perimetral edge (1b) also acts as a support, together with the frame on the lower surface of the insole (1). With reference to the attached drawings, it is now much clearer exactly why in the insole in question, all the bristles are flexible and thus able to bend elastically under pressure from the foot, in such a way as to all be able to contribute to the massage of the sole. In fact, all the bristles are thin and flexible, even those which jut slightly out from their recesses, in as much as their length when not bent is not measured from the edge of the recess, but from the bottom of the recess. It is understood that this description refers to the attached drawing where, merely for illustrative purposes, one of the many possible versions of the insole according to the invention was shown. It is particularly important to underline that the arrangement, extent and quantity of needle-shaped islands on the upper surface of the insole can one each occasion, be those most suited to final requirements, while still maintaining the instant inventive concept, according to which the bristles must all protrude from the bottom of a recess, from which only the tips of the bristles jut out.

Claims: A self-massaging insole for slippers or mules comprising an insole (1) being molded from a synthetic material or rubber, whose top surface (1a) has flexible bristles (3), characterised in that said insole (1) has a lower surface, a flat and anatomical-shaped top surface (1a), a plurality of spaced-apart recesses (4) being formed in the top surface, each recess (4) having a bottom portion, said bristles (3) being disposed on the bottom of each recess (4) to form tightly-packed groups of bristles (3) jutting out from the bottom (4a) of the recess and extending above the flat top surface (1a), and in that on the lower surface of the insole (1) there is formed a bearing framework, designed to support both the bottom (4a) of each recess (4) and the flat connecting areas between the same. A self-massaging insole for slippers or mules, according to claim 1 characterised in that the bristles (3) in each recess (4) are of varying heights, gradually decreasing from the centre of the recess (4) outwards, where the tip of the bristles (3) juts slightly over the edge of the recess (4). A self-massaging insole for slippers or mules, according to Claim 1, characterised in that the bearing framework on the lower surface of the insole (1) consists of a perimeter edge (1b) and an internal network of intersecting sectors. A self-massaging insole for slippers or mules according to Claim 1 characterised in that the bearing framework on the lower surface of the insole (1) consists of a perimeter edge (1b) and a series of supports, each made up of hollow cylinders (5). A self-massaging insole for slippers or mules according to Claim 1 characterised in that the bearing framework on the lower surface of the insole (1) consists of a series of closely-packed supports of any transversal section. A self-massaging insole for slippers or mules according to Claim 1 characterised in that the groups of the bristles (3) are arranged at points corresponding to the reflexive points on the sole of the foot.

Inventors: MENGHI EMANUELA, SABBATINI ALBERTO, MENGHI, EMANUELA, SABBATINI, ALBERTO
Applicants: MENGHI SHOES SRL, MENGHI SHOES - S.R.L.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A43B1
IPC codes: A43B13, A43B3, A43B17