Abstract:
A composite insole and bottom assembly includes two layers of EVA foam, the first layer a softer padding insole with an exposed upper surface. The second layer configured as an arch support and consists of an EVA foam of a greater density/hardness. The EVA foam arch support is attached to a bottom surface of the softer EVA foam padding insole, and both are then attached to an upper surface formed on a solid footwear bottom. Any of a decorative variety of upper restraints may be attached to the bottom, providing comfortable dress and casual footwear.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/795,708, filed on Oct. 23, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein for all that it contains. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly, to a sole construction for an article of footwear. More specifically, the present invention relates to a footwear construction using EVA foams of different densities for exposed insole and midsole layers and a wood or thermoplastic rubber bottom. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    As a rule women&#39;s dress shoes are seen as being extremely uncomfortable and not designed for a woman&#39;s body. After only a few hours of walking or standing a woman can experience discomfort in the back, legs, and toes. Past women&#39;s shoe designs not only have shown little variety—open-toes, sandals, and boots; the designs and materials have not addressed any of the above areas of discomfort. A need exists to provide women&#39;s dress shoes that offer the wearer comfort and support yet provide a tablet for an endless variety of shoe styles and fashionable expressions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Utilizing a solid bottom fabricated out of wood, thermoplastic rubber, and the like, the insole utilizes a deep layer of EVA foam for comfort and a second layer of a more dense EVA form underneath providing support for the arch, enhancing long term comfort. EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) is a flexible material adapting to various heel heights, slopes and pitches of unit bottoms. The EVA foam layers are exposed and may be provided in a variety of colors to enhance the fashion appeal of the overall shoe design. The solid bottoms can evoke reference to wooden clogs, sandals, and high heel designs. Various designs and upper materials can be attached to the bottoms to provide a limitless variety of shoe designs. 
         [0007]    An aspect of embodiments in accordance with the present invention is a composite insole and bottom assembly comprising: a bottom having a top surface formed thereon; and an insole attached to said top surface, said insole comprising: an EVA padding insole having an outer, exposed surface and a bottom surface, and an EVA arch support having an upper surface formed thereon, wherein a portion of said bottom surface of said EVA padding insole is attached to said upper surface of said EVA arch support, whereby the bottom surface of said EVA padding insole and attached EVA arch support are both attached to said top surface of said bottom. 
         [0008]    Another aspect of embodiments in accordance with the present invention is a composite insole and bottom assembly for use in a shoe having an upper, the composite insole and bottom assembly comprising: a bottom having a top surface formed thereon, said top surface extending from a heel region to a toe region; a composite insole attached to said top surface and extending substantially continuously to overly said top surface from said heel region to said toe region, a perimeter of said top surface substantially co-extensive with a perimeter of said composite insole, and wherein said composite insole comprises: an EVA padding insole having an upper exposed surface and a bottom surface, and an EVA arch support having an upper surface formed thereon, wherein said upper surface of said EVA arch support is attached to said bottom surface of said EVA padding insole, and wherein said bottom surface of said EVA padding insole is attached to said top surface of said bottom. 
         [0009]    A still further aspect of embodiments in accordance with the present invention is a composite insole for an article of footwear having a solid bottom comprising: an EVA padding insole corresponding to the shape of a top surface of said bottom, said EVA padding insole having an outer, exposed surface and a bottom surface; and an EVA arch support having an upper surface formed thereon, said upper surface attached to said bottom surface of said EVA padding insole. 
         [0010]    These and other objects, aspects, and features of the present invention will be better understood from the following description of embodiments when read in conjunction with the appended drawing figures. 
         [0011]    It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components described hereinafter and illustrated in the drawing figures. Those skilled in the trade will recognize that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Embodiments in accordance with the present invention are described below in connection with the accompanying drawing sheets. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a high-heel platform shoe constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view, with a portion in phantom, of the shoe construction shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side perspective view, with portions shown in phantom, of a platform open-toed sandal constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view, with portions shown in phantom, of an insole with two EVA layers in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation view, with portions shown in phantom, of a shoe construction with an alternative bottom and an alternative upper in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    The composite insole and bottom assembly is disclosed herein with respect to exemplary embodiments. The embodiments are disclosed for illustration of the composite insole and bottom assembly, and are not limiting except as defined in the appended claims. 
         [0019]    Reference is now made to the drawings wherein like structures refer to like parts throughout. In  FIG. 1  a high-heel platform shoe  10  is shown having a solid bottom  16  that consists of a toe bottom  18  and a heel bottom  22 . An EVA padding insole  26  having an exposed surface  28  and a bottom surface  32 , and an EVA arch support  34  overly and are attached to the shoe bottom  16 . 
         [0020]    An adjustable toe belt upper  42  is attached to the toe bottom  18  using a plurality of metal screws  44  and extends over the toes while the platform shoe  10  is being worn. An adjustable ankle strap upper  48  is attached to the heel bottom  16  using the (matching) plurality of screws  44  of the platform shoe  10 . An outsole  54  is attached at the bottom of the toe bottom  18  and the heel bottom  22 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 2  the solid bottom  16  has a top surface  62  that continuously extends from the heel bottom  22  to the toe bottom  18 . A plurality of toe apertures  68  are formed in the top surface  62  over the toe bottom  18  and a plurality of heel apertures  72  are formed in the top surface  62  over the heel bottom  22 —in both cases the apertures enhance the adhesion of the padding insole  26  to the solid bottom  16 . 
         [0022]    The toe bottom  18  also has an upper attachment surface  78  formed along a lateral length of the toe bottom  18  adjacent to the top surface  62 . A plurality of securement apertures  82  are formed in the upper attachment surface  78  to assist in the attachment of the toe belt upper  42 —the securement apertures  82  receiving the plurality of metal screws  44 . 
         [0023]    The bottom surfaces of the arch support  34  is shaped to conform to the top surface  62 , and is attached thereto utilizing an adhesive. The bottom surface  32  of the padding insole  26  is also shaped to conform to the top surface  62  of the solid bottom  16 , as well as shaped to conform to an upper surface  86  of the arch support  34 . An adhesive is also preferably used to attach the padding insole  26  to the top surface  62  and to the upper surface  86  of the arch support  34 . 
         [0024]    In a presently preferred embodiment the thickness of the padding insole  26  is varied along a longitudinal axis of the solid bottom  16 , between the ball of the foot/toe area identified by thickness arrows A and the heel area identified by thickness arrows B. For such shoe designs having higher heels, such as that design depicted in  FIG. 2 , the thickness at heel area B is reduced, for example 10 mm, as compared to the thickness at location A, for example 15 mm. Such reduction in thickness of the padding insole  26  provides the wearer with greater heel stability. For other shoe designs, or where otherwise desired, the padding insole  26  is of uniform thickness in the range of between 10-15 mm. 
         [0025]    The present invention is not limited to a particular style of sold bottom, and in  FIG. 3  a platform open-toed sandal  96  likewise makes use of the present invention. A platform sandal solid bottom  104  includes a sandal heel bottom  108  and a sandal toe bottom  112 . The outsole  54  extends continuously over both the sandal heel and toe bottoms  108 ,  112 . The adjustable toe belt upper  42  is attached to the sandal toe bottom  104  utilizing the plurality of metal screws  44 . 
         [0026]    The padding insole  26  and the padding arch support  34  shown in  FIG. 3  are both received by and attached to the sandal solid bottom  104  in a manner similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As is depicted in  FIG. 4 , the padding insole  26  extends over the arch support  34 . The exact shape of the arch support  34  may vary from that shown in  FIG. 4 , depending upon the nature of the shoe bottom, the overall shoe size, and other factors relating to or intended to enhance the comfort of the shoe wearer. 
         [0027]    In  FIG. 5  the solid bottom  16  includes both a wood outsole  118  that extends from the heel area to the toe bottom  18 , and a molded heel  124 , such as might be fabricated from a strong plastic material. A great deal of variance can be had with the heel bottom  22  under the present invention, where the inventive arrangement of the padding insole  26  and the arch support  34  overlie and are attached to the solid bottom  16 . 
         [0028]    Similarly, the present invention contemplates creative variance of the upper, including both decorative and structural. In  FIG. 5  a multi-strap toe restraint  132  is attached to the toe bottom  18  and a serpentine belt ankle strap  136  is attached to the wood outsole  118  adjacent the heel. It is to be understood and appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the design or number or types of upper restraints—or to the configuration or material(s) used to fabricate the midsole and outsole to which the padding insole and arch support is attached. 
         [0029]    In a presently preferred embodiment a wood unit bottom or a thermoplastic rubber bottom is topped with a 10-15 mm layer of exposed EVA foam having a soft density/hardness of between 30°-35° (Asker C Scale), and preferably not less than 30°, providing cushion underfoot. A second layer of EVA foam having a greater density/hardness, one of 70° presently preferred, is configured as an arch support and is sandwiched between the soft density EVA layer and the wood or thermoplastic rubber bottom. The outsole is preferably also fabricated out of EVA foam, having a density/hardness preferably in the range of 85°-90°. 
         [0030]    The combined layers of EVA foam are preferably anatomically shaped to support the hollow arch area of the wearer&#39;s foot, with both layers shaped to follow the top surface of the unit bottom. The outer surfaces of the combined EVA foam layers are exposed, and are not wrapped by any other material (such as leather, fabric or synthetic leather). 
         [0031]    The soft layer of EVA foam has direct contact with the foot of a wearer (no sock lining) and the combined EVA foam layers are glued to the top surface of the unit bottom. Both EVA foam layers are shaped to conform to the specific perimeters of the top surface of the unit bottom. The combined EVA foam layers are flexible and may be adapted to any of various heel heights, slopes, and pitches of the unit bottoms. In most cases the upper material is attached to the unit bottom using metal screws, nails, staples, and the like. The soft layer of EVA foam is exposed and is not attached to the upper material. The outsole is attached to the unit bottom and may consist of a 3 mm layer of rubber or a rubber-like material—or, as mentioned above, may consist of an EVA foam of density/hardness of between 85°-90°. 
         [0032]    As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.