Gel insole

Abstract

An insole for insertion into footwear, comprising a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion and a heel portion; the midfoot portion connecting together the forefoot portion and the heel portion; said insole comprising a cushioning layer of a viscoelastic gel material which provides a cushioning function; and wherein the midfoot portion and the heel portion comprise a peripheral edge that curves upwards.

1 .- 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . An insole for insertion into footwear, said insole comprising a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion and a heel portion; the midfoot portion connecting together the forefoot portion and the heel portion; said insole comprising a cushioning layer of a viscoelastic gel material which provides a cushioning function; wherein the cushioning layer is formed as a one-piece structure; wherein the midfoot portion and the heel portion comprise a peripheral edge that curves upwards; and wherein at least one of said forefoot portion and said heel portion contains a substantially dome shaped pillow protruding from said cushioning layer thereat wherein said substantially dome shaped pillow(s) comprise a plurality of spaced apart spring walls formed from said viscoelastic gel, said spring walls extending from a lower surface of said cushioning layer wherein said spring walls each have a height which is greatest at a center of said pillow and which tapers in height toward edges of said pillow. 
     
     
         47 . An insole according to  claim 46 , wherein said cushioning layer and said substantially dome shaped pillow(s) are formed from the same viscoelastic gel material as a unitary, one-piece structure. 
     
     
         48 . An insole according to  claim 46 , wherein said insole contains an arrangement for maintaining said insole in position in said footwear during use. 
     
     
         49 . An insole according to  claim 48 , wherein said arrangement comprises providing a high friction material on a surface of the insole that contacts said footwear. 
     
     
         50 . An insole according to  claim 49 , wherein said high friction material comprises an adhesive applied to at least a portion of a surface of the insole that contacts the footwear. 
     
     
         51 . An insole according to  claim 50 , wherein said adhesive is a release adhesive that permits removal of the insole from the footwear and repositioning the insole in the footwear. 
     
     
         52 . An insole according to  claim 49 , wherein said high friction material comprises tackifier material added to said viscoelastic gel material. 
     
     
         53 . An insole according to  claim 46 , wherein each of said spring walls is formed in a generally sinusoidal wave shape. 
     
     
         54 . An insole according to  claim 46 , wherein said cushioning layer has a substantially uniform thickness of about 2 mm 
     
     
         55 . An insole according to  claim 46 , wherein said substantially dome shaped pillow(s) have a height less than about 3 mm. 
     
     
         56 . An insole according to  claim 46 , further comprising a top cover secured to an upper surface of said cushioning layer. 
     
     
         57 . An insole according to  claim 56 , wherein the top cover comprises a low friction film material. 
     
     
         58 . An insole according to  claim 57 , wherein the low friction film material comprises a styrenic block copolymer. 
     
     
         59 . The insole according to  claim 58 , wherein the low friction film material comprises a copolymer chosen from the group consisting of styrene/ethylene-co-butylene/styrene (SEBS), styrene/butadiene/styrene (SBS) and mixtures of styrene/ethylene-co-butylene/styrene (SEBS), styrene/butadiene/styrene (SBS). 
     
     
         60 . An insole according to  claim 57 , wherein the low friction film material consists essentially of SEBS, mineral oil and polypropylene. 
     
     
         61 . An insole comprising a forefoot portion, a mid-foot portion, and a heel portion, said forefoot portion, mid-foot portion and heel portion forming a cushioning layer comprising a resilient material having a first hardness and which provides a cushioning function, and a cushioning insert comprised within a recess in said cushioning layer and extending down from said cushioning layer; said cushioning insert comprising a resilient material having a second hardness that is less than the hardness of said cushioning layer. 
     
     
         62 . An insole for insertion into footwear comprising a forefoot portion, a mid-foot portion and a heel portion forming a cushioning layer having upper and lower surfaces; which cushioning layer comprises a first elastomeric gel material having a first hardness and a second elastomeric gel material having a second hardness less than the hardness of the first elastomeric gel material, said second elastomeric gel material disposed within a recess in the bottom surface of the cushioning layer, the recess located substantially in the mid-foot portion positioned below the arch of the foot. 
     
     
         63 . An insole according to  claim 57 , wherein the insole comprises said low friction film material on at least one of said forefoot portion, said midfoot portion and said heel portion. 
     
     
         64 . The insole according to  claim 46  wherein said gel material curves upward at the peripheral edge.