Foot Membrane

Abstract

The present invention is a non-woven foot membrane that helps provide comfort and support for the foot during high-heel or regular shoe wear. The device comprises a self-supporting membrane that flexes, stretches and conforms to the shape of the foot, or the portion of the foot in contact with the membrane, when worn. The device has different thicknesses throughout its structure. Preferably, the parts of the invention at and around the major points of contact on the bottom of the foot when wearing a shoe such as a high-heel, that is, the parts of the invention under the big toe, metatarsal heads of the forefoot, and the heel, are thicker than the other portions of the device. The device also has different frictional properties at the inner/upper surface and outer/lower surface as well as a curvilinear form that each work to cup and grip the foot as well as prevent slippage in the shoe. The increased thicknesses throughout various parts of the structure of the device as well as the opposing frictional properties and curvilinear shape all work to counteract the stresses experienced by the plantar soft-tissue during shoe wear.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A device to be worn on the foot comprising:
 a base, unitary, self supporting, stretchable, membrane made of silicone having a durometer between about  3  and  10  on the Shore A scale configured in the general shape of the underside of a foot comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a front, a back, an outer perimeter, a medial side and a lateral side; said membrane further comprising:   a cupped shaped toe portion in the front of the device having an indentation in a top surface configured to receive and contact the skin on the underside of a user's big toe when the device is worn;   a cupped shaped forefoot portion adjacent and connected to said toe portion, said forefoot portion having an indentation in a top surface configured to receive and contact the skin on the underside of a user's forefoot when the device is worn;   a midfoot portion adjacent to and connected to said forefoot portion; and   a cupped shaped heel portion adjacent and connected to said midfoot portion, said heel portion having an indentation in a top surface configured to receive and contact the skin on the underside of a user's heel when the device is worn;   wherein the thickness of said membrane in said toe portion is greatest near the center area of said toe portion and tapers down to a smaller thickness at the outer edge of said toe portion;   wherein the thickness of said membrane in said forefoot portion is greatest near the center of the forefoot portion and tapers down to a smaller thickness at the outer edge of said forefoot portion;   wherein the thickness of said membrane in said heel portion is greatest near the center of the heel portion and tapers down to a smaller thickness at the outer edge of said heel portion.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said membrane in said forefoot portion is greatest near the medial side of the center of the forefoot portion and tapers down to a smaller thickness at the lateral side of said forefoot portion. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said thickness of said membrane in said toe portion tapers from between about 1.5 to 3.0 millimeters down to less than about  1  millimeter along the outer perimeter. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said thickness of said membrane in said forefoot portion tapers from between about 1.5 to 4.0 millimeters down to about  1  millimeter along the outer perimeter. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said thickness of said membrane in said heel portion tapers from between about 1.0 to 3.0 millimeters down to less than about  1  millimeter. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said thickness of said membrane in said midfoot portion has a thickness between about 0.25 to 1 millimeters. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said thickness of said membrane in said forefoot portion is greater near the medial side than it is near said lateral side. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a smooth surface finish on said top surface of said membrane to increase the coefficient of friction and tackiness on said top surface. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive coating on the upper surface of said device to increase the coefficient of friction and tackiness properties thereon. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second layer of silicone having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface of said second layer of silicone fixedly attached to the upper surface of said membrane, said second layer of silicone having a durometer between about 20 to 40 on the Shore 00 scale. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second layer of silicone having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface of said second layer of silicone fixedly attached to the upper surface of said membrane, wherein the durometer of said membrane is different than the durometer of said second layer of silicone. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second layer of silicone having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface of said second layer of silicone fixedly attached to the upper surface of said membrane, wherein the coefficient of friction of the upper surface of the second layer of silicone is greater than the coefficient of friction of the lower surface of the membrane. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second layer of silicone having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface of said second layer of silicone fixedly attached to the upper surface of said membrane, said upper surface having a coefficient of friction of at least about 0.75. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said membrane is a molded thermoset silicone rubber. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said membrane is a molded thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a textured surface on said bottom surface of said membrane to reduce the coefficient of friction on said bottom surface. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a low friction coating on said bottom surface of said membrane to reduce the coefficient of friction on said bottom surface. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a talc powder on said bottom surface of said membrane to reduce the coefficient of friction on said bottom surface. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 1 , adhered onto the foot portion of the exterior of an article of hosiery. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 1 , attached inside an article of hosiery in the location where the user's foot rests. 
     
     
         21 . A device to be worn on the foot comprising:
 a base, unitary, self supporting, stretchable, membrane made of silicone configured in the general shape of the underside of a foot comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a front, a back, an outer perimeter, a medial side and a lateral side; said membrane further comprising:   a cupped shaped toe portion in the front of the device having an indentation in a top surface configured to receive and contact the skin on the underside of a user's big toe when the device is worn;   a cupped shaped forefoot portion adjacent and connected to said toe portion, said forefoot portion having an indentation in a top surface configured to receive and contact the skin on the underside of a user's forefoot when the device is worn;   a midfoot portion adjacent to and connected to said forefoot portion; and   a cupped shaped heel portion adjacent and connected to said midfoot portion, said heel portion having an indentation in a top surface configured to receive and contact the skin on the underside of a user's heel when the device is worn;   said device further comprising a second layer of silicone having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface of said second layer of silicone fixedly attached to the upper surface of said membrane;   wherein said second layer of silicone has a durometer below the Shore A scale and measured on the shore 00 scale.   
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the thickness of said second layer of silicone is preferably between about 6 and 20 mils.