Footwear and Foot Support Member Configured to Allow Relative Heel/Forefoot Motion

摘要

A shoe can include support members for a plantar surface of a foot that include: (a) a heel support plate; (b) a forefoot support plate; (c) a heel securing strap component for securely engaging a heel supporting component with a wearer's heel; and (d) a unidirectional hinge, wherein the hinge allows the heel support plate to rotate internally with respect to the forefoot support plate and limit the heel support plate from rotating externally with respect to the forefoot support plate. The support member allows the shoe to twist and move with the foot, allowing the ankle to remain neutral, rather than the shoe fighting the foot's natural motion. The unidirectional nature of the hinge plate also prevents the shoe from rotating externally beyond a predetermined limit point.

主权项

1. A support member for a plantar surface of a foot, comprising:
a heel support plate that includes a heel lateral wing and a heel medial wing, wherein the heel lateral wing extends from a lateral side of the heel support plate and the heel medial wing extends from a medial side of the heel support plate; a forefoot support plate that includes a forefoot lateral wing and a forefoot medial wing, wherein the forefoot lateral wing extends from a lateral side of the forefoot support plate and the forefoot medial wing extends from a medial side of the forefoot support plate; and a strap system, wherein the strap system includes an ankle strap, a lateral heel strap and a medial heel strap, and wherein the strap system is configured such that, when the article is worn by the human wearer,
the ankle strap completely surrounds and is secured to the wearer's ankle,the lateral heel strap extends from under a wearer's lateral malleolus to a lateral anchor location under a heel of the wearer's foot, andthe medial heel strap extends from under a wearer's medial malleolus to a medial anchor location under the heel of the wearer's foot, wherein interaction of the wings of the heel support plate and the forefoot support plate allows the heel support plate to rotate internally with respect to the forefoot support plate and limit the heel support plate from rotating externally beyond a predetermined extent with respect to the forefoot support plate.