Copyright © Françoise Herrmann
Vionic® shoes with orthotic soles, bringing together comfort and
style, are purported to be Oprah Winfrey’s favorite travel shoes!
The Vionic® orthotic sole is recited in the US utility patent
application US20180020772A1, titled Composite orthotic device. The Vionic® orthotic sole is composite because it is composed of an upper cushioning part, designed to engage the user's foot, and a base supporting part, designed to engage
with the ground. Both the upper and base parts of the Vionic® sole are attached
to one another with an adhesive that has a higher melting point than the 90 degrees Centigrade heat
which might be used when the soles are customized and molded to the user’s foot.
The two parts of the Vionic® sole are not only
intended to provide local cushioning and support for the user’s foot, they are most
importantly intended to synergistically provide biomechanical control of the
user’s gait on the entire length of ground surface contact, from heel-strike to
toe-off. Thus, the two parts of the soles are scientifically designed with
varying thickness and angles on the surfaces, as well as varying hardness and
softness, according to pre-determined Shore hardness values, measured via
durometer.
The varying hardness and softness features of the sole are distributed on the
surface according to foot anatomy. Thus, for example, the patent recites in
order of hardness to softness, eight anatomical areas of surface support
[0014-0021], the first metatarsal support portion being the hardest [0014], and
the second metatarsal portion being the softest [0021].
Likewise, the varying angles and thickness of
the sole are distributed relative to foot anatomy, with a molded heel cup, a
longitudinal arch raise and a raised side portion i.e.; “a raised lateral portion positionable adjacent to
the calcaneal cuboid and the 4th/5th metatarsals of the user's foot.” [0047].
The targeted anatomically-defined
sole surface areas are further correlated with an ideal flow path of what is
termed the Centre of Pressure (COP). The flow path of the COP is defined as "the integrated pressure field that the human body exerts on a supporting surface via the foot." [0094]. It corresponds to the
successively timed ground-contact phases of a user's gait cycle (from heel-strike to
toe-off). In turn, this additional mapping of timed contact phases, relative to an ideal
COP flow path, serves to further inform the hardness/softness,
thickness/angulation features of the sole design, for the purposes of coaching and
controlling the user’s gait in an optimal way. It is the COP flow path, driving
design features to control the user’s gait from heel strike to toe-off, that is
at the heart of this invention, relative to prior art soles systems, also seeking
both to support and cushion the user’s foot, and to control the user's gait.
To illustrate the connection between the ideal COP flow path and the various anatomically-based design features of the Vionic® composite sole, previously mentioned, the patent application Figures 17A, 17 and 9 are included above.
Figure 17A shows the ideal COP flow path with the successively timed contact phases of a user’s gait cycle, from heel-strike to toe-off. Figure 17 shows a Vionic orthotic sole with the solid line of the ideal COP flow path, and the five ground contact phases of a gait cycle (on the dotted line), relative to foot motion anatomy, namely: “(i) heel strike, (ii) the initial phase of pronation, (iii) re-supination during mid-stance, (iv) plantarflexion of the 1st ray and Hallux dorsiflexion, and, (v) toe off.” [0094].
Figure 9 shows the keyed thickness/angulation, softness/hardness sections and regions of the sole, correlated to foot anatomy, each of which is intended to coach the user’s gait as closely as possible to the ideal COP flow path. The keyed regions and sections of the Figure 9 Vionic® orthotic sole are the following: a lateral heel strike portion (HI); a medial heel strike portion (H2); a Calcaneal Cuboid portion (MI), a medial longitudinal arch portion (M2); a distal lateral forefoot section (FFI); and a first metatarsal portion for the second, third and fourth metatarsal heads (FF2), a second metatarsal portion for the first metatarsal head (FF3) and a forefoot extension (FF4). [0098]
The Vionic® orthotic patent application also recites the preferred materials for the soles,
preferably ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) for the base portion of the sole, and rebound
EVA for the upper portion, the upper portion being further sheathed in nylon fabric with anti-microbial/anti-bacterial properties. Finally, the patent application also recites the potential customization method for molding one or both Vionic® soles to an individual’s feet, as well as the options for a three-quarter sole or a full-length sole.
The abstract of the Vionic® composite orthotic sole patent application is included below.
A composite orthotic device for use with footwear includes a resiliently deformable base part and a resiliently deformable upper part, forming a plurality of foot supporting portions of differing durometer adapted to guide the wearer's foot along a Center of Pressure path from heel strike to toe-off to follow a biomechanically corrected gait path. [Abstract US20180020772A1]
Thanks, Oprah, for a great sole tip!
Vionic® shoes (website)
https://www.vionicshoes.com
Leaska, S. (May 22, 2019) Oprah's Favorite Travel Sneakers Are on Sale in 2 Pretty Spring Colors. Travel+Leisure.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/oprah-apos-favorite-travel-sneakers-171537209.html
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