SHOE INSOLE AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe insole with a reinforcement layer enclosed between a top layer and a base, and a method for making the insole with less number of procedures and suitable for mass production.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional insole is put in the shoe and directly contact wearer's feet so that most of the insoles are made by flexible material and the insoles can be conveniently replaced and cleaned.

The conventional insoles are made by Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or Polyethylene (PE). Some insoles include a surface material attached on the body of insole. However, the conventional insoles tend to be deformed permanently if the material is too soft or to be uncomfortable to the wearer if the material is too stiff.

Although some insoles include multiple layers which are laminated to each other, this type of insoles requires a lot of laboring hours to glue the layers one by one, and this does not meet requirement of mass production. Besides, the middle layer often protrudes from a periphery of the insole and is easily damaged by foreign objects.

The present invention intends to provide a shoe insole which improves the shortcomings of the conventional insoles and the middle layer is completely enclosed between the top layer and the base of the insole.

Furthermore, the present invention also provides a method for making the shoe insole and the procedures are simple and suitable for mass production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for making an insole and includes a step (1) for preparing a base, attaching at least two reinforcement layers on a top of the base and a top layer attached on the base and covering the at least two reinforcement layers, the respective peripheries of the reinforcement layers being attached to the base so as to form a combination unit, and a step (2) for pressing and cutting the combination unit to obtain insoles, the reinforcement layer being enclosed between the base and the top layer. The method is suitable for mass production of the insoles.

The top layer can be a piece of fabric or leather, or a piece of fabric or leather attached with a soft layer and the thickness of the soft layer can be varied according needs. The base can be made by thermoplastic material such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), or Polyethylene (PE). The reinforcement layer can be latex sponge, rubber sponge or Polyurethane (PU). The top layer can be a piece of fabric or leather.

The insole made by the method includes a base layer, a reinforcement layer attached on a top of the base layer, and a top layer attached on the reinforcement layer and a periphery of the top layer being directly attached to the base layer, the reinforcement layer being enclosed between the base layer and the top layer.

The periphery of the top layer is directly attached with the base layer so that the reinforcement layer which is enclosed between the base layer and the top layer. The reinforcement layer does not protrude or exposed from the insole so that it is well protected and not being damaged.

The top layer can be a piece of fabric or leather, or a piece of fabric or leather attached with a soft layer and the thickness of the soft layer can be varied according needs. The base layer can be made by thermoplastic material such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), or Polyethylene (PE). The reinforcement layer can be latex sponge, rubber sponge or Polyurethane (PU). The top layer can be a piece of fabric or leather.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows steps of the method for making insoles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the insole made by the method of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a plane view of the insole made by the method of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken along line A-A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view to show another embodiment of the insole of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a plane view of the embodiment of the insole in FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The base or base layer of the embodiment in the invention can be made by thermoplastic material such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), or Polyethylene (PE).

Referring to FIG. 1, the method for making an insole of the present invention comprises a step (1): preparing a base 10 and attaching at least two reinforcement layers 20 on a top of the base 10, a top layer 30 attached on the base 10 and covering the at least two reinforcement layers 20, respective peripheries of the top layer 30 attached to the base 10 so as to form a combination unit, and

a step (2): pressing and cutting the combination unit to obtain insoles 100, the reinforcement layer 20 being enclosed between the base 10 and the top layer 30.

The reinforcement layer 20 can be latex sponge, rubber sponge or Polyurethane (PU). The top layer 30 can be a piece of fabric or leather.

By the method, the insoles 100 can be made in mass production. The number of reinforcement layer 20 and/or top layer 30 can be varied according needs.

FIGS. 2 to 4 show the insole 100 made by the method and includes a base layer 11, a reinforcement layer 20 and a top layer 30. The reinforcement layer 20 is attached on the base layer 11 and the top layer 30 is attached on the reinforcement layer 20. The periphery of the underside of the top layer 30 is directly attached on the base layer 11 so as to completely enclose the reinforcement layer 20 between the base layer 11 and the top layer 30. The reinforcement layer 20 does not protrude from the base layer 11 and the top layer 30 so that the reinforcement layer 20 is well protected.

The method of the present invention is suitable for mass production without much laboring and therefore is benefit by increasing the manufacturing efficiency and the competitiveness in the market. The reinforcement layer 20 of the insole made by the method of the present invention does not protrude from the base layer 11 and the top layer 30 so that the reinforcement layer 20 is well protected and does not wear out. The combination of the base layer 11 and the reinforcement layer 20 provides proper flexibility and does not deform. The structure of the insole is simple and strong.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show another embodiment of the insole wherein the top layer 30 includes a piece of fabric or leather 301 attached to a soft layer 302 which is attached to the reinforcement layer 20. The soft layer 302 is attached on the reinforcement layer 20 and the periphery 31 of the underside of the fabric or leather 301 is attached to the soft layer 302, and the periphery 32 of the underside of the soft layer 302 is attached to the base layer 11. By this arrangement, the reinforcement layer 20 is completely enclosed between the soft layer 302 of the top layer 30 and the base layer 11. The reinforcement layer 20 is well protected and is not damaged. The soft layer 302 provide comfortable wearing feature to the insole 100.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.