INSOLE AND FOOT ORTHOTICS MADE OF SHAPE MEMORY MATERIAL (SMM) THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACER FABRICS
A shoe insole comprising: a spacer fabric comprising a bottom layer, a top layer, and a plurality of interconnecting filaments extending between said bottom layer and said top layer; wherein at least one of said bottom layer, said top layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.
1 . A shoe insole comprising:
a spacer fabric comprising a bottom layer, a top layer, and a plurality of interconnecting filaments extending between said bottom layer and said top layer;
wherein at least one of said bottom layer, said top layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.
2 . A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said shape memory material is superelastic.
3 . A shoe insole according to claim 2 wherein said shape memory material is Nitinol.
4 . A shoe insole according to claim 2 wherein said shape memory material is a Titanium near-beta alloy.
5 . A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.
6 . A shoe insole according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material and wherein at least one of said top layer and said bottom layer do not comprise a shape memory material.
7 . A shoe insole according to claim 5 wherein wherein said bottom layer, said top layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments all comprise a shape memory material.
8 . A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said shape memory material is engineered to have a martensitic state between 0 degrees C. and 90 degrees C.
9 . A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein the shape memory material is engineered to oscillate between phase transformations so as to maximize its peak dampening characteristics and storage modulus.
10 . A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said shoe insole is contoured so as to provide increased support to specific regions of a user's foot
11 . A shoe insole according to claim 10 wherein said contouring is achieved by shape-setting said shoe insole using a heating source.
12 . A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein voids in said spacer fabric are filled with a material.
13 . A shoe insole according to claim 12 wherein said material is a gel.
14 . A shoe insole according to claim 12 wherein said material comprises a polymer capable of transitioning between a solid state and a viscous state due to loading and unloading of said shoe insole.
15 . A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said shape memory material is coated with silver to impart antibacterial and antifungal properties to said shape memory material.
16 . A shoe insole according to claim 1 wherein said shoe insole comprises an orthotic.
17 . A shoe upper comprising:
a spacer fabric comprising a bottom layer, a top layer, and a plurality of interconnecting filaments extending between said bottom layer and said top layer;
wherein at least one of said bottom layer, said top layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.
18 . A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein said shape memory material is superelastic.
19 . A shoe upper according to claim 18 wherein said shape memory material is Nitinol.
20 . A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.
21 . A shoe upper according to claim 20 wherein wherein said bottom layer, said top layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments all comprise a shape memory material.
22 . A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein said shape memory material is engineered to have a martensitic state between 0 degrees C. and 90 degrees C.
23 . A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein the shape memory material is engineered to oscillate between phase transformations so as to maximize its peak dampening characteristics and storage modulus.
24 . A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein voids in said spacer fabric are filled with a material.
25 . A shoe upper according to claim 17 wherein said shape memory material is coated with silver to impart antibacterial and antifungal properties to said shape memory material.