A Few Core Technologies - Many Products

We adapt our two fundamental inventions to develop many products. Our customers are producing a wide range of OEM implementations of Insolia Flex and Insolia Cradle, from sandals in Bangladesh to high-heels in the UK.

Over 45 million pairs of footwear have been sold that incorporated Insolia Technologies.

With the right strategy, a major player in the shoe industry could expand their margins and their market share by bringing the benefits of Insolia Technologies exclusively to their customers.

HBN Shoe Utility Patent issued by the USPTO on July 7, 2020
Covers Key Insolia Foundation Technologies Through 2038

Insolia® Intellectual Property

Great Footwear Brands Needs Protection From Imitations And Copies

All Insolia Technologies are inventions for footwear applications. We focus on key foot health and body comfort issues to identify the optimal foot position, alignment, support, or flexibility for the specific shoe construction. All Insolia Technologies are based on the structure of the foot and the biomechanics of gait (how we walk). The result: components and designs containing unique formulas and shapes for the inside of the shoe.

We obtain one or more utility patents on all Insolia Products and Technologies that we bring to market. We currently hold 34 Utility Patents in the United States, including their international counterparts in Europe, China, Japan, and other markets. Another eight utility patents are pending and in the acceptance process.

Our customers have entered into an Intellectual Property License and Supply & Distribution Agreement that covers their use of any Insolia Product Technologies.

Finally, we have a global network of local patent attorneys who assist us, and our customers, in the event of any potential infringement.

**Insolia Flex and Flex Plus Enhance Forefoot Flexibility and result in Natural, Dynamic Arch Support**

Insolia Flex and Insolia Flex Plus

HBN’s Insolia Flex and Flex Plus technologies deliver the following benefits to consumers in walking or flat shoes:

Enhanced Forefoot Flexibility
- Increases perceived forefoot comfort
- Enhances biomechanical efficiency
  - Average 10% reduction in VO2/kg while walking
Natural, Dynamic Arch Support
- When we move, the foot’s Arch stores and releases energy during walking or running. To do this, the Arch must be free to dynamically change shape and not be constrained by fixed arch support. The inward rotation of the great toe joint releases it to flex and trigger the Windlass Effect, resulting in Natural, Dynamic Arch Support.

HBN’s Flex Plus technology delivers the following benefits to consumers in high-heels:

Enhanced stability, standing and walking
Better pressure distribution across the ball of foot

Insolia Cradle

HBN’s Insolia Cradle technology was developed based on the observation that while heel cups are smooth and symmetric, the calcaneus (heel bone) is asymmetric. The patented Insolia CradleTechnology provides the only anatomically correct calcaneus (heel bone) matching heel cup.

HBN’s Insolia Cradle technology delivers the following benefits to consumers in walking or flat shoes:

Provides an improved platform for balance, stability, and function
An asymmetric profile extended along the medial side reduces the strain on the plantar fascia
Improved standing and moving comfort

HBN’s Insolia Cradle technology delivers the following benefits to consumers in high-heels:

Enhanced balance and stability, standing and walking
Enhanced Weight Shift
Improved standing and moving comfort

Insolia® Foundation Insoles Patent Protection

**Insolia Foundation Insole for Men’s Dress Shoe**

Insolia Insole Products are protected by two groups of patents.

US 8,166,674, and its International Counterparts cover stand-alone insoles (including molded insoles), which contain Insolia Flex. Expires 2030.
US 10,390,587, and its International Counterparts cover stand-alone insoles incorporating Insolia Cradle. Expires 2036.

Together these patents cover insoles that contain Insolia Flex and Insolia Cradle.

Insolia® Foundation Outsoles Patent Protection

**Insolia Foundation outsole for Athleisure Shoe**

Insolia Outsole Products are protected by the same two groups of utility patents.

US 8,166,674, and its International Counterparts cover shoes that contain Insolia Flex. Expires 2030.
US 10,390,587, and its International Counterparts cover shoes incorporating Insolia Cradle. Expires 2036.

Together these patents cover shoes and outsoles that contain both Insolia Flex and Insolia Cradle.

Insolia® Heels Patent Protection

Insolia Heel Products are protected by two groups of utility patents and their international counterparts.

US 10,390,587, and its International Counterparts cover stand-alone insoles, sock liners, and shoes incorporating Insolia Cradle. Expires 2036.
US 10,702,008 and its International Counterparts cover Insolia Flex Plus and Insolia Cradle when molded into an insole for shoes. Expires 2038.

Insolia® Flex And Flex Plus Component Patent Protection

Insolia Flex Components are protected by two groups of utility patents.

US 8,166,674, and its International Counterparts cover shoes, stand-alone insoles, sock liners, and orthotics that contain Insolia Flex. Expires 2030.
US 10,702,008, and its International Counterparts cover shoes, stand-alone insoles, sock liners, and orthotics that incorporate Insolia Flex Plus. Expires 2038.

Patent Applications Under Review

We have three different technologies under development that we have filed patent applications for. They were developed to work with our existing technologies in order to provide additional benefits to new target markets.

Insolia Flex Max

Issued January 2023

This was developed to answer the mass market challenge. Could we develop a low-cost, one-size-fits-most, trim-to-fit insole that would be more than just cushioning? The answer is yes.

Designed to be a PU molded part for strength and thinness, the perforations reduce the mass and cost of the part while providing real ventilation. The closest part has the bottom side up, and the trim lines are visible on the left end of the part. Untrimmed, it’s a US M 13, and there are five trim lines that step down to a US M 8.
The furthest part is shown with the foot side up. Insolia Flex Max is the “Met Pad” with a medial slope matching the slope of the lateral surface of the Insolia Flex depression. Insolia Cradle is used to make the thinnest heel cup possible that still delivers the support and stabilization of Insolia Cradle.

The key is using the mechanism of Insolia Flex, the ramp under the great toe joint, and adjusting it to allow it to function under feet that range over six whole US sizes.

The heel cup shown in the insole above uses the Insolia Cradle geometry, adjusted to fit the thinnest possible insole.

Insolia Plantar Fasciitis Insole with Cuboid Support

Issued November 2023

This was developed to answer the Plantar Fasciitis challenge. Could we develop an insole that would reduce stress on the plantar fascia in order to reduce the pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis? Comments from users of the “Goldie Lou” sandal we developed around our Insolia Foundation footbed suggested it could be optimized to enhance its ability to reduce the pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis. We went to work.

In addition to optimizing Insolia Cradle to reduce stress on the plantar fascia, we developed a cuboid pad with a groove aligned with the axis of the pull of the peroneus longus tendon. This works with Insolia Flex and the optimized Insolia Cradle to create an insole optimized for relieving Plantar Fasciitis pain.

**The Insolia Plantar Fasciitis Insole:** The heel cup is an optimized version of Insolia Cradle to reduce stress on the Plantar Fascia. The novel Cuboid Pad is the oval oriented at roughly 45 degrees. Insolia Flex is the asymmetric ovoid under the great toe joint.

Insolia Cleats

A random walk in Monaco led to brass castings of the footprints of some of the world’s greatest soccer players. This triggered an internal discussion of how to incorporate what we know into an optimized soccer boot.

Dr. Dananberg’s knowledge of foot mechanics and his awareness of the types of non-contact injuries led to a focus on reducing the risk of damage to the knee caused by the foot being unable to rotate due to the cleats of the soccer boot locking the foot to the ground. This locking is driven by two factors: the stiffness of the shoe and the inhibition of foot flexing by the locking of the first metatarsal head joint.

This led to the realization that we could design a soccer boot that would enhance the player’s ability to rotate around the ball of their foot while also increasing their biomechanical efficiency.

The result of our innovative approach is a boot with a hemispherical dome adorned with strategically placed cleats. This design effectively curbs side-to-side and forward-to-back motion while simultaneously reducing the forces that impede turning around the center of the domed cleat. The outcome? Enhanced player performance and the potential to reduce the risk of knee injuries.

Summary

HBN Shoe’s strength is a deep knowledge of the human foot combined with an engineering focus on developing products that work with standard production methods used in the footwear industry. We have built a strong collection of US and corresponding International Utility Patents that provide protection for this family of innovative products.

The history and the development of our high-heel technology are discussed in the History & High Heels section.

The development of our technologies for flat shoes is discussed in the section on Walking Shoes.