A Few Core Technologies - Many Products

We adapt our 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 50 million pairs of footwear with Insolia Technologies have been sold.

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

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 is 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 we bring to market. We currently hold 31 Utility Patents in the United States, including their international counterparts in Europe, China, Japan, and other markets. Another seven 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, Flex Plus, and Flex Max

HBN’s Insolia Flex, Flex Plus, and Flex Max 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 while we are walking or running. To do this, the Arch must be free to change its shape dynamically 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 Max technology delivers the above in a uniquely functional one-size-fits-many insole.

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 the 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 Insole Products are protected by two groups of patents.

1. US 8,166,674, and its International Counterparts cover stand-alone insoles (including molded insoles), which contain Insolia Flex. Expires 2030.

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

1. US 8,166,674, and its International Counterparts cover shoes that contain Insolia Flex. Expires 2030.

2. 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.

1. US 10,390,587, and its International Counterparts cover stand-alone insoles, sock liners, and shoes incorporating Insolia Cradle. Expires 2036.

2. 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.

1. US 8,166,674, and its International Counterparts cover shoes, stand-alone insoles, sock liners, and orthotics that contain Insolia Flex. Expires 2030.

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

Insolia Flex Max

Patent Issued January 2023

Insolia Flex Max 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.

Insolia Flex Max was designed to be a PU molded part for strength and thinness.

The closest part has the bottom side up, showing the variable depth of the hexagonal perforations, which reduces the part's mass and cost while providing natural ventilation. The trim lines are visible on the left end of the part. Untrimmed, it’s a US Men’s 13, and the five trim lines take it down to a US M 8.

The furthest part is shown as worn in a shoe. The key is using the mechanism of Insolia Flex Plus, 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 incorporates an Insolia Cradle, adjusted to fit the thinnest possible insole.

Insolia Plantar Fasciitis Insole with Cuboid Support

Patent Issued November 2023

This insole was developed to answer the Plantar Fasciitis challenge. Could we develop an insole that would reduce stress on the plantar fascia and 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 the Insolia Cradle to reduce stress on the plantar fascia, we developed a novel cuboid pad with a groove aligned with the axis of the pull of the peroneus longus tendon. The Insolia Cuboid Pad works in combination with Insolia Flex and the optimized Insolia Cradle to create an insole optimized for relieving Plantar Fasciitis pain.

Insolia Cleats
Patent Application Under Review

The prevalence of non-contact sports injuries in cleated footwear is reaching a critical level, with women athletes being disproportionately affected. At Insolia, we are committed to addressing this urgent issue by applying our proven method of meticulously examining biomechanical issues and developing patented solutions. This is the approach we have taken to the problem of cleated footwear.

While previous research has focused on the traction issues of cleats on different surfaces, our work stands out for its unique exploration of the direct impact of cleats on foot biomechanics, particularly during high-speed motions. This aspect has been largely overlooked in existing studies.   

The human foot is a complex structure with 26 separate bones, and their interrelated motions are vital for proper function. For instance, the great toe joint, which may seem simple, is the hinge around which all foot motion must rotate. Any restrictions to this motion can lead to compensations in walking and running mechanics, some of which are directly linked to non-contact sports injuries.       

In all the cleats we examined, there is a single cleat that lies directly under the head of the 1st metatarsal, at the heelward end of the great toe joint. For proper motion to occur as the joint flexes, the 1st metatarsal must have available motion to plantarflex (move downward) and evert (rotate outward).   This single cleat blocks this motion, therefore preventing its ability to hinge.   What makes this so critical, however, is that the flexibility of this joint doesn’t actually affect great toe motion but rather the remainder of the foot.   Once the toe is in contact with the ground, IT NEVER MOVES AGAIN UNTIL TOE OFF.   It is the remainder of the foot which actually moves.   Therefore, blocking toe joint motion causes adjustment (compensations) throughout the foot and the remainder of the body, including the entire lower extremity.  

Our invention allows a cleat to remain under the first metatarsal head so there is adequate traction. It is also designed to permit plantarflexion eversion so restrictions to motion cannot develop. The goal is to reduce the potential for these non-contact injuries and permit noticeable improvements in the ability to run smoother and be far more comfortable.  

The first Insolia Cleat Prototye

Why is the cleat pattern centered on the great toe joint?

The great toe joint is exclusively human.   Our closest relatives, primates, have great toe joints, which, like our hands, cannot flex backward (dorsiflex).   But humans are different.   To walk upright, we must be able to step over a weight-bearing limb.  This is the purpose of the great toe joint.  It lets the heel lift from the ground while maintaining continual contact until the end of the step.   Considering that we begin any step behind the foot and end up in front of it, it becomes the center of our forward rotation.   The cleat pattern reflects this ability to permit rotation while maintaining contact with the ground.

Why is there a dome under the great toe joint?

For the great toe joint to be flexible while bearing the load of the entire body, it is not a simple hinge but rather a ginglymoid-arthrodial joint.   This means it hinges and glides simultaneously.   The joint itself consists of two parts: the toe-ward end and the heel-ward end.  The toe end is straightforward.  The heel-ward end consists of the 1st metatarsal and sesamoid apparatus.   For proper motion, the 1st metatarsal must rotate downward and outward (plantarflex and evert) and use the sesamoid apparatus to facilitate this motion.   In cleated footwear, however, a cleat required for traction is routinely placed under the metatarsal head, blocking its ability to move.    Our domed cleat has a void or space on the top side.   This effectively decouples the upward force of the cleat on the downward motion of the 1st metatarsal, permitting motion without restriction while traction is maintained.

Summary

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