Composite material orthotic insert constructed for enhanced control and durability

A laminated blank for an orthotic insert, said blank comprising:

• at least one relatively flexible fiberglass/resin base layer having a midfoot portion, heel and forefoot ends, and medial and lateral edges;
• at least one relatively rigid graphite fiber/resin reinforcing layer bonded to said base layer, said reinforcing layer comprising:
• a midfoot portion which extends substantially continuously across said midfoot portion of said base layer and forwardly to proximate said forefoot end of said base layer;
• and
• first and second elongate tail portions spaced inwardly from said medial and lateral edges of said base layer and extending rearwardly from said midfoot portion of said reinforcing layer along medial and lateral sides of a heel cup of said blank, generally in line with first and fifth rays of a foot which said blank is configured to engage and converging towards said heel end of said base layer;
• and
• at least one graphite fiber/resin primary reinforcing strip bonded generally along a selected one of said medial and lateral edges of said reinforcing layer, from proximate a forward end of said reinforcing layer to proximate a rearward end of one of said tail portions thereof, so that said strip extends generally in line with a corresponding one of said first and fifth rays of said foot.

A laminated blank for an orthotic, said blank comprising:

• at least one relatively flexible fiberglass/resin base layer having a midfoot portion, heel and forefoot ends, and medial and lateral edges;
• at least one relatively rigid graphite fiber/resin reinforcing layer bonded to said base layer, said reinforcing layer comprising:
• a midfoot portion which extends substantially continuously across said midfoot portion of said base layer and forwardly to proximate said forefoot end of said base layer;
• and
• first and second elongate tail portions spaced inwardly from said medial and lateral edges of said base layer and extending rearwardly from said midfoot portion of said reinforcing layer along medial and lateral sides of a heel cup of said blank, generally in line with first and fifth rays of a foot which said blank is configured to engage and converging towards said heel end of said base layer, said first and second tail portions terminating in first and second rearward ends proximate said heel end of said base layer, said rearward ends of said tail portions being smoothly rounded so as to prevent cracks from promalgating from said graphite fiber/resin layer through said fiberglass/resin layer at said heel end of said base layer;
• first and second graphite fiber/resin primary reinforcing strips bonded generally along said medial and lateral edges of said reinforcing layer, from proximate a forward end of said reinforcing layer to proximate said rearward ends of said first and second tail portions thereof, so that said strips extend generally in line with said first and fifth rays of said foot;
• and
• first and second graphite fiber/resin rearfoot reinforcing strips bonded along said first and second primary reinforcing strips and extending from proximate said midfoot portion of said base layer to proximate said heel end of said base layer generally in line with said first and fifth rays of said foot;
• so that said tail portions of said reinforcing layer, said primary reinforcing strips, and said rearfoot reinforcing strips all extend along said medial and lateral sides of said heel cup and converge towards said heel end of said base layer so as to strengthen a rearfoot portion of said laminated blank without increasing a thickness of said blank under a heel of said foot.