CN114340435A

CN114340435A - Sole layer with support members

Info

Publication number: CN114340435A
Application number: CN202080058784.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: B·兰贝茨
Original assignee: X Technology Swiss GmbH
Current assignee: X Technology Swiss GmbH
Priority date: 2019-08-20
Filing date: 2020-08-17
Publication date: 2022-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 2040-08-17
Also published as: EP4017309A1; CH716514B1; EP4017309C0; CH716514A1; EP4017309B1; ES2973218T3; JP2022545442A; WO2021032684A1; CN114340435B; US20220279894A1

Abstract

A sole (1) with a sole layer (10) in which a plurality of support elements (2) are accommodated, which are arranged in a plurality of channels (101) extending parallel to one another over the extension of the sole surface, is intended to make the sole layer (10) and the support elements (2) easy to manufacture and, by means of their cooperation, to enable optimum support and damping effects to be achieved in a partial region of the sole surface. The realization mode is as follows: the support element (2) is formed from at least two mutually separable parts, in particular a shell (20) and at least one core (21), the plurality of support elements (2) being inserted into the plurality of channels (101) in a vertical direction (V) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L) of the sole and being held therein in a form-fitting manner, wherein the support elements (2) at least partially fill the channels (101), and the support elements (2) having different support effects along the sole surface depending on their arrangement in the extension of the sole layer (10) on the basis of their overall hardness.

Description

Sole layer with support members

Technical Field

The invention relates to a sole with a sole layer, in which a plurality of support elements are arranged, which are introduced into a plurality of channels extending parallel to one another over the extension of the sole surface.

Background

In the past, soles for shoes have been developed further, in which the damping properties of the sole or of the individual sole layers are first adapted to the use of the shoe and to the height and weight of the user of the shoe. All these developments have to be careful that the stability of the entire sole is not reduced. This is a problem to some extent when the sole provides a massage effect, and the purpose of the present invention is not to provide a massage effect.

For example, a sole layer as disclosed in CN107440218, has various shock absorbing members throughout its extension. These cushioning members are designed to resemble pads or springs that are installed in the void or cavity during the manufacture of the sole layer. By means of the resilient shock absorbing member, a desired effect can be achieved at a defined location, so that during a sports activity, for example pressure points on the sole of a user's foot can be prevented. When the weight of the user is particularly heavy,

CN204908160 also discloses a shoe with a sole layer with better shock absorption effect. The sole layer is also provided with a cavity, and a shock absorption component similar to a cushion or a spring is arranged in the cavity.

All in all, the above mentioned ideas seem rather vague, and in practice, commercial mass shoe manufacturing to suit individual needs of different shoe users may become difficult. It is not clear at present how the damping properties of the sole layer can be adjusted to suit the weight or the use of the shoe in a reproducible manner. It is not possible to fine-tune the damping characteristics sufficiently precisely. Even if the number of cavities distributed facewise on the sole surface is greatly increased, the possibilities of adjustment are severely limited. It is unlikely that the cushioning members distributed planarly on the surface of the sole will achieve a sufficiently high density. It is believed that it is difficult to easily manufacture such a sole layer because of the significant effort required to match the cushioning members to the different sized cavities in the sole layer.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention is based on the object of creating a sole layer for a shoe sole, which has several support elements, wherein the sole layer and the support elements are easy to produce and, by means of the cooperation of the two, an optimized supporting and damping effect is achieved in a targeted manner in a partial region of the sole surface.

The resulting shoe sole should be able to achieve different cushioning specifications while still producing a sufficiently stable sole layer. To achieve this, the support elements are arranged in a form-fitting manner in the sole layer.

In order to achieve the above object, the shape of the sole layer or the arrangement and shape of the cavities is always of the same design in order to match the desired shoe size, wherein the choice of the support elements to be used is different in order to adapt to the damping characteristics to be achieved.

Variations or fine adjustments of the combinations of features of the invention can be found in the detailed description, illustrated in the drawings and incorporated in the dependent claims.

Drawings

The subject matter of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The essential features, details and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description.

Wherein:

figure 1 is a perspective exploded view of a sole having a plurality of support members prior to the support members being inserted into a plurality of channels in the sole layer.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a support member filled to a different degree, where a core with a cross-shaped cross-section has been chosen as an example.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a sole having a sole layer in which a plurality of support members are arranged to partially protrude from a sole surface.

Detailed Description

Here a sole layer 10 is shown as part of a sole 1. The sole 1 itself forms part of a shoe, not shown here. The resulting sole layer 10 provides a possibility for fine adjustment of the mesh along the sole surface to define the local shock absorbing properties of interest herein. Along different regions, in the region of the ball of the foot, in the region of the heel, in the region of the outer edge of the foot, or along the longitudinal arch of the sole surface, specifically defined damping characteristics can be achieved, which are suitable for all footwear sizes or for a corresponding proportion of sole sizes. These areas are indicated by dashed lines in fig. 3.

In the ready-to-use state, a large bottom layer 11 having the contour 110 of the large bottom layer 11 is arranged on the bottom side of the sole layer 10. The large bottom layer 11 projects here to the level of the upper closure face 100. Before the entire sole 1 is ready for use, a primer layer and an insole or sockliner are usually also provided on the upper closure face 100 of the sole layer 10. These various soles are not shown here for clarity, but may alternatively be part of sole layer 10.

Channels 101 extending parallel to one another are provided in the sole layer 10 in the extension of the sole surface. The channels 101 are arranged in rows of channels 101 parallel to the longitudinal direction L and columns of channels 101 parallel to the lateral direction Q of the sole layer 10.

The channel 101 extends in a vertical direction V, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and the transverse direction Q, respectively. The channels 101 extend from the upper foot-facing closed side 100 of the sole layer 10 perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction L and transverse direction Q of the sole layer 10 in the direction of the large base layer 11. The honeycomb structure is formed by the orientation and number of the channels 101. Between adjacent channels 101 there are provided channel walls 102 separating the channel lumens from each other. The channels 101 preferably all extend parallel to each other, wherein the depth of the channels 101 may differ from each other due to the varying height of the sole layer 10. This is apparent from fig. 1, in which, viewed in the vertical direction V, the channel 101 has a greater depth in the heel region of the sole layer 10 than in the ball region.

The cross section of the channel 101 is preferably circular, wherein other planar geometries, such as polygonal, for example rectangular, square, triangular, hexagonal, etc., or star-shaped, can also be selected.

The cross-section preferably remains constant over the extension of the channel 101. In this case, the shaping of the channels 101 takes the form of blind holes in the sole layer 10, which are open towards the upper closure face 100.

Now, several support elements 2, preferably each of a multi-part design, are introduced, which are inserted in the vertical direction V into several channels 101. The support member 2 at least partially fills the channel 101. Thereby the support member 2 is held in the channel 101 in a form-fitting manner. Since in practice the weight of the wearer acts in the vertical direction V, the support member 2 is secured against loss. The support members 2 should have different stiffness so that each region of the sole layer 10 will have a different cushioning effect depending on the arrangement of the support members 2.

The support member 2 is made of at least two parts separable from each other. A two-piece variant comprising a shell 20 and at least one core 21 is illustrated here and will be explained in detail. The housing 20 is designed here with a circular cross section, in which a housing inner contour 200 is cut. The cross section of the jacket 20 corresponds to the cross section of the channel 101, so that a form-fitting connection can be formed. The core 21 is inserted into the hollowed-out space of the shell 20 in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the shell. For this purpose, the core 21 has a corresponding core outer contour 210. The connection of core 21 to housing 20 is also a form-fitting connection.

Shell 20 has an adjustable hardness based on the material used for shell 20, shell height H, and shell inner profile 200. The same applies to the core 21, depending on its material, core height K and core outer contour 210. Thereby achieving the total stiffness of each support member 2.

In fig. 2, cores 21 of different hardnesses and empty casings 20 inserted to different extents are shown by way of example. By proper selection of matching shells 20 and cores 21, support members 2 of various stiffness levels and various shock absorption levels can be achieved. Alternatively, the core portions 21 of some of the support members 2 may be interposed so as to partially protrude from the shell 20.

Preferably, however, the core height K of the core 21 is selected to be of the same size as the jacket height H of the jacket 20 of the support member 2, and the core 21 is inserted flush with the jacket height H into the jacket inner contour 200.

In practice, the jacket 20 is embodied softer than the at least one core 21, so that the hardness of the jacket 20 is always less than the hardness of the inserted at least one core 21.

By designing the individual components of the support element 2 and by virtue of their arrangement in the extension of the sole layer 10, the desired supporting and damping effect can be achieved in a targeted manner along the sole surface.

In the illustrated example of the support member 2, the shape of the core outer contour 210 or the cross-sectional shape of the core 21 is a cross. This cross section has been shown to be particularly suitable, but other planar geometries may be chosen.

After the sole layer 10 is made, the support member 2 is inserted into the channel 101 provided. The shell height H of the shell 20 is selected such that the support element 2 projects slightly beyond the upper foot-facing closing surface 100 of the sole layer 10. In this way, the end face of shell 20 is not flush with upper closure 100 of sole layer 10. The core height K is selected here to be the same size as the jacket height H, or the core 21 is inserted in such a way that the core 21 is flush with its jacket 20 on one side.

As shown in fig. 3, in some sections, which are present for example in the ball region, the channel 101 is filled with identical support members 2, which comprise identical shells 20 and cores 21 and have a defined overall stiffness. In other areas, for example in the heel area, the rows of channels 101 parallel to the transverse direction Q are filled with the same support members 2, but the overall stiffness of these support members 2 is different from that of the support members 2 in the ball area.

In the exemplarily marked region C, the support members 2 inserted in adjacent channels 101 have different shells 20, cores 21, and/or these shells 20 and/or cores 21 have different hardnesses. This allows a very precise local adjustment of the damping effect along the surface of the sole. Depending on the diameter of the channels 101 and the support members 2, the support members 2 can be arranged with a high density along the upper closing surface 100, so that a high resolution of the local damping effect can be achieved.

Since the shell 20 and the core 21 are made of plastic, preferably polymer and elastomer, hardness measurements are made with a shore durometer. The shore a hardness is preferably between 20 and 30 and 40 and 50.

The sole layer 10 provided with the channels 101 may be manufactured by a plastic injection moulding process or, for example, by a 3d printer. The same applies to the shell 20 and the core 21 of the support member 2. All plastic materials that can be processed accordingly are contemplated.

Optionally, the core 21 can also be fixed in the housing inner contour 200 in a material-bonded manner, for example by means of an adhesive.

It is also possible to insert more than one core 21 into the housing 20 of each support member 2.

Due to the provision of several support members 2 which are distributed in the plane of the sole surface in a planar manner, the damping properties of the sole layer 10 can be adjusted precisely and locally with high resolution. Wherein directly adjacent channels 101 may be provided with different support members 2. Several support members 2 may be inserted completely in layers in the respective channels 101. The support members 2 may be interconnected by a bridged dart. In the 3d printing method, the sole layer 10 with the channels 101 and the support member 2 may also be printed simultaneously. Correspondingly, the sole layer 10 according to one of the claims is manufactured in a printed manner with a 3d printer entirely in a 3d printing method.

Description of the reference numerals

1 sole

10 shoe bottom layer

100 upper sealing surface

101 channel

102 channel wall

Surface of shoe sole

11 large bottom layer

110 large floor profile 2 support members (several, preferably two pieces)

20 casing

200 inner contour of shell

Height of H shell

21 core (at least one)

210 core outer contour

K core height Llongitudinal sole axis/longitudinal (LQtransverse) sole layer

V vertical direction

C region

Claims

1. A sole (1) with a sole layer (10) in which a plurality of support elements (2) are arranged, said support members being arranged in several channels (101) extending parallel to each other in the extension of the sole surface, characterized in that the support member (2) is formed by at least two mutually separable parts, in particular formed by a shell (20) and at least one core (21), into which channels (101) the support members (2) are inserted in a vertical direction (V) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L) of the sole and are retained in a form-fitting manner, wherein the support member (2) at least partially fills the channel (101), and the support elements (2) have different support effects along the sole surface depending on their arrangement in the extension of the sole layer (10) on the basis of their total hardness.

2. Sole (1) with a sole layer (10) according to claim 1, wherein the casing (20) is embodied softer than the at least one core (21).

3. The sole (1) with a sole layer (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a core outer contour (210) of the at least one core (21) matches a shell inner contour (200) of the shell (20) such that the at least one core (21) can be inserted into the shell (20) and retained in a form-fitting manner.

4. The sole (1) with a sole layer (10) according to claim 3, wherein the at least one core (21) is secured in a materially bonded manner in the shell inner contour (200).

5. The sole (1) with a sole layer (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the hardness of the at least one core (21) of the support member (2) in the ball region of the sole layer (10) is softer than the hardness of the at least one core (21) of the support member (2) in the heel region of the sole layer (10).

6. Sole (1) with a sole layer (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a shell height (H) of the shell (20) is selected such that the support element (2) protrudes in a vertical direction (V) of the sole layer (10) over an upper foot-facing closure face (100) of the sole layer (10).

7. The sole (1) with a sole layer (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one core (21) protrudes from the shell inner contour (200) of the shell (20).

8. The sole (1) with a sole layer (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the core height (K) of the support member (2) corresponds to the shell height (H).

9. The sole (1) with a sole layer (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the several channels (101) are formed as blind holes in the sole layer (10) extending from the upper closed face (100) of the sole layer (10) facing the foot to a large bottom layer (11) bordering the sole layer (10).

10. The sole (1) with a sole layer (10) according to any of the previous claims 3 to 9, wherein the core outer contour (210) of the at least one core (21) is a cross.

11. The sole (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the several channels (101) extend parallel to each other and are arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) of the sole layer (10) in the direction of the large sole layer from the upper foot-facing closing face (100) of the sole layer (10) forming a honeycomb structure along the vertical direction (V) of the sole layer (10), and adjacent channels (101) are separated by channel walls (102).