DE202012010879U1 - Sole construction for a running shoe - Google Patents

Abstract

Sole construction for a running shoe with an outer (20) and a midsole (10), the sole construction comprising a plurality of hollow elements (31-35), which are closed laterally by front (31v) and rear flanks (31h) in the longitudinal direction of the sole construction however, they are open and have upper (31o) and lower inner surfaces (31u) at a mutual distance, the hollow elements acting on them when running, each by elastic deformation while reducing the distance between their inner surfaces (31o, 31u) and, if necessary, by horizontal displacement of their Receiving inner surfaces (31o, 31u) against each other, and the hollow elements being deformable to such an extent that their upper and lower inner surfaces (31o, 31u) come into contact with one another and that this contact prevents horizontal displacement of these inner surfaces (31o, 31u) against one another, characterized in that the upper inner surfaces (31o) of the hollow elements elements (31-35) on the underside of the midsole (10) that the lower inner surfaces (31u) of the hollow elements (31-35) on the top of the ...

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a sole construction for a running shoe with an outer and a midsole, wherein the sole construction comprises a plurality of hollow elements which are each closed by the front and rear flanks in the longitudinal direction of the sole construction, laterally open and having spaced apart upper and lower inner surfaces wherein the hollow elements when running on each other absorb forces acting on them by elastic deformation while reducing the distance between their inner surfaces and optionally by horizontal displacement of their inner surfaces, and wherein the hollow elements are so deformed that their upper and lower inner surfaces come into contact with each other and that this contact prevents a horizontal displacement of these inner surfaces against each other.

STATE OF THE ART

Out WO03 / 103430 A1 Such a sole construction is known. The outsole comprising the hollow elements allows large deformations also in the horizontal direction. The sole construction can thus yield to the horizontal forces caused by the forward movement while running, whereby load peaks on occurrence are substantially reduced. On the other hand, the so-called floating effect usually associated with a horizontal deformation is effectively avoided by the collapse of the hollow elements with mutual contact of their inner surfaces. In each case a plurality of hollow elements are in the known sole construction in the forefoot and in the heel area behind and arranged side by side so that they are individually deformable.

The outsole comprising the hollow elements is included WO03 / 103430 A1 attached to the underside of the midsole, wherein the midsole contributes no, at least not particularly mentioned contribution to the described deformation.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention has as its object to further improve the known sole construction while also making it more efficient to produce, among other things.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a sole construction according to claim 1. The inventive sole construction is characterized in that the upper inner surfaces of the hollow elements are formed on the underside of the midsole, that the lower inner surfaces of the hollow elements at the top of the underside of the midsole respectively Outside and outside the hollow elements attached outer sole are formed, wherein the front and rear flanks are also part of the outsole, and that for elastic deformation of the hollow elements to the mutual contact of their upper and lower inner surfaces substantially only the outer sole is deformed.

By the invention, the midsole is used to form the hollow elements with. However, the bottom coming into contact with the bottom remains the part that is deformed in the desired manner. By the hollow elements are newly assembled from two parts, there is more freedom in terms of their design. Restrictions resulting, for example, from the formation of one-piece hollow elements, are eliminated.

Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the inventive sole construction are specified in the dependent claims.

Thus, for example, be provided that for the elastic deformation of the hollow elements to the mutual contact of their upper and lower inner surfaces substantially only the front and rear flanks of the hollow elements are deformed.

It can further be provided that the midsole in the region of the hollow elements, d. H. is formed projecting downwards in the region of the formed on her upper inner surfaces of the hollow elements. The outsole can thereby create better at the upper inner surfaces at a deformation of the hollow elements with the formed on her lower inner surfaces. As a result, bulges of the outsole are avoided on collapsed hollow elements at which premature wear can occur due to increased abrasion.

The upper and inner inner surfaces of the hollow elements are preferably each provided with transverse ribs which engage in mutual contact of the inner surfaces into each other and thereby help prevent a horizontal displacement of the inner surfaces against each other. In this case, more preferably, the transverse ribs of hollow elements in the front part of the sole construction (front foot region) are smaller and more numerous than the transverse ribs of the hollow element in the rear part of the sole construction (heel region).

Alternatively or in addition to the presence of ribs, at least one of the upper, formed on the midsole inner surfaces of the hollow elements may be formed rough at least on a partial surface and provided with an average surface roughness Rz of 250-500 microns. This design prevents the occurrence of squeaking noise, which may occur if the upper and lower inner surfaces, when they come into contact with each other, briefly slip on each other until their mutual contact prevents further displacement.

The front and rear flanks of at least one of the hollow elements can be formed differently thick. In this case, at least one hollow element is present, in particular in the forefoot area, whose front flank is thinner than its rear flank. And in the heel area, there is at least one hollow element whose front flank is thicker than its rear flank. Through this training, the fact is taken into account that when running is usually placed with the heel area and repelled with the forefoot area. The horizontal component of the male force is thus directed forward in the heel area and posteriorly in the forefoot area, whereby hollow elements in the heel area tend to deform more towards the back and forward in the forefoot area. Thus, the inner surfaces of the hollow elements can lie flat against each other, their respective deformation in the direction of the trailing edge must quasi fold, which is favored by their thinner wall thickness.

The cross section of at least one of the hollow elements may change in the transverse direction of the outsole. As a result, in particular the alignment of its flanks can be adapted to the locally acting deformation forces.

The outer layer may be formed in several parts, the individual parts each contribute only to the formation of a plurality of hollow elements arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the outsole. The outer layer is then composed of several parts that can be optimized according to their position. In particular, juxtaposed parts of the outer layer can contribute to the formation of differently many hollow elements in the transverse direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will be explained below with reference to the drawing. Show it:

1 a sole construction according to the invention with a plurality of hollow elements with a view of their bottom coming into contact with the ground;

2 a lateral view of the sole construction of 1 ;

3 a medial side view of the sole construction of 1 ; and

4 a section of 2 with a deformed hollow element.

WAYS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The sole construction shown in the drawing for a running shoe is made of a midsole 10 and an outsole 20 together. The outsole 20 is in contact with the soil in use in the 2 - 4 is indicated by a designated B line. The midsole 10 comes, as their name suggests, between the outsole and the upper part of the shoe (not shown) to the arrangement.

The midsole 10 is in one piece and thus extends over the heel area F, the midfoot area M and the forefoot area V of the sole construction. As a material, for example, EVA with the hardness 55 Shore-C for the midsole 10 be used. The thickness of the midsole 10 is greater in the heel area F and midfoot area M than in the front foot area V The outsole 20 is in several parts and includes in the present embodiment, five parts with 21 - 25 are designated. As the material for the outsole or its parts, a rubber-like, elastically deformable, but hardly compressible material can be used.

Each of the parts 21 - 25 forms, each together with the midsole 10 , a plurality of hollow elements arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the sole construction. For example, the part forms 21 in the heel area F lateral side together with the midsole 10 the hollow elements 31 and 32 and the part 25 in the forefoot area V on the medial side together with the midsole 10 the hollow elements 33 . 34 and 35 , There are no hollow elements in the metatarsal region M.

The hollow elements are each closed by front and rear flanks in the longitudinal direction of the sole construction, and have spaced-apart upper and lower inner surfaces. The flanks and the lower inner surfaces are each on the outsole 20 educated. The upper inner surfaces are on the other hand at the midsole 10 educated. On the hollow element 31 is the front flank with 31v and the back Flank with 31h designated. The upper inner surface of this hollow element 31 is with 31o and the lower inner surface with 31u designated.

In front of and behind the hollow elements is the outer layer 20 or are their parts 21 - 25 at the midsole 10 attached for example by gluing. Only to better distinguish the outsole parts 21 and 25 from the midsole 10 are these parts in 2 and 3 shown in the forefoot V from the midsole front projecting.

Among the forces acting on them during running forces, the hollow elements are elastically deformed while reducing the vertical distance between their upper and lower inner surfaces and usually also by horizontal displacement of their inner surfaces against each other. However, only the outsole contributes to this deformation of the hollow elements, at least essentially 20 in and on this especially the front and rear flanks of the hollow elements. The midsole 10 is in the hollow elements under the forces mentioned in contrast, virtually rigid and dimensionally stable.

The resilience of the hollow elements is further dimensioned so that under the forces acting on them during running elastic forces of these forces individually, ie when rolling over the sole structure, if necessary successively, so strongly deformed that their upper and lower inner surfaces together come in contact. This touch terminates on the one hand the vertical deformation, but also prevents any further horizontal displacement of their inner surfaces against each other, or the respective lower inner surface against the stationary at the midsole upper upper surface. 4 shows a section of 2 with the hollow elements 31 and 32 , wherein the hollow element 31 is typically deformed with horizontal displacement of the lower inner surface against the upper inner surfaces.

With regard to this state of deformation, it should also be noted that the upper and lower inner surfaces of the hollow elements lie flat against one another and that their respective rear flanks in the deformation or displacement direction are folded in an approximately S-shaped manner. A local buckling of the outsole, where an increased abrasion could take place, is thereby avoided. This is made possible by the midsole projecting slightly outward in the region of the hollow elements and by the folded, in the direction of displacement rear flanks are each made slightly thicker than the front flanks in the direction of displacement. This applies in each case for the hollow elements in the heel area A as the hollow elements 31 and 32 as well as for the respective rearmost hollow elements in the front foot region C as the hollow element 33 , With respect to the other hollow elements, a difference in thickness between their front and rear flanks is dispensable or can be provided in reverse. It is understood that the hollow elements must be arranged with sufficient horizontal mutual distance, so that the explained horizontal deformation is possible and they do not prevent each other.

As in the 2 and 3 As can be seen, the hollow elements in the heel area F are made higher than those in the front foot area V. As a result, the damping in the heel area F is higher than in the front foot area B, where it is not needed in the same way.

As in the 2 and 3 also can be seen, the upper and lower inner surfaces of the hollow elements are each provided with transverse ribs. In mutual contact of the inner surfaces of these transverse ribs engage each other and help to prevent a horizontal displacement of the inner surfaces against each other. In 2 are transverse ribs in the hollow element 32 With 32o and 32u and in 3 in the hollow element 35 With 35o and 35u designated. The transverse ribs of the hollow elements in the front foot region V are smaller and more numerous than the transverse ribs of the hollow elements in the heel region F.

In a manner not shown are those at the midsole 10 each formed upper inner surfaces of the hollow elements each formed rough at least on a partial surface, wherein the average surface roughness Rz is 250-500 microns. This can prevent squeaking, which may be caused by sliding the upper lower inner surfaces toward each other until they are firmly stuck together.

As in the soffit of 1 can be seen, the hollow elements of the embodiment are different in size and also have a different, polygonal shape, so that their front flanks are not parallel to their rear edges and this also applies to their lateral end faces against each other. This also changes the cross section of the hollow elements in the transverse direction of the outsole. In this way, the hollow elements for the desired damping characteristic can be optimally formed and arranged on the existing surface of the sole construction. In the exemplary embodiment, four hollow elements in two rows with two hollow elements in succession are provided in the heel area. In the forefoot area there are eleven hollow elements in three rows, the lateral and the middle row each comprising four hollow elements and the medial row three hollow elements.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

midsole

20

outsole

21-25

Parts of the outsole

31-35

hollow elements

31v

leading edge of the hollow element 31

31h

the rear edge of the hollow element 31

31o

upper inner surface of the hollow element 31

31u

lower inner surface of the hollow element 31

32o

Upper transverse ribs in the hollow element 32

32u

lower transverse ribs in the hollow element 32

35o

Upper transverse ribs in the hollow element 35

35u

lower transverse ribs in the hollow element 35

F

heel

M

Metatarsal

V

Forefoot

B

ground

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 03/103430 A1 [0002, 0003]

Claims (10)

Sole construction for a running shoe with an outside ( 20 ) and a midsole ( 10 ), wherein the sole construction comprises a plurality of hollow elements ( 31 - 35 ), which in each case by in the longitudinal direction of the sole construction front ( 31v ) and rear flanks ( 31h ) but laterally open and upper ( 31o ) and lower inner surfaces ( 31u ) at a mutual distance, wherein the hollow elements when running on them acting forces in each case by elastic deformation while reducing the distance between their inner surfaces ( 31o . 31u ) and optionally by horizontal displacement of their inner surfaces ( 31o . 31u ) and wherein the hollow elements are so strongly deformable that their upper and lower inner surfaces ( 31o . 31u ) come into contact with each other and that this contact a horizontal displacement of these inner surfaces ( 31o . 31u ) against each other, characterized in that the upper inner surfaces ( 31o ) of the hollow elements ( 31 - 35 ) at the bottom of the midsole ( 10 ) are formed such that the lower inner surfaces ( 31u ) of the hollow elements ( 31 - 35 ) at the top of the underside of the midsole ( 10 ) in front of and behind the hollow elements ( 31 - 35 ) attached outsole ( 20 ) are formed, wherein the front ( 31v ) and the rear flanks ( 31h ) also part of the outsole ( 20 ), and that for the elastic deformation of the hollow elements ( 31 - 35 ) until the mutual contact of their upper ( 31o ) and lower inner surfaces ( 31u ) essentially only the outsole ( 20 ) is deformed. Outsole according to claim 1, characterized in that for the elastic deformation of the hollow elements ( 31 - 35 ) until the mutual contact of their upper ( 31o ) and lower inner surfaces ( 31u ) essentially only the front ( 31v ) and rear flanks ( 31h ) of the hollow elements are deformed. Outsole according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the midsole ( 10 ) in the region of the hollow elements ( 31 - 35 ) is formed projecting downwards. Outsole according to one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the upper ( 31o ) and lower inner surfaces ( 31u ) of the hollow elements ( 31 - 35 ) each with transverse ribs ( 32o . 32u . 35o . 35u ), which in mutual contact of the inner surfaces ( 31o . 31u ) and thereby contribute to a horizontal displacement of the inner surfaces ( 31o . 31u ), wherein the outsole has a front foot region (V) and a heel region (F), each with at least one hollow element, and wherein the transverse ribs ( 35o . 35u ) of the hollow element in the front foot region (V) smaller and more numerous than the transverse ribs ( 32o . 32u ) of the hollow element in the heel area (F). Outsole according to one of claims 1-4, characterized in that at least one of the upper, formed on the midsole inner surfaces ( 31o ) of the hollow elements has an average surface roughness Rz of 250-500 μm, at least on a partial surface. Outsole according to one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the front ( 31v ) and rear flanks ( 31h ) At least one of the hollow elements are formed differently thick. An outsole according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that it has a front foot region (V) and a heel region (F), each with at least one hollow element, and that the front flank of the hollow element in the forefoot region (V) thinner than the trailing edge of this hollow element is and that the front flank ( 31v ) of the hollow element in the heel region (F) thicker than the trailing edge ( 31h ) is this hollow element. Outsole according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the cross section of at least one of the hollow elements changes in the transverse direction of the outsole. Outsole according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the outer layer ( 20 ) is formed in several parts, wherein the individual parts ( 21 - 25 ) contribute in each case only to the formation of a plurality of hollow elements arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the outsole. Outsole according to claim 9, characterized in that transversely juxtaposed parts ( 21 - 25 ) of the outer layer ( 20 ) contribute to the formation of different numbers of hollow elements.

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