EP0533570B1 - Profiled sole for sport shoes - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sole with protuberances such as molded or screwed studs, spikes, notches or the like for sports shoes.

The practice of certain sports: football, rugby, American football, cricket, baseball, golf, athletics, etc., requires the wearing of shoes whose sole has roughness. These more or less aggressive roughness: points, spikes, notches ... allow the player to move quickly on loose or slippery surfaces (lawn, clay, carpet ...).

Said roughness is highly stressed with wear. Therefore, either they are interchangeable, or they are resistant to wear and are integral with the sole assembly.

Whatever the solution chosen, the presence of the asperities creates a feeling of discomfort since, the weight of the body being distributed over a few asperities, the underside of each foot receives in return by reaction high pressures at the places where said asperities are located. This results in painful sensations which can be remedied by making the sole in a very rigid material, but this counteracts the flexion of the foot and substantially increases the shoe.

• efficacité sur surfaces meuble, glissante, abrasive...
• rigidité et souplesse suivant les endroits
• résistance à l'abrasion
• résistance aux flexions répétées à toutes températures
• amortissement des chocs et vibrations
• légèreté
• facilité de collage sous la tige
• coût raisonnable et compétitif.

The present invention therefore aims to provide a sole assembly no longer generating painful sensations under the sole of the foot when practicing a sport and at the same time as comfort, having many other advantageous properties such as:

• efficiency on loose, slippery, abrasive surfaces ...
• stiffness and flexibility depending on the location
• abrasion resistance
• resistance to repeated bending at all temperatures
• shock and vibration absorption
• lightness
• easy to stick under the rod
• reasonable and competitive cost.

As soon as no material of natural origin or synthesis alone brings together as many qualities, it is necessary to achieve the sole to use several types of materials.

However, the materials having sufficient affinities between them, to obtain a direct welding without contribution of external agents such as adhesives, are few. In addition, the assembly between apparently incompatible materials risks being of high cost.

Finally, most materials in their compact form, with the exception of rubbers and elastomers, do not have the natural qualities of absorption of vibrational phenomena. On the other hand, certain materials acquire, in expanded form, remarkable properties of shock absorption and other vibratory phenomena.

The present invention proposes, taking into account the above observations, to achieve the abovementioned aim by perfecting a sole assembly known from European patent application EP A 0 087 104, comprising a sole body made of plastic material, plates of stiffness made of plastic material provided, projecting under their lower surface, with such protuberances and linked by their upper surface with the body of the sole at the forefoot, and a cushioning cushion made of expanded plastic material provided in the region of the axis of articulation of the sole that corresponds to that of the foot in the metatarsophalangeal zone.

• en ce qu'une ouverture sensiblement elliptique est ménagée dans le corps de la semelle de façon que son grand axe soit situé sur ledit axe d'articulation et que son centre soit situé à quelques millimètres côté extérieur du milieu de la largeur du corps de semelle prise sur ledit axe d'articulation,
• en ce que le coussinet amortisseur est logé dans ladite ouverture, fait saillie sous le corps de semelle et débouche en recouvrement à l'intérieur de celui-ci,
• et en ce que deux plaques de rigidité sont conformées sensiblement en trapèze et sont disposées de part et d'autre de l'ouverture symétriquement par rapport au centre de celle-ci, le corps de la semelle étant surmoulé sur lesdites plaques de rigidité.

It then resides:

• in that a substantially elliptical opening is made in the body of the sole so that its major axis is located on said articulation axis and its center is located a few millimeters outside of the middle of the width of the sole body taken on said articulation axis,
• in that the shock-absorbing pad is housed in said opening, protrudes under the sole body and opens into overlap therein,
• and in that two stiffness plates are shaped substantially trapezoidal and are arranged on either side of the opening symmetrically with respect to the center of the latter, the body of the sole being overmolded on said stiffness plates.

In addition, a heel reinforcement plate in plastic material possibly provided with protuberances can be linked to the sole body, extend between the arch and the heel and have divergent branches situated on either side of an oblong opening. formed in the sole body by widening towards the heel, a cushioning cushion made of expanded plastic material also being housed in said oblong opening.

The protrusions can also be linked during molding with the plates.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the protuberances are hollow studs overmolded on the corresponding plate, the studs being made of an abrasion-resistant damping material such as a thermoplastic polyurethane having a Shore hardness substantially equal to 40 D, while that the plates are made of a rigid material resistant to repeated bending at all temperatures such as a copolymer of polyester Blockamide or polyether Blockamide having a Shore hardness at least equal to 55 D and optionally reinforced with glass or carbon fibers and, because the melting point of the material of the plates is higher than that of the material of the studs, that at least this material of the studs is mixed with the material constituting the plates before overmolding to allow the bonding, without migration, of said plates with said spikes.

Each molded clamp has, for its embedding in the corresponding plate, a stepped base fitting into a bore released from a sleeve protruding under said plate.

The hollow of the studs is filled with the same material as that of the sole body.

In this embodiment, the sole body is molded onto the plates and made of a material of the same nature as that of the plates.

According to a variant, the sole body is molded onto the plates and made of an abrasion-resistant material, such as a thermoplastic polyurethane, the Shore hardness of which is substantially equal to 35 D, at least the material of the sole body being mixed with material constituting the plates to allow the connection, without migration, of said sole body with said plates.

Each shock absorbing pad is formed by an expanded polyurethane poured into a mold and has a lateral groove intended to be fitted on the edge of a sloping surface of the sole body delimiting the corresponding opening and in that the pad considered has a peripheral flap intended to be glued to said beach.

Various other advantages of the invention will also emerge from the detailed description which follows.

An embodiment of the object of the invention is shown, by way of nonlimiting example, in the accompanying drawing.

• la figure 1 est une vue de dessous d'un semelage conforme à l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une coupe longitudinale prise suivant la ligne II-II de la figure 1,
• les figures 3 à 5 sont des vues de dessus montrant une plaque de rigidité après chacune des trois opérations successives de moulage, la figure 5 étant une coupe prise suivant la ligne V-V de la figure 6.
• la figure 6 est une coupe prise à plus grande échelle suivant la ligne VI-VI de la figure 5 pour illustrer un crampon moulé,
• les figures 7 à 10 sont des vues de dessous schématiques représentant une plaque rigide avec plusieurs répartitions de crampons,
     et les figures 11 et 12, des vues analogues de la plaque de renforcement du talon représentant deux répartitions de crampons,
  ces plaques pouvant être combinées de nombreuses façons pour réaliser des semelages différents ;
• la figure 13 est une vue de dessous des trois plaques du semelage représentant la combinaison de crampons avec des crantages.

On this drawing :

• FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a sole assembly according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line II-II of FIG. 1,
• FIGS. 3 to 5 are top views showing a stiffness plate after each of the three successive molding operations, FIG. 5 being a section taken along the line VV of FIG. 6.
• FIG. 6 is a section taken on a larger scale along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5 to illustrate a molded crampon,
• FIGS. 7 to 10 are schematic bottom views showing a rigid plate with several distributions of studs,
  and FIGS. 11 and 12, similar views of the heel reinforcement plate representing two distributions of crampons,
  these plates can be combined in many ways to achieve different soleings;
• Figure 13 is a bottom view of the three sole plates showing the combination of spikes with notches.

As is apparent from Figures 1 and 2, the sole assembly comprises a sole body 1 of molded plastic defined in the following.

• sous l'avant-pied, deux plaques de rigidité 2 et 3 identiques l'une à l'autre
• sous le talon et la cambrure du pied, une plaque de renforcement 4.

The sole also includes:

• under the forefoot, two stiffness plates 2 and 3 identical to each other
• under the heel and arch of the foot, a reinforcement plate 4.

These plates are molded and made of a rigid material resistant to repeated bending at all temperatures. For example, the material used can be from the family of polyamides, one of which is sold by the company DuPont de Nemours under the name Zitel, or from the family of polyester elastomers, one of which is marketed by the same company under the name Hytrel or also from the family of blockamide polyether copolymers, one of which is marketed by the company Atochem under the name Pebax serie 12 or from the family of blockamide polyethers of which l 'one of them is marketed by the company Atochem under the name Pebax serie 33. Advantageously, the plates 2 to 4 are made of Pebax having a Shore hardness at least equal to 55D and can be reinforced with glass or carbon fibers .

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the sole body 1 is made of the same material as the plates.

However, it may be advantageous to overmold the sole body 1 with a thermoplastic polyurethane resistant to abrasion, but whose Shore hardness is substantially equal to 35D in order to be able to withstand repeated flexing.

The sole finally comprises a front shock absorber pad 5 located between the plates 2 and 3 and a rear shock absorber pad 6 located through the plate 4 in the longitudinal direction. These pads are advantageously constituted by an expanded polyurethane poured into a mold and added after consolidation to the sole body 1.

The plates 2 and 3 are shaped substantially in a trapezoid. They are positioned so that their contours are symmetrical with respect to the articulation axis 7 of the sole assembly which corresponds to the axis of that of the metatarsophalangeal zone of the foot. This axis is the major axis of a substantially elliptical opening 8 formed in the sole body 1 and opening on the inner side.

Said opening 8 is centered on a point 9 of the axis 7 located a few millimeters, of the order of two for example, outside the middle 10 of the width of the sole body 1 taken on said axis 7.

Consequently, the plates 2 and 3 extend on either side of the opening 8 and are arranged symmetrically, if one takes into account the fact that their lower surface is provided with spikes 11 and must, consequently, be directed downwards, with respect to point 9. The large base 12 of each of the plates 2 and 3 is concave and arcuate concentrically with the opening 8. The small base 13 of each plate is also concave in the example shown, but can also be convex. The corners 14 of each plate are rounded.

The plates 2 and 3 being identical, as for their contour, their positioning is perfectly determined.

The reinforcing plate 4 is V-shaped and has, from a core 15 forming a shank, branches 16 diverging rearward to the rear edge of the heel. These extend on either side of an oblong opening 18 formed in the sole body 1, widening towards the heel and intended to receive the rear shock-absorbing pad 6.

Each of the plates 2 to 4 is provided with cleats 11 of which the number and distribution are variable.

Each of the plates 2 and 3 can be chosen from the batch of plates comprising from two to five cleats 11, illustrated by FIGS. 7 to 10 respectively.

The plate 4 can also be chosen from those which are illustrated by FIGS. 11 and 12, which comprise two and four studs respectively.

The studs 11 can be of the removable type and they then cooperate with threaded bases, known per se and not shown, embedded in the sole body 1, however leaving their threaded hole visible from below.

They can also be of the molded type. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 relates more specifically to this type of stud.

In any case, the circles drawn in said FIGS. 7 to 12 diagrammatically represent studs whatever their type.

Under these conditions, by a judicious choice of plates, it is possible to produce a sole assembly having from 6 to 14 molded crampons, it being obvious that, for the screwed crampons, the choice must relate to the small numbers.

• un semelage à 6 crampons peut être réalisé avec deux plaques selon la figure 7 et une plaque selon la figure 11
• un semelage à 7 crampons peut être réalisé avec une plaque à deux crampons selon la figure 7 placée à l'avant ou au milieu et une plaque à trois crampons selon la figure 8 placée au milieu ou à l'avant respectivement, ainsi qu'avec une plaque à deux crampons selon la figure 11
• un semelage à 8 crampons peut être réalisé avec deux plaques à trois crampons selon la figure 8 et une plaque à deux crampons selon la figure 11 ou bien avec une plaque à deux crampons selon la figure 7 placée à l'avant ou au milieu et une plaque à quatre crampons selon la figure 9 placée au milieu ou à l'avant respectivement, ainsi qu'avec une plaque à deux crampons selon la figure 11
• un semelage à 9 crampons peut être réalisé avec une plaque à deux crampons selon la figure 7 placée à l'avant ou au milieu et une plaque à trois crampons selon la figure 8 placée au milieu ou à l'avant respectivement, ainsi qu'avec une plaque à quatre crampons selon la figure 12
• un semelage à 10 crampons peut être réalisé soit avec deux plaques à trois crampons selon la figure 8, soit avec une plaque à quatre crampons selon la figure 9 placée à l'avant ou au milieu et une plaque à deux crampons selon la figure 7 placée au milieu ou à l'avant respectivement, ainsi qu'avec une plaque à quatre crampons selon la figure 12 dans les trois cas
• un semelage à 11 crampons peut être réalisé soit avec une plaque à trois crampons selon la figure 8 placée à l'avant ou au milieu et une plaque à quatre crampons selon la figure 9 placée au milieu et à l'avant respectivement, soit avec une plaque à deux crampons selon la figure 7 placée à l'avant ou au milieu et une plaque à cinq crampons selon la figure 10 placée au milieu et à l'avant respectivement, ainsi qu'avec une plaque à quatre crampons selon la figure 12 dans les quatre cas
• un semelage à 12 crampons peut être réalisé soit avec deux plaques à quatre crampons selon la figure 9, soit avec une plaque à trois crampons selon la figure 8 placée à l'avant ou au milieu et une plaque à cinq crampons selon la figure 10 placée au milieu et à l'avant respectivement, ainsi qu'avec une plaque à quatre crampons selon la figure 12 dans les trois cas
• un semelage à 13 crampons peut être réalisé avec une plaque à quatre crampons selon la figure 9 placée à l'avant ou au milieu et une plaque à cinq crampons selon la figure 10 placée au milieu et à l'avant respectivement, ainsi qu'avec une plaque à quatre crampons selon la figure 12
• un semelage à 14 crampons peut être réalisé avec deux plaques à cinq crampons selon la figure 10 et une plaque à quatre crampons selon la figure 12.

So,

• a sole with 6 studs can be produced with two plates according to figure 7 and a plate according to figure 11
• a sole with 7 studs can be produced with a plate with two studs according to FIG. 7 placed at the front or in the middle and a plate with three studs according to FIG. 8 placed in the middle or at the front respectively, as well as with a plate with two studs according to FIG. 11
• an 8-stud sole can be made with two plates with three studs according to FIG. 8 and a plate with two studs according to FIG. 11 or else with a plate with two studs according to FIG. 7 placed at the front or in the middle and a plate with four studs according to figure 9 placed in the middle or at the front respectively, as well as with a plate with two studs according to figure 11
• a sole assembly with 9 studs can be produced with a plate with two studs according to FIG. 7 placed at the front or in the middle and a plate with three studs according to FIG. 8 placed at the center or at the front respectively, as well as with a plate with four studs according to figure 12
• a sole assembly with 10 studs can be produced either with two plates with three studs according to figure 8, or with a plate with four studs according to figure 9 placed at the front or in the middle and a plate with two studs according to figure 7 placed in the middle or at the front respectively, as well as with a plate with four studs according to figure 12 in the three cases
• an 11-spike sole may be produced either with a three-spike plate according to FIG. 8 placed at the front or in the middle and a four-spike plate according to FIG. 9 placed in the middle and at the front respectively, or with a plate with two spikes according to figure 7 placed in the front or in the middle and a plate with five spikes according to figure 10 placed in the middle and in front respectively, as well as with a plate with four spikes according to figure 12 in the four cases
• a 12 crampon sole can be made either with two plates with four crampons according to figure 9, or with a plate with three crampons according to figure 8 placed at the front or in the middle and a plate with five crampons according to figure 10 placed in the middle and at the front respectively, as well as with a plate with four studs according to figure 12 in the three cases
• a sole with 13 studs can be produced with a plate with four studs according to figure 9 placed at the front or in the middle and a plate with five studs according to figure 10 placed in the middle and at the front respectively, as well as with a plate with four studs according to figure 12
• a sole assembly with 14 studs can be produced with two plates with five studs according to FIG. 10 and a plate with four studs according to FIG. 12.

In other words, in these different embodiments, we find the following distribution of crampons from the front to rear:
for 6: 2-2-2
for 7: 2-3-2; 3-2-2
for 8: 3-3-2; 2-4-2; 4-2-2
for 9: 2-3-4; 3-2-4
for 10: 3-3-4; 2-4-4; 4-2-4
for 11: 3-4-4; 4-3-4; 2-5-4; 5-2-4
for 12: 4-4-4; 3-5-4; 5-3-4
for 13: 4-5-4; 5-4-4
for 14: 5-5-4.

FIG. 13 shows that the plates 2 to 4 can be provided with lateral and / or median notches 17. These notches can come directly from molding with the plates when they have to be rigid or else by overmolding as described below for the studs 11 with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, when they have to be dampers.

Figures 3 to 6 illustrate the particular embodiment of a plate 2, 3 or 4 with studs 11 of the molded type.

For each crampon, the plate has molded in, a sleeve 18 projecting downwards and whose bore 19 opens at the top in an annular clearance 20. This sleeve makes it possible to mechanically embed the corresponding crampon 11, which has a base substantially cylindrical 21 extended by a shoulder 22 fitting respectively into the bore 19 and the clearance 20. The stud 11 is hollow and then contains a core 23 with which it forms a body.

The stud 11 is constituted by an abrasion-resistant damping material such as a thermoplastic polyurethane having a Shore hardness substantially equal to 40 D.

The hard core 23 is made of the same material as that of the sole body 1 and it comes during the molding of the plates 2 to 4.

To assemble these various components of the sole assembly, a difficulty which results from the incompatibility of the materials appears with a view to ensuring their connection. Figures 3 to 5 illustrate the process implemented for this purpose.

By a first injection of Pebax, the plates 2 to 4 are molded, the imprints of this first mold being connected by pouring channels (Figure 3). These plates thus molded under pressure have radiating distribution channels 24 leading to the indentations formed in said plates for the studs and on the edge of these for the second injection.

By this second injection of polyurethane, the hollow studs 11 are obtained (FIG. 4). In order for these to be bonded to the plates, the polyurethane is mixed with Pebax, the Pebax being in a variable proportion of between 5 and 95%. Under these conditions, the connection takes place at the interface without migration of the PU into the Pebax. This effect is surprising when the melting temperature of Pebax is around 230 ° C, while that of the PU is around 200 ° C. It seems that this particularly advantageous result is due to the above-mentioned mixture, as well as to the increase in the melting temperature of the PU due to the injection pressure.

By a third injection, the overmolding of the sole body 1 and of the cores 23 is carried out. If this injection is carried out with Pebax, this is advantageously mixed with PU to ensure an effective bond with the studs, the bond with plates of the same nature not requiring this addition of PU in the proportion between 5 and 30 %.

If said third injection is carried out with PU, this is advantageously mixed with Pebax to ensure an effective bond with the plates, the bond with the studs not requiring this addition of Pebax in the proportion of between 5 and 30%.

This results in a sole assembly to which the shock absorbing pads 5 and 6 must be attached.

These pads 5 and 6 are housed in the openings 8 and 18. Each pad has a lateral groove 25 intended to be fitted by elastic deformation on the edge 26 of a sloping surface 27 delimiting the corresponding opening and flaring towards the top. Furthermore, each pad has a peripheral flap 28 intended to rest on the top of the sole assembly and to be glued to it. Therefore, the pads protrude below the sole body 1, pass through the corresponding opening 8, 18 and are supported by their flap 28 on the top of said body.

The sole assembly thus finished is ready for assembly of the rod, the first assembly of which is glued to said sole assembly.

Claims (12)

1. Outsole with projections such as studs, spikes, serrations or similar for sports shoes, comprising a sole body (1) in plastic material, stiffening plates (2, 3) in plastic material, provided with projections (11), projecting from their lower surface, and integrally molded, by their upper surface with the sole body (1) in the instep area, and a dampening cushion (5) in expanded plastic material provided in the region of the bending axis (7) of the outsole which corresponds to that of the foot in the metatarsophalangeal area,
      characterized in that:

   - a substantially elliptic aperture (8) is provided in the sole body (1) such that its major axis is situated on said bending axis (7) of the outsole and that its center (9) is situated a few millimeters, on the outside from the middle (10) of the width of the sole body taken on said bending axis (7),

   - the dampening cushion (5) is contained inside said aperture (8), projects under the sole body (1) and emerges to form an inside covering on the latter, and

   - two stiffening plates (2, 3) are substantially trapezoid-shaped and are placed on either side of the aperture (8) symmetrically with respect to the center (9) of the latter, the sole body (1) being molded onto said stiffening plates (2, 3).
2. Outsole according to claim 1, characterized in that a heel-reinforcing plate (4) in plastic material, is fixed to the sole body (1), extends between the instep and the heel and comprises diverging branches (16) situated on either side of an oblong aperture (18) provided in the sole body (1) and widening out in the direction of the heel, and in that a dampening cushion (6) in expanded plastic material is also provided in said oblong aperture (18), projects under the sole body (1) and emerges to form an inside covering on the latter.
3. Outsole according to claim 2, characterized in that the stiffening plate (4) is provided with projections (11).
4. Outsole according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each dampening cushion (5, 6) is provided with a side groove (25) designed to be fitted over the edge (26) of a sloping portion (27) of the sole body (1), defining the corresponding aperture (8, 18), and in that said cushion has a peripheral flap (28) designed to be glued on said sloping portion.
5. Outsole according to anyone of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the stiffening plates (2, 3) of the right foot are identical to those of the left foot.
6. Outsole according to anyone of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the projections (11) are also integrally molded with the plates (2 to 4).
7. Outsole according to claim 6, characterized in that the projections (11) are hollow studs molded onto the corresponding plate (2 to 4), the studs being in an abrasion-resistant dampening material such as a thermoplastic polyurethane having a Shore hardness substantially equal to 40 D, while the plates (2 to 4) are in a rigid material, able to withstand repeated bending movements in all temperatures, such as a Blockamide polyester copolymer or polyether having a Shore hardness at least equal to 55 D and optionally reinforced with carbon or glass fibers and given that the melting point of the material constituting the plates is higher than that of the material constituting the studs, said material, at least, is mixed, before molding, with some of the material constituting the plates, in order to permit bonding, without migration, of said plates with said studs.
8. Outsole according to claim 7, characterized in that each molded stud (11) comprises, in order to be fitted into the corresponding plate, a shoulder part (21) fittable into a bore (19) with a clearance (20), of a sleeve (18) projecting under said plate.
9. Outsole as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sole body (1) is molded onto the plates (2 to 4) and is made of a material of the same type as that constituting the plates.
10. Outsole according to anyone of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the sole body (1) is molded onto the plates (2 to 4) and constituted of an abrasion-resistant material such as a thermoplastic polyurethane, whose Shore hardness is substantially equal to 35 D, at least the material constituting the sole body being mixed with some of the material constituting the plates to allow bonding, without migration, of said sole body with said plates.
11. Outsole according to anyone of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that the hollow part of the studs (11) is filled with the same material as that constituting the sole body.
12. Outsole according to anyone of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that each dampening cushion (5, 6) is constituted by an expanded polyurethane cast into a mold.

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