EP3799756A1

EP3799756A1 - Footwear sole

Info

Publication number: EP3799756A1
Application number: EP18933823.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: José María IZQUIETA ANAUT
Original assignee: Desarrollo Integral del Molde SL
Current assignee: Desarrollo Integral del Molde SL
Priority date: 2018-09-19
Filing date: 2018-09-19
Publication date: 2021-04-07
Also published as: WO2020058536A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a footwear sole having configurations that improve footstep damping, which comprises a bottom outsole and a side wall, the bottom outsole including a front part, a middle part and a rear part. At least two protrusions are provided in at least one portion of the front or rear part of the bottom outsole, each protrusion being arranged to extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the sole and each comprising a first segment in contact with the bottom outsole and a second segment. A first gap is provided between the sides of each protrusion and the side wall, allowing each protrusion to bend fully, the second segment being inclined relative to the first segment. A second gap is provided between two adjacent protrusions, the second segment resting at least partially on the adjacent protrusion, and each protrusion being divided into at least two fractions.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention belongs to the field of soles for footwear, and specifically those that include configurations that improve footstep damping.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Soles for footwear are known in which configurations projecting from the bottom outsole of the sole upwards are included to serve for footstep damping.
Some known configurations are arranged to be perpendicular to the bottom outsole of the sole, such as cone trunks or hemispheres, which makes them suitable for substantial efforts or heavy users, that is, they dampen large loads with which in normal use have no effect and become uncomfortable. Configurations of the slat type are also known which are inclined with respect to the bottom outsole of the sole, which although more comfortable than the previous ones, are only suitable for supporting large and medium loads, with which they also become uncomfortable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is defined and characterised by the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe additional features thereof.
The object of the invention is a footwear sole that includes configurations that improve footstep damping of a user with respect to known soles. The technical problem to solve is to configure the sole to achieve the object mentioned.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention relates to a footwear sole comprising a bottom outsole and a side wall along the perimeter of the bottom outsole. By way of locating the various common regions with respect to the position of the sole in a shoe worn by the user, the bottom outsole comprises a front part corresponding to the front region of a user's foot, a middle region corresponding to the middle part of the foot of a user, and a rear part corresponding to the rear region of the foot of a user. In at least one portion of the front or rear part of the bottom outsole, at least two protrusions are projected, each one arranged and extended transversely to the longitudinal axis of the sole. Each of the protrusions comprises a first segment in contact with the bottom outsole and a second segment following the first segment.
The sole is characterised by the fact that between the lateral ends of each protrusion and the lateral wall there is a first separation that allows the complete flexion of each protrusion, that is, by not having the movement thereof limited to the sides, it can move freely. The second segment is arranged to be inclined with respect to the first segment, between two contiguous protrusions there is a second separation so that when said protrusions bend against the support of a user's foot, the second segment rests at least in part on the contiguous protrusion; this creates a joint damping effect for the protrusions, as one of them supports the next one, so the effect thereof is the result of joint action, they do not work individually and a sole that does so would have a very different effect from that set out here.
In addition, each protrusion is divided into at least two fractions, thereby making the flexion independent in as many parts as there are fractions, which can be adapted to multiple parts of the same foot. That is, the fractions are independent and adaptable to each point of the foot, so that if there is a deformation in a specific point of the foot whilst stepping, it adapts to this specific shape due to the fraction, even if it is very small, and effects damping at that specific point without affecting the rest of the sole, which will continue to adapt to each point and shape of each foot. Fractions mean dividing the same protrusion into sections, pieces or parts.
This effect is optimal when in the front part of the bottom outsole the inclination of the second segment of each protrusion is directed towards the front end of the sole, in the rear part of the bottom outsole the inclination of the second segment of each protrusion is directed towards said rear part of the sole.
As a result of the protrusions bending after the footstep, an increase in the interior space in the sole is caused, tailored to each foot, adjusting exactly to the shape, size, and even defects, even for different feet of the same user, such that a custom sole is achieved.
The arrangement and separation between the slats is such that it does not allow the use of a tool for machining the sole mould, but requires the use of different processes such as 3D printing.
The number of the protrusions depends on the use that you want to give, as sports shoes are different from street shoes, as well as men's or women's shoes. In this sense, it also depends on the use to which one region or another of the sole is put; for example, a women's heeled shoe does not have space in the rear region for any protrusions, and these are only arranged in the front region.
In short, there is no known precedent for a sole like the one claimed, which makes it unique in terms of comfort and integral manufacturing by moulding in a single piece, without the need to incorporate any added element after the manufacture thereof, with which the sole is more economical.
Other advantages related to features of the dependent claims are cited in the detailed discussion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present specification is complemented by a set of figures which illustrate a preferred embodiment, and which in no way limit the invention.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the sole.
Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the sole.
Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section of the sole.
Figure 4 shows a front perspective view of the sole.
Figure 5 shows a rear view in detail of some protrusions with braces, in a continuous line before bending and discontinuous after bending.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention is set out below with reference to the figures.
Figures 1 and 3 show a footwear sole that comprises a bottom outsole (1) and a side wall (2) along the perimeter of the bottom outsole, the bottom outsole (1) comprising a corresponding front part (1.1) to the front region of the foot of a user, a middle part (1.2) corresponding to the middle region of the foot of a user and a rear part (1.3) corresponding to the rear region of the foot of a user, in at least one portion of the front (1.1) or rear (1.3) of the bottom outsole (1) project at least two protrusions (1.4), shown in the front (1.1) in Figure 13 and in the rear part (1.3) in Figure 8, but the number thereof will depend on the sole size as well as the desired damping.
Each protrusion (1.4) is arranged and extended transversely to the longitudinal axis (E) of the sole, understood as the longitudinal axis that the sole runs from one end to the other and through the middle part thereof, although it implies some change of direction as shown in Figure 1.
As can be seen in Figure 3, each protrusion (1.4) comprises a first segment (1.41) in contact with the bottom outsole (1) and a second segment (1.42) following the first segment (1.41). As can be seen in Figure 3, some of them can vary depending on the length thereof, for example in the one shown it has two sections, it can be considered as a third segment between the first (1.41) and the second (1.42), and although this is only one representation, it could be that the first segment (1.41) was curved and only one section.
Between the lateral ends of each protrusion (1.4) and the side wall (2) there is a first separation (S1), shown in Figure 1, which allows the complete flexion of each protrusion (1.4), the second segment (1.42) is inclined with respect to the first segment (1.41), between two contiguous protrusions (1.4) there is a second separation (S2), shown in Figure 1, so that when said protrusions (1.4) bend due to the supporting of a user's foot, the second segment (1.42) rests at least in part on the contiguous protrusion (1.4), in the front part (1.1) of the bottom outsole (1) the inclination of the second segment (1.42) is directed towards the anterior end of the sole, in the rear part (1.3) of the bottom outsole (1) the inclination of the second segment (1.42) is directed towards said the rear part of the sole, each protrusion (1.4) is divided into at least two fractions, Figures 1 and 4. In Figure 1 and in a simple embodiment, each protrusion (1.4) is shown in two fractions, however, in Figure 4 each protrusion (1.4) is divided into several fractions, according to the zone to be damped and depending on the use to which it is put, for example it is normal that in the region closest to the toes and metatarsals there are more fractions than in the other regions because the same foot has more pressure and flexion points.
The conjunction of these configurations is what provides the sole with a particular damping that is different from what is known. The specific dimensions depend on each use and in combination with the usual material used for soles: rubber, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), etc. The combination of dimensions, with material with the claimed configurations gives rise to a desired damping, which will depend in each case.
One option is that between the side wall (2) and the first protrusion (1.4) from the front (1.1) there is a third separation (S3), shown in Figure 1, so that when said protrusion (1.4) bends by the support of the foot of a user, the second segment (1.42) rests at least in part on the side wall (2). Similarly, between the side wall (2) and the first protrusion (1.4) from the rear (1.3) there is a fourth gap (S4), shown in Figure 1, so that when said protrusion (1.4) bends by the support of a user's foot the second segment (1.42) rests at least in part on the side wall (2). In this way, the effect between protrusions (1.4) is repeated when one of them is the first from each end of the sole, so that the entire set of protrusions (1.4) behaves in a similar way.
Another option is that the height (H) of the protrusions (1.4) is greater than the height (h) of the side wall (2), shown in Figure 2. Although it can be less or equal, the damping is improved when it is greater since the protrusions (1.4) act on the user's foot before any other configuration.
Another option is that two contiguous protrusions (1.4) are joined by at least one partition (3), shown in Figure 1, arranged to be transverse to said protrusions (1.4) and of equal or less height than same. This configuration provides rigidity to the assembly and although it can be arranged both in the front part (1.1) and in the rear part (1.3), it is more usual in the latter because that is the location of the user's heel and therefore of the highest loads during the footstep.
Also, other similar partitions can be arranged in the middle part (1.2) as shown in Figures 1 and 3 without numerical reference. These other partitions have only the mission of providing continuity to the configurations of the sole and in a very limited way provide some damping, although in this region the loads on the footstep are minimal.
Another option shown in Figure 5 is to have at least one backstay (1.43) for each first segment (1.41), from the first segment (1.41) to the bottom outsole (1). This is shown in the embodiment in the obtuse angle between the first segment (1.41) and the bottom outsole (1), although it could be on the other side or even on both sides of each first segment (1.41). The function thereof is that once the flexion has been carried out and after releasing the weight when lifting the foot, each protrusion (1.4) returns to the initial position thereof. If backstays (1.43) are not arranged, the protrusions (1.4) would give way with walking and after many thousands of steps, become deformed and lose effectiveness.

Claims

A footwear sole that comprises a bottom outsole (1) and a side wall (2) along the perimeter of the bottom outsole, the bottom outsole (1) comprising a front part (1.1) corresponding to the front region of the foot of a user, a middle part (1.2) corresponding to the middle region of the foot of a user, and a rear part (1.3) corresponding to the rear region of the foot of a user, having at least two protrusions (1.4) projecting in at least one portion of the front (1.1) or rear part (1.3) of the bottom outsole (1), each one thereof arranged and extended to be transverse to the longitudinal axis (E) of the sole and each one thereof comprising a first segment (1.41) in contact with the bottom outsole (1) and a second segment (1.42) after the first segment (1.41), characterised in that between the lateral ends of each protrusion (1.4) and the side wall (2) there is a first separation (S1) that allows the complete bending of each protrusion (1.4), the second segment (1.42) is arranged to be inclined with respect to the first segment (1.41), between two contiguous protrusions (1.4) there is a second separation (S2) so that when said protrusions (1.4) bend due to the support of a user's foot, the second segment (1.42) rests at least in part on the contiguous protrusion (1.4), in the front part (1.1) of the bottom outsole (1) the inclination of the second segment (1.42) is directed towards the anterior end of the sole, in the rear part (1.3) of the bottom outsole (1) the inclination of the second segment (1.42) is directed towards said rear part of the sole, and each protrusion (1.4) is divided into at least two fractions.
The sole according to claim 1 in which between the side wall (2) and the first protrusion (1.4) from the front part (1.1) there is a third separation (S3) so that when said protrusion (1.4) bends by the support of a user's foot, the second segment (1.42) rests at least in part on the side wall (2).
The sole according to any of claims 1 or 2 in which between the side wall (2) and the first protrusion (1.4) from the rear (1.3) there is a fourth gap (S4) so that when said protrusion (1.4) bends by the support of a user's foot, the second segment (1.42) rests at least in part on the side wall (2).
The sole according to any of the preceding claims in which the height (H) of the protrusions (1.4) is greater than the height (h) of the side wall (2).
The sole according to any of the previous claims in which two contiguous protrusions (1.4) are joined by at least one partition (3) arranged transversely to said protrusions (1.4) and of equal or less height than same.
The sole according to any of the preceding claims in which at least one backstay (1.43) is provided for each first segment (1.41), from the first segment (1.41) to the bottom outsole (1).