GB2145614A

GB2145614A - Athletic shoe

Info

Publication number: GB2145614A
Application number: GB08423724A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vijay K Batra; Georg P Mcbarron
Original assignee: Stride Rite International Ltd
Current assignee: Stride Rite International Ltd
Priority date: 1981-07-08
Filing date: 1984-09-19
Publication date: 1985-04-03
Also published as: GB2110520A; KR880001491B1; FR2510361A1; AU8571482A; GB8423724D0; DE3225451A1; GB2145614B; NL8202762A; KR840000209A; GB2110520B

Abstract

An athletic shoe designed for use in court play and the like, where sideward loading is encountered, is described. It has an outsole and a resilient intermediate layer adhered to the outsole, the resilient intermediate layer including a plurality of horizontal transversely extending channels. An upper is bonded to both the intermediate layer and the outsole, the outsole being made from rubber and extending upward around the periphery of the shoe, covering the resilient intermediate layer, and being bonded to the upper, except at the instep of shoe. Thus, only at the instep is the resilient intermediate layer left exposed to the ambient. <IMAGE>

Description

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GB 2 145 614 A 1

SPECIFICATION Athletic shoe

This invention relates to athletic shoes.

In available athletic shoes, ventilating and shock 5 cushioning mechanisms include transverse air channels in the heel portion of the intermediate layer (e.g., heel wedge and midsole), longitudinal slots open to the transverse air channels and vertical holes through the heel portion of the insole and 10 intermediate layerto connect the transverse air channels to the inside of the shoe and, in some such shoes, the slipsole may have channels on its underside and holes through it to transmit air to the bottom of the user's foot. The orientations of the 15 slipsole channels do not correspond with the vertical holes through the insole, the locations of the holes through the slipsole do not generally correspond with the locations of the slipsole channels, and for these and other reasons the extent 20 to which such shoes ventilate and provide shock cushioning is not fully satisfactory.

To provide cushioning forthefoot, running shoes have used resilient material, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, as the intermediate layer above the 25 generally harder outsole. In such shoes the outsole is generally a flat slab and the resilient layer is exposed to the ambient atmosphere. Unlike running shoes which have predominantly front to rear loading, court shoes (that is: sports shoes for use in 30 playing court games) also have substantial sideward loading due to the nature of the activities, such as basketball, in which they are used.

According to the present invention, there is provided an athletic shoe comprising: an outsole; a 35 resilient intermediate layer adhered to said outsole, said resilient intermediate layer including a plurality of horizontal transversely extending channels; and an upper bonded to said intermediate layer and said outsole, wherein said shoe is for use in court play 40 and the like where sideward loading is encountered, and wherein said outsole is made from rubber and extends upward around the periphery of said shoe covering said resilient intermediate layer, and being bonded to said upper, except at the instep of said 45 shoe so that only at said instep is said resilient intermediate layer left exposed to the ambient.

This construction provides shock absorption while also providing sufficient strength, as a result of the outsole rubber extending around and up to 50 the upper, to permit the shoe to undergo the sideward loading of court play without any separation occurring between layers.

In preferred embodiments, the horizontal transverse channels are formed in the intermediate 55 layer from the instep part way transversely across the layer, and further holes in the intermediate layer and other parts of the shoe communicate between the channels and the shoe interior to provide an air path into the shoe interior. Because the tranverse 60 channels extend only partway across the layer,

there is left on the outside of the intermediate layer a solid portion so as to provide strength and stability under the loading encountered by a court shoe. Also in preferred embodiments, the intermediate layer is divided into a heel wedge and a midsole, and preferred arrangements of channels, slots, and holes in the midsole, heel wedge, and other layers carry air from the channel entrances at the instep to the interior of the shoe.

The invention is hereinafter more particularly described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the instep side of a preferred embodiment of court shoe in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the other side of the shoe;

Fig. 3 is a partial horizontal cross-sectional view taken at Ill-Ill in Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view (with a portion cut away to shorten the view) taken at IV-IV in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional; view taken at V-V in Fig.4.

There are shown in the drawings a court shoe 10 having upper 12, outsole 14, heel wedge 16, and midsole 18. The midsole and heel wedge together form a resilient intermediate layer.

In the illustrated embodiment, heel wedge 16 (ethylene vinyl acetate, about 1/2" (1.27cm) thick) has five horizontal slots 20 cut into its top, the ends of slots 20 being spaced from the instep side of wedge 16. Two longitudinally extending slots 22 connect with slots 20. Slots 20 and 22 are generally similar to the heel wedge slots described in the embodiment of Figs. 1-8 of our co-pending Patent Application 8219840 (Serial No: 2110520A) from which the present application has been divided, and to which the reader is directed. Also in heel wedge 16 are three rows of five vertical holes 23 which extend through the entire thickness of the heel wedge.The two outer rows are aligned with the intersections of slots 20,22. The inner row intercepts slots 20 midway between slots 22.

Midsole 18, a 5/32" (0.396875cm) slab of EVA sponge, has the same pattern of three rows of five holes 25 as in heel wedge 16, and the holes are aligned with those in the heel wedge. In addition there are similar holes 26 in the forward and rear sole which do not communicate with slots 20,22 in the heel wedge. Forward there are four rows running left to right of these holes: a forwardmost row of three holes, two middle rows of four holes, and a rearmost row of three holes. The latter row is vertically over the forwardmost portion of the heel wedge and there is a corresponding row of three holes 27 in the heel wedge. These holes are not, however, in communication with slots 20,22. Holes 25,26 in the midsole 18 and holes 23,27 in the heel wedge can be cut simultaneously afterthe heel wedge and midsole have been joined together.

Above midsole 18 is insole board 28, which is a 2\ iron thick fibre board. The board has a pattern of holes 29 identical to and aligned with those in midsole 18.

Above insole board 28 is resilient slipsole 30, which has a grid of longitudinal and transverse channels 34 on its undersurface. In the rear and middle of the sole, there are three channels running

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GB 2 145 614 A 2

longitudinally. In the forward portion of the sole there are added four additional channels, three on the inside and one on the outside. There are eleven transverse channels. Five rows of six holes 36 each 5 are aligned with the rearmost five transverse channels. Holes 38 are aligned with the intersections of the longitudinal channels with the five most forward transverse channels; there are four holes in the forwardmost row, six in the next back, six in the 10 next, seven in the next, and six in the rearmost channel. There is one transverse channel in which no holes appear. The channels and holes are generally similar in dimension to those of the slipsole described in the embodiment of Figs. 1 -8 of 15 our aforesaid Application 8219840.

Outsole 14 (rubber) is moulded so as to extend upward to and bond with upper 12. The outsole rubber covers the midsole 18 and wedge 16 at all points except the instep, where the midsole and 20 wedge are exposed to the ambient atmosphere. Formed in the heel in the outsole are six voids.

Upper 12 is of conventional manufacture of breathable materials.

The various soles and layers of the shoe are 25 manufactured and assembled in conventional manner. Slots 20,22 in the heel wedge are formed in the wedge prior to any assembly. As mentioned holes in the wedge and midsole can be cut after the two pieces are adhered together.

30 In the assembled shoe, fresh air is free to pass into slots 20,22, and then through holes in the wedge, midsole and insole board into the shoe. Air flowing into the shoe cools and ventilates the foot and then passes out through the breathable material of shoe 35 upper. The resiliency of the wedge, midsole, and slipsole provide, under the repeated striking of the wearer's foot against the ground, an air pumping action forcing fresh air into the shoe.

Claims

40 1. An athletic shoe comprising: an outsole; a resilient intermediate layer adhered to said outsole, said resilient intermediate layer including a plurality of horizontal transversely extending channels; and an upper bonded to said intermediate layer and said 45 outsole, wherein said shoe is for use in court play and the like where sideward loading is encountered, and wherein said outsole is made from rubber and extends upward around the periphery of said shoe, covering said resilient intermediate layer, and being

50 bonded to said upper, except at the instep of said shoe so that only at said instep is said resilient intermediate layer left exposed to the ambient.
2. An athletic shoe according to Claim 1, wherein said plurality of horizontal transversely extending

55 channels have entrances open to the ambient at said instep where said intermediate layer is not covered.
3. An athletic shoe according to Claim 2, wherein said horizontal channels extend from the instep only part way transversely across the layer.

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4. An athletic shoe according to Claim 3, wherein said channels extend only part way transversely across said layer so as to leave at the outside surface of said layer a solid portion at least 1/2" (1.27cm) thick in the transverse dimension.

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5. An athletic shoe according to any of Claims 2,3 or 4, wherein there are provided further passageways in said intermediate layer and in any additional layers above said intermediate layer, said passageways'communicating with each other so as

70 to form a path for air to travel from said instep entrances to the interior of said shoe.
6. An athletic shoe according to any preceding Claim, wherein said intermediate layer comprises a midsole and a tapered heel wedge which extends

75 from the heel part way to the forward end of the shoe.
7. An athletic shoe according to Claim 6, wherein said transverse channels are in said heel wedge and wherein there are also in said wedge at least two

80 additional channels running longitudinally and communicating with said transverse channels.
8. An athletic shoe according to Claim 7, further comprising an insole board adhered to said midsole and a slipsole above said insole board and wherein

85 there are holes extending vertically from said channels through said midsole, through said insole board, and through said slipsole.
9. An athletic shoe according to Claim 8, wherein substantially the same pattern of holes extends

90 through said midsole, heel wedge, and insole board.
10. An athletic shoe according to Claim 8, wherein a different pattern of holes and additional flow distributing channels are formed in said slipsole, which is loosely disposed in said shoe.

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11. An athletic shoe according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Printed in the United Kingdom for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Demand No. 8818935,4/1985. Contractor's Code No. 6378. Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1AY, from which copies may be obtained.