GB2258994A - Cushioned sole - Google Patents

Abstract

A cushioned sole for a ladies fashion shoe includes a cutout 3 formed in the sole 2 and located in the cutout is a foam rubber insert 13, the edge of which is tapered and is formed with a step shaped shoulder which locates in a groove 11 formed in the side wall of the cutout. The outer edges 18a, 19b of the sole are also curved to enhance the appearance of the shoe. <IMAGE>

Description

CUSHIONED SOLE FOR ELEGANT COMFORT SHOES The invention relates to a cushioned sole for elegant comfort shoes, comprising a moulded sole which is of an abrasion-resistant material and which is fixed below the inner sole of a shoe upper and which has, at least in the region of the ball of the foot, a cutout which is delimited by the sole edge, undercut on the inside, and in which a cushioned insert of a light soft foam is fixed.

In the case of so-called comfort shoes, aircushioned soles have become common, having below the inner sole a hollow moulded sole in the inner, relatively large-surface cutout of which there is fixed as a cushioning piece, an insert of light soft foam for the ball of the foot. In order, so that pressure points on the foot of the wearer are avoided, to obtain a smooth transition between the soft-elastic cushioned insert and the relatively dimensionally rigid edge of the bottom sole, in the known air-cushioned soles the outer edge of the cushioned insert is bevelled and is pushed in with a correspondingly shaped tongue-like undercut in the inside moulded sole edge.As a result of this, secure fixing of the cushioned insert for the ball of the foot in the hollow space of the bottom sole is achieved, and the insert no longer becomes detached from its predetermined position either during assembly of the shoe in the shoe factory or during subsequent stress.

For elegant ladies' shoes in which the bottom soles can only have a very small visible thickness for aesthetic reasons, however, such cushioned soles are not suitable because the sole thickness resulting from the necessary cushioning of the ball of the foot spoils the aesthetics of the shoes and their elegance. Although attempts to reduce the thickness of the cushioned insert in the region of the ball of the foot of the moulded sole to a value suitable for the aesthetic appearance, say approximately 2 mm, have resulted in thin and elegant soles, the cushioning effect and thus the wearing comfort of such shoes were completely inadequate.

It is the object of the invention to provide a cushioned sole which is also suitable for elegant ladies' shoes, which ensures secure fixing of the cushioned insert in the moulded sole and an effective cushioning or damping effect in the bearing region of the foot of the wearer at the same time as simple manufacture, and whereof the outer edge gives an aesthetically elegant impression.

In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in that the cushion for the ball of the foot, which is tapered towards the outer edge, has at this outer edge a step-shaped shoulder which engages positively in a groove made on the inside in the edge of the moulded sole.

As a result of the tapering of the cushioned insert for the ball of the foot in an edge region covered by the tapered edge of the folded-in leather upper, the central part of the cushioned insert for the ball of the foot can be of thickened construction in order to achieve a sufficiently large damping effect for the ball of the foot, which is regularly subjected to high load. The stepped construction of the edge of the cushioned insert effectively prevents the cushioned insert from slipping in the moulded sole and also effectively prevents unintentional removal or detachment of the insert before or during assembly of the shoe.

A particularly advantageous construction of the invention is characterized in that the outer bottom surface of the moulded sole runs upwardly in an arc shape in the edge region, this arc-shaped bottom surface section being able to reach as far as the upper sole edge. As a result of this arc-shaped course in the edge region of the moulded sole bottom surface, a surprising aesthetic effect is achieved, since in particular the thickness of the bottom sole is no longer apparent on observing the shoe from the side.

Advantageously, the upper surface of the moulded sole edge, which is of relatively wide construction, runs at a very small angle with respect to the horizontal and thus forms a stable bearing for supporting and securing the tapered edge parts of the leather shoe upper or of an inner sole. To secure the position of the cushioned sole on a shoe upper, the cushioned sole can have a small continuous bead on the outer edge of the upper bearing surface.

In another advantageous construction of the cushioned sole according to the invention, the sole edge can contain a narrow, approximately vertical outer surface which merges smoothly into the arc-shaped bottom surface edge section.

In order to further improve the wearing comfort of an elegant ladies' shoe equipped with a cushioned sole according to the invention, one embodiment of this cushioned sole is characterized in that a second relatively thin cushion layer is positioned above the inner sole.

Further preferences and particular features of the cushioned sole according to the invention can be inferred from the attached drawing and the following description of an embodiment. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows the cushioned sole according to the invention in plan view, from above; Fig. 2 shows the cushioned sole according to Fig.

1, secured to a shoe upper, in section along II-II.

The cushioned sole 1 illustrated comprises an outer moulded sole 2 which is of a viscoelastic abrasionresistant rubber or plastics material and which has in its front section for the ball of the foot a cutout 3 in which there is fixed, positively and non-displaceably, a cushioned insert 4 for the ball of the foot. In the transition region between the ball part and the heel part there are arranged, in the manner of a grid, vertical webs 5 whereof the frontmost web 6 delimits the cutout 3 rearwardly in the region for the ball of the foot. The vertical webs 5 and 6, including the free spaces, therebetween, are sealed off adjacent the ground by a lower layer of the moulded sole 2.

In its front section for the ball of the foot, the moulded sole 1 has a relatively wide sole edge 7, whereof the continuously smooth surface - as can be seen from Fig. 2 - is slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal and serves as a bearing for the lower edge section 9 of the leather upper which is tapered and folded around an inner sole 8. Formed on the outer edge of the bottom sole edge is a continuous bead 10 which represents a means of securing the position of the shoe upper. On the inside edge of the cutout there is formed a peripheral horizontal groove 11 which defines a horizontal web 12. The cushioned insert 4 for the ball of the foot has a central thickened section 13 and a peripheral tapered edge section 14, on the side edge of which there is integrally formed a horizontal shoulder 15. The size and dimension of this shoulder 15 correspond to those of the continuous groove 11 in the moulded sole 2. The cushioned insert 4 is inserted in the hollow space 3 of the moulded sole 2 and its lateral shoulder 15 is located in the continuous groove 11 of the moulded sole. As a result on the cushioned insert 4 achieves a positionally secure seating in the cutout 3 of the moulded sole 2.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the outer surface 18 of the moulded sole 2 is constructed to be arc-shaped in the edge region, in the case of the construction on the right-hand side of Fig. 2 this arc running as far as the upper edge of the sole, and in the case of the construction illustrated on the left-hand side of Fig. 2 this arc-shaped section merging into a vertical surface 19.

In the construction in accordance with Fig. 2, a further thin cushioned insert 20 is secured to the inner sole 8 in order to increase the wearing comfort.

However, the function of the cushioned sole according to the invention is not influenced in any way by this further insert.

The height of the cushioned sole according to the invention is, for elegant ladies' shoes, only a few mm, the arc-shaped profiles of the moulded sole edges achieving the aesthetic impression that the entire sole is substantially thinner. As a result of this, small and highly elegant ladies' shoes can also be equipped with a cushioned sole according to the invention without thereby creating an impression of clumsiness.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments illustrated. Thus, for example, a corresponding cushioned insert can also be provided in the heel region, and can be constructed either as a separate structural element or indeed in one piece with the illustrated cushioned insert 4 for the ball of the foot.

Claims (6)

1. A cushioned sole for elegant comfort shoes, comprising a moulded sole which is of an abrasionresistant material and which has, at least in the region of the ball of the foot, a cutout which is delimited by the sole edge and is undercut on the inside, and in which a cushioned insert of a light soft foam is fixed, the insert being tapered towards the outer edge, and having at this outer edge a lateral step-shaped shoulder which engages positively in a groove on the inside edge of the moulded sole.

2. A cushioned sole according to Claim 1, in which the outer bottom surface of the moulded sole runs upwardly in an arc shape in the edge region.

3. A cushioned sole according to Claim 2, in which the arc-shaped bottom surface section runs as far as the sole upper edge.

4. A cushioned sole according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the surface of the wide moulded sole edge is inclined at a small angle with respect to the horizontal and forms a stable, large-surface bearing zone for securing the tapered edge parts of the leather upper or of an inner sole.

5. A cushioned sole according to Claim 2, in which the sole edge includes a narrow approximately vertical outer surface which merges into the arc-shaped bottom surface section.

6. A cushioned sole according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a peripheral bead for fixing the position of the shoe upper is made on the upper edge of the moulded sole edge.