JP2010115371A - Golf shoe - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a golf shoe designed to be collapsed in a transverse direction during a golf swing, which allows more efficient transfer of energy. <P>SOLUTION: The present invention concerns a shoe, wherein a collapsible support member is positioned in a recess proximate to a wearer's first metatarsal bone, which is formed at a forward portion along the inside of an outsole 16, wherein the collapsible support member is stiffer in a longitudinal direction and is more collapsible in a transverse direction. The collapsible support member comprises a collapsible gel pad 18 encased in a thermoplastic urethane, or a single collapsible member having a wave configuration, or a series of collapsible wave members. Each embodiment of the collapsible support member 24 resists collapsing when a golfer walks but has a propensity to collapse during the golfer's swing, which allows more efficient transfer of energy during the swing. The shoe further comprises flexing channels in the forward portion as well as a flexing channel in the rear portion. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates generally to shoes. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf shoe that includes a foldable support element that is anisotropic in mechanical properties.

  Historically, in the beginning, people wore shoes to protect their feet. Over time, footwear has evolved into many different types specific to specific activities. Thus, the protection provided by cold work boots is very different from the protection provided by running shoes. In addition to foot protection, competitive footwear has realized special functions that depend on the specific sport. For example, soccer shoes have spikes to prevent slipping, while cycling shoes have a very solid sole and a mounting plate for cleats that engage the pedals.

  A golf game is a game in which a user walks a long distance and swings a golf club in a short time to hit a golf ball. For this reason, golf shoes have evolved so as to reliably capture the lawn, have good walking comfort, and provide a stable foundation when hitting the ball. Typical golf shoes have a relatively hard sole with metal spikes or plastic cleats. Some golf shoes also include a gel that mitigates the impact of so-called “ground reaction forces” on the foot. According to Newton's third law of motion, the law of action and reaction, the ground pushes the foot in the opposite direction to the direction in which the foot pushes the ground. This is known as ground reaction force.

  Gels have been incorporated into the soles of athletic shoes. Conventional gels are generally pre-set to fit the contours of the foot, or they are soft liquid gels that must be placed in the bladder. Some examples include US Pat. Nos. 5,155,927 and 5,493,792 to Bates, which are preferably gels. Disclosed is an athletic shoe constructed to minimize impact and maximize lateral stability using a cushion member having a chamber filled with a liquid component and having a flexible wall. The chamber portion has a plurality of dividing portions and directs the flow of liquid from one portion of the chamber portion to the other portion.

  However, in the industry, a golf shoe having a foldable support member that minimizes the impact of ground reaction force during walking and enables more efficient energy transfer during a golf swing. There is still a demand for.

US Pat. No. 5,155,927 US Pat. No. 5,493,792

  The golf shoe has an upper, a midsole, an outsole, and a collapsible support member disposed in a recess near the wearer's first metatarsal. The foldable support member is more rigid in the vertical direction and foldable in the horizontal direction and is designed to fold in the horizontal direction during a golf swing so that energy can be transferred more efficiently.

  In one embodiment, the foldable support member has a tapered gel pad that has a thick outer end, a thin inner end, and a top surface with a plurality of support posts, and a thick outer end. Is foldable from the thin inner edge.

  In another embodiment, the collapsible support member has a single member having a longitudinal wave structure and a laterally variable thickness profile. The thickness profile reduces the thickness from the inner thickness to the outer thickness. The thickness profile may be a smooth curve, a stepped curve, or a combination thereof. A single member may be encased in a gel pad.

  In another embodiment, the collapsible support member has a series of transversely extending longitudinal wave members that change their frequency and orientation along the transverse direction. The inner longitudinal wave member may have a higher frequency than the outer longitudinal wave member. Further, the inner longitudinal wave member may face upward than the outer longitudinal wave member. Further, the inner longitudinal wave member may have a thicker profile than the outer longitudinal wave member.

  In all embodiments, an optional second support member may be placed in the cavity below the midsole near the wearer's ribs. The second support member may be more rigid in the longitudinal direction and foldable in the lateral direction.

  The golf shoe may have at least one bendable groove in the front portion of the shoe sole and have at least one bendable groove in the rear portion of the shoe sole. Golf shoes may be used with replaceable cleats, which may be the same dimensions as the original cleats, and are lower than the original cleats so that they can cope with shoe wear and breakage It may be.

  The accompanying drawings form part of the specification and are to be understood in connection with the specification, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like parts throughout the various views.

1 is a top perspective view of a golf shoe of the present invention. It is a bottom perspective view of this golf shoe, and shows a gel pad with anisotropic mechanical properties. FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the outsole of this golf shoe, showing a single foldable support member with anisotropic mechanical properties. 1 is a plan view of a shoe of the present invention, with a portion removed to expose a series of foldable support members with anisotropic mechanical properties. It is a bottom view of the outsole of this golf shoe. It is a perspective view of the gel pad according to this invention. 1 is an end view of a gel pad according to the present invention. FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a single foldable support member with anisotropic mechanical properties. 8 is a feasible thickness profile of the single foldable support member of FIG. 8 is a feasible thickness profile of the single foldable support member of FIG. 8 is a feasible thickness profile of the single foldable support member of FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the shoe 10 includes an upper 12, a midsole 14 coupled to the upper 12, and an outsole 16 coupled to the midsole 14. In accordance with an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the outsole 16 includes at least one toe foldable support member 24 that is encased in a recess in the outsole 16 to assist in forward footing (fore) during a golf swing. The ground reaction force received by the foot) is attenuated. More specifically, the foldable support member 24 is a foldable gel pad 18 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 6A-6B) encased in thermoplastic urethane, or a single piece with anisotropic mechanical properties. It may be a foldable support member 19 (shown in FIGS. 3 and 7) or a series of foldable support members 20 (shown in FIG. 4) with anisotropic mechanical properties. Each embodiment of the foldable support member 24 prevents folding when the golfer walks, but tends to fold in the transverse direction when the golfer swings so that energy can be transferred more efficiently when the golfer swings. To do. Such a foldable support member 24 is strategically disposed on the inner side 21 of the front portion 22 to facilitate weight shift during a golf swing. As an option, as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, a heel support member 25 may be disposed in the rear portion 28 to absorb the impact during walking. The heel support member 25 may also be a gel pad 18, a single foldable support 19, or a plurality of foldable supports 20. The toe support member 24 and the heel support member 25 can be made of the same or different materials. In accordance with another beneficial aspect of the present invention, the golf shoe 10 has a bendable groove 30a-c in the front portion 22 and a bendable groove 32 in the back portion 28 as well. The golf shoe 10 also includes protrusions 34, 36, 38, commonly referred to as “spikes” and “cleats”, that protrude from the bottom surface of the outsole 16 and may have a variable height.

  All parts shown in FIGS. 1-5 are for the left foot shoe, and the right foot shoe part is a mirror image thereof. As employed herein, “medical side” 21 refers to the inner contour edge of the shoe, and “lateral side” 26 refers to the outer contour edge of the shoe. As used herein, “front portion” 22 refers to the end of the shoe near the toes (almost disposed between line AA and line DD in FIG. 5), and “rear portion” 28 is used on the heel. (Refer to FIG. 5 between line DD and line FF).

  Referring back to FIG. 1, the upper 12 as a whole has a normal shape and is manufactured from a suitable upper material, such as leather or synthetic material, or a combination thereof. The opening 13 is made by the top portion of the upper 12 to accommodate the user's foot. The upper 12 is preferably sewn to the midsole 14 or attached using an insole board and conventional techniques with an adhesive such as cement, which is well known to those skilled in the art.

  The midsole 14 acts as a cushion for the person wearing the shoe and is made from a material such as ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). Preferably, the midsole 14 is formed on or around the outsole 12. Alternatively, the midsole is formed separately from the outsole and bonded to it, for example with an adhesive. Once the midsole and outsole are joined, they form a substantial portion of the bottom of the shoe 10.

  When golfers swing, their feet typically move along the horizontal axis T. This is best shown in FIG. This axis extends between the medial side 21 and the lateral side 26, more specifically along the metatarsal bone of each foot. As golfers walk, their feet typically move along the longitudinal axis L, which extends between the heel and toes. When the foot moves along the horizontal axis T or the vertical axis L, it receives a ground reaction force that applies a load to muscles and bones. The toe foldable support member 24 of the present invention attenuates the impact of such a ground reaction force and enables energy to be efficiently transmitted during a golf swing. An optional heel support member 25 provides additional cushioned support to the person wearing the shoe.

  During the golf swing, the toe support member 24 is strategically disposed on the inner side 21 of the front portion 22 below the first metatarsal bone and the first heel, i.e., the big toe, to assist in weight transfer. Yes. The toe support element 24 may be a foldable gel pad 18 encased within a shell, or a single foldable member 19 having anisotropic mechanical properties, or a plurality of foldables having anisotropic mechanical properties. Member 20 may be as previously discussed. These support members, which are arranged on the inner side 21 of the right and left shoes, are folded during the golf swing, so that the energy during the golf swing can be efficiently moved. Structurally, the toe support members 18, 19, and 20 all have shapes and dimensions that fit into the recesses in the tongue of the midsole 14. The recess extends from the inside 21 to the middle of the midsole 14.

  As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the foldable gel pad 18 has a generally tapered appearance. The outer edge 180 is exposed at the inner side 21 as shown in FIG. 2 and is the thickest part of the gel pad 18. On the opposite side of the outer edge 180 is a thin edge 182. Top surface 184 is disposed between edges 180 and 182. The gel pad 18 has a shell 186 that encloses the soft gel 188. Because the outer edge 180 is significantly thicker than the thin edge 182, more gel is near the outer edge of the gel pad 18, so that the outer portion of the gel pad 18 is more than the inner section near the edge 182. There is a tendency to fold. In addition, a plurality of support posts 189 are disposed between the soft outer edge 180 and the rigid inner edge 182. Support post 189 minimizes the tendency of the central section of gel pad 18 below top surface 184 to fold. Support post 189 may be hollow or molded in shell 186.

  The relatively stiff thin edge 182 and support post 189, alone or in combination, provide support to the golfer when walking along the longitudinal axis L. When swinging the club along the transverse axis T, the thin edge 182 alone or in combination with the support post 189 resists folding, but the unsupported thick outer edge 180 is beneficially folded and swinged. The energy can be efficiently moved during the golf swing. Therefore, the gel pad 18 has anisotropic characteristics, that is, it resists folding in the vertical direction and tends to fold in the horizontal direction.

  By way of example, one suitable gel for gel pad 18 has polydimethylsiloxane and a suitable crosslinker. The advantage of employing such a siloxane gel is that it does not leak oil over time, like a rubber / oil mixture. This is therefore suitable for use next to materials such as leather. The durometer value of the gel is between about 5 and 70 Shore A, its penetration value is about 300 units or more, and its viscosity is about 1500 cps to about 2500 cps. The gel is poured into the thermoplastic urethane shell 186 to form the gel pad 18. A fill port 187 is provided for injecting the silicone gel after molding the shell 186.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, in another embodiment of the present invention, the support member has a single foldable support member 19, which has anisotropic mechanical properties. More specifically, in this embodiment, member 19 is preferably manufactured from a longitudinal wave structure in which waves propagate along longitudinal axis L. The thickness of the single foldable support member 19 is also variable along the transverse direction T, the inner thickness 194 being greater than the outer thickness 196. The thickness profile of the single member 19 can be any smooth curve as shown in FIG. 7A, a stepped curve as shown in FIG. 7C, or any combination of both as shown in FIG. 7B. . The invention is not limited to any thickness profile. When inserted into the shoe 10, the inner thickness 194 is disposed inside the midsole 14 and the outer thickness 196 is disposed near the inner edge 21, as shown in FIG. As the golfer walks along the longitudinal axis L, the thick portion of the single foldable support member 19 supports the shoe, thereby minimizing the tendency to fold. When the golfer swings the club and rolls his / her foot along the lateral direction T, the thin portion 196 is folded down so that the energy can be efficiently moved during the golf swing.

  A single foldable support member 19 may be encased in a foldable gel pad 19. The single member 19 may be made from a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer, preferably a thermoplastic or thermosetting polyurethane.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in another embodiment of the present invention, the foldable support member 24 according to the invention may comprise a series of foldable support members 20 with anisotropic mechanical properties. The member 20 may have corrugations 20a-20c, and the frequency and orientation of the corrugations 20a-c will gradually change as these corrugations extend along the horizontal axis T from the inside of the shoe to the outside of the shoe. . More specifically, the inner wave portion 20a has a large frequency and is relatively upward. The next outer wave portion 20b decreases its frequency and is more inclined than the wave portion 20a. The next outer wave portion 20c is preferably further reduced in frequency and more inclined than the wave portions 20a and 20b. The relative frequencies and orientations of the wave portions 20a-20c are shown in FIG. Although only three wave portions 20a to 20c are shown, any number of wave portions may be adopted. A wave part with a high frequency and an upward profile is more robust than a wave part with a low frequency and an inclined profile, the latter being more prone to folding. Therefore, the golfer is supported by more rigid wave portions such as the wave portions 20a and 20b when walking. This is because they are aligned along the longitudinal direction L as a whole. When a golfer swings a club and rolls his / her foot along the transverse direction T, less rigid wave portions such as the wave portions 20b and 20c are folded and bent to efficiently move the energy during the golf swing. Like that. Alternatively or additionally, the corrugations 20a-20c may be of variable thickness such that the inner corrugations have a thicker profile than the outer corrugations.

  Optionally, as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, a second or heel support member 25 may be disposed on the outside 26 of the rear portion 28 to absorb the impact during walking. The heel support member 25 is shaped and dimensioned to fit within a cavity below the midsole 14 near the heel bone or rib. The heel support member 25 may extend from one end to about the middle across the midsole 14 or may extend across the entire heel. The heel support member 25 may be a gel pad 18, a single anisotropic member 19, or a plurality of anisotropic members 20.

  In addition to the support members 18, 19, and 20, the forward portion 22 may include a series of flexible grooves 30a-c (best shown in FIG. 5) through which laterally and longitudinally extend. extend. More specifically, the bendable groove 30a is preferably arranged so as to be generally under the phalange region, while the second bendable groove 30b is preferably located below the user's first metatarsal bone. Arranged. The center of the second bendable groove 30b is preferably arranged directly below the metatarsal head. By doing so, as an option, the position of the metatarsal head can be varied by being wider than the bending axis of the metatarsal head. The bendable groove 30c extends the front portion 22 in the vertical direction. According to an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the rear portion 28 also comprises a bendable groove 32, which extends the rear portion 28 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the flexible grooves 30a to 30c and 32 are designed and arranged so as to form a predetermined bending region for realizing a more comfortable walking.

  The flexible grooves 30a-30c and 32 may be made from thermoplastic urethane, which is significantly softer and makes the front portion 22 and the rear portion 28 even softer. Preferably, the flexure grooves 30a-30c and 32 have a hardness of less than about 85 Shore A, more preferably less than about 70 Shore A. One recommended material is currently manufactured by TAIWAN URE-TECH under the name U-70AP and has a hardness of about 70 Shore A.

  The outsole 16 of the present invention may be manufactured by various conventional techniques. For example, one recommended method is disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,979,083 to Robinson et al., The contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. According to this approach, the first and second layers are molded together.

  Preferably the hardness of the material of the first layer and the second layer is at least about 70 Shore A. More preferably, the material hardness is at least about 80 Shore A, and most preferably about 95 Shore A plus minus 3 Shore A. A suitable material for the first and second layers is, but is not limited to, a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer, such as a thermoplastic urethane. A specific preferred material is thermoplastic urethane U-95A manufactured by TAIWAN URE-TECH. Other applicable thermoplastic urethanes include Bayer's Desmopan ™ and Atofina's Pebax ™.

  As shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 5, the outsole 16 includes a series of protrusions 34, 36, 38, commonly referred to as “spikes” and “cleats,” that protrude from the bottom surface of the outsole 16. Friction with the ground is realized.

  When the cleat 34 is worn out, it can be a steel pipe and is detachably held in a receptacle (not shown), which is held in a socket (not shown). Although only five removable cleats 34 are shown, any number of cleats 34 may be employed, for example, up to 7-9 cleats 34 may be arranged on the outsole 16. Recommended cleats 34 are commercially available from the manufacturer SOFTSIKES ™. These cleats 34 are made from a softer polyurethane than the material of the permanent use spikes 36,38. Since spikes 36 and 38 are not steel pipe capable, they are substantially stiffer than cleat 34 so as to minimize fraying and breakage.

  The height of the spikes and cleats 34, 36, 38 is determined so that an appropriate amount of friction is achieved. In one embodiment, the soft cleat 34 folds when the golfer stands on the shoe so that the height of the soft cleat 34 is higher than the height of the solid spikes 36 and 38 when not worn. ing. Preferably, after a normal load is applied to the shoe, the cleat 34 bends to the same height as the spikes 36, 38 to provide a flat walking surface.

  The spikes 36, 38 wear out after normal wear, but unlike the cleat 34 they are not interchangeable. Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, when replacing a cleat 34, a golfer can strategically select the height of the replacement cleat 34 to match the height of the worn spikes 36, 38. . For example, if the cleat is replaced after a relatively short period (eg, February), the height of the replacement cleat 34 is preferably the same as the initial cleat height. This is because there is little possibility that the heights of the spikes 36 and 38 are significantly reduced. On the other hand, when the cleat 34 is replaced after a relatively long period (for example, one year), the height of the protrusions 36 and 38 is likely to be reduced. Is lower than the original height. For this reason, it is beneficial for the shoe manufacturer to provide the golfer with a replacement cleat for the height of the sy tree to provide an indication to guide the golfer's choice.

  The logo assembly 60 may be disposed along a portion of the outsole 16 and may include a transparent layer material so that the logo can be easily viewed while protecting the logo when the outsole contacts the ground. One preferred material to be logo assembled is an ester-based thermoplastic polyurethane manufactured by TAIWAN URE-TECH under the name UTY-90A, which has a hardness of about 90 Shore A.

  While it will be apparent that the exemplary embodiments of the invention disclosed herein will meet the objectives of the invention, it will be apparent that many modifications and other embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art. Also, the features and / or parts of any embodiment may be employed alone or in combination with the features and / or parts of other embodiments. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Golf shoes 12 Upper 14 Midsole 16 Outsole 18 Gel pad 19 Single foldable member 20 A series of foldable members 24 Toe foldable support members 25 Heel support members

Claims (21)

An upper, a midsole, and an outsole comprising a recess formed in an anterior portion along the inside of the outsole in the vicinity of the wearer's first metatarsal;
A foldable support member disposed in the recess, having a longitudinally strong support and a laterally foldable member,
A golf shoe in which the foldable support member supports a golfer's foot during walking and folds in the lateral direction during a golf swing to perform energy transfer more efficiently. The foldable support member has a gel pad with a taper,
A shell containing the gel;
A thick, relatively soft outer edge exposed inside, a thin, rigid inner edge opposite the outer edge, and a top surface disposed between the two edges;
A plurality of support posts disposed between the outer edge and the inner edge;
The golf shoe of claim 1, wherein the thin and rigid edge and the support post provide support to the golfer when the golfer is walking, and the thick, soft, more foldable outer edge provides support for swinging. .   The golf shoe according to claim 2, wherein the shell of the gel pad provided with the taper has a thermoplastic urethane material.   The golf shoe according to claim 3, wherein the gel has polydimethylsiloxane and a crosslinking agent.   The golf shoe according to claim 4, wherein the shoe has at least one bendable groove in a front portion of the sole of the shoe, and has at least one bendable groove in a rear portion of the sole of the shoe.   The golf shoe of claim 1, wherein the foldable support member is a single member encased in a gel pad, the single member having a longitudinal wave structure and a laterally variable thickness profile. .   The golf shoe of claim 6, wherein the variable thickness profile decreases thickness from an inner thickness to an outer thickness.   The golf shoe of claim 7, wherein the thickness profile is a smooth curve, a stepped curve, or a combination thereof.   The golf shoe according to claim 1, wherein the foldable support member has a series of longitudinal wave members extending in the lateral direction, and the longitudinal wave member changes its frequency and direction along the lateral direction.   The golf shoe according to claim 9, wherein the inner longitudinal wave member has a higher frequency than the outer longitudinal wave member.   The golf shoe according to claim 9, wherein the inner longitudinal wave member is upward from the outer longitudinal wave member.   The golf shoe according to claim 9, wherein the inner longitudinal wave member has a thicker profile than the outer longitudinal wave member.   The second support member is disposed in a cavity below the midsole near the wearer's ribs, and the second support member is more rigid in the longitudinal direction and foldable in the lateral direction. Golf shoes.   The golf shoe of claim 13, wherein the second support member has a tapered gel pad having a thick outer edge, a thin inner edge, and a top surface having a plurality of posts, and a shell containing the gel.   The golf shoe of claim 13, wherein the second support member comprises a single member having a longitudinal wave structure and a laterally variable thickness profile.   The golf shoe according to claim 13, wherein the second support member has a series of longitudinal wave portions extending in the lateral direction, and the longitudinal wave portion changes its frequency and direction along the lateral direction.   The golf shoe of claim 1, further comprising a replaceable cleat and a permanent spike, wherein the replaceable cleat has a height different from the permanent spike.   The golf shoe of claim 17, wherein the replaceable cleat has a higher initial cleat than the permanent spike.   The golf shoe of claim 17, wherein the replaceable cleat has a cleat having a height that is sized and shaped to match the height of the permanent spike. An upper, a midsole, and an outsole comprising a recess formed in an anterior portion along the inside of the outsole in the vicinity of the wearer's first metatarsal;
A foldable support member disposed in the recess, having a longitudinally strong support and a laterally foldable member,
The foldable support member has a gel pad with a taper,
A shell containing the gel;
A thick, relatively soft outer edge exposed inside, a thin, rigid inner edge opposite the outer edge, and a top surface disposed between the two edges;
A golf shoe in which the foldable support member supports a golfer's foot during walking and folds in the lateral direction during a golf swing to perform energy transfer more efficiently. An upper, a midsole, and an outsole comprising a recess formed in an anterior portion along the inside of the outsole in the vicinity of the wearer's first metatarsal;
A foldable support member disposed in the recess, having a longitudinally strong support and a laterally foldable member,
The support member has a wave structure in the longitudinal direction,
A golf shoe in which the foldable support member supports a golfer's foot during walking and folds in the lateral direction during a golf swing to perform energy transfer more efficiently.

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