KR20180015165A - Footwear for foot and body shoe soles - Google Patents

Abstract

Footwear soles for footwear items are described here. The shoe sole extends in the longitudinal direction from the heel region through the middle region to the forefoot region. The outsole includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole has an upper surface for attachment to at least one of the insole and the shoe upper and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface. The midsole includes a full-bodied buffer element, a middle buffer element, and a heel buffer element. The outsole is disposed along the bottom surface of the midsole and forms the ground contacting surface of the sole. The sole has an upwardly convex bottom profile such that the impact area of the sole is formed within the midsole and the midsole component is located within the midsole and directly above the impact area of the sole.

Description

Footwear for foot and body shoe soles

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates generally to footwear articles, and more particularly to shoe sole for use in footwear articles designed for mid-impact areas.

Footwear items such as shoes typically include a shoe sole and a top secured to the shoe sole that surrounds the foot resting on the shoe. Some known shoe soles are designed to provide a rolling action on the user's feet and tend to exhibit a destabilizing effect that requires a more active or "dynamic" response in the user's musculature and skeletal system as compared to passive walking or running. Active walking includes training muscles that are usually neglected in passive walking, improving posture and gait patterns, and alleviating back, hip, leg and foot problems and joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons Providing a variety of benefits.

Some known shoe soles are designed to provide rolling action during walking and generally include a relatively soft material in the heel region of the shoe sole. However, the shoe sole designed for walking may not provide the optimal rolling action for running and may not provide optimal cushioning and support for running.

Additionally, some known shoe soles designed for running include soft elements located in the heel region of the sole. For example, U.S. Patent No. 6,341,432, issued January 29, 2002, discloses a shoe sole having a soft material disposed in a recess in the shoe sole of a heel region of the sole, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference It is incorporated by reference. However, the outer sole of the shoe has a relatively flat contour, thus promoting the impact area along the heel of the sole. As a result, the shoe sole may not be able to provide optimum buffering and support for a person with a strike.

Therefore, a shoe sole designed to provide dynamic rolling action during running is needed.

This Background Section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the technology that may be involved in various aspects of the present disclosure as set forth or claimed below. This description is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information in order to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements should be read in this light and not an introduction to prior art.

In one aspect, a shoe sole for an article of footwear is provided. The sole extends in the longitudinal direction from the heel region through the middle region to the forefoot region. The outsole includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole has an upper surface for attachment to at least one of the insole and the shoe upper and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface. The midsole includes a full-bodied buffer element, a middle buffer element, and a heel buffer element. The outsole is disposed along the bottom surface of the midsole and forms the ground contacting surface of the sole. The sole has an upwardly convex bottom profile such that the impact area of the sole is formed within the midsole and the midsole component is located within the midsole and directly above the impact area of the sole.

In another aspect, a shoe sole for an article of footwear is provided. The sole extends in the longitudinal direction from the heel region through the middle region to the forefoot region. The outsole includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole has an upper surface for attachment to at least one of the insole and the shoe upper and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface. The midsole includes a full-bodied buffer element, a middle buffer element, and a heel buffer element. The outsole is disposed along the bottom surface of the midsole and forms the ground contacting surface of the sole. The sole has an upward convex bottom profile such that the impact area of the sole is formed within the midsole. The midsole has a first hardness in the front region, a second hardness in the heel region less than the first hardness, and a third hardness in the midsole region on the smaller impact region, both in the first and second hardnesses.

In yet another aspect, a shoe sole for an article of footwear is provided. The sole extends in the longitudinal direction from the heel region through the middle region to the forefoot region. The outsole includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole has an upper surface for attachment to at least one of the insole and the shoe upper and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface. The outsole is disposed along the bottom surface of the midsole and forms the ground contacting surface of the sole. The sole has an upward convex bottom profile such that the impact area of the sole is formed within the midsole. The outsole has a relatively rigid configuration along the middle region to form a heel region and a full foot region within the impact region that pivotally pivots about it. The heel region curves upward from the mid-zone and has a radius of curvature between 390 millimeters and about 450 millimeters. The proximal region extends upwardly from the caudal region and has a radius of curvature between 360 millimeters and about 420 millimeters.

There are various improvements to the features mentioned in connection with the above embodiments. Other features may also be incorporated into the above-described aspects as well. These improvements and additional features may be present individually or in any combination. For example, the various features described below in connection with any of the illustrated embodiments, alone or in any combination, may be incorporated into any of the aspects described above.

1 is an exterior view of an article of footwear comprising an exemplary embodiment of a shoe sole;
Fig. 2 is an inner side view of the shoe sole of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the shoe sole of Fig. 1; Fig.
4 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe sole of Fig. 1 taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe sole of Fig. 1 taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3;
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe sole of Fig. 1 taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 3;
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe sole of Fig. 1 taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 3;
8 is a top view of the shoe sole of Fig. 1 illustrating one embodiment of a reinforcing element suitable for use with the shoe sole of Figs 1-8.
9 is a top view of another shoe soles illustrating another embodiment of a reinforcing element suitable for use with the shoe sole of Figs. 1-8.
10 is a top view of another shoe soles illustrating another embodiment of a reinforcing element suitable for use with the shoe sole of Figs. 1-8.
11 is an outer side view of another embodiment of the shoe sole.
12 is a bottom view of the shoe sole of Fig.
Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe sole of Fig. 11 taken along line 13-13 in Fig.
14 is an outer side view of another embodiment of the shoe sole.
Fig. 15 is a bottom view of the shoe sole of Fig. 14; Fig.
16 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe sole of Fig. 14 taken along line 16-16 of Fig.
Corresponding reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 1, a footwear article shown in the form of a running shoe is generally indicated generally at 20. The footwear article includes a shoe soles and shoe upper 22, generally indicated at 100. The shoe sole 100 is secured to the shoe upper 22 by suitable attachment means, such as adhesive bonding, to form the footwear article 20. The upper shoe 22 is used to secure the shoe article 20 and the shoe sole 100 to the wearer's foot using appropriate fasteners and the fastener can be used for example as a shoestring, a buckle, a strap, a hook and a loop fastener, But is not limited to, any other mechanical fastener that allows the shoe upper 22 and shoe sole 100 to be secured to the wearer's foot. In one embodiment, the shoe upper 22 is constructed of a relatively lightweight breathable material, such as a mesh material. In another embodiment, the shoe upper portion 22 may be constructed of a material other than a lightweight breathable material.

2 to 8, the shoe sole 100 may extend from the heel region 110 through the metatarsal or middle region 112 to the ball and toe or fore region 114 in a walking or longitudinal direction 102, . Heel region 110, middle region 112 and fore region 114 extend in the longitudinal direction 102 over approximately one third of the length of the shoe sole 100, respectively. The heel region 110 is adjacent to the middle region 112 and extends rearward in the longitudinal direction 102 from the middle region 112 to the heel 116 of the shoe sole 100. [ The front region 114 is adjacent to the middle region 112 and extends forward in the longitudinal direction 102 from the middle region 112 to the toe 118 of the shoe sole 100. [

The heel region 110, the middle region 112 and the fore region 114 each have a lateral direction 104 oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 102, as shown in Figures 3 and 5-7. Respectively. The sole 100 also includes an outer side surface 120 and an inner side surface 122 disposed on both sides of the sole 100 in the transverse direction. The outer side 120 of the sole 100 generally refers to the outer side of the sole 100 facing away from and away from the wearer when worn on the wearer's foot and the inner side 122 generally refers to the wearer's feet Refers to the inside of the sole 100 facing the wearer ' s body when worn on the wearer. The thickness of the sole 100 and its components are measured along a vertical direction 106 oriented vertically with respect to both the longitudinal direction 102 and the transverse direction 104.

1 to 4, the shoe sole 100 generally includes a midsole 124 and an insole 126. 4, the midsole 124 extends from the heel 116 of the sole 100 to the toe 118 of the sole 100 and includes an insole (not shown) and a shoe upper 22 1) and a lower surface 130 disposed opposite the upper surface 128. The upper surface 128 has an upper surface 128 and an upper surface 128, respectively. The inhaler 126 is disposed along the lower surface 130 of the middle 124 and extends from the heel region 110 to the forearm region 114. The insole 126 forms the ground contacting surface 140 of the sole 100 and is constructed of a relatively hard, wear resistant material. Suitable materials from which the torso 126 may be constructed include, but are not limited to, hard rubber. In some embodiments, the outsole 126 is molded with the bottom surface 130 of the middle 124 to provide a relatively lightweight construction and provide a balance of wear and flexibility.

In the exemplary embodiment, the middle 124 has three segment configurations, including frontal bumper element 132, middle bumper element 134 and heel bumper element 136.

The front shock absorbing element 132 extends from the forearm region 114 to the heel region 110 through the middle region 112 and forms the upper surface 128 of the midsole. In the exemplary embodiment, the front shock absorbing element 132 extends the entire length of the shoe sole 100 from the heel 116 to the toe 118. The front shock absorbing element 132 is adjacent the outer shell 126 along the front region 114 of the sole 100 and is spaced from the outer shell 126 in the middle region 112 and the heel region 110.

The front shock absorbing element 132 extends to a thickness from the upper surface 128 of the middle 124 to the lower surface of the middle 124 in the vertical direction 106 of the front region 114. That is, the front shock absorbing element 132 fills the entire volume of the midsole 124 of the forefoot region 114. The front shock absorbing element 132 also includes a thin portion or segment that extends rearwardly from the forefoot region 114 to the heel 116 of the sole 100.

The body-shock absorbing element 134 is disposed within the body region 112 and is adjacent the body portion 126 along the body region 112. The barying shock absorber 134 is disposed vertically between the front shock absorbing element 132 and the heel shock absorbing element 136 (specifically, the backward extending thin segment) And is horizontally disposed.

The heel buffer element 136 is disposed between the front shock absorbing element 132 and the front door 126 in the heel region 110 of the sole 100 and in the vertical direction. Moreover, the heel buffer element 136 is disposed between the middle buffering element 134 and the inhaler 126 in a vertical direction. Heel buffer element 136 is adjacent to proximal dampening element 132 and insole 126, respectively, in heel region 110 of sole 100. [

As shown in FIG. 4, the front shock absorbing element 132 and the heel shock absorbing element 136 jointly define a recess 138 in the middle region 112 of the sole 100. The body-shock absorbing element 134 is disposed within the recess 138 and is disposed vertically and horizontally between the front shock absorbing element 132 and the heel shock absorbing element 136. The barying shock absorbing element 134 abuts the heel buffering element 136 along the lower surface of the cushioning cushioning element 134 adjacent the front shock absorbing element 132 along the upper surface of the cushioning cushioning element 134.

Each component of the midsole 124 is constructed of a relatively flexible flexible material as compared to the outer casing 126 to provide a desired amount of damping. Suitable materials that can constitute the components of the midsole 124 include, but are not limited to, polyurethane elastomeric foams, open celled foams such as open celled polyurethane foams, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), and combinations thereof Do not. In the exemplary embodiment, the front shock absorbing element 132 and the heel shock absorbing element 136 are constructed of a relatively rigid material as compared to the middle shock absorbing element 134 to provide low-to-medium damping and shock absorption. The body-shock absorbing element 134 is constructed of an elastic highly deformable material that is relatively soft compared to the front shock absorbing element 132 and the heel shock absorbing element 136 to provide a large amount of damping and shock absorption. Suitable materials that can constitute the body shock absorbing element 134 include, for example, an open cell foam, such as an open cell polyurethane foam. Generally, the body-shock absorbing element 134 has a lower density and a lower hardness than the front shock absorbing element 132 and the heel shock absorbing element 136, respectively.

In another embodiment, the heel buffer element 136 is constructed of a relatively soft, resilient, highly deformable material as compared to the full buffer element 132 and the middle buffer element 134, It is a flexible buffer element. In this embodiment, heel buffer element 136 has lower density and lower hardness than proximal buffer element 132 and middle buffer element 134, respectively.

In an exemplary embodiment, the proximal cushioning element 132, the cushioning cushioning element 134, and the heel cushioning element 136 are each comprised of discrete pieces of material, but in other embodiments, the full cushioning element 132, At least two of the element 134 and the heel buffer element 136 may have an integral or monolithic configuration.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the shoe sole 100 has a continuous upward convex bottom profile. The bottom profile of the shoe sole 100 is sized and shaped such that the impact area 142 of the sole 100 is formed within the shoe area 112 of the shoe sole 100. The term "impact area " generally refers to a point or area along the ground contact surface 140 of the shoe sole 100 that first touches or contacts the ground surface during running.

The bottom profile of the shoe sole 100 is generally upwardly curved from the middle region 112 to the heel region 110 and the fore leg region 114 respectively.

In some embodiments, the heel region 110 (specifically, the heel region 126 in the heel region 110) is between about 220 millimeters (mm) and about 460 mm, more preferably between about 240 mm and about 350 mm And is curved upward from the middle region 112 by a first radius of curvature 144 between the first and second regions. The front region 114 (specifically, the window 126 in the front region 114) has a second radius of curvature 146 between about 220 mm and about 440 mm, more preferably between about 240 mm and about 320 mm ) From the mid-region 112. [0035] The middle region 112 has a third radius of curvature 148 between about 800 mm and about 1040 mm, more suitably between about 840 mm and about 1000 mm. The radius of curvature of the heel region 110, middle region 112, and front region 114 may vary depending on the size of the shoe and the intended use of the shoe. In some embodiments, the ratio between the radius of curvature of the heel region 110, the middle region 112, and the front region 114 is between about 1.0: 2.0: 1.0 and about 1.1: 3.5: 1.0. The heel region 110, the middle region 112 and the fore region 114 may have any suitable radius of curvature that allows the shoe soles 100 to function as described herein . The bottom profile of the shoe sole 100 may have a single continuous radius of curvature extending from the heel region 110 through the middle region 112 and into the front region 114. In yet another embodiment,

The bottom profile of the sole 100 is such that the sole 100 is in a no-load state (i.e., idle) on a flat reference ground plane (i.e., a plane oriented normal to the vertical direction 106) Resulting in an impact region 142, which is the lowest point on the shoe sole 100 measured in the vertical direction 106. [ The state of shoe sole 100 illustrated in Fig. 4 is also referred to herein as the reference state.

4, when the shoe sole 100 is in the reference state, the heel 116 of the shoe 100 is spaced by a vertical distance 152 above the impact area 142, And is spaced by a vertical distance 154 above the impact area 142. In some embodiments, the vertical distance 152 between the heel 116 and the impact area 142 is at least about 15 mm, more suitably at least about 25 mm, and more suitably at least about 35 mm. Further, in some embodiments, the vertical distance 154 between the toe 118 and the impact area 142 is at least about 25 mm, more suitably at least about 45 mm, and more suitably at least about 50 mm.

The shoe sole 100 also has a thickness profile that promotes the mid-impact region 142. The thickness of the sole 100 measured from the upper surface 128 of the middle 124 to the outer surface 126 along the vertical axis parallel to the vertical direction 106 is greater than the thickness of the sole 100 from the heel region 110 to the mid- And progressively decreases from the mid-region 112 to the forefoot region 114. In the case of FIG. 13), the thickest portion of the sole 100 is in the middle region 112 and is generally aligned with the impact region 142. In some embodiments (e.g., Fig. That is, the sole 100 has a thickness in the midsole region 112 that is greater than the thickness of the sole 100 in the heel region 110 and the forefoot region 114. The thickness of the sole 100 includes a midsole 124 and an insole 126 and extends from the top surface 128 of the midsole 124 in the vertical direction 106 (i.e., the longitudinal direction 102 of the sole 100) To a ground contacting surface 140 of the sole 100 along a direction perpendicular to the base surface 150 and a reference state (as shown in FIG. 4) perpendicular to the ground or reference plane 150.

In one embodiment, the thickness of the sole 100 in the heel region 110 (specifically, the portion of the sole 100 disposed just below the calf bone when the sole is worn on the user's foot) Between about 23 mm, more suitably between about 16 mm and about 20 mm; The maximum thickness of the sole in the mid-zone 112 is between about 20 mm and about 30 mm, more suitably between about 22 mm and about 26 mm; The thickness of the soles 100 of the front region 114 is between about 13 mm and about 23 mm, more preferably between about 16 mm and about 20 mm.

In another embodiment, the thickness of the sole 100 in the heel region 110 (specifically, the portion of the sole 100 disposed just below the calf bone when the sole is worn on the user's foot) Between about 37 mm, more suitably between about 30 mm and about 34 mm; The maximum thickness of the outsole in the mid-zone 112 is between about 26 mm and about 36 mm, more suitably between about 28 mm and about 32 mm; The thickness of the soles 100 of the front region 114 is between about 15 mm and about 25 mm, more preferably between about 17 mm and about 23 mm.

In another embodiment, the thickness of the sole 100 in the heel region 110 (specifically, the portion of the sole 100 disposed just below the calf bone when the sole is worn on the user's foot) is about 31 mm And about 42 mm, more suitably between about 33 mm and about 39 mm; The maximum thickness of the sole in the mid-zone 112 is between about 33 mm and about 44 mm, more suitably between about 36 mm and about 41 mm; The thickness of the soles 100 of the front region 114 is between about 22 mm and about 32 mm, more preferably between about 24 mm and about 30 mm. In one particular embodiment, the middle region 112 has a heel region 110 (specifically, a portion of the sole 100 disposed just beneath the calf's calf when the sole is worn on the user's foot) Lt; / RTI > to about 4 mm.

The exact thickness of the sole 100 in the heel region 110, middle region 112 and front region 114 may vary depending on the size of the shoe and the intended use of the shoe. In some embodiments, the ratio between the thickness of the heel region 110, the middle region 112, and the soles 100 of the forefoot region 114 is between about 1.0: 1.1: 1.0 and about 1.0: 1.7: 1.0. In another embodiment, the ratio between the thickness of the sole 100 of the heel region 110, the middle region 112 and the fore region 114 is between about 1.3: 1.3: 1.0 and about 1.7: 1.6: 1.0. In another embodiment, the ratio between the thickness of the sole 100 of the heel region 110, the middle region 112, and the front region 114 is between about 1.2: 1.25: 1.0 and about 1.4: 1.5: 1.0.

The bottom profile of the shoe sole 100, more specifically the curvature and thickness profile of the shoe sole 100, promotes the mid-impact area. The components of the shoe sole 100 provide optimal shock absorption and shock absorption based on the impact area 142 located in the shroud area 112 of the sole 100 as described in more detail herein , And is designed to promote dynamic rolling action during running.

The inhaler 126 has a relatively more rigid configuration along the middle region 112 to form a pivot axis 156 in which the heel region 110 and the fore leg region 114 are pivoted during use. In particular, the inhaler 126 is relatively rigid along the pivot axis 156 relative to the portions of the front and rear inhalations 126 of the pivot axis 156 to provide a rigid area in which the sole 100 can be pivoted to provide. The insole 126 may be constructed of a relatively rigid material along the pivot axis 156 to provide increased stiffness along the pivot axis 156 and / or may include a stiffening element such as a fiber. The pivot axis 156 is oriented substantially parallel to the transverse direction 104 and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 102.

4, the pivot axis 156 is within the impact area 142 of the sole 100, thereby facilitating a continuous gait roll from the initial point of impact to toe-off And promotes active rolling with each step. In an exemplary embodiment, the pivot axis 156 is located along the middle triangular portion of the shoe sole 100 in the longitudinal direction 102, and more specifically, from the heel 116 to the shoe sole 100, And is located at a longitudinal distance of from about 40% to about 60%.

The body-shock absorbing element 134 is configured to provide optimum shock absorption during running and to return energy to the user's foot as the user's body weight moves from the mid-region 112 to the forefoot region 114. In particular, the body-shock absorbing element 134 is disposed within the middle region 112, directly above (i.e. immediately adjacent and vertically above) the impact region 142 and pivot axis 156. Furthermore, the mid-damping element 134 absorbs energy from the initial impact of the sole 100 along the impact region 142 and the sole 100 pivots about the pivot axis 156, Adjacent to the outsole 126 along the impact area 142 of the sole to deliver energy to the user's feet. Additionally, the body-shock absorbing element 134 has a thickness measured in a vertical direction 106 that gradually increases from the heel region 110 to the maximum thickness in the middle region 112. Thus, the body-shock absorbing element 134 provides most of the cushioning and shock absorption along the middle region 112 and the impact region 142, while providing some cushioning and shock absorption at the heel region 110. 6 and 7, the body-shock absorbing element 134 extends in the transverse direction 104 from the outer surface 120 to the inner surface 122 and extends over the entire width of the sole 100 It provides shock absorption and shock absorption.

As discussed above, the middle 124 of the illustrated embodiment has a three piece configuration that includes a front shock absorbing element 132, a middle shock absorbing element 134, and a heel shock absorbing element 136. In some embodiments, proximal cushioning element 132, cushioning cushioning element 134 and heel cushioning element 136 may have different hardness values to provide a desired hardness distribution or profile along the longitudinal direction 102 of the sole 100 to provide. In the exemplary embodiment, the sole 100 has a three-hardness configuration along the longitudinal direction 102 of the sole 100 that facilitates dynamic rolling action during running and also facilitates optimum shock absorption and energy transfer . In particular, the front shock absorbing element 132, the heel shock absorbing element 136 and the middle shock absorbing element 134 have different hardness values such that the front region 114 of the sole 100 has a first hardness, (110) has a second hardness less than the first hardness, and the middle region (112) has a third hardness less than both the first and second hardnesses. In other suitable embodiments, the proximal cushioning element 132, the heel cushioning element 136, and the cushioning cushioning element 134 have different hardness values and thus the hardness (i.e., second hardness) of the heel region 110, Is less than the hardness (i.e., the first hardness) of the front region 114 and the hardness (i.e., the third hardness) of the middle region 112 and the hardness of the middle region 112 is less than the hardness of the front region 114 .

In some embodiments, proximal damping element 132 has a first hardness, heel damping element 136 has a second hardness, and middle damping element 134 has a third hardness. In other embodiments, the proximal cushioning element 132, the heel cushioning element 136 and the cushioning cushioning element 134 have different hardness values, 110) is a first hardness, a second hardness and a third hardness, respectively.

In some embodiments, the ratio between the first hardness value of the front region 114, the second hardness value of the heel region 110, and the third hardness value of the middle region 112 is about 1.0: 1.0: 1.0 and about 2.0 : 1.75: 1.0, more preferably between about 1.2: 1.1: 1.0 and about 1.6: 1.4: 1.0. In one particular embodiment, the ratio between the first hardness value of the front region 114, the second hardness value of the heel region 110, and the third hardness value of the middle region 112 is about 1.22: 1.11: 1.0. In another particular embodiment, the ratio between the first hardness value of the front region 114, the second hardness value of the heel region 110, and the third hardness value of the middle region 112 is about 1.33: 1.11: 1.0.

In some embodiments, the proximal region 114 (specifically, the proximal buffer element 132) has a hardness between about 50 and 70, more suitably between about 50 and 65 Asker C, as measured by the Asker Type C hardness scale Lt; / RTI > The heel region 110 (specifically, the heel buffer element 136) has a hardness between about 40 and 60 Asker C, more suitably between about 45 and 55 Asker C; The middle zone 112 (specifically, the middle buffer element 134) has a hardness between about 35 and 55 Asker C, and more suitably between about 40 and 50 Asker C. In one particular embodiment, the front region 114 has a hardness of about 55 Asker C, the heel region 110 has a hardness of about 50 Asker C, and the middle region 112 has a hardness of about 45 Asker C . In another specific embodiment, the proximal region 114 has a hardness of about 60 Asker C, the heel region 110 has a hardness of about 50 Asker C, and the middle region 112 has a hardness of about 45 Asker C .

8, the shoe soles 100 of the illustrated embodiment also include reinforcing elements 160 embedded within the midsole 124 (specifically, the front shock absorbing elements 132). The reinforcing element 160 is constructed of a suitably rigid resilient material that provides flexible and structural support (i.e., rigidity) within the midsole 124. Suitable materials 160 that may comprise reinforcing elements 160 include, for example, fiber reinforced ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), carbon fiber composites, fiber reinforced polyurethane elastomers (TPU), glass reinforced composites, nylons, and combinations thereof. . The reinforcing element 160 may be embedded in the middle 124, for example, by molding the middle 124 around the reinforcing element.

8, reinforcement element 160 has a generally u-shaped cross-section and includes a first prong 162 and a second prong 164 that are connected to each other at a heel region 110 of the sole 100. In this embodiment, . The first prong 162 and the second prong 164 each extend in the longitudinal direction 102 from the heel region 110 to at least the middle region 112 to provide stiffness in the longitudinal direction 102. 8, each of the first prongs 162 and the second prongs 164 extends from the heel region 110 through the middle region 112 into the forearm region 114 in the longitudinal direction 102 .

9 is a top plan view of another shoe sole 900 illustrating another embodiment of a reinforcing element 902 suitable for use in shoe sole 100 of Figs. 1-8. The reinforcing element 902 shown in Figure 9 is similar to the reinforcing element 160 shown in Figure 8 except that the reinforcing element 902 includes a cross member 904 that provides stiffness in the transverse direction 104. [ They are substantially similar. Accordingly, like elements have been given like reference numerals. 9, reinforcing element 902 includes a cross member 904 extending between first prong 162 and second prong 164 and interconnecting them. The illustrated reinforcing element 902 includes three cross members 904, while other embodiments may include more than three cross members 904 or less. One of the cross members 904 is disposed in the heel region 910 of the sole 900 and one of the cross members 904 is disposed in the middle region 912 of the sole 900, One is disposed in the forefoot zone 914 of the sole 900. The cross members 904 located in the heel region 910 and the middle region 912 each extend in a direction parallel to the transverse direction 104 and thus extend transversely of the heel region 910 and the middle region 912, And provides additional stiffness in the direction 104. The cross member 904 located in the front region 914 extends at an angle of inclination of between about 25 degrees and about 40 degrees with respect to the lateral direction 104 and thus extends in the longitudinal direction 102 And lateral direction 104, respectively. The reinforcing element 902 shown in Fig. 9 is particularly suitable for use in shoe soles having relatively soft heel and midsole areas, such as shoe sole 100 shown in Figs. 1-8.

10 is a top view of shoe sole 1000 illustrating another embodiment of reinforcing element 1002 suitable for use in shoe sole 100 of Figs. 1-8. 10, reinforcing element 1002 includes a first prong 1004 and a second prong 1006 connected to each other by a u-shaped connector 1008 in a heel region 1010 of the sole 1000. In this embodiment, . The first prong 1004 and the second prong 1006 each extend in the longitudinal direction 102 from the heel region 1010 to the middle region 1012 but extend into the front region 1014 of the sole 1000 Do not.

The first prong 1004 has a complementary shape to the inner surface 1016 of the sole 1000 and the second prong 1006 has a complementary shape to the outer surface 1018 of the sole 1000. The first prongs 1004 and the second prongs 1006 are laterally inwardly spaced from the inner and outer sides 1016 and 1018 of the sole 1000, respectively.

The reinforcing element 1002 also includes a plurality of cross members 1020 extending between the first prong 1004 and the second prong 1006 and interconnecting them. Although the illustrated embodiment includes four cross members 1020, other embodiments may include more or less than four cross members 1020. [ 10, the two cross members 1020 extend at an oblique angle with respect to the transverse direction 104 and extend substantially in the middle between the first prong 1004 and the second prong 1006, Intersect.

The reinforcing element 1002 also includes a forward protruding member 1022 extending forward in the longitudinal direction 102 from the cross member 1020 located in front of the first prong 1004 and the second prong 1006 . The front projecting member 1022 is laterally inwardly spaced from the respective inner and outer sides 1016 and 1018 of the sole 1000 and is also laterally inwardly spaced from the first prong 1004 and the second prong 1006 . Thus, the forwardly projecting member 1022 provides flexibility in the longitudinal direction 102 along the laterally outboard portion of the sole 1000 in the forefoot region 1014.

The reinforcing element 1002 also includes a fore-and-aft cross member 1024 located in the forefoot region 1014. Each full-length cross member 1024 extends transversely across all of the frontwardly projecting members 1022 and beyond the frontwardly projecting members 1022. Thus, the front cross member 1024 provides stiffness in the transverse direction 104 along the transverse outward portion of the sole 1000 in the forefoot region 1014. Although the illustrated embodiment includes three full cross members 1024, other embodiments may include more or less than three full cross members 1024.

11-13 are various views of another suitable embodiment of a shoe sole 1100 with a mid-impact region. The shoe sole 1100 is substantially the same as the shoe sole 100 shown in Figs. 1 to 8 except for dimensional variations. Accordingly, like elements have been given like reference numerals.

The shoe sole 1100 illustrated in Figs. 11-13 has a more pronounced shoe area 112 as compared to the sole 100 of Figs. 1-8. By way of example, the heel region 110 of the shoe sole 1100 (specifically, the insole 126 in the heel region 110) is less than the first radius of curvature 144 of the shoe sole 100 of Figs. 1-8 The front region 114 is curved upward from the middle region 112 with a first radius of curvature 144 and the front region 114 (specifically, the outer region 126 in the front region 114) Curved upward from the middle region 112 at a second radius of curvature 146 that is less than the second radius of curvature 146 of the second radius of curvature 146. [

11-13, the thickness of the sole 1100 in the heel region 110 is between about 17 mm and about 27 mm, more suitably between about 20 mm and about 24 mm . The maximum thickness of the sole 1100 in the middle region 112 is between about 33 mm and about 44 mm, more suitably between about 36 mm and about 41 mm. The thickness of the soles 1100 of the front region 114 is between about 10 mm and about 20 mm, more preferably between about 13 mm and about 17 mm. The ratio between the thickness of the heel region 110, the middle region 112 and the thickness of the sole 1100 of the front region 114 is between about 1.4: 2.5: 1.0 and about 1.5: 2.6: 1.0.

Figs. 14-16 are various views of another suitable embodiment of a shoe sole 1400 with a mid-impact region. The shoe sole 1400 extends from the heel region 1410 through the middle region 1412 to the forearm region 1414 in a walking or longitudinal direction 1402.

The shoe soles 1400 illustrated in Figs. 14-16 include a middle 1416 and an outer 1418. 16, the middle 1416 has an upper surface 1420 for attachment to at least one of the insole and the shoe upper and a lower surface 1422 disposed opposite the upper surface 1420. As shown in FIG. The insole 1418 is disposed along the bottom surface 1422 of the middle 1416 and extends from the heel area 1410 to the forefoot area 1414. [

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 14-16, the middle 1416 has a monolithic configuration. That is, the midsole 1416 of the shoe sole 1400 is not formed as a separate part or component. Furthermore, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 14-16, the middle 1416 does not include a separate buffer element. That is, while the midsole 1416 may act as a buffering element in accordance with the hardness of the midsole 1416, the midsole 1416 has no separate buffer element.

Similar to the shoe sole of Figures 1-8, the shoe sole 1400 has a continuous upward convex bottom profile such that the impact area 1424 of the sole 1400 is formed within the shoe area 1412 of the shoe sole 1400.

14-16, heel region 1410 (specifically, heel region 1418 in heel region 1410) has a first radius of curvature 1426 between about 390 mm and about 450 mm And the front region 1414 (specifically, the inner window 1414 in the front region 1414) is curved upwardly from the middle region 1412 and extends from the middle region 1414 to a second radius of curvature 1428 between about 360 mm and about 420 mm. And the middle region 1412 has a third radius of curvature 1430 between about 970 mm and about 1030 mm.

Additionally, the inhaler 1418 has a relatively more rigid configuration along the middle region 1412 to form a pivot axis 1432 that pivots about the heel region 1410 and the fore leg region 1414 during use. In particular, the sole 1418 is relatively stiff along the pivot axis 1432 as compared to the portions of the front and rear innersions 1418 of the pivot axis 1432 so that the sole 1400 can be pivoted to provide. The insole 1418 may be constructed of a relatively rigid material along the pivot axis 1432 to provide increased stiffness along the pivot axis 1432 and / or may include a stiffening element such as a fiber. The pivot axis 1432 is oriented substantially parallel to the transverse direction 1404 of the sole 1400 (Fig. 15) and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 1402. Fig. As shown in Figure 16, the pivot axis 1432 is within the impact area 1424 of the sole 1400, thereby facilitating a continuous gait roll from the initial point of impact to the toe release, Together, it promotes active rolling.

The embodiments of the shoe soles described are particularly well suited for running and provide several advantages over known running shoe soles. By way of example, an embodiment of the shoe sole described herein has a bottom profile that is contoured and shaped to promote an impact or point of contact along the sole region of the sole rather than the heel area. Moreover, the shoe soles described herein are generally convex and curved upwardly from the mid-zone to the heel and fore leg respectively. Thus, the shoe sole promotes dynamic rolling action during running as the user's weight moves from the heel area to the forefoot area. Additionally, the shoe soles described herein include a mid-pivot axis disposed along the impact area of the shoe so as to facilitate initial gait or continuous gait from the impact point to the toe rim. Moreover, the shoe soles described herein include relatively thicker damping elements arranged in the middle region of the sole just above the impact area of the sole. Thus, the shoe sole provides improved cushioning and soft landing with superior shock absorption during cushioning compared to running shoe with impact area or damping element in the heel area of the sole. In addition, the shoe soles described herein have a three piece configuration and provide a three-hardness configuration that promotes dynamic rolling action during running and also facilitates optimum shock absorption and energy transfer.

When introducing elements of the invention or the embodiment (s) thereof, the terms "work" and "above" mean that there is more than one element. The terms " comprising "and" having "are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

As various changes may be made in the above construction and method without departing from the scope of the present invention, all matters included in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims (20)

Wherein the sole extends in the longitudinal direction from the heel region through the middle region to the forefoot region, and the sole is:
A midsole having an upper surface for attachment to at least one of the insole and the shoe upper and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface, the midsole comprising a front shock absorbing element, a middle shock absorbing element and a heel shock absorbing element,
An outer shell disposed along the lower surface of the midsole and defining a ground contacting surface of the sole,
The sole having an upwardly convex bottom profile such that the impact area of the sole is formed within the middle zone and the middle damping element is disposed within the middle zone and immediately above the impact area of the sole. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the outsole has a relatively rigid configuration along the middle region, thereby forming a pivot axis within the impact region that pivots the heel region and the foreground region about it, and the mid- Shoe soles. 3. The absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the cushioning cushioning element is adjacent the outsole along the impact area of the sole, whereby the cushioning cushioning element absorbs energy from the initial impact of the sole along the impact area, and when the sole pivots about the pivot axis A shoe sole configured to transmit energy to a user's foot. 4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the front shock absorbing element and the heel shock absorbing element cooperatively form a recess in the middle region of the sole, wherein the middle shock absorbing element is located within the recess and between the front shock absorbing element and the heel shock absorbing element. Shoe sole, vertically and horizontally, positioned between elements. 4. The shock absorber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the front shock absorbing element is thicker in the front region from the upper surface of the midsole to the lower surface of the midsole, and the front shock absorbing element is adjacent to the outsole along the fore- A shoe sole extending from the forefoot region to the heel region. 6. The shoe sole according to claim 5, wherein the heel buffer element is disposed in a vertical direction between the front shock absorber and the outsole, and the heel shock absorber element is adjacent to the outer window and the full shock absorber element respectively in the heel area of the sole. The shoe sole according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the middle shock absorbing element has a hardness less than the hardness of each of the heel buffer element and the full shock absorbing element. 8. The shoe sole according to claim 7, wherein the middle shock absorbing element has a first hardness, the front shock absorbing element has a second hardness greater than the first hardness, and the heel shock absorbing element has a third hardness less than the second hardness. 4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the middle buffer element has a first hardness, the front buffer element has a second hardness greater than the first hardness, and the heel buffer element has a first hardness and a second hardness Shoe sole, having a smaller third hardness than all. 4. The shoe sole according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the shoe sole comprises an outer surface and an opposing inner surface, wherein the middle shock absorbing element extends from the outer surface to the inner surface. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a reinforcing element embedded in the midsole, the reinforcement element having a first prong and a second prong having a generally u-shaped cross-section and connected to each other in the heel region of the sole And each of the first prong and the second prong extends longitudinally from the heel region to at least the middle region to provide stiffness in the longitudinal direction. A footwear article, comprising a shoe sole according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and a top fastened to the midsole. Wherein the sole extends in the longitudinal direction from the heel region through the middle region to the forefoot region, and the sole is:
A midsole having an upper surface for attachment to at least one of the insole and the shoe upper and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface, the midsole comprising a front shock absorbing element, a middle shock absorbing element and a heel shock absorbing element,
An outer shell disposed along the lower surface of the midsole and defining a ground contacting surface of the sole,
The sole has an upwardly convex bottom profile such that the impact area of the sole is formed in the midsole, the midsole has a first hardness in the front zone, the second hardness of the heel zone is less than the first hardness, Wherein the third hardness of the shoe sole is less than both the first hardness and the second hardness. 14. The shoe sole according to claim 13, wherein the front shock absorbing element has a first hardness, the heel shock absorbing element has a second hardness, and the middle shock absorbing element has a third hardness. 15. The shoe sole of claim 14, wherein the front shock absorbing element and the heel shock absorbing element cooperatively form a recess in which the mid-shock absorbing element is disposed, and the full shock absorbing element extends from the front region to the heel region. 15. The shoe sole of claim 14, wherein the body shock absorbent element has a hardness of between about 35 Asker C and about 55 Asker C. 17. The shoe sole according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the outsole has a relatively rigid configuration along the middle region to form a heel region and a fore leg region within the impact region, the pivot axis pivoting about the heel region and the fore leg region. 17. The shoe sole according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the ratio between the first hardness, the second hardness and the third hardness is between about 1.0: 1.0: 1.0 and about 2.0: 1.75: . 19. The sole of claim 18, wherein the ratio between the first hardness, the second hardness, and the third hardness is between about 1.2: 1.1: 1.0 and about 1.6: 1.4: 1.0. Wherein the sole extends in the longitudinal direction from the heel region through the middle region to the forefoot region, and the sole is:
An upper surface for attachment to at least one of the insole and the shoe upper, and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface,
An outer shell disposed along the lower surface of the midsole and defining a ground contacting surface of the sole,
The sole has an upwardly convex bottom profile such that the impact area of the sole is formed in the middle zone and the outsole has a relatively rigid configuration along the middle zone to form a pivot axis within the impact area that pivots about the heel area and the fore- Wherein the heel region is curved upwardly from the crown region and has a radius of curvature between 390 millimeters and about 450 millimeters and the anterior region extends upward from the crown region and has a radius of curvature between 360 millimeters and about 420 millimeters.

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