WO1993012682A1

WO1993012682A1 - Shoe

Info

Publication number: WO1993012682A1
Application number: PCT/NO1992/000206
Authority: WO
Inventors: Odd Vidar Anderssen
Original assignee: Odd Vidar Anderssen
Priority date: 1991-12-30
Filing date: 1992-12-28
Publication date: 1993-07-08
Also published as: NO174235B; NO915129D0; NO915129L; NO174235C

Abstract

A shoe with a sole which has a downwardly open circular cut-out (20), wherein there is mounted a circular turning piece (4) which can be rotated about an axis which extends substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the sole. The turning piece (4) is arranged to engage frictionally with, e.g., a floor and the shoe can be turned in relation to the turning piece (4) when it is pressed against the surface. According to the invention the cut-out (20) is annular and the turning piece (4) mounted in the cut-out along its outer and inner peripheries.

Description

Shoe

The invention concerns a shoe whose sole has at least one downwardly, i.e. in the direction from the upper towards the sole, open, circular cut-out, whose axis, which extends through the centre of the circle and perpendicularly to the plane of the circle, extends substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the sole, wherein the cut-out constitutes a bearing for a circular turning piece adapted to fit the shape of the cut-out, where the turning piece is arranged to engage frictionally with a surface and the shoe can be rotated about the axis in relation to the turning piece and rest on this when the shoe is pressed against the surface.

In connection with, e.g., sports which are practised indoors, ligaments and joints, particularly the knees, are frequently injured due to the fact that the person's body is rotating while the foot is prevented from rotating, while at the same time there is considerable friction between the shoe and the surface.

Thus, for example, from DE-A1-36 22 844 there is known a shoe of the above-mentioned type, where in the sole in the area of the ball of the foot and the heel there are provided through- going holes, wherein there is provided a turning piece. This is in the shape of a circular disc, which is arranged to come into contact with the surface, and from the disc there extends upwardly a stem which is pressed in a latching manner into the hole, flange-like transverse sections of the stem preventing separation of the shoe and the turning piece after it has been pressed in.

In order to ensure that the stem, which has a relatively small diameter, is securely mounted in the shoe, both the stem and the shoe section which surrounds it must be rigid, a feature which makes the shoe unsuitable for sports which require the sole of the shoe to be soft. Since the circular disc protrudes completely below the sole, and the stem section is long, this makes the sole correspondingly high, which in turn can result in injury by twisting the foot.

Furthermore from Norwegian published print no. 127225 there is known a shoe where it is proposed that the connection between a soft turning piece and the sole of a shoe should be secured by the introduction of a metal filament in the turning piece's peripheral section after the turning piece has been inserted into the cut-out in the sole. The publication also shows that the connection between a more rigid turning body and the sole can be secured by means of detachable sole sections which are screwed to the sole after the turning piece has been inserted into the cut-out.

The solution described here clearly illustrates the difficulties which arise in connection with turning pieces which are in the shape of circular discs and where there is a wish to retain the shoe's flexibility. The use of a stiffening> metal filament for a soft turning piece will naturally lead to an unwanted stiffening of the latter, and the reason for the necessity for using detachable sole sections is that the turning piece is so rigid that without this arrangement it cannot be inserted in the cut-out. Moreover, the use of additional component parts will entail an expensive and complicated shoe construction.

The object of the invention is to provide a shoe which is not encumbered by the above-mentioned disadvantages.

The characteristics of the shoe according to the invention are evident from the claims presented.

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawing which illustrates embodiments of the shoe according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a section through the sole of a shoe with one turning piece. Fig. 2 shows a section through a first embodiment of the sole of a shoe with two concentric turning pieces.

Fig. 3 shows a section through a second embodiment of the sole of a shoe with two turning pieces.

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged section of the sole illustrated in fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a section through line V-V in fig. 6.

Fig. 6 shows a shoe viewed from below, i.e. towards the sole's wearing side.

As illustrated in fig. 1 in the sole 1 of a shoe there is provided a circular cut-out 20 whose axis 25, which extends through the centre of the cut-out and perpendicularly to the plane of the circle, extends substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the sole. The cut-out's opening faces downwards, i.e. towards the sole's wearing surface.

Along the periphery of the cut-out there extends a bearing ring 3, which is attached to the sole 1, and the lower part of which has a circular, radially inwardly facing shoulder 21.

Coaxially with the cut-out 20 there is provided a bearing plate 5, which is also attached to the sole l, and which extends essentially in the same plane as the bearing ring 3. The lower part of the bearing plate 5 has a radially outwardly facing shoulder 22.

Between the bearing ring 3 and the bearing plate 5 there is thus formed an annular downwardly open gap or opening.

An annular, circular sliding piece 4, the top of which is provided with an encircling outer shoulder 23 and an encircling inner shoulder 24, rests with these on the shoulders 21 and 22 of the bearing ring 3 and the bearing plate 5, so that the lower section of the sliding piece projects down to the sole's wearing surface 6.

The sliding piece 4 can be rotated in the cut-out 20, i.e. on the bearing ring 3 and the bearing plate 5 about the axis 25, but due to the shoulders it is substantially prevented from being moved along this axis 25 in relation to the shoe.

Above the turning piece 4, e.g. on the shoulders 26, 27 of the bearing ring 3 and the bearing plate 5 respectively there is provided an annular sliding plate 2 against which the turning piece can abut when it is pushed upwards when the shoe in use is pressed against a surface. The sliding plate 2 can be made of a material which will give the optimum coefficient of friction between it and the turning piece 4, i.e. it will permit the rotation of the turning piece in relation to the shoe and the foot to be sufficiently easy so as to prevent injury from occurring, while at the same time achieving a comfortable use of the shoe during practice of the sport in question. Alternatively both or one of the mutually facing surfaces of the turning piece 4 and the sliding plate 2 can have a surface structure or a coating whereby the above- mentioned optimum conditions are obtained.

To instal the turning piece 4 and the sliding plate 22, the sliding plate is first placed on the bearing ring 3 and the bearing plate 5 which has not yet been attached to the sole, so that the turning piece's shoulders 23, 24 rest on the respective shoulders of the bearing ring 3 and the bearing plate 5. The sliding plate 2 is then placed on the respective shoulders 26, 27 of the bearing ring 3 and the bearing plate 5 and attached to these, whereupon this assembly is inserted into the cut-out 20 and the bearing ring 3 and the bearing plate 5 are attached to the sole 1, e.g. by welding, vulcanizing, gluing, or the like. The turning piece 4 can be terminated below or above the sole's wearing surface 6, and on its lower part can have a pattern which is different or the same and be made of a different or the same material as the sole's wearing surface.

In fig. 2 there is illustrated a sole with an outer turning piece 7 and an inner turning piece 8, where the turning pieces are arranged coaxially. However, the number of turning pieces can be greater than two, this being limited only by practical and technical considerations.

In fig. 3 there is illustrated a sole with two coaxial turning pieces 9, 10, which are arranged to be pressed from below into their respective cut-outs in the sole, being provided with catches 12 which are arranged for locking engagement with respective shoulders of the sole, e.g. an attachment plate 11 which is attached to it.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of one of the turning pieces illustrated in fig. 3.

In fig. 6 there is illustrated a sole with two turning pieces 9, 10 and fig. 5 shows a section along line V-V in fig. 6.

The turning pieces according to the invention can be provided in whatever point or points on the sole where it is expedient. With the invention the object is achieved of retaining the sole's flexibility and an optimum turning capacity of the turning piece or pieces is achieved in relation to the shoe. Since the turning pieces are mounted along their outer as well as their inner periphery, the turning pieces are prevented from working loose from the sole, while at the same time they remain flexible and thus capable of following the movements of the sole. When the sole is twisted while simultaneously being pressed against a surface, the turning pieces will be fixed to this, while the sole rotates on the surface. The desired resistance to twisting can be achieved by altering the number and width of the turning pieces.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A shoe whose sole (1) has at least one downwardly open circular cut-out (20) , whose axis (25) , which extends through the centre of the circle and perpendicularly to the plane of the circle, extends substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the sole, wherein the cut-out (20) constitutes a bearing for a circular turning piece (4) adapted to suit the shape of the cut-out, where the turning piece (4) is arranged to engage frictionally with a surface and the shoe can be rotated about the axis (25) in relation to the turning piece (4) and rest on it when the shoe is pressed against the surface, characterized in that the cut-out (20) is annular, and the turning piece (4) is mounted in the cut-out along its outer and inner peripheries.

2. A shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two coaxial cut¬ outs with respective turning pieces (7, 8; 10, 11).

3. A shoe according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the turning piece (4; 7, 8; 10, 11) projects slightly below the sole's wearing surface.

4. A shoe according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coefficient of friction between the surface of the turning piece (4; 7, 8; 10, 11), which is arranged to come into contact with a surface for the shoe, and the surface material is greater than the coefficient of friction between the sole (1) and the surface material.

5. A shoe according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the upper surface of the turning piece (4; 7, 8) and the adjacent shoe section there is provided a sliding plate (2) which is attached to the shoe, and against which the turning piece can abut when the shoe is pressed against the surface.