Footwear article with adjustable stiffness

• US 20070266598A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Timberland Company (V.F. Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Timberland Company (V.F. Corporation)
• Inventors: Dillon, Peter, Vattes, David L., Healy, John, Miller, David E., Pawlus, Christopher J., Adam, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,540,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/102
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/16 Pieced soles with several layers of different material A43B13/12

Abstract

An article of footwear or shoe assembly, which is designed to allow for adjustment of stiffness in its sole unit, is disclosed. The article of footwear is preferably constructed to enhance stability, support and comfort of a wearer on varied terrain. Among other elements, the shoe assembly preferably includes an adjustable shank disposed within the shoe to allow for adjustment in the stiffness of the sole unit. In certain embodiments, the adjustable shank further includes a plurality of segments adapted to be manipulated in order to vary the stiffness.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper defining a cavity for receiving a foot;

a sole unit attached to said upper; and

an adjustable shank adapted to adjustably vary stiffness of said sole unit,

wherein said adjustable shank is permanently contained within said article of footwear.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein said sole unit includes an outsole and a midsole, and said adjustable shank is located between the outsole and the midsole.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustment mechanism coupled to said adjustable shank for adjusting said adjustable shank.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein the adjustment mechanism cooperates with said sole unit.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable shank includes a plurality of segments forming a unitary plate structure.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 5, further comprising an assembly for adjusting the stiffness or tension of the unitary plate structure to alter the stiffness of said sole unit of said article of footwear.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein the stiffness adjusting assembly comprises at least one tensioning device to increase the stiffness of said sole unit.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the tensioning device is a cable.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 7, further comprising an adjustable interface for adjustably applying a tensioning force to the at least one tensioning device.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 9, further comprising a tension limiter coupled to the stiffness adjusting assembly for allowing a maximum and minimum amount of the tensioning force to the at least one tensioning device.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein said adjustable shank includes a plurality of segments connected at flex points.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the flex points are living hinges.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein the stiffness adjusting assembly includes at least one adjustable stiffening rod.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 13, further including an adjustment handle for causing the at least one adjustable stiffening rod to engage one or more of the segments.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable shank includes a plurality of individual segments adapted to cooperate with each other to adjustably vary the stiffness of said sole unit.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of individual segments include tongue in groove members for allowing cooperation of adjacent segments.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 15, further comprising an assembly for connecting the plurality of segments.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 17, further comprising a tension adjustment limiter for applying a maximum and minimum amount of tensioning force to the connecting assembly.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 17, wherein the connecting assembly comprises at least one adjustable stiffening member and an adjustment mechanism for causing the adjustable stiffening member to engage one or more of the plurality of segments.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable shank includes a rotatable member including a plurality of connected segments, wherein rotation of the rotatable member varies the stiffness of said sole unit.

21. The article of footwear according to claim 20, wherein the rotatable member is a unitary body having a plurality of slits formed partially through the body.

22. The article of footwear according to claim 21, wherein the rotatable member is disposed in a channel formed in a portion of said article of footwear.

23. An adjustable shank member for use in an article of footwear, said adjustable shank member comprising:

a plurality of segments; and

an adjustment assembly for adjusting the cooperation between said plurality of segments,

wherein said adjustable shank member is adapted to vary stiffness of a sole unit of said article of footwear.

24. The adjustable shank member according to claim 23, wherein said adjustment assembly includes an adjustment mechanism.

25. The adjustable shank member according to claim 23, wherein said plurality of segments are connected to each other at flex points.

26. The adjustable shank member according to claim 25, wherein the flex points are living hinges.

27. The adjustable shank member according to claim 23, wherein said plurality of segments are individual segments and include tongue in groove members for allowing cooperation of adjacent segments.

28. The adjustable shank member according to claim 23, wherein said adjustment assembly includes at least one tensioning cable, wherein application of a tensioning force to the at least one tensioning cable increases the stiffness of said sole unit.

29. The adjustable shank member according to claim 28, further comprising a tension limiter for applying a maximum and minimum amount of the tensioning force to the at least one tensioning cable.

30. The adjustable shank member according to claim 23, wherein said adjustment assembly comprises at least one adjustable stiffening member, and means for causing the adjustable stiffening member to engage one or more of the plurality of segments.

31. The adjustable shank member according to claim 23, wherein at least a portion of said adjustable shank member is disposed in a channel formed in a section of said article of footwear, and rotation of said adjustable shank member varies the stiffness of said sole unit.

32. An adjustment interface for use with an article of footwear, said adjustment interface comprising:

a body capable of cooperating with a portion of said article of footwear;

wherein actuation of said adjustment interface varies the stiffness of a sole unit of said article of footwear.

33. The adjustment interface according to claim 32, wherein said adjustment interface is removably attached to said article of footwear.

34. The adjustment interface according to claim 32, wherein said adjustment interface is attached to an upper of said article of footwear.

35. The adjustment interface according to claim 32, wherein said adjustment interface is attached to the sole unit of said article of footwear.