Shock Absorbing Device For Shoe Sole
First Claim
1. A shock absorbing device for a shoe sole comprising:
- an outer sole having a ground contact surface that contacts the ground at landing and an upper surface opposite to the ground contact surface;
a midsole that is disposed above the outer sole and has a bottom surface; and
a deformation element disposed between the outer sole and the midsole, wherein the deformation element is joined to the bottom surface of the midsole and is joined to the upper surface of the outer sole, the deformation element has a tubular part in a flat tubular form, Young'"'"'s modulus of a material constituting the tubular part is greater than both that of a material constituting the midsole and that of a material constituting the outer sole, the tubular part is arranged so as to have a major axis generally along a longitudinal direction of a foot and a minor axis generally along a vertical direction, a length of the major axis is set within a range of about 25 mm to about 80 mm, the tubular part has a lower portion that is curved so as to be convex downwards and thereby undergoes bending deformation due to an impact load of landing, a concave first curved surface is provided on the upper surface of the outer sole, and the lower portion of the tubular part fits into the first curved surface of the outer sole.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to the present invention comprises: an outer sole 2; a midsole M that is disposed above the outer sole 2; and a deformation element 3 disposed between the outer sole 2 and the midsole M. The deformation element 3 is joined to the bottom surface of the midsole M and is joined to the upper surface of the outer sole 2. The deformation element has a tubular part 30 in a flat tubular form, and Young'"'"'s modulus of a material constituting the tubular part 30 is greater than both that of a material constituting the midsole M and that of a material constituting the outer sole 2. The tubular part has a lower portion that is curved so as to be convex downwards and thereby undergoes bending deformation due to a shock at landing.
110 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A shock absorbing device for a shoe sole comprising:
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an outer sole having a ground contact surface that contacts the ground at landing and an upper surface opposite to the ground contact surface;
a midsole that is disposed above the outer sole and has a bottom surface; and
a deformation element disposed between the outer sole and the midsole, wherein the deformation element is joined to the bottom surface of the midsole and is joined to the upper surface of the outer sole, the deformation element has a tubular part in a flat tubular form, Young'"'"'s modulus of a material constituting the tubular part is greater than both that of a material constituting the midsole and that of a material constituting the outer sole, the tubular part is arranged so as to have a major axis generally along a longitudinal direction of a foot and a minor axis generally along a vertical direction, a length of the major axis is set within a range of about 25 mm to about 80 mm, the tubular part has a lower portion that is curved so as to be convex downwards and thereby undergoes bending deformation due to an impact load of landing, a concave first curved surface is provided on the upper surface of the outer sole, and the lower portion of the tubular part fits into the first curved surface of the outer sole. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A shock absorbing device for a shoe sole having a medial and lateral side, the device comprising:
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an outer sole that contacts the ground at landing comprising an outer sole material;
a midsole disposed above the outer sole comprising a midsole material;
at least one deformation element disposed between the outer sole and the midsole on the lateral side or medial side of the shoe sole;
wherein each deformation element is a substantially elliptical hollow tubular member having a major axis and a minor axis, the minor axis connecting the midsole and outer sole;
wherein each tubular member includes tubular walls having a Young'"'"'s modulus greater than a Young'"'"'s modulus for the midsole material and a Young'"'"'s modulus for the outer sole material.
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24. A shock absorbing device for a shoe sole having a medial and lateral side, the device comprising:
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an outer sole that contacts the ground at landing comprising an outer sole material;
a midsole disposed above the outer sole comprising a midsole material;
at least one deformation element disposed between the outer sole and the midsole on the lateral side of the shoe sole;
at least one deformation element disposed between the outer sole and the midsole on the medial side of the shoe sole;
wherein each deformation element is a substantially elliptical hollow tubular member having a major axis and a minor axis, the minor axis connecting the midsole and outer sole;
wherein each tubular member includes tubular walls having a Young'"'"'s modulus greater than a Young'"'"'s modulus for the midsole material and a Young'"'"'s modulus for the outer sole material.
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25. A deformation element for use in a shoe sole comprising:
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a substantially elliptical hollow tubular member having an internal space therein and an opening at each end of the tubular member and having a major axis and a minor axis, the tubular member comprising tubular walls having a predetermined Young'"'"'s modulus and;
a shock absorbing member within the internal space and in mating contact with the tubular walls, the shock absorbing member having a Young'"'"'s modulus less than the Young'"'"'s modulus of the tubular walls, wherein in the vicinity of an end portion of the major axis, a thickness of the tubular member gradually decreases as it gets closer to the end portion of the major axis, and the thickness of the tubular member at the end portion of the major axis is set approximately twice to five times as large as that at an end portion of the minor axis.
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26. A deformation element for use in a shoe sole comprising:
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a substantially elliptical hollow tubular member having an internal space therein and an opening at each end of the tubular member and having a major axis and a minor axis, the tubular member comprising tubular walls having a predetermined Young'"'"'s modulus; and
a shock absorbing member within the internal space of the hollow tubular member and in mating contact with the tubular walls thereof, the shock absorbing member having an opening therein, the opening having an axis substantially parallel to the minor axis, wherein the shock absorbing member has a Young'"'"'s modulus less than the Young'"'"'s modulus of the tubular walls.
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Specification