Footwear Sole and Footwear Having Said Sole

• US 20080313924A1
• Filed: 12/07/2005
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TN & Co. by Lucio Righetto
• Original Assignee: TN & Co. by Lucio Righetto
• Inventors: Righetto, Lucio
• Granted Patent: US 8,220,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/28
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/184 the structure protruding from the outsole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/26 Resilient heels
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/144 situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1445 situated under the midfoot, i.e. the second, third or fourth metatarsal
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/146 provided with acupressure points or means for foot massage

Abstract

The invention relates to a footwear sole with massaging effect comprising an external sole configured for resting on the ground and at least an insole interposed between said external sole and the user'"'"'s foot. In one embodiment, the footwear has one or more vertically movable pliable areas peripherally connected to the remaining portion of the sole by bridges of elastically pliable material, which project from the outer sole and are moved towards the foot during walking. Such pliable areas are provided with an extension passing through a slot of said insole and having at least a foot contacting end portion composed of a soft or elastically pliable material. In another embodiment, the inner vamp lining the outer vamp and the outer vamp are free to slide one with respect to the other.

Claims

1. A footwear sole with massaging effect comprising:

an external sole; and

at least an insole interposed between the external sole and a user'"'"'s foot,

wherein the external sole comprises one or more pliable areas extending from the external sole in the direction of the foot,

wherein the one or more pliable areas are peripherally connected to the external sole by bridges of pliable material,

wherein the one or more pliable areas move towards the foot when the one or more pliable areas come in contact with a ground during the user'"'"'s walking,

wherein an extension passing through a slot in the insole extends from the one or more pliable areas, and

wherein the extension includes a foot contacting end portion comprising a pliable material.

2. The sole according to claim 1, wherein the one or more pliable areas comprise outer sole parts that are elastically and movably coupled together in a direction perpendicular or transverse to the sole, and wherein the one or more pliable areas on the side of the sole resting on the ground do not outwardly project towards the ground beyond the nominal surface connecting sole portions bordering the one or more pliable areas.

3. The sole according to claim 1, wherein the foot contacting end portion comprises an elastomeric material having such a compressibility that at a maximum compression condition between the foot and the sole, said end portion has a residual elastic compressibility.

4. The sole according to claim 1, wherein said foot contacting end portion is substantially made of a gel.

5. The sole according to claim 1, wherein the one or more pliable areas are disposed one in the area corresponding to the foot heel and the other one in the area corresponding to the foot metatarsus.

6. The sole according to claim 1, wherein the one or more pliable areas outwardly project from the external sole towards the ground beyond the nominal surface connecting sole portions bordering with the one or more pliable areas, whereby when the external sole rests on the ground and the footwear is not worn, only the deformable areas contact the ground, the remaining part of the sole being detached from the ground.

7. The sole according to claim 6, wherein when the external sole rests on the ground, and when the footwear is worn bearing the user'"'"'s weight, the one or more deformable areas are compressed towards the foot of the user, causing substantially all of the external sole to contact the ground.

8. The sole according to claim 1, wherein the extension is integrally made with the external sole or is coupled to the external sole by chemical and/or physical adhesion between the external sole and the one or more pliable areas.

9. The sole according to claim 1, wherein the extension and the foot contacting end portion are movably coupled one inside the other, and wherein the extension is disposed within one of the one or more pliable areas.

10. The sole according to claim 1, wherein at least the foot contacting end portion engages the insole and is maintained in a direction parallel to the insole, and wherein said foot contacting end is rested in contact with the extension.

11. The sole according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more pliable areas comprise a firm part firmly coupled to the external sole, wherein the extension is made of an elastically compressible material integrally made with said first part,

wherein the extension is integrally made or coupled by chemical and/or physical adhesion or is mechanically coupled to the external sole,

wherein the foot contacting end portion is configured to project beyond the foot side of the insole through at least one or more through slots, and

wherein the foot contacting end portion is connected to an extension intermediate part by chemical and/or physical adhesion or by mechanical engagement.

12. The sole according to claim 11, wherein the foot contacting end portion is engaged with the insole at at least one passage slot.

13. The sole according to claim 12, wherein, on the side of the insole opposite to the foot, the foot contacting end portion is larger that the at least one passage slot, and wherein the extension has a cross-section substantially equal to said passage slot and extends through the at least one passage slot.

14. The sole according to claim 12, wherein the foot contacting end portion has an end part connected to an intermediate part of the extension by being integrally made, connected by chemical and/or physical adhesion, or mechanically coupled.

15. The sole according to claim 14, wherein the intermediate extension part has an enlarged head wider than the passage slot in the insole, and wherein the enlarged head extends beyond side edge of said passage slot on the side of the insole facing the external sole.

16. The sole according to claim 13, wherein the foot contacting end portion has an enlarged head contacting the foot, and wherein the enlarged head has a plan size greater than the passage slot of the insole and overlaps an edge of said slot on the side of the insole contacting the foot.

17. The sole according to claim 1, wherein the extension is provided in an area corresponding to the heel of the foot, wherein the extension is formed of a tubular structure having peripheral contact with one of the one or more pliable areas, and wherein the extension further includes an end portion structured to be a plug of said tubular structure.

18. The sole according to claim 17, wherein the tubular structure is formed of two hollow and concentric essentially cylindrical elements both in contact with the one or more pliable areas of the external sole.

19. The sole according to claim 1, wherein the one or more pliable areas include a cup-shaped protrusion in the direction of the insole, and wherein an extension member bearing a foot contacting end includes an appendage for coupling inside the cup-shaped protrusion.

20. The sole according to claim 19, wherein the appendage comprises an elastically compressible member.

21. The sole according to claim 19, wherein the appendage has one or more laterally projecting annular bands that are spaced apart axially, and wherein the one or more annular bands are compressible in a direction transverse to the coupling direction.

22. The sole according to claim 19, wherein between the appendage and the cup-shaped protrusion there is provided an elastic member.

23. The sole according to claim 19, wherein the appendage is axially slidable within the cup-shaped protrusion.

24. The sole according to claim 19, wherein the cup-shaped protrusion has an open cross section formed by a slot, and wherein an outer closed annular member is insertable in the slot by forcing on the outside of said protrusion.

25. The sole according to claim 24, wherein the cup-shaped protrusion comprises a rim of axial members equally spaced apart along a closed perimetral line.

26. The sole according to claim 19, wherein the foot contacting end portion includes a plurality of parallel protrusions each intended to engage and to pass through the slot of the insole, and wherein said parallel protrusions are connected one with the other at least at an end by the appendage.

27. The sole according to claim 19, wherein the foot contacting end portion comprises an end part for connecting to an extension intermediate part that is integrally made, is connected by chemical and/or physical adhesion, or is mechanically coupled to the foot connecting end portion, wherein the end part comprises two or more appendages, and wherein one or more of the two or more appendages are configured to fit within the slot in the insole.

28. The sole according to claim 1, wherein one of the one or more pliable areas is disposed in the area of the foot metatarsus and comprises a plurality of extensions of essentially cylindrical shape extending from the pliable area towards the user'"'"'s foot.

29. The sole according to claim 28, wherein the extensions of essentially cylindrical shape have a rounded free end faced towards the user'"'"'s foot.

30. The sole according to claim 28, wherein the extensions of essentially cylindrical shape are in contact one with respect to the other.

31. The sole according to claim 1, wherein the foot contacting end portion comprises an enlarged head in contact with the user'"'"'s foot that includes adjacent projections of rounded shape.

32. The sole according to claim 28, wherein the plurality of extensions comprise an elastically pliable material.

33. The sole according to claim 31, wherein the adjacent projections comprise an elastically pliable material.

34. The sole according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning insole interposed between the user'"'"'s foot and the insole.

35. The sole according to claim 34, wherein the cleaning insole includes no slots for passage of the extension.

36. The sole according to claim 1, wherein the extension is not integral with the external sole, and wherein the extension engages the external sole with a T-shaped portion faced towards the user'"'"'s foot with an essentially convex surface.

37. The sole according to claim 36, wherein the external sole comprises a housing for engaging the T-shaped portion.

38. A footwear comprising:

a vamp;

an insole; and

an external sole,

wherein the external sole comprises one or more pliable areas extending from the external sole in the direction of the foot,

wherein the one or more pliable areas are peripherally connected to the external sole by bridges of pliable material,

wherein the one or more pliable areas move towards the foot when the one or more pliable areas come in contact with a ground during a user'"'"'s walking,

wherein an extension passing through a slot in the insole extends from the one or more pliable areas, and

wherein the extension includes a foot contacting end portion comprising a pliable material.

39-57. -57. (canceled)