Shoe And Sole

• US 20110138652A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: WHITEMAN, John, SMITH, Paul Leonard Michael, LUCAS, Timothy David, HILL, Jan, MANZ, Gerd Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 9,345,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/28
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/00 Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/18 Resilient soles skating boots provided with resilient means A43B5/1658
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/183 Leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/184 the structure protruding from the outsole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/186 Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/187 Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/188 Differential cushioning regions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/26 Resilient heels
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/30 Heels with metal springs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/32 Resilient supports for the heel of the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/18 Attachable overshoes for sporting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/144 situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18

Abstract

The present invention relates to shoe, in particular a sports shoe. The shoe includes a sole plate having in a forefoot area a plurality of leaf spring elements, wherein the sole plate and the plurality of leaf spring elements are manufactured as a single piece. Each of the plurality of leaf spring elements has one free end not connected with the sole plate.

Claims

1. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:

a sole plate comprising a plurality of leaf spring elements disposed in a forefoot area of the sole plate, wherein the sole plate and the plurality of leaf spring elements are integrally formed,

wherein each of the plurality of leaf spring elements has one free end not directly connected to the sole plate, and wherein all free ends point in substantially the same direction.

2. The sole of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of leaf spring elements is disposed below the sole plate.

3. The sole of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of leaf spring elements comprises a non-planar form and extends between an insole region and an outsole region of the sole.

4. The sole of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of leaf spring elements comprises a region with a concave curvature and a region with a convex curvature.

5. The sole of claim 1, wherein the sole plate extends substantially over the complete length of the sole.

6. The sole of claim 1, wherein the sole plate comprises a heel cup configured to encompass a heel of a wearer.

7. The sole of claim 1, wherein the free ends of at least two leaf spring elements are interconnected.

8. The sole of claim 7, wherein the free ends of the at least two leaf spring elements are interconnected by a connection portion.

9. The sole of claim 1, further comprising a rear leaf spring element disposed on a rear side of the sole plate, and a lateral leaf spring element disposed on a lateral side of the sole plate.

10. The sole of claim 9, wherein free ends of the rear leaf spring element and the lateral leaf spring element are interconnected by an interconnection portion.

11. The sole of claim 1, wherein adjacent leaf spring elements are arranged so that, in response to application of a first force, a deflecting leaf spring element touches an adjacent leaf spring element and applies a second force onto the adjacent leaf spring element.

12. The sole of claim 1, further comprising a first cushioning element disposed between at least one free end of a leaf spring element and the sole plate.

13. The sole of claim 12, wherein the first cushioning element comprises a foamed material.

14. The sole of claim 12, wherein the first cushioning element is a structural cushioning element free from foamed material.

15. The sole of claim 1, further comprising a second cushioning element disposed on the sole plate such that the second cushioning element is deformed after a deflection of the leaf spring element.

16. The sole of claim 15, wherein the second cushioning element comprises a foamed material.

17. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:

a first leaf spring element coupled to a sole plate and substantially oriented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sole; and

a second leaf spring element coupled to a forefoot part of the sole plate and positioned substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the sole.

18. The sole of claim 17, wherein the first leaf spring element and the second leaf spring element are disposed below the sole plate.

19. The sole of claim 17, wherein at least one second leaf spring element is disposed at a medial side of the sole, and wherein at least one second leaf spring element is disposed on a lateral side of the sole.

20. The sole of claim 19, wherein the at least one second leaf spring element disposed at the medial side of the shoe is disposed substantially opposite to the at least one second leaf spring element disposed at the lateral side of the shoe.

21. The sole of claim 17, wherein each first leaf spring element and each second leaf spring element comprises one end connected to the sole plate and one end not connected to the sole plate.

22. The sole of claim 17, wherein the first leaf spring element and the second leaf spring element each comprises a non-planar form and extends between an insole region and an outsole region of the sole.

23. The sole of claim 17, wherein the first leaf spring element and the second leaf spring element each comprises a region with a concave curvature and a region with a convex curvature.

24. An article of footwear, comprising:

a sole plate including a heel cup; and

a leaf spring element coupled to the sole plate and substantially oriented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sole,

wherein the sole plate and the at least one leaf spring element are formed as a single piece.

25. The article of footwear of claim 24, wherein the leaf spring element, the sole plate, and the heel cup are formed as a single piece.

26. The article of footwear of claim 24, further comprising an upper, wherein the upper is at least partially sewn to the sole plate.