Composite sole for a shoe
First Claim
1. In a shoe including an upper portion and a lower sole portion joined to the upper portion, the improvement comprisingsaid lower sole portion including an elongate substantially planar inner sole formed from a plurality of plies of composite material,each ply of composite material including a plurality of elongate fibers disposed and oriented in the plane of said inner sole at an angle from about ±
- 40°
to about ±
90°
relative to the longitudinal axis of said inner sole, said fibers being embedded within and bonded together by a resilient matrix,said fibers having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 7×
103 MPa along their elongate axis and said resilient matrix having a modulus of elasticity less than about 7×
102 MPa.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sole for a shoe is described formed from a composite material. The composite material includes a plurality of plies with each ply having a plurality of high modulus, preferably unidirectional, fibers oriented at an angle from about ±40° to about ±90° relative to the longitudinal axis of the sole. The fibers are embedded within and bonded together by a low modulus resilient matrix. The sole is highly compliant about the forward roll axis of the sole while providing for lateral stability.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a shoe including an upper portion and a lower sole portion joined to the upper portion, the improvement comprising
said lower sole portion including an elongate substantially planar inner sole formed from a plurality of plies of composite material, each ply of composite material including a plurality of elongate fibers disposed and oriented in the plane of said inner sole at an angle from about ± - 40°
to about ±
90°
relative to the longitudinal axis of said inner sole, said fibers being embedded within and bonded together by a resilient matrix,said fibers having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 7×
103 MPa along their elongate axis and said resilient matrix having a modulus of elasticity less than about 7×
102 MPa. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- 40°
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14. In a shoe including an upper portion and a lower sole portion joined to the upper portion, the improvement comprising
said lower sole portion including an elongate substantially planar inner sole formed from a plurality of plies of composite material, each ply of composite material including a plurality of elongate fibers unidirectionally disposed and oriented in the plane of said inner sole at an angle from about ± - 40°
to about ±
90°
relative to the longitudinal axis of said inner sole, said fibers beig embedded within and bonded together by a resilient matrix,said fibers having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 7×
103 MPa along their elongate axis and said resilient matrix having a modulus of elasticity less than 7×
102 MPa. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
- 40°
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17. In a shoe including an upper portion and a shock-absorbing lower sole portion joined to the upper portion, said lower sole portion comprising
an elongate mid sole formed from a resiliently deformable material coextensive with said upper portion, an elongate substantially planar inner sole coextensive with a major portion of said mid sole and disposed between said mid sole and the upper portion of said shoe, said inner sole being formed from a plurality of plies of composite material, each ply of composite material including a plurality of elongate fibers unidirectionally disposed and oriented in the plane of said inner sole at an angle from about ± - 40°
to about ±
90°
relative to the longitudinal axis of said inner sole, said fibers being embedded within and bonded together by a resilient matrix,said fibers having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 7×
103 MPa along their elongate axis and said resilient matrix having a modulus of elasticity less than 7×
102 MPa. - View Dependent Claims (18)
- 40°
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19. Sole means for a shoe comprising an elongate substantially planar sole formed from a plurality of plies of composite material, each ply of composite material including a plurality of elongate fibers unidirectionally disposed and oriented in the plane of said inner sole at an angle from about ±
- 40°
to about ±
90°
relative to the longitudinal axis of said inner sole, said fibers being embedded within and bonded together by a resilient matrix, said fibers having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 7×
103 MPa along their elongate axis and said resilient matrix having a modulus of elasticity less than about 7×
102 MPa.
- 40°
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20. In a shoe including an upper portion and a lower sole portion joined to the upper portion, the improvement comprising
said lower sole portion including an elongate substantially planar inner sole formed from a plurality of plies of composite material, each ply of composite material including a plurality of elongate fibers unidirectionally disposed and oriented in the plane of said inner sole at an angle from about ± - 60°
to about ±
90°
relative to the longitudinal axis of said inner sole, said fibers being embedded within and bonded together by a resilient matrix,said fibers having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 7×
103 MPa along their elongate axis and said resilient matrix having a modulus of elasticity less than about 7×
102 MPa,said inner sole being compliant to forward roll along the longitudinal axis, resistant to bending laterally to the longitudinal axis and resistant to twist about the longitudinal axis.
- 60°
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21. In a shoe including an upper portion and a lower sole portion joined to the upper portion, the improvement comprising
said lower sole portion including an elongate substantially planar inner sole formed from a plurality of plies of composite material, each ply of composite material including a plurality of elongate fibers unidirectionally disposed and oriented in the plane of said inner sole at an angle from about ± - 40°
to about ±
60°
relative to the longitudinal axis of said inner sole,said fibers being embedded within and bonded together by a resilient matrix, said fibers having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 7×
103 MPa along their elongate axis and said resilient matrix having a modulus of elasticity less than about 7×
102 MPa,said inner sole being compliant to forward roll along the longitudinal axis, compliant to bending laterally to the longitudinal axis and highly resistant to twist about the longitudinal axis.
- 40°
Specification