Vulcanized composite sole for footwear
First Claim
1. A sole comprising a relatively soft midsole made of a soft rubber-like elastomer, said midsole having upper and lower surfaces and being wedge-shaped with a relatively thick heel section and a relatively thin and flexible forepart section, and a plurality of discontinuous and independent outsole pieces of a relatively hard rubber in comparison to said midsole, said outsole pieces being disposed across the lower surface of said forepart section of said midsole and being spaced one from the other by intermediate exposed areas of said lower surface to provide flexibility in said forepart section and to increase the durability of said forepart section while minimizing the increase in the weight of the sole, and said outsole pieces being attached to the lower surface of said midsole by vulcanization to produce a composite sole.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lightweight, flexible, resilient sole adapted for athletic footwear including a relatively soft midsole made of a synthetic such as ethylene vinyl acetate, the midsole being wedge-shaped and including a relatively thick heel section and a relatively thin and flexible forepart section, and a plurality of discontinuous independent outsole pieces made of a relatively hard and wear-resistant synthetic rubber, such as styrene-butadiene rubber, the outsole pieces being disposed across the forepart section of the midsole with open spaces between the outsole pieces to maintain the flexibility of the forepart section, with the outsole pieces being vulcanized to the lower surface of the midsole to form a composite sole.
223 Citations
11 Claims
- 1. A sole comprising a relatively soft midsole made of a soft rubber-like elastomer, said midsole having upper and lower surfaces and being wedge-shaped with a relatively thick heel section and a relatively thin and flexible forepart section, and a plurality of discontinuous and independent outsole pieces of a relatively hard rubber in comparison to said midsole, said outsole pieces being disposed across the lower surface of said forepart section of said midsole and being spaced one from the other by intermediate exposed areas of said lower surface to provide flexibility in said forepart section and to increase the durability of said forepart section while minimizing the increase in the weight of the sole, and said outsole pieces being attached to the lower surface of said midsole by vulcanization to produce a composite sole.
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11. A process for making a composite sole comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a midsole made of a relatively soft rubber-like elastomer and having upper and lower surfaces, said midsole being wedge-shaped with a relatively thick heel section and a relatively thin and flexible forepart section; (b) positioning a plurality of discontinuous independent outsole pieces made of a relatively hard rubber in comparison to the midsole material across the lower surface of said forepart section of said midsole in a mutually spaced relationship with areas of said lower surface being exposed between said outsole pieces; and (c) attaching said outsole pieces to said lower surface of said forepart section of said midsole by vulcanization to provide a composite sole.
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Specification