Shock absorbing outsole for footwear
First Claim
1. An outsole for an item of footwear, comprising:
- a lower surface of said outsole having a central portion and a peripheral portion,a plurality of resilient shock absorbing strike plates extending from and disposed about said peripheral portion to define a central concavity disposed below said central portion, each said strike plate having an inwardly sloped wall adjacent said central concavity, said sloped wall being disposed at an obtuse angle to said central portion, andan elastic membrane depending from said lower surface connecting a plurality of said strike plates and extending through said central concavity, said membrane having a stiffness less than that of one of the strike plates to which it is connected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An outsole for an item of footwear. The outsole is provided with a lower surface having a central portion and a peripheral portion. Also provided are a plurality of resilient shock absorbing strike plates which extend from, and are disposed about, the peripheral portion to define a central cavity disposed below the central portion. Each strike plate has an inwardly sloped wall adjacent the central concavity. This sloped wall is disposed at an obtuse angle to the central portion. Also provided is an elastic membrane connecting a plurality of the strike plates and extending through the central concavity. The membrane has a stiffness less than that of one of the strike plates to which it is connected.
126 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An outsole for an item of footwear, comprising:
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a lower surface of said outsole having a central portion and a peripheral portion, a plurality of resilient shock absorbing strike plates extending from and disposed about said peripheral portion to define a central concavity disposed below said central portion, each said strike plate having an inwardly sloped wall adjacent said central concavity, said sloped wall being disposed at an obtuse angle to said central portion, and an elastic membrane depending from said lower surface connecting a plurality of said strike plates and extending through said central concavity, said membrane having a stiffness less than that of one of the strike plates to which it is connected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An outsole for an item of footwear, comprising:
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a lower surface of said outsole having a central portion and a peripheral portion, a plurality of resilient shock absorbing stroke plates extending from and disposed about said peripheral portion to define a central concavity disposed below said central portion, each said stroke plate having an inwardly sloped wall adjacent said central concavity, said sloped wall being disposed at an obtuse angle to said central portion, and an elastic membrane separate from said lower surface connecting a plurality of said strike plates and extending through said central concavity, said membrane having a stiffness less than that of one of the stroke plates to which it is connected.
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Specification