Shoe with naturally contoured sole

• US 5,544,429 A
• Filed: 12/08/1993
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anatomic Research Inc.
• Original Assignee: Frampton E. Ellis III
• Inventors: Ellis, Frampton E. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US08/162,962
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 36/25 R, 36/30 R, 36/28, 36/31, 36/32 R, 36/88, 36/91, 36/114, 36/127, 36/129, 36/69
• US Class Current: 36/25.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/125 characterised by the midsole or middle layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/143 provided with wedged, concave or convex end portions, e.g. for improving roll-off of the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/145 Convex portions, e.g. with a bump or projection, e.g. 'Masai' type shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/146 Concave end portions, e.g. with a cavity or cut-out portion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/148 Wedged end portions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes

Abstract

A construction for a shoe, particularly an athletic shoe such as a running shoe, includes a sole that conforms to the natural shape of the foot, particularly the sides, and that has a constant thickness in frontal plane cross sections. The thickness of the shoe sole side contour equals and therefore varies exactly as the thickness of the load-bearing sole portion varies due to heel lift, for example. Thus, the outer contour of the edge portion of the sole has at least a portion which lies along a theoretically ideal stability plane for providing natural stability and efficient motion of the shoe and foot particularly in an inverted and everted mode.

Claims

1. A shoe sole, comprising:

a shoe sole with an upper, foot sole-contacting surface that conforms substantially to the shape of at least part of a sole of a wearer'"'"'s foot, including at least part one curved side of the foot sole;

the shoe sole is characterized by at least a part of the load-bearing portions of the shoe sole having a substantially uniform thickness, so that a lower, ground-contacting surface substantially parallels said upper surface, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

said shoe sole thickness being defined as the shortest distance between any point on an upper, foot sole-contacting surface of said shoe sole and a lower, ground-contacting surface of said shoe sole, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through at least one contoured side portion at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees;

the shoe sole thickness is varying when measured in sagittal plane cross sections and is greater in a heel area than in a forefoot area; and

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole is different when measured in at least two separate frontal plane cross sections wherein the shoe sole has at least one contoured side portion with the substantially uniform thickness extending through at least a sideways tilt of 20 degrees, so that there are at least two different thicknesses of the contoured side portions, when measured in frontal plane cross sections.

2. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shoe sole has at least one sole portion including an upper, foot sole-contacting surface and at least one contoured side portion including an upper, foot sole-contacting surface;

said contoured side portion merging with said at least one sole portion;

and said upper foot sole-contacting surfaces conforming substantially to the shape of the sole of the foot of the wearer, including at least a curved side of the foot sole;

said at least one sole portion and said at least one contoured side portion having a substantially uniform thickness when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

said shoe sole thickness being defined as about the shortest distance between any point on the upper, foot-contacting surface and the closest point on the lower, ground-contacting surface, when measured in frontal plane cross sections.

3. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 2, wherein at least a part of the shoe sole is made of flexible material;

said flexibility being such that a ground-contacting part of the shoe sole deforms to flatten against the ground under a wearer'"'"'s body weight load.

4. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein said at least one contoured side portion merges with at least a sole portion substantially proximate to a head of the fifth metatarsal of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said at least one contoured side portion at least to the head of the fifth metatarsal at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

5. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein said at least one contoured side portion merges with at least a sole portion substantially proximate to a base of the fifth metatarsal of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said at least one contoured side portion at the base of the fifth metatarsal at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

6. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein said at least one contoured side portion merges with at least a sole portion substantially proximate to a head of the first metatarsal of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said at least one contoured side portion at the head of the first metatarsal at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

7. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein said at least one contoured side portion merges with at least a sole portion substantially proximate to a head of the first distal phalange of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said at least one contoured side portion at the head of the first distal phalange at least high enough to provide direct structural support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

8. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein said at least one contoured side portion merges with at least a sole portion substantially proximate to a lateral tuberosity of the calcaneus of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said at least one contoured side portion at the lateral tuberosity of the calcaneus at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

9. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein said at least one contoured side portion merges with at least a medial sole portion substantially proximate to a base of the calcaneus of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said at least one contoured side portion at the base of the calcaneus at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt angle of 20 degrees.

10. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a contoured side portion which merges with at least a sole portion substantially proximate to a base of the fifth metatarsal of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said contoured side portion at the base of the fifth metatarsal at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

11. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a contoured side portion which merges with at least a sole portion substantially proximate to a head of the first metatarsal of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said contoured side portion at the head of the first metatarsal at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

12. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a contoured side portion which merges with at least a sole portion substantially proximate to a head of the first distal phalange of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said contoured side portion at the head of the first distal phalange at least high enough to provide direct structural support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

13. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a contoured side portion which merges with at least a sole portion substantially proximate to a lateral tuberosity of the calcaneus of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said contoured side portion at the lateral tuberosity of the calcaneus at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

14. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a contoured side portion which merges with at least a medial sole portion substantially proximate to a base of the calcaneus of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said contoured side portion at the base of the calcaneus at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

15. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a contoured side portion which merges with at least a sole portion substantially proximate to a lateral tuberosity of the calcaneus of the wearer'"'"'s foot;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through said contoured side portion at the lateral tuberosity of the calcaneus at least high enough to provide direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of 20 degrees.

16. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 4, wherein at least a substantial part of at least one said sole portion is merged with said at least one contoured side portion.

17. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 8, wherein at least two said contoured side portions, including one said contoured side portion substantially proximate to the head of the first metatarsal and one said contoured side portion substantially proximate to the first distal phalange, are separated by an area directly between them with no said contoured side portion, in order to save weight and to increase flexibility.

18. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1, 2, and 4 to 5, wherein at least two said contoured side portions are separated by an area directly between them having at least one said sole portion that is merged with a contoured side portion having a thickness which is less than the thickness of the at least one sole portion, in order to save weight and to increase flexibility;

the thicknesses of the contoured side portion and the at least one sole portion being measured in frontal plane cross sections.

19. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least part of the upper surface of at least one sole portion conforms substantially to the contours of the structurally flattened sole of the wearer'"'"'s foot that is structurally deformed by load-bearing the wearer'"'"'s body weight.

20. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least part of the upper surface of at least one sole portion conforms substantially to the contour of a curved bottom of the sole of the wearer'"'"'s foot when not structurally flattened under the wearer'"'"'s body weight load.

21. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein, at least in a heel area, at least a part of the upper surface of at least one sole portion conforms substantially to the contour of a curved bottom of the sole of the wearer'"'"'s foot when not structurally flattened under the wearer'"'"'s body weight load.

22. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least a part of the upper surface of at least one said sole portion is substantially flat.

23. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claim 1, 3 wherein the density of at least one said contoured side portion is greater than the density of the material used in said at least one sole portion, in order to compensate for increased pressure loading during inversion and eversion motion of said foot.

24. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least said at least one contoured side portion having a substantially uniform thickness, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, provides direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 30 degrees merges with a heel portion of said at least one sole portion;

and the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole in the heel portion with said at least one contoured side portion of at least 30 degrees, as measured in an frontal plane cross section, is different from the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole in a forefoot portion which extends through said at least one contoured side portion providing direct load-bearing support between the sole (29) of the foot and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 30 degrees, also as measured in frontal plane cross sections.

25. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through at least said at least one contoured side portion providing direct load-bearing support between sole of foot and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 45 degrees;

the uniform thickness of the shoe sole is different in at least two frontal plane cross sections wherein the shoe sole has said at least one contoured side portion of at least 45 degrees, so that there are at least two different thicknesses of the said at least one contoured side portion, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

the thickness of said at least one contoured side portion is measured with at least one frontal plane cross section taken proximate to a head of the wearer'"'"'s fifth metatarsal and the thickness of said at least one contoured side portion is measured in at least one other frontal plane cross section taken proximate to a base of the wearer'"'"'s fifth metatarsal.

26. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein the substantially uniform thickness of the forefoot of the shoe sole is different in at least two frontal plane cross sections wherein the shoe sole has at least one said contoured side portion with a substantially uniform thickness extending through a sideways tilt of at least 45 degrees, so that there are at least two different thicknesses of said at least one contoured side portion in the shoe sole forefoot, when measured in frontal plane cross sections.

27. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein the shoe sole has a substantially uniform thickness, when measured in frontal plane cross sections, in any portions of the shoe sole providing direct support between the wearer'"'"'s load-bearing foot sole and the ground;

the load-bearing portions of the shoe sole includes both any portion of said at least one sole portion and any portion of said at least one contoured side portion which become directly load-bearing when the shoe sole on the ground is tilted sideways, away from an upright position;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole extends through at least said at least one contoured side portion providing direct structural support between the sole of the foot and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 20 degrees;

whereby, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, especially including said at least one contoured side portion, maintains a lateral stability of the foot on the shoe sole like that when the foot is bare on the ground, especially during sideways pronation and supination motion occurring when the shoe sole is in contact with the ground.

28. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3 and 4-15, wherein the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through at least part of said at least one contoured side portion providing direct load-bearing structural support between the sole of the foot and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 30 degrees.

29. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3 and 4-15, wherein the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through at least part of said at least one contoured side portion providing direct load-bearing structural support between the sole of the foot and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 45 degrees.

30. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3 and 4-15, wherein the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through at least part of said at least one contoured side portion providing direct load-bearing structural support between the sole of the foot and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 90 degrees;

whereby the amount of said at least one contoured side portion that is provided as part of the shoe sole is sufficient to maintain lateral stability of the wearer'"'"'s foot throughout an extreme range of sideways motion, including at least 90 degrees of inversion and eversion;

said lateral stability being like that of the wearer'"'"'s foot when bare.

31. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3 and 4-15, wherein the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, when measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through at least part of a contoured side portion providing direct load-bearing structural support between the sole of the foot and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 100 degrees;

whereby the amount of any shoe sole contoured side that is provided the shoe sole is sufficient to maintain lateral stability of the wearer'"'"'s foot throughout an extreme range of sideways motion, including at least 100 degrees of inversion and eversion;

said lateral stability being like that of the wearer'"'"'s foot when bare.

32. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3, wherein the lower ground-contacting surface of the shoe sole is connected to the upper foot-contacting surface by a non-ground-contacting surface forming an outside edge of the shoe sole;

when measured in frontal plane cross sections, the distance between any point on the outside edge surface and the closest point of an upper, foot-contacting surface of the shoe sole is less than the previously defined substantially uniform thickness of the ground-contacting portions of the shoe sole;

that lessor distance is reduced gradually, starting from the thickness of the ground-contacting portions, so that the outside edge tapers gradually from the lower ground-contacting surface to the upper foot-contacting surface thereby avoiding the creation of any sharp edge for the shoe sole to pivot on unstably when tilted sideways to an extreme end of a normal range of pronation and supination foot motion on the ground.

33. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3, 4-15, and 19-22, wherein the outer surface of the shoe sole has a plurality of cleats affixed to it;

the surface to which the base of the cleats are affixed becomes ground-contacting on any ground sufficiently soft for the cleats to penetrate the ground fully, thereby obtaining their traction benefit;

consequently, that cleat-affixing surface is defined as the lower, ground-contacting surface for purposes of measuring the shoe sole uniform thickness in frontal plane cross sections;

the cleat-affixing surface therefore parallels the upper, foot contacting surface, when measured in frontal plane cross sections.

34. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3, wherein at least a part of the curved structure of said at least one contoured side portion includes a tread pattern on the ground-contacting surface.

35. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 2-3, wherein at least a part of the at least one sole portion and the at least one contoured side portion are integrally formed into a unitary shoe sole structure.

36. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3, 4-15, 19-22, and 24-27, wherein at least a part of a load-bearing portion of the shoe sole comprises at least a midsole and an outer sole.

37. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3, wherein the at least one sole portion and the at least one side portion of the shoe sole are sufficient to maintain the load-bearing portion of the sole of the wearer'"'"'s foot at a substantially constant distance from the ground, when measured in frontal plane cross sections, that substantially constant distance being the thickness of the shoe sole, even when the shoe is tilted to the side by lateral foot motion on the ground including pronation and supination, whether during locomotion or at an extreme limit of range of motion, such as about 20 degrees inversion or eversion of the heel of the wearer'"'"'s foot.

38. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3, wherein a shoe upper is connected to at least a part of said shoe sole.

39. The shoe sole construction as set forth in any one of claims 1-3, wherein an athletic shoe upper is connected to at least a part of said shoe sole.

40. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least one said sole portion and at least one said side portion of the shoe sole are sufficient to maintain the load-bearing portion of said sole of said wearer'"'"'s foot at a substantially constant distance from said ground, when measured in frontal plane cross sections, especially during extreme sideways pronation and supination motion occurring when the shoe sole is in contact with the ground, said substantially constant distance being said substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole.

41. A shoe sole, comprising:

a shoe sole having an upper, foot-contacting surface at least a portion of which conforms to the shape of a wearer'"'"'s forefoot sole, including at least a portion of a curved side of the wearer'"'"'s forefoot sole proximate to a head of a fifth metatarsal of the foot;

and said shoe sole portions having a uniform thickness, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

the direct load-bearing part of the shoe sole includes both that part of the bottom portion and that part of the curved side portion which become directly load-bearing when the shoe sole on the ground is tilted sideways, away from an upright position;

said shoe sole including a heel area with a thickness that is greater than a forefoot area;

the uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through at least a contoured side portion providing direct structural support between foot sole and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 60 degrees;

wherein the shoe sole has at least a side portion, which adjoins said contoured side portion proximate to the head of the fifth metatarsal, with a thickness that is not uniform through a sideways tilt of at least 60 degrees, in order to save weight add to increase flexibility;

whereby, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, the shoe sole'"'"'s uniform thickness between the upper, foot-contacting surface and the parallel lower, ground-contacting surface maintains a lateral stability of the forefoot on the shoe sole like that when the foot is bare on the ground, especially during extreme sideways pronation and supination motion occurring when the shoe sole is in contact with the ground.

42. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 41, wherein the uniform thickness of the shoe sole portion extends through at least part of a contoured side portion providing direct structural support between foot sole and ground through a sideways tilt angle of at least 90 degrees;

whereby the amount of any shoe sole contoured side that is provided the shoe sole is sufficient to maintain lateral stability of the wearer'"'"'s foot throughout the most extreme range of sideways motion, including at least 90 degrees of inversion and eversion;

said lateral stability being like that of the wearer'"'"'s foot when bare.

43. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 41, herein the uniform thickness of the shoe sole portion extends through at least part of a contoured side portion providing direct structural support between foot sole and ground through a sideways tilt angle of at least 100 degrees;

whereby the amount of any shoe sole contoured side that is provided the shoe sole is sufficient to maintain lateral stability of the wearer'"'"'s foot throughout the most extreme range of sideways motion, including at least 100 degrees of inversion and eversion;

said lateral stability being like that of the wearer'"'"'s foot when bare.

44. A shoe sole, comprising:

a shoe sole with an upper, foot sole-contacting surface that substantially conforms to the shape of a wearer'"'"'s foot sole, including at least one portion of the curved bottom of the foot sole when not structurally flattened under the wearers body weight load and including at least one portion of a curved side of the foot sole;

and the shoe sole has a substantially uniform thickness, when measured in frontal plane cross sections, in at least a part of the shoe sole providing direct structural support between the wearer'"'"'s load-bearing foot sole and ground;

wherein the direct load-bearing part of the shoe sole includes both that part of the curved bottom portion and that part of the curved side portion which become directly load-bearing when the shoe sole on the ground is tilted sideways, away from an upright position;

said shoe sole thickness being defined as the shortest distance between any point on an upper, foot sole-contacting surface of said shoe sole and a lower, ground-contacting surface of said shoe sole, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

the load-bearing part of the lower, ground-contacting surface of the shoe sole is therefore parallel to the upper foot sole-contacting surface of the shoe sole, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

said shoe sole thickness varying when measured in the sagittal plane and being greater in a heel area than a forefoot area;

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through the curved bottom portion and at least a curved side portion providing direct structural support between foot sole and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 7 degrees; and

,

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole is different when measured in at least two separate frontal plane cross sections.

45. The shoe sole construction as set forth in claim 44, wherein the shoe sole is made of flexible material structurally exhibiting flexibility;

said flexibility being such that the shoe sole deforms to flatten against the ground under a wearer'"'"'s body weight load.

46. A shoe sole, comprising:

a shoe sole having an upper, foot-contacting surface at least a portion of which conforms to the shape of a sole of a wearer'"'"'s heel, including at least a portion of at least one curved side of the wearer'"'"'s foot sole proximate to a calcaneus of a wearer'"'"'s foot;

and said shoe sole portions having a uniform thickness, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

the direct load-bearing part of the shoe sole includes both that part of the bottom portion and that part of the curved side portion which become directly load-bearing when the shoe sole on the ground is tilted sideways, away from an upright position;

said shoe sole including a heel area with a thickness that is greater than a forefoot area;

the uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through at least a contoured side portion providing direct structural support between foot sole and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 30 degrees;

wherein the shoe sole has at least a side portion, which adjoins said contoured side portion proximate to the calcaneus, with a thickness that is not uniform through a sideways tilt of at least 30 degrees, in order to save weight and to increase flexibility;

whereby, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, the shoe sole'"'"'s uniform thickness between the upper, foot-contacting surface and the parallel lower, ground-contacting surface maintains a lateral stability of the heel on the shoe sole like that when the foot is bare on the ground, especially during extreme sideways pronation and supination motion occurring when the shoe sole is in contact with the ground.

47. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 46, wherein said part of the upper, foot-contacting surface that conforms to the shape of a sole of a wearer'"'"'s heel includes at least a portion of at least a lateral and a medial curved side of the wearer'"'"'s foot sole proximate to a calcaneus of said foot;

and wherein the shoe sole has at least two side portions, which adjoin said contoured side portions proximate to the calcaneus, with a thickness that is not uniform through a sideways tilt of at least 30 degrees, in order to save weight and to increase flexibility.

48. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 46, wherein the uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through at least one contoured side portion providing direct structural support between foot sole and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 45 degrees;

and wherein the shoe sole has at least a side portion, which adjoins said contoured side portion proximate to the calcaneus, with a thickness that is not uniform through a sideways tilt of at least 45 degrees, in order to save weight and to increase flexibility.

49. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 47, wherein the uniform thickness of the shoe sole, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, extends through at least a lateral and a medial contoured side portion providing direct structural support between foot sole and ground through a lateral and a medial sideways tilt of at least 45 degrees;

and wherein the shoe sole has at least two side portions, which adjoin said contoured side portions proximate to the calcaneus, with a thickness that is not uniform through a sideways tilt of at least 45 degrees, in order to save weight and to increase flexibility.

50. A shoe sole, comprising:

a shoe sole having a sole portion including an upper, foot sole-contacting surface;

the shoe sole also having at least one contoured side portion merging with the sole portion and the contoured side portion having an upper, foot sole-contacting surface conforming to the curved shape of at least a part of one side of the foot sole of a wearer;

and the shoe sole having a uniform thickness, when measured in frontal plane cross sections, in at least a part of the shoe sole providing direct structural support between the wearer'"'"'s load-bearing foot sole and ground;

the direct load-bearing part of the shoe sole includes both that part of the sole portion and that part of the contoured side portion which become directly load-bearing when the shoe sole on the ground is tilted sideways, away from an upright position;

wherein the uniform thickness of the shoe sole extends through at least a contoured side portion providing direct structural support between a foot sole and ground through a sideways tilt of at least 20 degrees;

said shoe sole thickness being defined as the shortest distance between any point on an upper, foot sole-contacting surface of said shoe sole and a lower, ground-contacting surface of said shoe sole, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

wherein the lower, ground-contacting surface of the shoe sole is therefore parallel to the upper foot sole-contacting surface of the shoe sole, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

said sole portion having a varying thickness when measured in sagittal plane cross sections, said thickness being greater in the heel area than in the forefoot area;

said thickness of the contoured side portion equaling and therefore varying directly with the thickness of the sole portion to which it is merged, when the thickness is measured in the frontal plane cross sections;

wherein the uniform thickness of the shoe sole is respectively different when measured in at least two frontal plane cross sections wherein the shoe sole has a contoured side portion of at least 20 degrees, so that there are at least two different contoured side portion thicknesses, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

whereby, as measured in frontal plane cross sections, the uniform thickness of the shoe sole, especially including the side portion, maintains a lateral stability of the foot on the shoe sole like that when the foot is bare on the ground, especially during sideways pronation and supination motion occurring when the shoe sole is in contact with the ground.

51. A shoe sole, comprising:

an upper, foot sole-contacting surface that conforms substantially to the shape of at least a part of a sole of a wearer'"'"'s foot, said shape including at least a part of the load-bearing portion of at least a curved side of the foot sole; and

a lower ground-contacting surface;

said shoe sole has at least a sole portion including said foot sole contacting surface and at least one contoured side portion merging with said sole portion and conforming substantially to the shape of the corresponding side of the sole of said foot;

said shoe sole thickness is varying when measured in sagittal plane cross sections and is greater in the heel area than in the forefoot area;

said sole portion and said contoured side portion have a substantially uniform thickness, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

said shoe sole thickness being defined as about the shortest distance between any point on said upper, foot sole-contacting surface and the closest point on said lower, ground-contacting, when measured in frontal plane cross sections;

said substantially uniform thickness of said shoe sole is different when measured in at least two separate frontal plane cross sections wherein the shoe sole has at least one said contoured side portion of at least 20 degrees, so that there are at least two different thicknesses of said at least one contoured side portion, when measured in frontal plane cross sections.