Gel cushion conprising rubber polymer and oil

• US 5,756,195 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Petrovic, Zoran, Allen, Bernie
• Primary Examiner(s): McCamish, Marion E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cole, Elizabeth M.
• Application Number:
  US08/488,528
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 428/304.4, 428/313.3, 428/313.5, 428/318.4
• US Class Current: 428/313.3
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/187 Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 19/00 Shoe-shaped inserts; Inserts covering the instep
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/14 with foot-supporting parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/141 having an anatomical or curved form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/142 situated under the medial arch, i.e. under the navicular or cuneiform bones
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/144 situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/18 Joint supports, e.g. instep supports
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/126 Uppers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/06 as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249971 Preformed hollow element-containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249972 Resin or rubber element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249987 With nonvoid component of specified composition

Abstract

A shoe that conforms to foot contours and provides cushioning is comprised of a shoe sole and a shoe upper attached to the shoe sole. The shoe upper is comprised of an outer layer, an inner layer and a conforming layer therebetween, wherein a first portion of the conforming layer is comprised of viscoelastic gel and a second portion of the conforming layer is comprised of environmentally-responsive gel. The environmentally-responsive gel is preferably a temperature-responsive gel that will react to the heat emanating from a foot inserted into the shoe to express a liquid. The viscoelastic gel is preferably a soft, flowable gel that conforms to foot contours.

Claims

1. A cushion comprised of a rubber gel comprising about 25 to 30% by weight of a styrene ethylene/butylene styrene block copolymer having a brookfield viscosity of about 1,500 cps when a 20% solids solution in toluene is measured at 20°

C., about 1-3% by weight resilient microspheres, and an oil.

2. The cushion of claim 1, wherein the oil is a mixture of paraffinic and napthenic oils.

3. The cushion of claim 1, wherein the oil is comprised of about 55% paraffinic and 45% napthenic oils and the hollow microspheres are present in an amount of about 3% by weight.

4. The cushion of claim 1, wherein the block copolymer and oil are frothed with air.

5. The cushion of claim 1, having a specific gravity of less than about 0.9.

6. The cushion of claim 5, having a specific gravity of between about 0.2 and 0.5.

7. The cushion of claim 1 further comprising

a layer of cloth covering the rubber gel.

8. The cushion of claim 7, wherein the cloth is leather.