Shoe sole with an adjustable support pattern
First Claim
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1. A shoe to be worn by a user over a plurality of strides, each stride including an impact by the shoe with the traveling surface, the shoe having an adjustable cushioning sole, comprising:
- a fluid bladder disposed in the sole having fluid therein;
a duct in communication with said fluid bladder and providing a pathway for fluid to exit the sole of the shoe;
a flow regulator regulating the flow of said fluid through said duct to adjust the pressure in said fluid bladder;
a sensor for sensing the pressure in said fluid bladder; and
a control system in communication with said sensor and said flow regulator, said control system being capable of automatically adjusting the pressure in said bladder based on the sensing of a predetermined pressure in said bladder resulting from impact of the shoe with the traveling surface.
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Abstract
A shoe having a adjustable cushion sole with fluid bladders disposed therein. Each fluid bladders has an associated pressure sensing device which measures the pressure exerted by the user'"'"'s foot on the fluid bladder. As the pressure increases over a threshold, a control system partially opens a fluid valve to allow fluid to escape from the fluid bladder. The release of fluid from the fluid bladders reduces the impact of the user'"'"'s foot with the traveling surface.
421 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A shoe to be worn by a user over a plurality of strides, each stride including an impact by the shoe with the traveling surface, the shoe having an adjustable cushioning sole, comprising:
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a fluid bladder disposed in the sole having fluid therein; a duct in communication with said fluid bladder and providing a pathway for fluid to exit the sole of the shoe; a flow regulator regulating the flow of said fluid through said duct to adjust the pressure in said fluid bladder; a sensor for sensing the pressure in said fluid bladder; and a control system in communication with said sensor and said flow regulator, said control system being capable of automatically adjusting the pressure in said bladder based on the sensing of a predetermined pressure in said bladder resulting from impact of the shoe with the traveling surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 17, 20)
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5. A shoe to be worn by a user over a plurality of strides, each stride including an impact by the shoe with the traveling surface, the shoe having an adjustable cushioning sole, comprising:
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a fluid bladder disposed in the sole having air contained therein; a duct in communication with said fluid bladder and ambient air; means for automatically controlling the flow of air from said fluid bladder to ambient air in response to pressure exerted on said fluid bladder by the foot of the user during the impact of the shoe with the traveling surface; and means for supplying air to said fluid bladder from ambient air between impacts of the shoe with the traveling surface. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19)
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14. A method for adjusting the cushioning of a sole of a shoe worn by a user over a plurality of strides, each stride including an impact of the shoe with the traveling surface, the shoe having a fluid bladder disposed in the sole and containing fluid, and a flow regulator controlling the flow of fluid to and from the fluid bladder, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. determining a pressure threshold; b. automatically adjusting the opening of the flow regulator to a first position; c. monitoring the pressure in the fluid bladder exerted by the foot of the user wearing the shoe as the shoe impacts the traveling surface during a stride; d. automatically adjusting the opening of the flow regulator to a second position, said second position allowing fluid to escape from the fluid bladder during impact of the shoe with the traveling surface to prevent said monitored pressure from exceeding said pressure threshold; e. automatically adjusting the opening of the flow regulator to a third position to allow fluid to enter the fluid bladder when the shoe is not impacting the traveling surface; and f. repeating steps b through e over the plurality of strides. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification