Shoe with removable midsole

• US 6,023,857 A
• Filed: 09/21/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Converse Incorporated (Nike, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Converse Incorporated (Nike, Inc.)
• Inventors: Collins, David M., Vizy, Anthony Dylan
• Primary Examiner(s): DAYOAN, BETHANNE CAROLINE
• Application Number:
  US09/158,352
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 36/25 R, 36/30 R, 36/28, 36/43, 36/81
• US Class Current: 36/30.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/36 Easily-exchangeable soles protecting-soles A43C13/12
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/41 combined with heel stiffener, toe stiffener, or shank stiffener

Abstract

A shoe including an outsole, an upper and a midsole. The outsole has a bottom surface with a central section. The upper has a base portion defined by a bottom peripheral edge of the upper. The upper is secured directly to the outsole around substantially the entire bottom peripheral edge. The midsole is positioned within an interior of the upper above the base portion of the upper. The shoe has a median sole thickness defined by the median distance between a top surface of the midsole and a bottom surface of the outsole. The midsole has a median midsole thickness defined by the median distance between the top surface of the midsole and a bottom surface of the midsole. The median midsole thickness is at least half the median sole thickness.

Claims

1. A shoe comprising:

an outsole having a bottom surface with a central section;

an upper having a base portion defined by a bottom peripheral edge of the upper, the upper being secured directly to the outsole around substantially the entire bottom peripheral edge; and

a midsole positioned within an interior of the upper above the base portion of the upper, the midsole having a forward end and a rearward end spaced from the forward end, the midsole having a medial side edge and a lateral side edge spaced laterally from the medial side edge, the medial and lateral side edges extending from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, the midsole having a centerline defined by a locus of points midway between the medial side edge and the lateral side edge with the medial and lateral side edges extending from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, the midsole having a medial side region adjacent the medial side edge, a lateral side region adjacent the lateral side edge, and a central region between the medial and lateral side regions, the medial side region, lateral side region and central region each extending from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, a width of the central region intersected by any plane perpendicular to the centerline being equal to a width of the medial side region intersected by such plane and equal to a width of the lateral side region intersected by such plane, the central region of the midsole having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces of the central region extending from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, the central section of the bottom surface of the outsole being generally co-extensive with the central region of the midsole;

the shoe having a median sole thickness defined by the median distance between the top surface of the central region of the midsole and the central section of the bottom surface of the outsole;

the central region of the midsole having a median midsole thickness defined by the median distance between the top surface of the central region of the midsole and the bottom surface of the central region of the midsole, the median midsole thickness being at least half the median sole thickness;

the midsole including a heel counter extending upwardly from a portion of rearward end of the midsole, the heel counter being adapted for cradling the shoe wearer'"'"'s heel when the shoe wearer is wearing the shoe.

2. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the median midsole thickness is at least 60% of the median sole thickness.

3. The shoe of claim 1 wherein a first mean thickness is defined by the mean distance between the top surface of the central region of the midsole and the central section of the bottom surface of the outsole, and wherein a second mean thickness is defined by the mean distance between the top surface of the central region of the midsole and the bottom surface of the central region of the midsole, the second mean thickness being at least half the first mean thickness.

4. The shoe of claim 3 wherein the second mean thickness is at least 60% of the first mean thickness.

5. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the median midsole thickness is at least 10 millimeters.

6. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the median midsole thickness is at least 15 millimeters.

7. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the midsole is bonded to neither the upper nor outsole, to facilitate ready removal of the midsole.

8. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the heel counter and the midsole are of a unitary one-piece construction that is removable from the interior of the upper.

9. The shoe of claim 1 wherein a portion of the midsole is visible from the exterior of the shoe via a window in a sidewall of the upper.

10. A shoe comprising:

an outsole;

an upper having a bottom peripheral edge, the upper being secured directly to the outsole around substantially the entire bottom peripheral edge;

a midsole within an interior of the upper, the midsole having a forward end and a rearward end spaced from the forward end; and

a heel counter extending upwardly from a portion of the rearward end of the midsole, the heel counter being adapted for cradling the shoe wearer'"'"'s heel when the shoe wearer is wearing the shoe, the midsole and the heel counter being integral with one another.

11. The shoe of claim 10 wherein the midsole and the heel counter are of a monolithic construction that is removable from the interior of the upper.

12. The shoe of claim 11 wherein the midsole has a medial side edge and a lateral side edge spaced laterally from the medial side edge, the medial and lateral side edges extending from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, the midsole having a centerline defined by a locus of points midway between the medial side edge and the lateral side edge as the medial and lateral side edges extend from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, the midsole having a medial side region adjacent the medial side edge, a lateral side region adjacent the lateral side edge, and a central region between the medial and lateral side regions, the medial side region, lateral side region and central region each extending from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, a width of the central region intersected by any plane perpendicular to the centerline being equal to a width of the medial side region intersected by such plane and equal to a width of the later al side region intersected by such plane, the central region of the midsole having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surface s of the central region extending from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole;

the outsole having a bottom surface with a central section that is generally coextensive with the central region of the midsole;

the shoe having a median sole thickness defined by the median distance between the top surface of the central region of the midsole and the central section of the bottom surface of the outsole;

the central region of the midsole having a median midsole thickness defined by the median distance between the top surface of the central region of the midsole and the bottom surface of the central region of the midsole, the median midsole thickness being at least half the median sole thickness.

13. The shoe of claim 12 wherein the median midsole thickness is at least 60% of the median sole thickness.

14. The shoe of claim 12 wherein a first mean thickness is defined by the mean distance between the top surface of the central region of the midsole and the central section of the bottom surface of the outsole, and wherein a second mean thickness is defined by the mean distance between the top surface of the central region of the midsole and the bottom surface of the central region of the midsole, the second mean thickness being at least half the first mean thickness.

15. The shoe of claim 14 wherein the second mean thickness is at least 60% of the first mean thickness.

16. The shoe of claim 12 wherein a portion of the midsole is visible from the exterior of the shoe via a window in a sidewall of the upper.

18. The shoe of claim 15 further comprising a heel counter extending upwardly from a portion of the rearward end of the midsole, the heel counter being adapted for cradling the shoe wearer'"'"'s heel when the shoe wearer is wearing the shoe, the midsole and the heel counter being integral with one another.

19. The shoe of claim 18 wherein the midsole has a medial side edge and a lateral side edge spaced laterally from the medial side edge, the medial and lateral side edges extending from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, the midsole having a centerline defined by a locus of points midway between the medial side edge and the lateral side edge as the medial and lateral side edges extend from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, the midsole having a medial side region adjacent the medial side edge, a lateral side region adjacent the lateral side edge, and a central region between the medial and lateral side regions, the medial side region, lateral side region and central region each extending from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, a width of the central region intersected by any plane perpendicular to the centerline being equal to a width of the medial side region intersected by such plane and equal to a width of the lateral side region intersected by such plane, the central region of the midsole having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces of the central region extending from the rearward end of the midsole to the forward end of the midsole, the central section of the bottom surface of the outsole being generally co-extensive with the central region of the midsole;

the shoe having a median sole thickness defined by the median distance between the top surface of the central region of the midsole and a central section of the bottom surface of the outsole;

the central region of the midsole having a median midsole thickness defined by the median distance between the top surface of the central region of the midsole and the bottom surface of the central region of the midsole, the median midsole thickness being at least half the median sole thickness.

17. A shoe comprising:

an outsole;

an upper having a base portion defined by a bottom peripheral edge of the upper, the upper being secured directly to the outsole around substantially the entire bottom peripheral edge; and

a midsole positioned within an interior of the upper above the base portion of the upper, the midsole having a forward end and a rearward end spaced from the forward end, a portion of the midsole being visible from the exterior of the shoe via a window in a sidewall of the upper.