Shoe sole structures

• US 6,675,498 B1
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anatomic Research Inc.
• Original Assignee: Anatomic Research Inc.
• Inventors: Ellis, Frampton E. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony D.
• Application Number:
  US08/482,838
• Time in Patent Office: 3,142 Days
• Field of Search: 36/32.R, 36/25.R, 36/30.R, 36/31, 361/14, 36/88, 36/91, 36/28, 361/63, 361/16, 36/115, 36/11
• US Class Current: 36/25.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/125 characterised by the midsole or middle layer
• 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 13/18 Resilient soles skating boots provided with resilient means A43B5/1658
• 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 shoe having a sole contour which follows a theoretically ideal stability plane as a basic concept, but which deviates outwardly therefrom to provide greater than natural stability. Thickness variations outwardly from the stability plane are disclosed, along with density variations to achieve a similar greater than natural stability.

Claims

1. An athletic shoe sole for a shoe, comprising:

a shoe outer sole and a shoe midsole;

a sole heel area underneath a heel of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot, a midsole inner surface for supporting a sole of said intended wearer'"'"'s foot, and a midsole outer surface;

a midsole central part of the athletic shoe sole located between a midsole medial side portion and a midsole lateral side portion, as viewed in a shoe sole front plane cross-section in the heel area during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the midsole lateral side portion formed by that part of the midsole located lateral of a straight vertical line extending through a sidemost extent of the midsole inner surface of a lateral side of the shoe, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the midsole medial side portion formed by that part of the midsole located medial of a straight vertical line extending through a sidemost extent of the midsole inner surface of a medial side of the shoe, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

said midsole outer surface of said midsole central part comprising a concavely rounded portion, the concavity existing with respect to an inner section of the midsole located directly adjacent to the concavely rounded portion of the midsole outer surface, all as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

said midsole inner surface of said midsole central part comprising a convexly rounded portion at least through a midpoint of the midsole inner surface of said midsole central part, the convexity existing with respect to a section of the midsole directly adjacent to the convexly rounded portion of the midsole inner surface, all as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the midsole of at least one of the sole medial side portion and sole lateral side portion extending to above a lowest point of the midsole inner surface, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

a radial thickness of at least one of the lateral and medial side portions decreases gradually and continuously from above a sidemost extent of at least one of the lateral and medial side portions to an uppermost point of said at least one of the lateral and medial side portions, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition; and

said shoe midsole comprises midsole material of varying firmness.

2. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein said midsole central part comprises a section having at least two material layers, each layer composed of a midsole material of different firmness, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

3. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein a midsole firmness of the midsole medial side portion is different from a midsole firmness of the midsole lateral side portion, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

4. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein the midsole central part has a varying radial thickness, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

5. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the midsole outer surface extends through a lowermost portion of the midsole central part, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

6. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the midsole outer surface extends through a midpoint of the midsole central part, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

7. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the midsole includes three different midsole materials, each with a different firmness.

8. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the midsole extends into both the lateral and medial side portions to above a lowest point of the midsole inner surface, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

9. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the midsole outer surface comprises concavely rounded portions located at both the midsole lateral side portion and the midsole medial side portion, the concavity existing with respect to an inner section of the shoe midsole located directly adjacent to the concavely rounded portion of the midsole outer surface, all as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded upright shoe condition.

10. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein the radial thickness of both of the midsole lateral and medial side portions decreases gradually and continuously from above a sidemost extent of at least one of the lateral and medial side portions to an uppermost point of both of the lateral and medial side portions, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

11. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the midsole outer surface extends from the midsole central part into one of the midsole lateral and medial side portions, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

12. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 11, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the midsole outer surface extends from the midsole central part into both of the midsole lateral and medial side portions, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

13. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the midsole outer surface extends from the midsole central part continuously through a sidemost extent of one of the midsole lateral and medial side portions, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

14. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 13, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the midsole outer surface extends from the midsole central part continuously through sidemost extents of both of the midsole lateral and medial side portions, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

15. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the midsole outer surface extends from the midsole central part to above the lowest point on the midsole inner surface on one of the midsole lateral and medial side portions, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

16. The shoe sole as set forth in claim 15, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the midsole outer surface extends from the midsole central part to above the lowest point on the midsole inner surface of both of the midsole lateral and medial side portions, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

17. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the midsole comprises two different material, one material having a greater radial thickness in one of the lateral and medial side portions than a radial thickness in the midsole central part, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

18. The shoe sole according to claim 17, wherein one of the two different midsole materials has a greater radial thickness in the midsole central part than a radial thickness in one of the lateral and medial side portions, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

19. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the midsole central part of the midsole outer surface extends to one of said straight vertical lines, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

and

the convexly rounded portion of the midsole central part of the midsole inner surface extends to one of said straight vertical lines, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

20. The shoe sole according to claim 19, comprising a concavely rounded portion of the midsole central part of the midsole outer surface extending to the other of said straight vertical lines, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

and

a convexly rounded portion of the midsole central part of the midsole inner surface extending to the other of said straight vertical lines, as viewed in the heel area frontal plane cross-section during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.