Sole in the form of a midsole, inner sole or insertable sole for a shoe and a shoe with said sole

• US 6,708,427 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Puma Aktiengesellschaft Rudolf Dassler Sport
• Original Assignee: Puma Aktiengesellschaft Rudolf Dassler Sport
• Inventors: Widmann, Horst, Sussmann, Reinhold
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US10/069,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 36/43, 36/44, 361/28, 36/88, 361/07, 361/08, 361/175, 361/182, 361/42, 361/43, 361/44
• US Class Current: 36/128
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/10 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/38 Built-in insoles joined to uppers during the manufacturing process, e.g. structural insoles; Insoles glued to shoes during the manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/00 Insoles for insertion, e.g. footbeds or inlays, for attachment to the shoe after the upper has been joined
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1415 characterised by the location under the foot
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/122 Soles

Abstract

The invention concerns a sole, used as a throughsole, inner sole or insole for a shoe, e.g, a football boot with a flexible outsole. The sole ensures that when shooting on the volley in football or with similar loadings, the entire force can be transmitted to the ball or similar sports equipment by means of a special stiffening of the sole by tension elements attached to raised walls of the edge area of the sole.

Claims

1. A sole for a shoe constructed from a material having resiliently elastic properties, the sole being flexible in a direction extending lengthwise of the sole from a heel area through an arch area to a ball area while being rigid in the ball area and in a front sole area in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the sole,

wherein the front sole area is shell-shaped, and sides of the sole at least in the ball area and the heel area are raised to form walls, wherein the walls have a height of 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm on each side of the sole, wherein at least one substantially unstretchable, tension element is connected to an upper portion of each of the walls and runs freely between the walls.

2. A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one tension element extends peripherally around the heel area of the sole.

3. A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sole has a side recess on each side of the sole extending from the heel area to the front sole area to form a narrowing in a horizontal plane of the sole.

4. A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein the narrowing has a width area which is approximately ⅕

to ¾

of the maximum width of the heel area.

5. A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one tension element comprises fiber strands selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, plastic fibers and textile fibers, and said fibers coated or molded with a bonding material selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic or duroplastic.

6. A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein in the front sole area the at least one tension element extends from a position in the ball area in a basal joint area of a wearer'"'"'s toes toward the heel area.

7. A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one tension element is integrally bonded to the walls.

8. A sole for a shoe constructed from a material having resiliently elastic properties, the sole being flexible in a direction extending lengthwise of the sole from a heel area through an arch area to a ball area while being rigid in the ball area and in a front sole area in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the sole,

wherein the front sole area in front of the ball area, and sides of the sole at least in the ball area, the arch area and the heel area are raised to form walls, wherein the walls have a height of 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm on each side of the sole, wherein at least one substantially unstretchable, tension element is connected to an upper portion of each of the walls and runs freely between the walls.

9. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one tension element extends peripherally around the heel area of the sole.

10. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein between the walls of at least the front sole area and the heel area is at least one lower section such that the at least one tension element extends across the at least one lower section.

11. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the walls of the front sole area are higher in the ball area than in the remaining front sole area.

12. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the walls of the front sole area and the heel area are angled upwards and outwards to match the shape of a foot.

13. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein a external angle α

of the walls relative to a horizontal plane of the sole is approximately 45°

to 80°

.

14. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the sole has a side recess on each side of the sole extending from the heel area to the front sole area to form a narrowing in a horizontal plane of the sole.

15. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the narrowing has a width area which is approximately ⅕

to ¾

of the maximum width of the heel area.

16. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the front sole area contains a plurality of openings.

17. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the heel area has an opening In the area of impact of the heel.

18. A sole as set forth in claim 17, wherein a resilient and elastic cushion is secured within the opening.

19. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the heel area is provided on an underside with a damping element.

20. A sole as set forth in claim 19, wherein the damping element is of a honeycomb structure.

21. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one tension element comprises fiber strands selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, plastic fibers and textile fibers, and said fibers coated or molded with a bonding material selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic or duroplastic.

22. A sole as set forth in claim 21, wherein the at least one tension element comprises aramide fibers.

23. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one tension element extends from the front sole area to the beginning of the arch area.

24. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one tension element is an endless peripheral strand which extends transversely across one of the front sole area and the arch area, and around the heel area.

25. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one tension element extends from the front sole area to the middle of the arch area.

26. A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one tension element is integrally bonded to the walls.

27. A sole for a shoe constructed from a material having resiliently elastic properties, the sole being flexible in a direction extending lengthwise of the sole from a heel area through an arch area to a ball area while being rigid in the ball area and in a front sole area in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the sole,

wherein the front sole area is shell-shaped, and sides of the sole at least in the ball area and the heel area are raised to form walls, wherein at least one substantially unstretchable, tension element is connected to an upper portion of each of the walls, and wherein the at least one tension element is an endless peripheral strand which extends across each upper portion of the walls.

28. A sole for a shoe constructed from a material having resiliently elastic properties, the sole being flexible in a direction extending lengthwise of the sole from a heel area through an arch area to a ball area while being rigid in the ball area and in a front sole area in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the sole,

wherein the front sole area in front of the ball area, and sides of the sole at least in the ball area, the arch area and the heel area are raised to form walls, wherein at least one substantially unstretchable, tension element is connected to an upper portion of each of the walls, and wherein the at least one tension element is an endless peripheral strand which extends across each upper portion of the walls.