Sole structure of athletic shoe

• US 6,711,834 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mizuno Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mizuno Corporation
• Inventors: Kita, Kenjiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US09/937,206
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 36/27, 36/28, 36/29, 36/35.R, 36/30.R, 36/31
• US Class Current: 36/27
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/026 Composites, e.g. carbon fibre or aramid fibre; the sole, one or more sole layers or sole part being made of a composite
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/186 Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sole structure of an athletic shoe and its object is to effectively absorb a shock applied to a shoe heel portion directly after landing and to prevent pronation or supination after landing. The sole structure of the athletic shoe according to the present invention includes an upper midsole (3a) that is formed of a soft elastic material and that extends from the heel portion to a forefoot portion of a shoe through a midfoot portion, a lower midsole (3b) that is formed of a soft elastic material and that is disposed at least at the heel portion under the upper midsole (3a), a wavy plate (4) that is inserted between the upper and lower midsoles (3a, 3b) and that has a wavy corrugation at least at the heel portion, which progresses from the rear end side of the heel portion to the midfoot portion, an outsole (5) fitted to the bottom surface of the lower midsole (3b), and a shock absorbing member (7) provided at a heel strike region of the heel portion between the wavy plate (4) and the outsole (5).

Claims

1. A sole structure of an athletic shoe comprising:

an upper midsole that is formed of a soft elastic material and that extends from a heel portion of said sole structure to a forefoot portion of said sole structure;

a lower midsole that is formed of a soft elastic material and that is disposed at least at a part of said heel portion under at least a part of said upper midsole;

a wavy plate that is provided between said upper midsole and said lower midsole and that has a wavy configuration at least at said heel portion and progressing to a midfoot portion of said sole structure;

an outsole fitted to a bottom surface of said lower midsole; and

a shock absorbing member that is formed of a viscoelastic material having at least 70% energy loss, and that is arranged in said heel portion between said wavy plate and said outsole and extending from a rearmost end of said heel portion to a rear edge of said lower midsole in said heel portion.

2. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein said viscoelastic material has 85% or more energy loss.

3. The sole structure of claim 2, wherein said shock absorbing member has a hardness of H_AC on an Asker C scale, said hardness of H_AC satisfying an inequality, H_AC≦

55.

4. The sole structure of claim 3, wherein said shock absorbing member is shaped as a curved strip that extends along an outer perimeter of said heel portion at said rearmost end, and said curved strip has a width of 10 mm or more.

5. The sole structure of claim 2, wherein said shock absorbing member is shaped as a curved strip that extends along an outer perimeter of said heel portion at said rearmost end, and said curved strip has a width of 10 mm or more.

6. The sole structure of claim 5, wherein there exist inequalities,

7. The sole structure of claim 6, wherein an amplitude of a wavy corrugation of said wavy plate at said heel portion is smaller on the lateral side and greater on the medial side.

8. The sole structure of claim 5, wherein there exist inequalities,

9. The sole structure of claim 8, wherein an amplitude of a wavy corrugation of said wavy plate at said heel portion is smaller on the medial side and greater on the lateral side.

10. The sole structure of claim 5, wherein there exist inequalities,

11. The sole structure of claim 10, wherein amplitude of a wavy configuration of said wavy plate at said heel portion is generally equal between a medial side and a lateral side.

12. The sole structure of claim 2, wherein there exist inequalities,

13. The sole structure of claim 2, wherein there exist inequalities,

14. The sole structure of claim 13, wherein an amplitude of a wavy corrugation of said wavy plate at said heel portion is smaller on the medial side and greater on the lateral side.

15. The sole structure of claim 2, wherein there exist inequalities,

16. The sole structure of claim 15, wherein amplitude of a wavy configuration of said wavy plate at said heel portion is generally equal between a medial side and a lateral side.

17. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein said shock absorbing member has a hardness of H_AC on an Asker C scale, said hardness of H_AC satisfying an inequality, H_AC≦

55.

18. The sole structure of claim 17, wherein said shock absorbing member is shaped as a curved strip that extends along an outer perimeter of said heel portion at said rearmost end, and said curved strip has a width of 10 mm or more.

19. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein said shock absorbing member is shaped as a curved strip that extends along an outer perimeter of said heel portion at said rearmost end, and said curved strip has a width of 10 mm or more.

20. The sole structure of claim 19, wherein there exist inequalities,

21. The sole structure of claim 20, wherein an amplitude of a wavy corrugation of said wavy plate at said heel portion is smaller on the lateral side and greater on the medial side.

22. The sole structure of claim 20, wherein an amplitude of a wavy corrugation of said wavy plate at said heel portion is smaller on the lateral side and greater on the medial side.

23. The sole structure of claim 12, wherein an amplitude of a wavy corrugation of said wavy plate at said heel portion is smaller on the lateral side and greater on the medial side.

24. The sole structure of claim 19, wherein there exist inequalities,

25. The sole structure of claim 24, wherein an amplitude of a wavy corrugation of said wavy plate at said heel portion is smaller on the medial side and greater on the lateral side.

26. The sole structure of claim 19, wherein there exist inequalities,

27. The sole structure of claim 26, wherein amplitude of a wavy configuration of said wavy plate at said heel portion is generally equal between a medial side and a lateral side.

28. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein there exist inequalities,

29. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein there exist inequalities,

30. The sole structure of claim 29, wherein an amplitude of a wavy corrugation of said wavy plate at said heel portion is smaller on the medial side and greater on the lateral side.

31. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein there exist inequalities,

32. The sole structure of claim 31, wherein amplitude of a wavy configuration of said wavy plate at said heel portion is generally equal between a medial side and a lateral side.

33. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein an amplitude of a wavy corrugation of said wavy plate at said heel portion is smaller on the lateral side and greater on the medial side.