Shoe sole structures using a theoretically ideal stability plane

• US 6,748,674 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anatomic Research Inc.
• Original Assignee: Anatomic Research Inc.
• Inventors: Ellis, Frampton E. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US10/288,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20030131497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 36/25.R, 36/30.R, 36/28, 36/31, 36/32.R, 36/88, 36/91, 361/14, 361/27, 361/29, 36/69
• US Class Current: 36/25.00R
• 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

Abstract

A construction for a shoe, particularly an athletic shoe such as a running shoe, includes a sole that is constructed according to an ideal stability plane. Such a shoe sole conforms to the natural shape of the foot, particularly the sides, and has a constant thickness in frontal plane cross sections; the thickness of the shoe sole sides contour equals the thickness of the load-bearing sole portion and therefore varies as the thickness of the load-bearing sole portion varies. Natural stability is provided in negative heel shoe soles that are less thick in the heel area than in the rest of the shoe sole. Also provided is natural stability in flat shoe soles that have no heel lift, maintaining the same thickness throughout. The design avoids excessive structural rigidity by using contoured stability sides abbreviated to only essential structural support elements.

Claims

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

a sole heel area of the athletic shoe sole at a location substantially corresponding to the location of a heel of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

a sole forefoot area at a location substantially corresponding to the location of a forefoot of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

a sole midtarsal area located between the sole heel area and the sole forefoot area;

the sole heel, midtarsal, and forefoot areas each having a sole medial side, a sole lateral side, and a sole middle part located between the sole sides, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during a shoe unloaded, upright condition;

a sole inner surface adjacent an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location inside the shoe having at least a first concavely rounded portion, said concavity being determined relative to an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location inside the shoe, as viewed in a frontal plane located in the sole forefoot area, during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole lateral side including a sidemost lateral section at a location outside of a straight vertical line extending through the sole lateral side at the sidemost extent of the sole inner surface of the sole lateral side, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole medial side including a sidemost medial section at a location outside of a straight vertical line extending through the sole medial side at the sidemost extent of the sole inner surface of the sole medial side, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

a sole outer surface extending from the sole inner surface and defining the outer boundary of each shoe sole side, as viewed in a frontal plane;

a second concavely rounded portion forming a part of the sole outer surface of the sole side that extends through a lowermost portion of the sole outer surface of one of the lateral and medial sole sides, the concavity being determined relative to an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location inside the shoe, as viewed in the frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole forefoot area including the following combined components;

a forefoot lift, a midsole component and an outsole component, the inner and outer boundaries of the combined components being formed by said sole inner and outer surfaces, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane in the sole forefoot area, during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole forefoot area of the shoe sole having a greater thickness than the sole heel area, as viewed in a sagittal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the thickness of the shoe sole being defined as the distance between the sole inner surface and the sole outer surface, as viewed in the sagittal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

at least one of said combined components extending into the sidemost section of at least the sole side of the sole forefoot area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition, and

at least an upper part of one of said combined components extending into the sidemost section of the sole side of the sole forefoot area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions extending up the sole side at least to the height of a lowest point of the sole inner surface of the same shoe sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition.

2. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said first concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said second concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

3. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a substantially uniform thickness extending through an arc of at least 30 degrees, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

4. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a first side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a first substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a first frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition, and

at least a second side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between a concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and a concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a second, different substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a second frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole .is upright and in an unloaded condition.

5. An athletic shoe sole for a shoe, the athletic shoe sole comprising:

a sole heel area of the athletic shoe sole at a location substantially corresponding to the location of a heel of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

a sole forefoot area at a location substantially corresponding to the location of a forefoot of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

a sole midtarsal area located between the sole heel area and the sole forefoot area;

the sole heel, midtarsal, and forefoot areas each having a sole medial side, a sole lateral side, and a sole middle part located between the sole sides, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during a shoe unloaded, upright condition;

a sole inner surface adjacent an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location inside the shoe having at least a first concavely rounded portion, the concavity being determined relative to an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location inside the shoe, as viewed in a frontal plane in the sole heel area during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

a sole outer surface extending from the sole inner surface and having at least a second concavely rounded portion, the concavity being determined relative to an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location inside the shoe, as viewed in the frontal plane in the sole heel area during the upright, unloaded condition;

the second concavely rounded portion extending to a lowermost portion of one of the lateral and medial sole sides, as viewed in the frontal plane during a shoe upright, unloaded condition;

the sole lateral side including a sidemost lateral section at a location outside of a straight vertical line extending through the sole lateral side at the sidemost extent of the sole inner surface of the sole lateral side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole medial side including a sidemost medial section at a location outside of a straight vertical line extending through the sole medial side at the sidemost extent of the sole inner surface of the sole medial side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole heel area including the following combined components;

a midsole component and an outsole component, the inner and outer boundaries of the combined components being formed by said sole inner and outer surfaces, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole forefoot area having a greater thickness than the sole heel area, as viewed in a sagittal plane, during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the thickness of the shoe sole being defined as the distance between the sole inner surface and the sole outer surface, as viewed in the sagittal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

said combined components extending into the sidemost section of at least the sole side of the sole heel area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition, and

at least an upper part of said combined components that extend into the sidemost section of the sole side of the sole heel area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions extending up the sole side at least to a height of a lowest point of the sole inner surface of the same sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition.

6. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least a side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said first concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said second concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

7. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least a first side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a first substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a first frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition, and

at least a second side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between a concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and a concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a second, different substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a second frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

8. An athletic shoe sole for a shoe, the athletic shoe sole comprising:

a sole inner surface of an athletic shoe sole for supporting the foot of an intended wearer and a sole outer surface;

a sole heel area at a location substantially corresponding to the location of a heel of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

a sole forefoot area at a location substantially corresponding to the location of a forefoot of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

a sole midtarsal area located between the sole heel area and the sole forefoot area;

the sole heel, midtarsal, and forefoot areas having a sole medial side, a sole lateral side, and a sole middle part located between the sole sides, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during a shoe unloaded, upright condition;

the sole lateral side including a sidemost lateral section located outside of a straight vertical line extending through the sole lateral side at the sidemost extent of the sole inner surface of the sole lateral side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole medial side including a sidemost medial section located outside of a straight vertical line extending through the sole medial side at the sidemost extent of the sole inner surface of the sole medial side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

a forefoot lift providing an increased shoe sole thickness in the sole forefoot area such that the sole forefoot area has a sole thickness that is greater than a sole thickness in the sole heel area, as viewed in a shoe sole sagittal plane, during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the thickness of the shoe sole being defined as the distance between the sole inner surface and the sole outer surface, as viewed in the sagittal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole heel area including the following combined components;

a midsole component and an outsole component, the inner and outer boundaries of the combined components being formed by said sole inner and outer surfaces, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole inner surface and the sole outer surface of one of the sole medial and lateral sides of the sole heel area each including a concavely rounded portion, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition, the concavity existing with respect to an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location in the shoe;

the concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface extending through a lowermost part of the sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

said combined components extending into the sidemost section of at least the sole side of the sole heel area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition; and

at least an upper part of the combined components that extend into the sidemost section of the sole side of the sole heel area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions extending up the sole side at least to a height of a lowest point of the sole inner surface of the same sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition.

9. The shoe sole according to claim 8, wherein at least an upper part of the combined components that extend into the sidemost section of the sole side of the sole heel area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions extends up the sole side to above the height of the lowest point of the sole inner surface of the same sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition.

10. The shoe sole according to claim 9, wherein the sole side portion located between the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions has a thickness between the inner and outer surfaces that decreases gradually and continuously from a greatest thickness to a lesser thickness, as viewed in a horizontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition;

and

the sole outer surface of the same sole side portion is also substantially concavely rounded, as viewed in a shoe sole horizontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition, the concavity existing with respect to a centerline of the shoe sole.

11. The shoe sole according to claim 10, wherein the combined components of the sole heel area also include a forefoot lift.

12. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least a side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

13. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least a side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a substantially uniform thickness extending through an arc of at least 30 degrees, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

14. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least a side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a substantially uniform thickness extending through an arc of at least 30 degrees, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

15. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least a first side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a first substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a first frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition, and

at least a second side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between a concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and a concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a second, different substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a second frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

16. An athletic shoe sole for a shoe, the athletic shoe sole comprising:

a sole inner surface of an athletic shoe sole for supporting the foot of an intended wearer and a sole outer surface;

a sole heel area at a location substantially corresponding to the location of a heel of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

a sole forefoot area at a location substantially corresponding to the location of a forefoot of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

a sole midtarsal area located between the sole heel area and the sole forefoot area;

the sole heel, midtarsal, and forefoot areas each having a sole medial side, a sole lateral side, and a sole middle part located between the sole sides, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during a shoe unloaded, upright condition;

the sole lateral side including a sidemost lateral section located outside of a straight vertical line extending through the sole lateral side at the sidemost extent of the sole inner surface of the sole lateral side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole medial side including a sidemost medial section located outside of a straight vertical line extending through the sole medial side at the sidemost extent of the sole inner surface of the sole medial side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole forefoot area including the following combined components;

a forefoot lift, a midsole component and an outsole component, the inner and outer boundaries of the combined components being formed by said sole inner and outer surfaces, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the forefoot lift providing an increased shoe sole thickness in the sole forefoot area such that the sole forefoot area has a thickness that is greater than a thickness in the sole heel area, as viewed in a shoe sole sagittal plane, during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the thickness of the shoe sole being defined as the distance between the sole inner surface and the sole outer surface, as viewed in the sagittal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole inner surface and the sole outer surface of one of the sole medial and lateral sides of the sole forefoot area each including a concavely rounded portion, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition, the concavity existing with respect to an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location in the shoe;

the concavely rounded portion of the outer surface extending through a lowermost part of the sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

at least one of the combined components extending into the sidemost section of at least the sole side of the sole forefoot area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition; and

at least an upper part of the at least one combined component that extends into the sidemost section of the sole side of the sole forefoot area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions extending up the sole side at least to a height of a lowest point of the sole inner surface of the same sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition.

17. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 16 wherein the sole outer surface of the sole middle part of the sole forefoot area has an indentation, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition.

18. The shoe sole according to claim 17, wherein the sole side portion located between concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions has a thickness between the inner and outer surfaces that decreases gradually and continuously from a greatest thickness to a lesser thickness, as viewed in a horizontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition;

and

the sole outer surface of the same sole portion is also substantially concavely rounded, as viewed in a shoe sole horizontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition, the concavity existing with respect to a centerline of the shoe sole.

19. The shoe sole according to claim 16, wherein at least an upper part of the at least one combined component that extends into the sidemost section of the sole side of the sole heel area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions extends up the sole side to above the height of a lowest point of the sole inner surface of the same sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition.

20. The shoe sole according to claim 16 wherein the sole inner surface of the sole forefoot area is formed by the forefoot lift, the forefoot lift extending into the sidemost section of the sole side of the sole forefoot area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions and above the height of the lowest point of the sole inner surface of the same sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition.

21. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least a side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

22. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least a side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a substantially uniform thickness extending through an arc of at least 30 degrees, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

23. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least a first side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a first substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a first frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition, and

at least a second side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between a concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and a concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a second, different substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a second frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

24. An athletic shoe sole for a shoe, the athletic shoe sole comprising:

a sole inner surface of an athletic shoe sole for supporting the foot of an intended wearer and a sole outer surface;

a sole heel area at a location substantially corresponding to a heel of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

a sole forefoot area at a location substantially corresponding to a forefoot of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

a sole midtarsal area at a location substantially corresponding to the area between the heel and the forefoot of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

the sole heel, midtarsal, and forefoot areas having a sole medial side, a sole lateral side, and a sole middle part located between the sole sides, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during a shoe unloaded, upright condition;

the sole lateral side including a sidemost lateral section at a location outside of a straight vertical line extending though the sole lateral side at the sidemost extent of the sole inner surface of the sole lateral side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole medial side including a sidemost medial section at a location outside of a straight vertical line extending though the sole medial side at the sidemost extent of the sole inner surface of the sole medial side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole midtarsal area including the following combined components;

a forefoot lift component, a midsole component, and an outsole component, the inner and outer boundaries of the combined components being formed by said sole inner and outer surfaces, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the forefoot lift providing an increased shoe sole thickness in the sole forefoot area such that the sole forefoot area has a thickness that is greater than a thickness in the sole heel area, as viewed in a shoe sole sagittal plane, during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the thickness of the shoe sole being defined as the distance between the sole inner surface and the sole outer surface, as viewed in a shoe sole sagittal plane, during an unloaded, upright shoe condition;

the sole inner surface and the sole outer surface of one of the sole medial and lateral sides of the sole midtarsal area each including a concavely rounded portion, as viewed in a shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition, the concavity existing with respect to an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location inside the shoe;

the concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface extending through a part of the same sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition, the concavity existing with respect to an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location inside the shoe;

at least one of said combined components extending into the sidemost section of at least the sole side of the sole midtarsal area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition; and

at least an upper part of the at least one combined component extending into the sidemost section of the sole side of the sole midtarsal area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions extends up the sole side at least to a height of a lowest point of the sole inner surface of the same sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition.

25. The athletic shoe sole as claimed in claim 24, wherein the sole outer surface of at least part of the midtarsal area is substantially convexly rounded, as viewed in a shoe sole sagittal plane during an unloaded, upright shoe condition, the concavity existing with respect to an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location in the shoe.

26. The shoe sole according to claim 25, wherein the sole side portion located between the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions has a thickness between the inner and outer surfaces that decreases gradually and continuously from a greatest thickness to a lesser thickness, as viewed in a horizontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition;

and

the sole outer surface of the same sole side portion is also substantially concavely rounded, as viewed in a shoe sole horizontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition, the concavity existing with respect to a centerline of the shoe sole.

27. The shoe sole according to claim 24, wherein the upper part of the at least one combined component that extends into the sidemost section of the sole side of the sole heel area having the concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions extends up the sole side to above the height of the lowest point of the sole inner surface of the same sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition.

28. The shoe sole according to claim 24, wherein the sole inner surface of the sole midtarsal area is formed by the forefoot lift, the forefoot lift extending into the sidemost section of the sole side of the sole midtarsal area having concavely rounded inner and outer surface portions and to a height above the height of the lowest point of the sole inner surface of the same sole side, as viewed in the shoe sole frontal plane during an upright, unloaded shoe condition.

29. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 24, wherein at least a side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said first concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said second concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

30. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 24, wherein at least a side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a substantially uniform thickness extending through an arc of at least 30 degrees, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

31. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 24, wherein at least a first side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between said concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a first substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a first frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition, and

at least a second side portion of an area of the shoe sole located between a concavely rounded portion of the sole inner surface and a concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface has a second, different substantially uniform thickness extending to proximate a sidemost extent of a shoe sole side, as viewed in a second frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.