Shoes sole structures

• US 6,789,331 B1
• Filed: 06/05/1995
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1989
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anatomic Research Inc.
• Original Assignee: Anatomic Research Inc.
• Inventors: Ellis, Frampton E. III
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US08/462,531
• Time in Patent Office: 3,389 Days
• Field of Search: 36/25.R, 361/14, 36/32.R, 36/88, 36/89, 36/14, 36/15, 36/92, 36/93, 36/30.R
• US Class Current: 36/25.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• 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 13/146 Concave end portions, e.g. with a cavity or cut-out portion
• 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

Abstract

In its simplest conceptual form, this invention relates to variations in the structure of such shoes having a sole contour which follows a theoretically ideal stability plane as a basic concept, but which deviates substantially therefrom outwardly, to provide greater than natural stability, so that joint motion of the wearer is restricted, especially the ankle joint; or, alternately, which deviates substantially therefrom inwardly, to provide less than natural stability, so that a greater freedom of joint motion is allowed. Alternately, substantial density variations or bottom sole designs are used instead of, or in combination with, substantial thickness variations for the same purpose. These shoe sole modifications are research indicating that they are necessary and useful to correct important interrelated anatomical/biomechanical imbalances or deformities of surprising large magnitude in both individuals or major population groups.

Claims

1. A shoe having a shoe sole suitable for use in an athletic shoe, the shoe sole comprising:

a sole inner surface for supporting the foot of an intended wearer;

a sole outer surface;

a heel portion at a location substantially corresponding to a heel of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot;

a forefoot portion at a location substantially corresponding to a forefoot of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot;

a midtarsal portion at a location corresponding to an area of the sole between the heel portion and the forefoot portion; and

a bottom sole;

a midsole defined by an inner midsole surface and an outer midsole surface;

the heel, midtarsal, and forefoot portions having a sole middle portion, a sole medial side located medially to the sole middle portion, and a sole lateral side located laterally to the sole middle portion,

the midsole having a middle midsole portion, a medial midsole side located medially to the middle midsole portion and a lateral midsole side located laterally to the middle midsole portion,

the inner midsole surface located in each of the medial and lateral midsole sides comprising a convexly rounded portion, as viewed in a heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition, the convexity existing with respect to a portion of the midsole directly adjacent to the convexly rounded portion of the inner midsole surface, and

the outer midsole surface located in each of the medial and lateral midsole sides comprising a concavely rounded portion extending down from a level corresponding to a lowest point of the inner midsole surface, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition, the concavity existing with respect to an inner section of the midsole directly adjacent to the concavely rounded portion of the outer midsole surface;

each sole side having an uppermost portion that extends above the lowest point of the sole inner surface, as viewed in a heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

the midsole comprising a first midsole portion located completely on one side of a centerline of said midsole, said first midsole portion having a first density or firmness, and a second midsole portion located completely on another side of a centerline of said midsole, said second midsole portion having a second density or firmness which is different than the density or firmness of said first midsole portion, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

each midsole side comprises a sidemost section of the midsole defined by that portion of the midsole located outside of a straight vertical line drawn through the sidemost extent of the inner midsole surface of the midsole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

at least a part of the midsole extends into the sidemost section of each midsole side, as viewed in the heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

the part of the midsole that extends into the sidemost section of each midsole side further extends to above a lowermost point of the inner midsole surface of the midsole on the same sole side, as viewed in the heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

each sole side having a sole thickness between said sole inner and outer surfaces that is greater than a sole thickness between said sole inner and outer surfaces of the sole middle portion, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; and

the sole thickness between the sole inner surface and the sole outer surface increases gradually and substantially continuously from the uppermost point of each sole side through at least a substantial part of the uppermost portion of the sole side, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

2. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the sole middle portion gradually increases from a vertical centerline of the shoe sole to the each sole side, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

3. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein the sole thickness of a portion of the sole middle portion gradually increases, and the gradual sole thickness increase continues into each sole side, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

4. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein the outer midsole surface concavely rounded portions extend to a lowest point on each said midsole sidemost section, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

5. The shoe according to claim 4, wherein at least one outer midsole surface concavely rounded portion extends to a part of the middle midsole portion adjacent to the midsole sidemost section on the same midsole side, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

6. The shoe according to claim 4, wherein the outer midsole surface concavely rounded portions extend to above a sidemost extent of each midsole side, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

7. The shoe according to claim 4, wherein the outer midsole surface concavely rounded portions further extend to a vertical centerline of the middle midsole portion, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

8. The shoe according to claim 4, wherein each outer midsole surface concavely rounded portion extends to a part of the middle midsole portion adjacent its respective midsole sidemost section, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

9. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the outer midsole surface of an uppermost portion of each of the midsole medial and lateral sides includes a concavely rounded portion, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe soleis upright and in an unloaded condition, the concavity existing with respect to an inner section of the midsole directly adjacent to the concavely rounded portion of the outer midsole surface.

10. The shoe according to claim 9, wherein the outer midsole surface of at least the entire uppermost portion of each midsole sidemost section is concavely rounded relative to an inner section of the midsole directly adjacent to the concavely rounded portion of the outer midsole surface, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

11. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the sole thickness increases gradually and substantially continuously from said uppermost point of each shoe sole side through the entire uppermost portion of the shoe sole side.

12. The shoe sole according to claim 11, wherein the inner midsole surface of the uppermost portion of each midsole side comprises a convexly rounded portion, said convexity being determined relative to a section of the midsole directly adjacent to said convexly rounded portion of the inner midsole surface, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

13. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the sole thickness is defined as the length of a line extending from a point on the sole inner surface to the sole outer surface in a direction perpendicular to a line tangent to the sole inner surface at said point on the sole inner surface, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

14. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the midsole comprises at least three midsole portions having three different densities or firmnesses.

15. The shoe sole according to claim 14, wherein the midsole portion having the third density or firmness is located completely between the midsole portions having first and second densities or firmnesses, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

16. The shoe sole according to claim 15, wherein the midsole portion having the third density or firmness has the least density or firmness of said midsole portions having different densities or firmnesses.

17. A shoe having a shoe sole suitable for use in an athletic shoe, the shoe sole comprising:

a sole inner surface for supporting the foot of an intended wearer;

a sole outer surface;

a heel portion at a location substantially corresponding to a heel of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot;

a forefoot portion at a location substantially corresponding to a forefoot of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot;

a midtarsal portion at a location corresponding to an area of the sole between the heel portion and the forefoot portion; and

a bottom sole and a midsole,

the midsole defined by an inner midsole surface and an outer midsole surface;

the heel, midtarsal, and forefoot portions having a sole middle portion, a sole medial side located medially to the sole middle portion, and a sole lateral side located laterally to the sole middle portion, each sole side defined by that portion of said sole located outside a vertical line extending through each sidemost extent of the sole inner surface, as viewed in a heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

the midsole having a middle midsole portion, a medial midsole side located medially to the middle midsole portion and a lateral midsole side located laterally to the middle midsole portion;

the inner midsole surface of each of the midsole medial and lateral sides comprising a convexly rounded portion, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition, the convexity existing with respect to a section of the midsole directly adjacent to each convexly rounded portion of the inner midsole surface;

the outer midsole surface of each of the midsole medial and lateral sides comprising a concavely rounded portion, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition, the concavity existing with respect to an inner section of the midsole directly adjacent to the concavely rounded portion of the outer midsole surface;

the midsole comprising a first midsole portion located completely on one side of a centerline of said midsole, said first midsole portion having a first density or firmness, and a second midsole portion located completely on another side of a centerline of said midsole, said second midsole portion having a second density or firmness which is different than the density or firmness of said first midsole portion, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

each midsole side comprises a sidemost section of the midsole defined by that portion of the midsole located outside of a straight vertical line drawn through the sidemost extent of the inner midsole surface of the midsole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

at least a part of the midsole extends into the sidemost section of each midsole side, as viewed in the heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

the part of the midsole that extends into the sidemost section of each midsole side further extends to above a lowermost point of the inner midsole surface of the midsole on the same sole side, as viewed in the heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; and

each sole side having a sole thickness that is greater than a sole thickness in the sole middle portion, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

18. The shoe sole according to claim 17, wherein the midsole middle portion having a higher density or firmness forms at least a part of at least one midsole side and the midsole portion having a lower density or firmness forms at least a part of the middle midsole portion of the shoe sole, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

19. The shoe sole according to claim 18, wherein the midsole portion having a higher density or firmness forms the entire midsole portion of at least one midsole side, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

20. The shoe sole according to claim 17, wherein the midsole portion forms one side of the midsole and has a different density or firmness than a midsole portion which forms the other side of the shoe sole, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

21. The shoe sole according to claim 17, wherein the sole thickness is defined as the length of a line extending from a point on the sole inner surface to the sole outer surface in a direction perpendicular to a line tangent to the sole inner surface at said point on the sole inner surface, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

22. The shoe sole according to claim 17, wherein the midsole comprises at least three midsole portions having three different densities or firmnesses.

23. The shoe sole according to claim 22, wherein the midsole portion having the third density or firmness is located completely between the midsole portions having first and second densities or firmnesses, as viewed in said heel portion frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

24. The shoe sole according to claim 23, wherein the midsole portion having the third density or firmness has the least density or firmness of said midsole portions having different densities or firmnesses.