Shoe sole structures

• US 6,918,197 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1990
• 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:
  US10/255,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 36/25.R, 36/28, 36/29, 36/30.R, 36/31, 36/45, 361/02, 361/03
• US Class Current: 36/28
• 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 13/189 filled with a non-compressible fluid, e.g. gel, water
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/20 Pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407

Abstract

Footwear, particularly athletic shoes, that has a sole structure copying support, stability and cushioning structures of the human foot. Still more particularly, this invention relates to the use of the shoe upper portion to envelop one or more portions of the shoe midsole in combination with portions of the shoe sole having at least one concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface, relative to a portion of the shoe sole located adjacent to the concavely rounded outer surface portion, and at least one convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component, relative to a portion of the midsole component located adjacent to the convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component, all as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

Claims

1. A shoe having a shoe sole suitable for 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 the location of a heel of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe;

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

a third portion at a location between said heel portion and said forefoot portion;

the shoe sole having a sole medial side, a sole lateral side, and a sole middle portion located between said sole sides;

a bottom sole which forms at least part of the sole outer surface;

a midsole component having an inner surface and an outer surface;

the inner surface of the midsole component of one of the sole medial and lateral sides comprising a convexly rounded portion, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section during a shoe sole unloaded, upright condition, the convexity of the convexly rounded portion of the sole inner surface existing with respect to a section of the shoe sole directly adjacent to the convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component,

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

the convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component and the sole outer surface concavely rounded portion both being located on the same sole side;

the sole having a lateral sidemost section located outside a straight vertical line extending through the shoe sole at a lateral sidemost extent of the inner surface of the midsole component, as viewed in said frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

the sole having a medial sidemost section located outside a straight vertical line extending through the shoe sole at a medial sidemost extent of the inner surface of the midsole component, as viewed in said frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

a portion of the midsole component and a portion of the bottom sole extend into one of said sidemost sections of the shoe sole side, as viewed in said frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

said midsole portion located in a sidemost section of the shoe sole extending to a height above a lowest point of said inner surface of the midsole component, as viewed in said frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; and

said midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion extending below a height of the lowest point of the inner surface of the midsole component, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe is in an unloaded, upright condition.

2. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component, and the concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the shoe sole are located at least at one location on the shoe sole corresponding to a location of the following support and propulsion elements of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe:

the base of the fifth metatarsal, the head of the first metarsal, the head of the fifth metatarsal, the first distal phalange, the base of the calcaneus, and the lateral tuberosity of the calcaneus.

3. The shoe sole according to claim 2, wherein the midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion at least at one location on the shoe sole corresponding to a location of the following support and propulsion elements of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe:

the base of the fifth metatarsal, the head of the first metarsal, the head of the fifth metatarsal, the first distal phalange, the base of the calcaneus, and the lateral tuberosity of the calcaneus.

4. The shoe sole according to claim 3, wherein the convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component and the concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the shoe sole are located at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the base of the fifth metatarsal of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe, and

the midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion extending below a height of the lowest point of the inner surface of the midsole component at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the base of the fifth metatarsal of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe.

5. The shoe sole according to claim 3, wherein the convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component and the concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the shoe sole are located at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the head of the fifth metatarsal of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe, and

the midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion extending below a height of the lowest point of the inner surface of the midsole component at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the head of the fifth metatarsal of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe.

6. The shoe sole according to claim 3, wherein the convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component and the concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the shoe sole are located at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the head of the first metatarsal of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe, and

the midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion extending below a height of the lowest point of the inner surface of the midsole component at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the head of the first metatarsal of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe.

7. The shoe sole according to claim 3, wherein the convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component and the concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the shoe sole are located at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the first distal phalange of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe, and

the midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion extending below a height of the lowest point of the inner surface of the midsole component at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the first distal phalange of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe.

8. The shoe sole according to claim 3, wherein the convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component and the concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the shoe sole are located at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the base of the calcaneus of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe, and

the midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion extending below a height of the lowest point of the inner surface of the midsole component at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the first distal phalange of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe.

9. The shoe sole according to claim 3, wherein the convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the midsole component and the concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the shoe sole are located at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the lateral tuberosity of the calcaneus of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe, and

the midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion extending below a height of the lowest point of the inner surface of the midsole component at least at a location on the shoe sole corresponding to the location of the first distal phalange of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe.

10. The shoe sole according to claim 3 comprising at least two convexly rounded portions of the inner surface of the midsole component and at least two concavely rounded portions of the outer surface of the shoe sole located at least at two locations corresponding to the locations of said structural and support elements of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe, and

the midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion extending below a height of the lowest point of the inner surface of the midsole component at least at said two locations corresponding to the locations of said structural and support elements of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe.

11. The shoe sole according to claim 3, comprising at least three convexly rounded portions of the inner surface of the midsole component and at least three concavely rounded portions of the outer surface of the shoe sole located at least at three locations corresponding to the locations of said structural and support elements of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe, and

the midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion extending below a height of the lowest point of the inner surface of the midsole component at least at said three locations corresponding to the locations of said structural and support elements of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe.

12. The shoe sole according to claim 3, comprising at least four convexly rounded portions of the inner surface of the midsole component and at least four concavely rounded portions of the outer surface of the shoe sole located at least at four locations corresponding to the locations of said structural and support elements of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe, and

the midsole component is enveloped on the outside by a shoe upper portion extending below a height of the lowest point of the inner surface of the midsole component at least at said four locations corresponding to the locations of said structural and support elements of the intended wearer'"'"'s foot when inside the shoe.

13. The shoe according to claim 3, wherein said shoe upper portion is attached to said bottom sole.

14. The shoe according to claim 13, wherein said shoe upper portion is attached to an inner surface of said bottom sole.

15. The shoe according to claim 13, wherein said shoe upper portion is attached to an outer surface of said bottom sole.

16. The shoe according to claim 3, wherein the shoe sole further comprises at least one cushioning compartment.

17. The shoe according to claim 3, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface extends down the sole side to a lowest point on said sole side, as viewed in said frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

18. The shoe according to claim 17, wherein the concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface extends from a sidemost extent of the sole outer surface of the sole side to said lowest point on said sole side, as viewed in said frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

19. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least a portion of at least one of said portions of the shoe sole located between at least one of said concavely rounded portions of the sole outer surface and one of said convexly rounded portions of the inner surface of the midsole component has a substantially uniform thickness extending substantially to a sidemost extent of the shoe sole side, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

20. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 19, wherein at least two portions of the shoe sole, each located between at least one of said concavely rounded portions of the sole outer surface and one of said convexly rounded portions of the inner surface of the midsole component have a substantially uniform thickness extending substantially to a sidemost extent of the shoe sole side, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition, and

the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole is different when measured in at least two separate frontal plane cross-sections.

21. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the shoe sole located between at least one of said concavely rounded portions of the sole outer surface and one of said convexly rounded portions of the inner surface of the midsole component has a substantially uniform thickness extending through an arc of at least 20 degrees, 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 17, wherein at least a portion of the shoe sole located between at least one of said concavely rounded portions of the sole outer surface and one of said convexly rounded portions of the inner surface of the midsole component 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 22, at least two portions of the shoe sole, each located between at least one of said concavely rounded portions of the sole outer surface and one of said convexly rounded portions of the inner surface of the midsole component have 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.

24. A shoe sole as claimed in claim 23, wherein the substantially uniform thickness of the shoe sole is different when measured in at least two separate frontal plane cross-sections.