Footwear system
First Claim
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1. A footwear system comprising:
- a midsole having a first cavity and a second cavity;
an outsole having a ground contacting surface, said outsole having a third cavity and a fourth cavity, said outsole being connected to said midsole so that said first cavity is complementary to said third cavity to define a first air bulge and said second cavity is complementary to said fourth cavity to define a second air bulge, said first air bulge and said second air bulge extending outward from said ground contacting surface, said first air bulge being connected to said second air bulge by a passageway;
a first resilient insert disposed in said first cavity and a second resilient insert disposed in said second cavity, said first and second resilient inserts providing an energy absorption to said midsole upon impact, wherein said first resilient insert and said second resilient insert each has a tread, said tread contacting an inner surface of said outsole upon impact to provide traction to said midsole, said inner surface being opposite said ground contacting surface,wherein said tread is a plurality of longitudinal grooves extending on a first surface opposite said midsole.
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Abstract
A footwear system has a sole unit with a number of cavities formed between a midsole and an outsole. The cavities are complementary to one another to form groundward oriented air bulges in the outsole that are connected by a passage formed in the midsole. The passage permits movement of air between the cavities during use of the footwear system in a shoe.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A footwear system comprising:
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a midsole having a first cavity and a second cavity; an outsole having a ground contacting surface, said outsole having a third cavity and a fourth cavity, said outsole being connected to said midsole so that said first cavity is complementary to said third cavity to define a first air bulge and said second cavity is complementary to said fourth cavity to define a second air bulge, said first air bulge and said second air bulge extending outward from said ground contacting surface, said first air bulge being connected to said second air bulge by a passageway; a first resilient insert disposed in said first cavity and a second resilient insert disposed in said second cavity, said first and second resilient inserts providing an energy absorption to said midsole upon impact, wherein said first resilient insert and said second resilient insert each has a tread, said tread contacting an inner surface of said outsole upon impact to provide traction to said midsole, said inner surface being opposite said ground contacting surface, wherein said tread is a plurality of longitudinal grooves extending on a first surface opposite said midsole. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A shoe comprising:
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a midsole having a plurality of first cavities with at least one of said plurality of first cavities being in a metatarsal region of said midsole and at least another one of said plurality of first cavities being in a heel strike region of said midsole; an outsole having a ground contacting surface with a tread and having a plurality of second cavities, wherein said outsole is connected to said midsole so that said plurality of first cavities are complementary to said plurality of second cavities to define a plurality of air bulges extending outwardly from said ground contacting surface, said plurality of air bulges being interconnected by a plurality of passageways in said midsole; and a plurality of inserts connected to said midsole in each of said plurality of first cavities, said plurality of inserts each having a tread thereon, wherein said tread is a plurality of longitudinal grooves extending on a first surface opposite said midsole. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A footwear system comprising:
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a midsole having a first cavity and a second cavity; an outsole having a ground contacting surface, said outsole having a third cavity and a fourth cavity, said outsole being connected to said midsole so that said first cavity is complementary to said third cavity to define a first air bulge and said second cavity is complementary to said fourth cavity to define a second air bulge, said first and second air bulges extending outward from said ground contacting surface, said first air bulge being connected to said second air bulge by at least two separate and independent passageways; and a pair of flex notches on the peripheral edge of said outsole, said pair of flex notches having an axis of alignment across a contricted portion of at least one of said first and second air bulges. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification