Removable rounded midsole structures and chambers with computer processor-controlled variable pressure
First Claim
1. A shoe comprising:
- a shoe upper and a shoe sole including at least an inner surface, an outer surface and a bottom sole;
at least a portion of said shoe sole being formed by a removable midsole section;
at least a portion of the sides of said shoe upper being attached directly to the bottom sole, such that upper envelopes, on the outside, at least the removable midsole section of said shoe sole, such that the removable midsole section of said shoe sole is located within a structure formed by a combination of said bottom sole and a portion of said upper that is attached to said bottom sole;
the inner surface of the shoe sole including at least one convexly rounded portion, said convexity being determined relative to a portion of the shoe sole directly adjacent to the inner surface of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;
the outer surface of the shoe sole including at least one concavely rounded portion, said concavity being determined relative to a portion of the shoe sole directly adjacent to the outer surface of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;
each said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface being located on the shoe sole at a location corresponding to the location of at least one convexly rounded portion of the sole inner surface so as to define a rounded portion of the shoe sole located between said convexly rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; and
wherein at least a rounded part of each said rounded portion of the shoe sole between parallel rounded portions of the sole outer surface and inner surface has a uniform thickness, and said rounded part of the shoe sole which has a uniform thickness extends from a lowest point of the shoe sole to at least a sidemost extent of the side of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe is upright and in an unloaded condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates generally to footwear such as a shoe, including an athletic shoe, with a shoe sole, including at least one removable midsole section formed by a midsole portion, wherein the removable midsole section is non-orthotic. The removable midsole section is inserted within the shoe upper, the sides of which hold it in position. The shoe sole includes a concavely rounded side or underneath portion, which may be formed in part by the removable midsole section. The removable midsole section may extend the length of the shoe sole or may form only a part of the shoe sole and can incorporate cushioning or structural compartments or components. The removable midsole section provides the capability to permit replacement of midsole material which has degraded or has worn out in order to maintain optimal characteristics of the shoe sole. The shoe sole can, in another embodiment, include at least one compartment containing a fluid, a flow regulator, a pressure sensor to monitor the compartment pressure, and a control system such as a computer processor capable of automatically adjusting the pressure in the compartment(s) in response to the impact of the shoe sole with the ground surface.
185 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A shoe comprising:
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a shoe upper and a shoe sole including at least an inner surface, an outer surface and a bottom sole; at least a portion of said shoe sole being formed by a removable midsole section; at least a portion of the sides of said shoe upper being attached directly to the bottom sole, such that upper envelopes, on the outside, at least the removable midsole section of said shoe sole, such that the removable midsole section of said shoe sole is located within a structure formed by a combination of said bottom sole and a portion of said upper that is attached to said bottom sole; the inner surface of the shoe sole including at least one convexly rounded portion, said convexity being determined relative to a portion of the shoe sole directly adjacent to the inner surface of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; the outer surface of the shoe sole including at least one concavely rounded portion, said concavity being determined relative to a portion of the shoe sole directly adjacent to the outer surface of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; each said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface being located on the shoe sole at a location corresponding to the location of at least one convexly rounded portion of the sole inner surface so as to define a rounded portion of the shoe sole located between said convexly rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; and wherein at least a rounded part of each said rounded portion of the shoe sole between parallel rounded portions of the sole outer surface and inner surface has a uniform thickness, and said rounded part of the shoe sole which has a uniform thickness extends from a lowest point of the shoe sole to at least a sidemost extent of the side of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe is upright and in an unloaded condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A shoe comprising:
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a shoe upper and a shoe sole including at least an inner surface, an outer surface and a bottom sole; at least a portion of said shoe sole being formed by a removable midsole section; at least a portion of the sides of said shoe upper being attached directly to the bottom sole, such that upper envelopes, on the outside, at least the removable midsole section of said shoe sole, such that the removable midsole section of said shoe sole is located within a structure formed by a combination of said bottom sole and a portion of said upper that is attached to said bottom sole; the inner surface of the shoe sole including at least one convexly rounded portion, said convexity being determined relative to a portion of the shoe sole directly adjacent to the inner surface of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; the outer surface of the shoe sole including at least one concavely rounded portion, said concavity being determined relative to a portion of the shoe sole directly adjacent to the outer surface of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; each said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface being located on the shoe sole at a location corresponding to the location of at least one convexly rounded portion of the sole inner surface so as to define a rounded portion of the shoe sole located between said convexly rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; at least a rounded part of each said rounded portion of the shoe sole between parallel rounded portions of the sole outer surface and inner surface has a uniform thickness, and said rounded part of the shoe sole which has a uniform thickness extends from at least a lowest point of the shoe sole to at least a sidemost extent of the side of the shoe, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe is upright and in an unloaded condition; and wherein the shoe sole further comprises at least one compartment containing a liquid, gas or gel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A shoe comprising:
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a shoe upper and a shoe sole including at least an inner surface, an outer surface and a bottom sole; at least a portion of said shoe sole being formed by a removable midsole section; at least a portion of the sides of said shoe upper being attached directly to the bottom sole, such that upper envelopes, on the outside, at least the removable midsole section of said shoe sole, such that the removable midsole section of said shoe sole is located within a structure formed by a combination of said bottom sole and a portion of said upper that is attached to said bottom sole; the inner surface of the shoe sole including at least one convexly rounded portion, said convexity being determined relative to a portion of the shoe sole directly adjacent to the inner surface of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; the outer surface of the shoe sole including at least one concavely rounded portion, said concavity being determined relative to a portion of the shoe sole directly adjacent to the outer surface of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; each said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface being located on the shoe sole at a location corresponding to the location of at least one convexly rounded portion of the sole inner surface so as to define a rounded portion of the shoe sole located between said convexly rounded portion of the sole inner surface and said concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; at least a rounded part of each rounded portion of the shoe sole between parallel rounded portions of the sole outer surface and inner surface has a uniform thickness, and said rounded part of the shoe sole which has a uniform thickness extends from at least a lateral sidemost extent of one side of the shoe sole to at least a medial sidemost extent of the other side of the shoe sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe is upright and in an unloaded condition; at least two computer controlled compartments, wherein a computer control for the computer controlled compartments is located in the upper portion of the removable midsole section; and a duct providing fluid communication between each of said at least two computer controlled compartments. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification