Human locomotion assisting shoe

• US 8,438,757 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark Costin Roser
• Original Assignee: Mark Costin Roser
• Inventors: Roser, Mark Costin
• Primary Examiner(s): Patterson, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/720,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20100319215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 36/27, 36/45, 36/88, 36/89, 361/02, 361/09
• US Class Current: 36/89
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0205 characterised by the material material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/027 with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/028 Resilient uppers, e.g. shock absorbing
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/12 Sandals; Strap guides thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/18 Joint supports, e.g. instep supports
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/20 Ankle-joint supports or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/00 Shoe lacing fastenings garment fastening devices A41F

Abstract

Embodiments of footwear, in particular, a shoe, sandal or boot, may reduce the effort and improve the performance of walking, running, hiking, marching, and various other gaits as well as jumping, hopping, and other motion involving the ankle and lower leg and Achilles tendon, through integration of force-carrying mechanisms within footwear that manage the forces and energy associated with such motion by productively harvesting and storing energy during dorsiflexion motion and releasing and returning energy during plantar flexion. One structural element of such footwear may comprise a top collar yoke having anterior and posterior gussets forming a channel and a shoe comprising a rotation zone supporting the channel and an elastomeric zone forming a tension spring via an elastomeric overlay or otherwise providing a spring-like member approximately parallel to and to assist the Achilles tendon during locomotion.

Claims

1. Footwear comprising

a rotatable top collar yoke capable of rotation relative to a remaining portion of a shoe, the rotatable top collar yoke comprising an anterior gusset and a posterior gusset, the anterior and posterior gussets forming a channel therebetween;

the shoe supported by an elastomeric overlay comprising first and second zones, the first and second zones comprising a rotation zone supporting the channel and an elastic zone defining a region of elastomeric activity and creating a tension spring.

2. The footwear according to claim 1, the rotatable top collar yoke comprising X stitching in the vicinity of the channel.

3. The footwear according to claim 1, the elastomeric overlay being bonded at reduced zones of bonding agent at a superior and inferior elastic anchor zone.

4. The footwear according to claim 1, the elastomeric overlay being anchored at a rear of the footwear to a heel portion of the shoe.

5. The footwear according to claim 1 further comprising yoke eyelets of the elastomeric overlay for selectively adjusting the elastomeric overlay by adjustably lacing the yoke eyelets.