Sole element for a shoe

• US 8,555,529 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas International Marketing BV (Adidas AG)
• Original Assignee: Adidas International Marketing BV (Adidas AG)
• Inventors: Antonelli, Bruno Jean, Scholz, Wolfgang, Weidl, Jrgen, Gordon, Josh Robert, Hill, Jan, Manz, Gerd Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US13/096,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20110197473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 36/68, 36/69, 36/45, 36/115, 36/501, 36/4, 36/585, 36/586, 36/58
• US Class Current: 36/68
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0009 made at least partially of alveolar or honeycomb material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0072 made at least partially of transparent or translucent materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/186 Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/188 Differential cushioning regions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/08 Heel stiffeners; Toe stiffeners
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/025 characterised by an element which improves the contact between the ball and the footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoe having a sole element. The sole element includes a sole area extending below a wearer'"'"'s foot and a heel cup three-dimensionally encompassing a heel of the wearer'"'"'s foot. The heel cup alone forms at least a portion of a sidewall of the shoe.

Claims

1. A shoe comprising:

an outsole element, wherein the outsole element comprises;

a sole area configured to extend below a wearer'"'"'s foot; and

a heel cup extending upwardly from at least a first portion of the sole area and configured to three-dimensionally encompass a heel of the wearer'"'"'s foot, wherein the heel cup alone forms at least a first portion of a sidewall of the shoe; and

an upper comprising;

a first part attached to an upper edge of the heel cup; and

a second part attached to the sole area, wherein the second part of the upper alone forms at least a second portion of the sidewall of the shoe.

2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the sidewall extends forward of the heel cup to a region corresponding to a midfoot region of the wearer'"'"'s foot.

3. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the outsole element comprises at least two materials and is formed by a multi-component injection molding process.

4. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the upper edge comprises at least one of a reduced thickness and a softer material than at least one other region of the outsole element.

5. The shoe of claim 4, wherein the outsole element comprises a harder material in at least one of the heel cup and a central forefoot region of the outsole element than in at least one other region of the outsole element.

6. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the outsole element extends upwardly in a region corresponding to an arch of the wearer'"'"'s foot to form a portion of the sidewall to encompass a midfoot region of the wearer'"'"'s foot.

7. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the sole area of the outsole element extends from a heel region at least to a region corresponding to a midfoot region of the wearer'"'"'s foot.

8. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the outsole element comprises at least one transparent region.

9. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the outsole element forms at least one ventilation opening.

10. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the outsole element comprises reinforcing ribs.

11. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the outsole element comprises at least one receptacle for receiving a profile element of the shoe arranged in the sole area of the outsole element.

12. The shoe of claim 11, wherein the at least one receptacle forms an opening in the sole area.

13. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the sole area is configured as a load distribution plate, the shoe further comprising at least one cushioning element arranged below the load distribution plate.

14. The shoe of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of cushioning elements arranged below the load distribution plate.

15. The shoe of claim 14, wherein the plurality of cushioning elements are interconnected by at least one of an intermediate layer and an outsole on a bottom surface of the plurality of cushioning elements.

16. The shoe of claim 1, wherein a region of the outsole element corresponding to a calcaneus bone of the wearer comprises at least one of an opening formed therein and a material softer than in surrounding regions of the outsole element.

17. The shoe of claim 16, further comprising an insole comprising a reinforcement in the region corresponding to the calcaneus bone of the wearer.

18. The shoe of claim 16, further comprising an additional cushioning element arranged below the sole area in the region corresponding to the calcaneus bone of the wearer.

19. A shoe comprising:

an outsole element, wherein the outsole element comprises;

a sole area configured to extend below a wearer'"'"'s foot;

a reinforcing element integrally formed with the sole area; and

a heel cup extending upwardly from at least a first portion of the sole area and configured to three-dimensionally encompass a heel of the wearer'"'"'s foot, wherein the heel cup alone forms at least a first portion of a sidewall of the shoe; and

an upper comprising;

a first part attached to an upper edge of the heel cup; and

a second part attached to the sole area, wherein the second part of the upper alone forms at least a second portion of the sidewall of the shoe.