Footwear sole sections including bladders with internal flexibility sipes therebetween and an attachment between sipe surfaces
First Claim
1. A shoe or other footwear comprising:
- a shoe upper and a shoe sole including at least a bottom sole;
at least a portion of said shoe sole being formed by a sole section having an inner surface and an outer surface;
at least a portion of the sides of said shoe upper being attached directly to the bottom sole such that the shoe upper envelopes, on the outside, at least the sole section of said shoe sole, such that the sole section of said shoe sole is located within a structure formed by a combination of said bottom sole and a portion of said shoe upper that is attached to said bottom sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;
the inner surface of the sole section including at least one convexly rounded portion, said convexity being determined relative to a portion of the sole section directly adjacent to the inner surface of the sole section, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition;
the outer surface of the sole section including at least one concavely rounded portion, said concavity being determined relative to a portion of the sole section directly adjacent to the outer surface of the sole section, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition;
each said concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the sole section being located on the sole section at a location corresponding to the location of at least one convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the sole section so as to define a rounded portion of the sole section located between said convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the sole section and said concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the sole section, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition;
the sole section including at least one outer bladder having two side portions, an uppermost surface and a lowermost surface, both said surfaces being curved concavely on both said side portions to define concavely curved side portions of the at least one outer bladder, so that said concavely curved side portions, together with a middle portion extending between the side portions, form said at least one outer bladder in a U-shape, the concave curvature and the U-shape being determined relative to a central portion of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location in the footwear or orthotic device, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the footwear or orthotic sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;
said at least one outer bladder forming a component of the sole section; and
at least one inner bladder substantially surrounded on at least a top, bottom and sides by the at least one outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section, said at least one inner bladder including at least a gas located at least inside of said at least one inner bladder,said outer bladder and said inner bladder being separated at least in part by an internal sipe; and
wherein said internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of said inner bladder;
and the inner and outer surface portions forming the sipe oppose each other and therefore can move relative to each other in a sliding motion; and
at least one attachment between said inner surface of said outer bladder and said outer surface of said inner bladder, said attachment being located in an upper, central portion of said internal sipe between sidemost extents of said uppermost surface of said outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe or other footwear is upright and in an unloaded position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A shoe or other footwear, including a footwear or orthotic sole, including a sole section with an outer bladder having a uppermost surface curved concavely in a U-shape relative to an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location in the device, as viewed upright and unloaded in a frontal plane. The outer bladder forms a component of the sole section. An inner bladder includes a gas located inside and is substantially surrounded on at least the top, bottom and sides by the outer bladder. The outer bladder and inner bladder are separated by an internal sipe. The sipe is formed by an inner surface of the outer bladder and an outer surface of the inner bladder. An attachment is provided between the surfaces of the sipe and located in an upper, central portion of the sipe between sidemost extents of the outer surface of the inner bladder, viewed in a frontal plane cross-section.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A shoe or other footwear comprising:
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a shoe upper and a shoe sole including at least a bottom sole; at least a portion of said shoe sole being formed by a sole section having an inner surface and an outer surface; at least a portion of the sides of said shoe upper being attached directly to the bottom sole such that the shoe upper envelopes, on the outside, at least the sole section of said shoe sole, such that the sole section of said shoe sole is located within a structure formed by a combination of said bottom sole and a portion of said shoe upper that is attached to said bottom sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; the inner surface of the sole section including at least one convexly rounded portion, said convexity being determined relative to a portion of the sole section directly adjacent to the inner surface of the sole section, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition; the outer surface of the sole section including at least one concavely rounded portion, said concavity being determined relative to a portion of the sole section directly adjacent to the outer surface of the sole section, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition; each said concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the sole section being located on the sole section at a location corresponding to the location of at least one convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the sole section so as to define a rounded portion of the sole section located between said convexly rounded portion of the inner surface of the sole section and said concavely rounded portion of the outer surface of the sole section, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition; the sole section including at least one outer bladder having two side portions, an uppermost surface and a lowermost surface, both said surfaces being curved concavely on both said side portions to define concavely curved side portions of the at least one outer bladder, so that said concavely curved side portions, together with a middle portion extending between the side portions, form said at least one outer bladder in a U-shape, the concave curvature and the U-shape being determined relative to a central portion of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot location in the footwear or orthotic device, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the footwear or orthotic sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;
said at least one outer bladder forming a component of the sole section; andat least one inner bladder substantially surrounded on at least a top, bottom and sides by the at least one outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section, said at least one inner bladder including at least a gas located at least inside of said at least one inner bladder, said outer bladder and said inner bladder being separated at least in part by an internal sipe; and wherein said internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of said inner bladder; and the inner and outer surface portions forming the sipe oppose each other and therefore can move relative to each other in a sliding motion; and at least one attachment between said inner surface of said outer bladder and said outer surface of said inner bladder, said attachment being located in an upper, central portion of said internal sipe between sidemost extents of said uppermost surface of said outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe or other footwear is upright and in an unloaded position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A sole section of a sole of a shoe or other footwear, comprising:
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at least two inner compartments, chambers or bladders, each said inner compartment, chamber or bladder containing at least one fluid, and wherein at least a part of each of said at least two inner compartments, chambers or bladders is located in a single frontal plane cross-section of the sole when the sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; at least one outer compartment, chamber, or bladder outside said inner compartments, chambers, or bladders; and said outer compartment, chamber, or bladder and said inner compartments, chambers, or bladders being separated at least in part by an internal sipe; and wherein said internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer compartment, chamber, or bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of each of said inner compartments, chambers, or bladders; and
the inner and outer surface portions forming the sipe oppose each other and therefore can move relative to each other in a sliding motion; andat least one attachment between the outer surface of each of said inner chambers, compartments or bladders and the inner surface of said outer bladder, said attachments being located in an upper, central portion of said internal sipe between sidemost extents of an upper surface of said outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe or other footwear is upright and in an unloaded position. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 25)
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19. A shoe comprising:
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a shoe upper having sides, and a shoe sole including a bottom sole, and a sole 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 sole section of said shoe sole, such that the sole 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, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; at least two inner compartments, chambers or bladders, each inner compartment, chamber or bladder containing at least one fluid, and wherein at least a part of each of said at least two inner compartments, chambers or bladders is located in a single frontal plane cross-section of the sole when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; at least one outer compartment, chamber, or bladder outside said inner compartments, chambers, or bladders; and said outer compartment, chamber, or bladder and said inner compartments, chambers, or bladders being separated at least in part by an internal sipe; and
wherein said internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer compartment, chamber, or bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of each of said inner compartments, chambers, or bladders; and
the inner and outer surface portions forming the sipe oppose each other and therefore can move relative to each other in a sliding motion; andat least one attachment between the outer surface of each of said inner chambers, compartments or bladders and the inner surface of said outer bladder, said attachments being located in an upper, central portion of said internal sipe between sidemost extents of an upper surface of said outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe or other footwear is upright and in an unloaded position. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26)
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Specification