Microprocessor control of bladders in footwear soles with internal flexibility sipes
First Claim
1. A shoe or other footwear comprising:
- a shoe upper and a shoe sole including at least a bottom sole portion;
at least a portion of said shoe sole being formed by a sole section having an inner surface and an outer surface and wherein the sole section is separate from the bottom sole portion;
at least a portion of the sides of said shoe upper being attached directly to the bottom sole portion 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 portion and a portion of said shoe upper that is attached to said bottom sole portion, 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 two inner bladders, each inner bladder containing at least one fluid, and wherein at least a part of each of said at least two inner bladders is located in a single frontal plane cross-section of the shoe sole when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;
at least one duct and/or valve providing fluid communication between said at least two inner bladders;
at least one electronic control system including a microprocessor that controls the fluid communication;
the sole section further comprising at least one outer bladder, said inner bladders being located inside said outer bladder; and
said bladder and said inner 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 bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of each of said inner 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.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sole section adapted for use in a sole of a shoe or other footwear which includes at least a bottom sole portion. The sole section includes at least two inner bladders each of which contains a fluid, and at least a part thereof is located in a single frontal plane cross-section of the sole. The sole section also includes a duct and/or valve providing fluid communication between the inner bladders, an electronic control system including a microprocessor that controls the fluid communication and an outer bladder. The inner bladders are inside the outer bladder and separated from the outer bladder at least in part by an internal sipe formed by a portion of an inner surface of said outer bladder and a portion of an outer surface of each of said inner bladders. The surface portions of the sipe oppose each other and can slide relative to each other.
432 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 portion; at least a portion of said shoe sole being formed by a sole section having an inner surface and an outer surface and wherein the sole section is separate from the bottom sole portion; at least a portion of the sides of said shoe upper being attached directly to the bottom sole portion 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 portion and a portion of said shoe upper that is attached to said bottom sole portion, 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 two inner bladders, each inner bladder containing at least one fluid, and wherein at least a part of each of said at least two inner bladders is located in a single frontal plane cross-section of the shoe sole when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; at least one duct and/or valve providing fluid communication between said at least two inner bladders; at least one electronic control system including a microprocessor that controls the fluid communication; the sole section further comprising at least one outer bladder, said inner bladders being located inside said outer bladder; and said bladder and said inner 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 bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of each of said inner 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A sole section of a sole of a shoe or other footwear, comprising:
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at least two inner bladders, each said inner bladder containing at least one fluid, and wherein at least a part of each of said at least two inner 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 duct and/or valve providing fluid communication between said at least two inner bladders; at least one electronic control system including a microprocessor that controls the fluid communication; at least one outer bladder, outside said inner bladders being located inside said outer bladder; said outer bladder and said inner 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 bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of each of said inner 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; andsaid sole section being adapted for use in a shoe sole including at least a bottom sole portion. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A shoe or other footwear comprising:
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a shoe upper having sides, and a shoe sole including a bottom sole portion, and a sole section that is separate from the bottom sole portion; at least a portion of the sides of said shoe upper being attached directly to the bottom sole portion, 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 portion and a portion of said upper that is attached to said bottom sole portion, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; at least two inner bladders, each inner bladder containing at least one fluid, and wherein at least a part of each of said at least two inner bladders is located in a single frontal plane cross-section of the sole when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; one or more ducts and/or valves providing fluid communication between said at least two inner bladders; at least one electronic control system including a microprocessor that controls the fluid communication; and the sole section further including at least one outer bladder, said inner bladders being located inside said outer bladder; and said outer bladder and said inner 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 bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of each of said inner 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. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification