Microprocessor control of bladders in footwear soles with internal flexibility sipes

• US 9,339,074 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2015
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frampton E. Ellis
• Original Assignee: Frampton E. Ellis
• Inventors: Ellis, Frampton E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mohandesi, Jila M
• Application Number:
  US14/660,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20150189944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 36/28, 36/29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/12 Cushioning devices
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/121 with at least one layer or pad containing a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/125 with a padded structure, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• 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 13/187 Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/189 filled with a non-compressible fluid, e.g. gel, water
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/20 Pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/027 with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0285 filled with a non-compressible fluid, e.g. gel or water
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/029 Pneumatic upper, e.g. gas filled
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1425 situated under the ball of the foot, i.e. the joint between the first metatarsal and first phalange
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1435 situated under the joint between the fifth phalange and the fifth metatarsal bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/144 situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1445 situated under the midfoot, i.e. the second, third or fourth metatarsal
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 : characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/30 : characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/00 : Vibration-dampers; Shock-absorbers using fluid F16F5/00, F16F9/00; specific for rotary systems F16F15/10 ; belt tensioners F16H7/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 : including nonapertured component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24562 : Interlaminar spaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2933 : Coated or with bond, impregnation or core

Abstract

A shoe or other footwear which includes a sole section and a bottom sole that includes at least a portion of rubber material. 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.

Claims

1. A footwear or an orthotic comprising:

a footwear upper, and

a footwear sole including at least a bottom sole including at least a portion of rubber material;

at least a portion of said footwear sole being formed by a sole section that is separate from said bottom sole portion of the rubber material;

at least a portion of a side of said footwear upper being attached directly to the bottom sole such that the footwear upper envelopes, on the outside, at least the sole section of said footwear sole, such that the sole section of said footwear sole is located within a structure formed by a combination of said bottom sole and a portion of said footwear upper that is attached to said bottom sole, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the footwear sole is upright and in an unloaded condition;

the sole section including;

at least one outer bladder including at least a portion of a non-foam elastomeric material, and

at least two inner bladders located inside at least one said outer bladder, 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 footwear sole when the footwear 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 said outer bladder and at least two said inner bladders being separated at least in part by an internal sipe;

wherein said internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of the at least one said outer bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of each of the at least two 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, and

wherein the at least one internal sipe extends continuously without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one internal sipe from at least a sidemost extent of the outer bladder to at least a midpoint of the outer bladder; and

there is at least one attachment in a different portion of the sipe, which attachment is between said inner surface of said at least one outer bladder and said outer surface of one said inner bladder and is spaced from the sidemost extent of the outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the footwear sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

2. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the footwear sole further includes at least a midsole portion of the elastomeric foam material, the sole section being separate from at least both of the midsole portion of the elastomeric foam material and the bottom sole portion of the rubber material.

3. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least two inner bladders contain at least one liquid, gas or gel.

4. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sole section comprises:

at least three said inner bladders, and wherein at least a part of each of said at least three inner bladders is located in a single frontal plane cross-section of the sole section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition; and

said footwear sole comprises two or more said ducts providing fluid communication between said at least three inner bladders.

5. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one internal sipe partially or completely encapsulates a portion of the sole section, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition.

6. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least two inner bladders include at least a portion of the non-foam elastomeric material.

7. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 6, wherein the footwear sole includes at least a midsole portion including the elastomeric foam material, the sole section being separate from at least the midsole portion including the elastomeric foam material.

8. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the footwear sole includes at least an elastomeric foam layer of midsole and/or insole material that is located between said at least one outer bladder and a location of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot sole in the footwear or orthotic, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition.

9. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sole section is located in a midsole of the footwear sole, said midsole including an elastomeric foam layer of midsole material located outside of and separate from said at least one outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition.

10. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sole section is removable from the footwear or the orthotic.

11. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one internal sipe extends continuously without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one internal sipe from one said sidemost extent of the outer bladder to the other said sidemost extent of the outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the footwear sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

12. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portion of said at least one internal sipe that is without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forms at least a part of a U-shaped section of the at least one internal sipe that is without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one internal sipe, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the footwear sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

13. A sole section of a sole of a footwear or an orthotic, comprising:

at least one outer bladder including at least a portion of a non-foam elastomeric material;

at least two inner bladders located inside at least one said outer bladder, 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 a portion of an elastomeric foam material that is separate from at least said one outer bladder and at least two said inner bladders;

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 said outer bladder and at least two said inner bladders being separated at least in part by an internal sipe;

wherein said internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of the at least one said outer bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of each of the at least two 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; and

wherein the at least one internal sipe extends continuously without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one internal sipe from at least a sidemost extent of the outer bladder to at least a midpoint of the outer bladder; and

there is at least one attachment in a different portion of the sipe, which attachment is between said inner surface of said at least one outer bladder and said outer surface of one said inner bladder and is spaced from the sidemost extent of the outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition.

14. The sole section as claimed in claim 13, further comprising at least a portion with a rubber material, the at least two inner bladders and the at least one outer bladder being separate from at least the sole section portion including the rubber material.

15. The sole section as claimed in claim 13, comprising:

at least three said inner bladders, and wherein at least a part of each of said at least three inner bladders is located in a single frontal plane cross-section of the sole when the sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; and

two or more said ducts and/or valves providing fluid communication between said at least three inner bladders.

16. The sole section as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one internal sipe partially or completely encapsulates a portion of the sole section, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition.

17. The sole section as claimed in claim 13, wherein the elastomeric foam portion is a layer of midsole and/or insole material, and is located above said at least one outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition.

18. The sole section as claimed in claim 13, wherein the elastomeric foam portion is a layer of midsole material located outside of and separate from said at least one outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition.

19. The sole section as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sole section is adapted to be removable from the footwear or the orthotic.

20. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one internal sipe extends continuously without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one internal sipe from one said sidemost extent of the outer bladder to the other said sidemost extent of the outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition.

21. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 13, wherein the portion of said at least one internal sipe that is without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forms at least a part of a U-shaped section of the at least one internal sipe that is without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one internal sipe, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition.

22. A sole for a footwear or an orthotic, comprising:

a midsole portion including at least an elastomeric foam material and/or a bottom sole portion including at least a rubber material;

a sole section that is separate from at least one of the midsole portion including the elastomeric foam material and the bottom sole portion including the rubber material;

the sole section including;

at least one outer bladder including at least a portion of a non-foam elastomeric material;

at least two inner bladders located inside at least one said outer bladder, 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; and

at least one said outer bladder and at least two said inner bladders being separated at least in part by an internal sipe;

wherein said internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of the at least one said outer bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of each of the at least two 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; and

wherein the at least one internal sipe extends continuously without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one internal sipe from at least a sidemost extent of the outer bladder to at least a midpoint of the outer bladder; and

there is at least one attachment in a different portion of the sipe, which attachment is between said inner surface of said at least one outer bladder and said outer surface of one said inner bladder and is spaced from the sidemost extent of the outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

23. The sole as claimed in claim 22, wherein the sole includes the midsole portion including the elastomeric foam material, the sole section being separate from at least the midsole portion including the elastomeric foam material.

24. The sole as claimed in claim 22, wherein the sole includes the bottom sole portion including the rubber material, the sole section being separate from at least the bottom sole portion including the rubber material.

25. The sole as claimed in claim 22, wherein the sole includes the midsole portion including the elastomeric foam material and the bottom sole portion including the rubber material, the sole section being separate from both the midsole portion including the elastomeric foam material and the bottom sole portion including the rubber material.

26. The sole as claimed in claim 22, wherein the elastomeric foam material is a layer of midsole and/or insole material that is located between said at least one outer bladder and a location of an intended wearer'"'"'s foot sole in the footwear or orthotic, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the footwear or orthotic is upright and in an unloaded condition.

27. The sole as claimed in claim 22, wherein the elastomeric foam material is a layer of midsole material located outside of and separate from said at least one outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole section is upright and in an unloaded condition.

28. The sole as claimed in claim 22, wherein the sole section is adapted to be removable from the footwear or the orthotic.

29. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 22, wherein the at least one internal sipe extends continuously without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one internal sipe from one said sidemost extent of the outer bladder to the other said sidemost extent of the outer bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

30. The footwear or orthotic as claimed in claim 22, wherein the portion of said at least one internal sipe that is without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forms at least a part of a U-shaped section of the at least one internal sipe that is without any attachments between the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one internal sipe, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.