Article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly for shoes

• US 20020073579A1
• Filed: 09/07/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aura Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Thomas D. Lombardino
• Inventors: Lombardino, Thomas D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,751,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/28
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/182 Helicoidal springs

Abstract

A shock absorption and energy return assembly for increasing the stability, shock absorption and energy return capabilities of a shoe. The assembly generally includes lower and upper guide members having a plurality of spring retainers, a plurality of springs positioned within the spring retainers, and a resilient connecting member which fixedly attaches the lower guide member to the upper guide member and serves to limit the separation between the guide members, preventing disengagement of the springs from within the guide members while simultaneously providing a means of allowing the springs to compress below their uncompressed height when a force is applied on the assembly. Alternatively, the assembly could be surrounded by a sealed, transparent encasement, which in one embodiment would comprise a lower portion and an upper portion surrounding the lower guide member and the upper guide member, and a plurality of lower extrusions and upper extrusions. The extrusions would extend into a plurality of apertures contained within the guide members as well as the plurality of compression springs positioned between the guide members, and would be adjoined. The encasement may also be filled with a pressurized gas for added stability and dampening of the springs. The inventive device is designed to be inserted or molded within the heel or forefoot portion of the mid-sole of a shoe, with the mid-sole optionally having one or more cutouts, thereby allowing a means of viewing the inventive device in operation.

Claims

1. An article of footwear which includes an upper, a mid-sole, and an out-sole, said footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly comprising:

a resiliently strong lower guide member,

a resiliently strong upper guide member,

a plurality of springs positioned between said lower guide member and upper guide member;

wherein

said guide members include a plurality of spring retainer cavities for providing a more substantial means of holding said springs, wherein

said lower guide member is fixedly attached to said upper guide member by way of a resiliently strong connecting member that limits the separation between the lower guide member and upper guide member, preventing disengagement of the springs from within the guide members while simultaneously providing a means of allowing the said springs to compress below their uncompressed height when a force is applied on the said assembly, and

said assembly is positionable within the mid-sole of said article of footwear, whereas the mid-sole is fixedly attached to the upper, and the out-sole is fixedly attached to the bottom portion of the mid-sole and the lower guide member.

2. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 1, wherein the footwear contains a forward shock absorption and energy return assembly situated at a point beneath the ball of the foot, and a rear shock absorption and energy return assembly situated at a point beneath the heel of the foot.

3. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 2 wherein the lower guide member of the forward shock absorption and energy return assembly is integrally attached to the lower guide member of the rear shock absorption and energy return assembly by a medial connecting member.

4. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 1, wherein said mid-sole has one or more openings to provide a means of viewing the assembly.

5. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 1, wherein there is more than one resilient connecting member.

6. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 1, wherein the resilient connecting member contains one or more apertures.

7. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 1, wherein said assembly is surrounded by a sealed transparent encasement made of a flexibly resilient material.

8. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 7, wherein said sealed encasement contains a pressurized gas.

9. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 1, wherein the springs positioned at a medial portion of the sagittal plane of the assembly are of a different spring rate than the springs of the lateral portion, providing for a means of pronation control to the footwear.

10. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 1, wherein the springs positioned at a lateral portion of the sagittal plane of the assembly are of a different spring rate than the springs of the medial portion, providing for a means of supination control to the footwear.

11. An article of footwear which includes an upper, a mid-sole attached to the upper, and an out-sole, said mid-sole incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly comprising:

a resiliently strong lower guide member including a plurality of spring retainer cavities;

a resiliently strong upper guide member including a plurality of spring retainer cavities;

a plurality of springs positioned between said lower guide member and upper guide member, wherein

said lower guide member is fixedly attached to said upper guide member by way of a resilient connecting member, and

said assembly is surrounded by a resilient encasement having a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein

said encasement includes a plurality of extrusions extending from said lower portion and a corresponding plurality of extrusions extending from said upper portion, wherein

said lower guide member includes a plurality of apertures and said upper guide member includes a plurality of apertures, whereas said apertures receive said extrusions, wherein

said extrusions extend into said plurality of springs, and said plurality of extrusions are adjoined.

12. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 11, wherein at least one extrusion from the lower portion is connected to one extrusion of the upper portion to form a support portion.

13. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 11, wherein there is more than one resilient connecting member.

14. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 11, wherein the resilient connecting member is an elastically deformable element including one or more apertures, whereas one or more said extrusions extending from said lower portion, and one or more extrusions extending from said upper portion, extend into said apertures and are adjoined.

15. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 11, wherein the resilient connecting member contains a horizontal aperture located through a central axis of its diameter to allow insertion of an air insertion nozzle used in the manufacturing process.

16. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 11, wherein the springs positioned at a medial portion of the sagittal plane of the assembly are of a different spring rate than the springs of the lateral portion, providing for a means of pronation control to the footwear.

17. The article of footwear incorporating a shock absorption and energy return assembly of claim 11, wherein the springs positioned at a lateral portion of the sagittal plane of the assembly are of a different spring rate than the springs of the medial portion, providing for a means of supination control to the footwear.

19. A method of assembling a shock absorption and energy return assembly for a shoe of claim 18, comprising:

applying a heat activated adhesive to the said bottom portion of the lower guide member and to the said top portion of the upper guide member prior to placing said guide members in a lower portion and an upper portion of a resilient encasement; and

heating the entire assembly after sealing the said resilient encasement, providing a means of activating the said adhesive and bonding the said bottom and top portions of the said guide members to the interior portions of the said resilient encasement.

20. A method of assembling a shock absorption and energy return assembly for a shoe of claim 18, comprising:

inserting a predetermined quantity of air pressure into the cavity of the sealed resilient encasement prior to removal of the said air insertion nozzle.

18. A method of assembling a shock absorption and energy return assembly for a shoe comprising:

forming a top guide member and a bottom guide member, each guide member having a plurality of spring retainer cavities;

inserting a plurality of compression springs into the said spring retainer cavities between the said guide members;

fixedly attaching a resilient connecting member between the guide members, said connecting member comprising a horizontal aperture located through the central axis of its diameter;

placing an air insertion nozzle through the horizontal aperture of the resilient connecting member;

placing a lower portion and an upper portion of a resilient encasement around the assembly,

removing said air insertion nozzle; and

sealing said resilient encasement.