ATHLETIC SHOE WITH IMPROVED HEEL STRUCTURE

• US 20030208927A1
• Filed: 10/18/1999
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akeva LLC
• Original Assignee: Akeva LLC
• Inventors: MESCHAN, DAVID F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,662,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/27
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/26 Resilient heels
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/28 Pneumatic heels filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/37 by hook-shaped or bent attaching means
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/42 Heels with replaceable or adjustable parts , e.g. top lift

Abstract

A shoe includes a rear sole support for receiving a replaceable rear sole to provide longer wear. The shoe may also include a flexible plate supported by the rear sole support between the heel and the rear sole to reduce midsole compression and provide additional spring. A mounting member secures the rear sole to the rear sole support, and a locking member prevents rotation of the rear sole relative to the rear sole support during use. The replaceable rear sole and the flexible plate allow the shoe to be adapted to different desired performance characteristics depending upon the intended activity and terrain or playing surface.

Claims

1. A shoe comprising:

an upper having a heel region;

a rear sole support attached to the heel region of the upper, the rear sole support including a first downwardly extending wall having a first groove, and a second downwardly extending wall having a second groove;

a rear sole detachably secured to the rear sole support;

a mounting member attached to the rear sole and including at least one rim for engaging the first and second grooves to secure the rear sole to the rear sole support; and

a locking member engaging the rear sole support and one of the rear sole and mounting member to prevent rotation of the rear sole relative to the rear sole support during use.

2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the first and second walls are spaced from each other along a periphery of the rear sole support to define a space therebetween, the locking member sized to occupy the space after the rear sole has been attached to the rear sole support.

3. The shoe of claim 2, wherein outer surfaces of the first and second walls and the locking member each include a horizontal groove, and further comprising a band receivable within the horizontal grooves to retain the locking member in engagement with the rear sole support and one of the rear sole and the mounting member.

4. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the mounting member includes an external protrusion, and the locking member includes an opening for receiving the external protrusion to engage the mounting member with the locking member.

5. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the mounting member includes a notch and the locking member includes a protrusion for engaging the notch to prevent rotation.

6. The shoe of claim 1, further comprising a flexible plate supported between the heel region of the upper and the rear sole, the flexible plate having peripheral edges supported by the mounting member so that an interior portion of the flexible plate deflects relative to the peripheral edges.

7. The shoe of claim 6, wherein the flexible plate is shaped to define a raised interior portion between the peripheral edges.

8. The shoe of claim 6, wherein the mounting member includes slots for supporting the peripheral edges of the plate.

9. The shoe of claim 6, wherein the flexible plate has a convex upper surface.

10. The shoe of claim 6, wherein the rear sole support includes a central opening sized to expose a substantial portion of the flexible plate to the heel region of the upper.

11. The shoe of claim 6, wherein the flexible plate is removable from the shoe.

12. The shoe of claim 6, wherein the flexible plate includes an aperture.

13. The shoe of claim 6, wherein the length of the flexible plate along a major axis of the shoe is greater than the width of the rear sole support.

14. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the rear sole has an outsole and a midsole more resilient than the outsole.

15. The shoe of claim 14, wherein the midsole comprises at least two midsole layers, and the mounting member is substantially ring-shaped to rest on a top surface of one of the midsole layers and surround another one of the midsole layers.

16. The shoe of claim 15, wherein the rear sole support includes a central opening and an uppermost midsole layer is sized to fit within the central opening to cushion the heel region of the upper.

17. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the rear sole has a length, as measured along a major axis of the shoe, that is greater than a width, as measured along an axis perpendicular to the major axis, of the rear sole.

18. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the rear sole comprises a substantially U-shaped member having top and bottom walls joined at one end by a bent portion, free ends of the top and bottom walls being deflectable relative to each other.

19. The shoe of claim 18, wherein the bottom surface of the rear sole bottom wall includes an outsole more resilient than the U-shaped member.

20. The shoe of claim 19, wherein the outsole includes a plurality of outsole segments engaging apertures in the bottom wall.

21. The shoe of claim 18, wherein the rear sole further comprises at least one midsole layer attached to a top surface of the U-shaped member top wall, the midsole layer composed of a material more resilient than the U-shaped member.

22. The shoe of claim 21, wherein the mounting member is attached to the top surface of the U-shaped member top wall and surrounds the midsole layer.

23. The shoe of claim 18, including a stiffening member disposed between the top and bottom rear sole walls and adjacent the bent portion.

24. The shoe of claim 6, further comprising a cushioning wafer supported above a top surface of the flexible plate to cushion the heel region of the upper.

25. The shoe of claim 24, wherein a bottom surface of the wafer includes at least one knob for engaging an opening on a top surface of the flexible plate.

26. The shoe of claim 24, wherein the wafer includes concave upper and lower surfaces.

27. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the locking member is pivotally attached to one of the rear sole support and the upper.

28. A shoe comprising:

an upper;

a rear sole support attached to the upper; and

a noncircular rear sole rotatably engageable with the rear sole support to detachably secure the rear sole to the rear sole support.

29. The shoe of claim 28, further comprising means for securing the rear sole in a proper orientation relative to a major axis of the shoe.

30. The shoe of claim 28, wherein the rear sole has a length, as measured along a major axis of the shoe, that is greater than a width, as measured along an axis perpendicular to the major axis, of the rear sole.

31. The shoe of claim 28, wherein the rear sole is detachably secured to the rear sole support by pivoting the rear sole less than about 180°

about an axis perpendicular to a major axis of the shoe.

32. The shoe of claim 31, wherein the rear sole is detachably secured to the rear sole support by pivoting the rear sole no more than about 90°

.

33. The shoe of claim 28, wherein the rear sole is rotatable in both a clockwise and counterclockwise direction to detachably secure the rear sole to the rear sole support.

34. A shoe comprising:

an upper having a heel region;

a rear sole support attached to the heel region of the upper, the rear sole support-including a downwardly-extending first wall and a downwardly extending second wall, at least one of the first and second walls having an arc-shaped surface;

a noncircular rear sole; and

a mounting member attached to the rear sole and having at least one arc-shaped surface complementary of the arc-shaped surface on at least one of the first and second walls, the mounting member detachably secured to the rear sole support by engaging the arc-shaped surface of the mounting member with the arc-shaped surface on the at least one of the first and second walls.

35. The shoe of claim 34, wherein each of the first and second walls have arc-shaped surfaces.

36. The shoe of claim 35, wherein the arc-shaped surfaces of the first and second walls comprise arcs of a common circle.

37. The shoe of claim 36, wherein the common circle has a diameter greater than a width of the rear sole support.

38. The shoe of claim 35, wherein the arc-shaped surface of at least one of the first and second walls comprises an arc of a circle having a diameter greater than a width of the rear sole support.

39. The shoe of claim 34, wherein the arc of at least one of the wall surfaces is less than about 180°

.

40. The shoe of claim 35, wherein the arc-shaped wall surfaces face each other and include grooves, and the at least one arc-shaped surface of the mounting member includes at least one rim for engaging the grooves.

41. A shoe comprising:

an upper;

a rear sole support attached to the upper; and

a noncircular rear sole secured to the rear sole support, the rear sole positionable relative to the rear sole support among a plurality of positions.

42. The shoe of claim 41, wherein the rear sole is rotatably engageable with the rear sole support.

43. The shoe of claim 41, wherein the rear sole is detachably secured to the rear sole support.

44. A shoe comprising:

an upper;

a rear sole support attached to the upper; and

a rear sole detachably secured to the rear sole support, the rear sole comprising a substantially U-shaped member having upper and lower walls joined by a flexible bent section.