Energy translating footwear mechanism for enhancing forward
First Claim
1. A shoe sole unit comprising, one or more displacement members located on the bottom of the shoe sole and extending downward from the lower surface of the shoe sole, and wherein each displacement member has a displacement point located between one-quarter and one half of the distance between the front of the toe section and the back of the heel section of the shoe sole and located vertically at the lowest point on the displacement member on the perpendicular to a first imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe sole located on the medial side of the shoe sole between 25% and 40% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole and the point located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe sole located at a point 75% to 95% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides soles, platforms, or inserts incorporated into footwear, preferably athletic footwear, designed to promote a more efficient running technique by an energy-translating sole comprising one or more angular displacement members, balance-thrust members, and counterbalance as well as conventional features. Systems and methods of the present invention promote more efficient running technique by facilitating foot-strike to occur at a point under and behind the runner'"'"'s center of gravity. This may be accomplished, for example, by a foot-strike member, angular displacement member and balance-thrust member working cooperatively to displace the runner'"'"'s center of gravity and translate gravitational, inertial and ground reaction forces, as well as muscular tension forces, into linear momentum.
83 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A shoe sole unit comprising,
one or more displacement members located on the bottom of the shoe sole and extending downward from the lower surface of the shoe sole, and wherein each displacement member has a displacement point located between one-quarter and one half of the distance between the front of the toe section and the back of the heel section of the shoe sole and located vertically at the lowest point on the displacement member on the perpendicular to a first imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe sole located on the medial side of the shoe sole between 25% and 40% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole and the point located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe sole located at a point 75% to 95% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole.
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13. A shoe insert comprising,
one or more displacement members located on the bottom of the shoe insert and extending downward from the lower surface of the shoe insert, and wherein each displacement member has a displacement point located between one-quarter and one half of the distance between the front of the toe section and the back of the heel section of the shoe insert and located vertically at the lowest point on the displacement member on the perpendicular to a first imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe insert located on the medial side of the shoe insert between 25% and 40% of the length of the shoe insert from the front of the shoe insert and the point located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe insert located at a point 75% to 95% of the length of the shoe insert from the front of the shoe insert.
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29. A method of making a shoe insert comprising,
a generally shoe shaped surface sufficiently thin to fit inside of a shoe, affixing or forming one or more displacement members on the bottom of the shoe shaped surface and extending downward from the lower surface of the shoe shaped surface, each displacement member having a displacement point located between one-quarter and one half of the distance between the front of the toe section and the back of the heel section of the shoe shaped surface and located vertically at the lowest point on the displacement member on the perpendicular to a first imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe shaped surface located on the medial side of the shoe shaped surface between 25% and 40% of the length of the shoe shaped surface from the front of the shoe sole and the point located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe shaped surface located at a point 75% to 95% of the length of the shoe shaped surface from the front of the shoe shaped surface, wherein the angle between a second imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe shaped surface located at a point 6% of the length of the shoe from the front of the shoe shaped surface and the point on the of the medial side of the shoe shaped surface located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface at a point 31% of the length of the shoe shaped surface from the front of the shoe shaped surface and a third imaginary line passing through the displacement point at the lowest point of the displacement member as measured perpendicular to the first line and a line passing through a point approximately 6% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole and perpendicular to the second line is between zero degrees and 45 degrees, wherein the angle between the second and third lines is less than the angle between the third line and a fourth imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe located at a point 6% of the length of the shoe shaped surface from the front of the shoe shaped surface and the point on the of the lateral side of the shoe shaped surface located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface at a point 33% of the length of the shoe shaped surface from the front of the shoe shaped surface, and less than the angle between the third line and a fifth imaginary line parallel to the first line and passing through the displacement point, adding a counter rotation member that extends downward from the bottom of the shoe shaped surface and that has a counter rotation point which is the lowest point on the counter rotation member as measured perpendicular to the first line, and wherein said counter rotation member is located along the length of the shoe shaped surface such that the counter rotation point is farther from the front of the shoe shaped surface than the displacement point and on or between said second and fifth lines, and wherein the angle between the second and third lines is less than the angle between the fifth and third lines and less than the angle between the seventh and third lines.
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32. A sole unit for a shoe comprising:
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a rigidifying element disposed between at least a sesamoidal line and a balance-thrust line;
an angular displacement member disposed at the sesamoidal line, and a balance-thrust member disposed at a balance thrust line, the angular displacement member and balance thrust member being positioned and adapted so that when both members are in contact with ground, the sesamoid apparatus of the wearer'"'"'s foot is elevated with respect to the digits, placing the wearer in a digitigrade stance during at least a substantial portion of the support-propulsive phases of the gait cycle. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A shoe having an upper and a foot supporting member, the foot supporting member comprising:
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a substantially rigid member having a dorsal surface and a plantar surface;
wherein the plantar surface has an angular displacement member comprising a convex portion and a forwardly disposed balance-thrust member comprising a concave portion, the concave portion extending forward past the tips of the digits and terminating distally at a downwardly projecting balance-thrust member, the convex portion and the concave portion cooperating to accommodate the wearer in a digitigrade stance during at least a substantial portion of the support-propulsive phases of the running cycle, and the convex portion includes a curved angular displacement surface below the sesamoid apparatus of the first metatarsal phalangeal joint and defining a first axis of rotation of the foot. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification