Shoe sole with reactive energy fluid filled toroid apparatus

• US 5,575,088 A
• Filed: 05/01/1995
• Issued: 11/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Converse Incorporated (Nike, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Converse Incorporated (Nike, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edington, Christopher J., Clark, Douglas E., Swartz, Eric S., Parracho, Rui, Allen, Bernie
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, B.
• Application Number:
  US08/431,627
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 36/71, 36/43, 36/28, 36/29, 36/88, 36/3 R, 36/3 B, 36/37, 36/38, 36/27, 36/34 R, 36/35 R, 36/153, 5/448, 5/455, 5/480, D 2/961
• US Class Current: 36/28
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0072 made at least partially of transparent or translucent materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/20 Pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407

Abstract

A Reactive Energy Fluid Filled Toroid Apparatus includes concentric fluid filled toroids that are contained in the midsole of a shoe. The toroid apparatus provides cushioning for the foot and dynamically reacts to off-center impacts from footsteps to redistribute impact forces and to stabilize and support the foot by cradling a portion of the foot in the shoe.

Claims

1. A cushioning, stabilizing and supporting apparatus for a foot, the apparatus comprising:

a shoe sole;

a fluid bladder positioned on a surface of the shoe sole, the bladder having a hollow inner chamber containing a fluid, the inner chamber having a flexible top surface that extends to a first vertical height above the surface of the shoe sole, the bladder having a hollow outer chamber containing a fluid, the outer chamber extends around the inner chamber on the surface of the shoe sole, the outer chamber having a flexible top surface that extends to a second vertical height above the surface of the shoe sole and above the first vertical height of the inner chamber top surface, the top surfaces of the outer chamber and the inner chamber together forming a concave recessed area above the center of the bladder that provides stability and support to the foot by cradling the foot in the recessed area;

a plurality of conduits containing fluid extending between the inner chamber and the outer chamber and connecting the inner and outer chambers in fluid communication;

the top surface of the inner chamber and the top surface of the outer chamber being separated by a plurality of arcuate webs that do not contain fluid and are recessed below and positioned between the inner and outer chambers and between the plurality of conduits.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the outer chamber is shaped as a toroid.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the inner chamber is shaped as a toroid and the outer chamber is shaped as a toroid, and the inner and outer chambers are concentric.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the inner chamber has a hole at the center of its toroidal shape where no fluid is contained.

2. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein:

the inner chamber, the outer chamber and the conduits are all fluid tight.

6. A cushioning, stabilizing and supporting apparatus for a foot, the apparatus comprising:

a shoe sole;

a fluid bladder positioned on a surface of the shoe sole, the bladder having a hollow inner chamber containing a fluid, the inner chamber having a flexible top surface that extends to a first vertical height above the surface of the shoe sole, the bladder having a hollow outer chamber containing a fluid, the outer chamber extends around the inner chamber on the surface of the shoe sole, the outer chamber having a flexible top surface that extends to a second vertical height above the surface of the shoe sole and above the first vertical height of the inner chamber rod surface, the top surfaces of the outer chamber and the inner chamber together forming a concave recessed area above the center of the bladder that provides stability and support to the foot by cradling the foot in the recessed area;

the fluid being a composite fluid comprised of at least two different liquids having different viscosities.

7. A cushioning, stabilizing and supporting apparatus for a foot, the apparatus comprising:

a shoe sole;

a fluid bladder positioned on a surface of the shoe sole, the bladder having a hollow inner chamber containing a fluid, the inner chamber having a flexible top surface that extends to a first vertical height above the surface of the shoe sole, the bladder having a hollow outer chamber containing a fluid, the outer chamber extends around the inner chamber on the surface of the shoe sole, the outer chamber having a flexible top surface that extends to a second vertical height above the surface of the shoe sole and above the first vertical height of the inner chamber top surface, the top surfaces of the outer chamber and the inner chamber together forming a concave recessed area above the center of the bladder that provides stability and support to the foot by cradling the foot in the recessed area;

the fluid being a composite fluid comprised of a liquid with a plurality of resilient particles suspended therein.

8. A cushioning, stabilizing and supporting apparatus for a foot, the apparatus comprising:

a shoe sole having opposite left and right sides;

a fluid bladder positioned on a surface of the shoe sole, the bladder having a hollow inner chamber containing a fluid, the inner chamber having a flexible top surface, the bladder having a hollow outer chamber containing a fluid, the outer chamber extends entirely around the inner chamber on the surface of the shoe, the outer chamber having a flexible top surface having opposite left and right sides positioned adjacent the opposite left and right sides of the shoe sole;

a plurality of conduits containing fluid extending between the inner and outer chambers and connecting the inner and outer chambers in fluid communication;

a plurality of arcuate webs formed in the bladder between the conduits and between the inner chamber top surface and the outer chamber top surface;

the outer chamber having a toroidal configuration.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

at least a portion of the entire top surface of the outer chamber is positioned vertically above the top surface of the inner chamber on the shoe sole and together with the top surface of the inner chamber forms a recessed depression for cradling the foot within the top surface of the outer chamber and above the top surface of the inner chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

at least a portion of the opposite left and right sides of the outer chamber top surface are positioned vertically above the inner chamber top surface from the shoe sole surface.

11. A cushioning, stabilizing and supporting apparatus for a foot, the apparatus comprising:

a shoe sole having opposite left and right sides;

a fluid bladder positioned on a surface of the shoe sole, the bladder having a hollow inner chamber containing a fluid, the inner chamber having a flexible top surface;

the bladder having a hollow outer chamber containing a fluid, the outer chamber extends entirely around the inner chamber on the surface of the shoe, the outer chamber having a flexible top surface;

at least one conduit containing fluid extending between the inner and outer chambers and connecting the inner and outer chambers in fluid communication;

at least one arcuate web formed in the bladder separating the inner chamber top surface and the outer chamber top surface;

the inner chamber having a circular peripheral configuration and the outer chamber having a toroidal configuration;

the outer chamber top surface having opposite left and right sides that are positioned adjacent to the opposite left and right sides of the shoe sole, and the flexibility of the outer chamber top surface causing one of the left and right sides of the outer chamber top surface to expand above the inner chamber top surface in response to a force of footstep impact exerted on the other of the left and right sides of the outer chamber top surface, the expanding one of the left and right sides of the outer chamber top surface exerting a reactive force opposing the footstep impact force and reducing a tendency of ankle bending in pronation and supination.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the inner chamber has a toroidal configuration.

13. A cushioning, stabilizing and supporting apparatus for a foot, the apparatus comprising:

a shoe sole;

a fluid bladder positioned on a surface of the shoe sole, the bladder having a peripheral edge and a center, the bladder having a hollow inner chamber containing a fluid, the inner chamber having a toroidal configuration with a center hole and a flat center web positioned in the center hole, and a top surface of the inner chamber is positioned vertically above the center web on the shoe sole;

the bladder having a hollow outer chamber containing a fluid, the outer chamber having a toroidal configuration that extends around and is concentric to the inner chamber on the shoe sole, and a top surface of the outer chamber is positioned vertically above the top surface of the inner chamber on the shoe sole, and the vertical positioning of the bladder above the surface of the shoe sole becomes progressively smaller as the bladder extends from its peripheral edge to its center.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

a plurality of conduits containing fluid extend radially between the inner and outer chambers and connect the inner and outer chambers in fluid communication, and a plurality of arcuate webs extend around the inner chamber between the conduits and separate the inner chamber from the outer chamber.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the top surface of the outer chamber is flexible and has opposite left and right sides that are positioned adjacent opposite left and right sides of the shoe sole, and the flexibility of the outer chamber top surface causes one of the left and right sides of the outer chamber top surface to expand above the inner chamber top surface in response to a force of a footstep impact exerted on the other of the left and right sides of the outer chamber top surface, the expanding one of the left and right sides of the outer chamber top surface exerting a reactive force opposing the footstep impact force and reducing a tendency of ankle bending in pronation and supination.