Shoe or athletic shoe

• US 7,007,412 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2003
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volkl Tennis GmbH
• Original Assignee: Volkl Tennis GmbH
• Inventors: Munster, Udo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US10/652,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20040154190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 361/36, 361/32
• US Class Current: 36/132
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0054 provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• 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 13/189 filled with a non-compressible fluid, e.g. gel, water
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• 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 7/145 situated under the toes, i.e. the phalanges
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/148 Recesses or holes filled with supports or pads

Abstract

The invention relates to a new design for a shoe, especially an athletic shoe, with a sole that cushions mechanical stress while running, with an area with a cushioning effect and at least one further area with an effective transfer of force.

Claims

1. A shoe, with a sole that cushions mechanical stress while running, comprising a first outer area providing damping or cushioning of the shoe as a first dampening or cushioning area area,

a second middle sensor area, in which force is transferred to electric sensors distributed over the sole, and

a third inner area with active cushioning devices, to which voltage produced in the second area is transferred and the dampening or cushioning properties of the active cushioning devices are controlled depending on said voltage

wherein the active cushioning devices are inserts with electro-rheological fluids, which alter cushioning behavior of the third area.

2. The shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensors are distributed in sections within the second area.

3. The shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inserts placed at locations in which the maximum pressure load values and/or the maximum stress integral occur during a step of the foot.

4. The shoe as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an acceleration meter located in the shoe that measures a speed of a runner and sends this value to an electronic control circuitry as an additional information signal.

5. A shoe with a sole that cushions mechanical stress while running, comprising

a first outer area providing damping or cushioning of the shoe as a damping or cushioning area,

a second middle sensor area, in which force is transferred to sensors distributed over the sole, and

a third inner area with active cushioning devices, to which the voltage produced in the second area is transferred and the damping or cushioning properties of the active cushioning device are controlled depending on said voltage,

wherein the active cushioning devices are inserts with electro-rheological fluids, which alter cushioning behavior of the third area.

6. The shoe as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sensors are electric sensors.

7. The shoe as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sensors are made from piezo ceramics or piezo-electric PVDF (polyvinylfluoride).

8. The shoe as claimed in claim 5, wherein the electric sensors are placed at locations in which the maximum pressure load values and/or the maximum stress integral occur during a step of the foot.

9. The shoe as claimed in claim 5, wherein the base material of the electro-rheological fluids is oil with finely dispersed particles that determines the base viscosity.

10. The shoe as claimed in claim 5, wherein by applying an electric field to the piezo-electric base material a viscosity of the base material can be altered, which causes a piezo-electric device to function as the sensor, which creates electric voltage based on the pressure on the shoe sole.

11. The shoe as claimed in claim 5, wherein the voltage is processed by electronic control circuitry or is sent directly to the electro-rheological fluid.

12. The shoe as claimed in claim 5, wherein an acceleration meter located in the shoe measures speed of a runner and sends the value to an electronic control circuitry as an additional information signal.

13. A shoe with a sole that cushions mechanical stress while running, comprising

a first outer area providing damping or cushioning of the shoe as a damping or cushioning area,

a second middle sensor area, in which the force is transferred to sensors distributed over the sole, the sensors comprising a piezo-electric base material, and

a third inner area with active cushioning devices, to which the voltage produced in the second area is transferred and the damping or cushioning properties of which are controlled depending on said voltage,

wherein by applying an electric field to the piezo-electric base material, a viscosity of the base material can be altered, which causes a piezo-electric device to function as the sensor, which creates the electric voltage based on the pressure on the shoe sole.

14. A shoe with a sole that cushions mechanical stress while running, comprising

a first outer area providing damping or cushioning of the shoe as a damping or cushioning area,

a second middle sensor area, in which the force is transferred to sensors distributed over the sole, and

a third inner area with active cushioning devices, to which the voltage produced in the second area is transferred and the damping or cushioning properties of which are controlled depending on said voltage,

wherein the sensors are made from piezo-electric PVDF (polyvinylfluoride) material and wherein by applying an electric field to the sensor material, a viscosity of the material can be altered, which causes a piezo-electric voltage device to function as the sensor, which creates the electric voltage based on the pressure on the shoe sole.

15. The shoe as claimed in claim 14, wherein the active cushioning devices are inserts with electro-rheological fluids, which alter cushioning behavior of the third area.

16. The shoe as claimed in claim 14, wherein in the third area, the sensors are placed at locations in which the maximum pressure load values and/or the maximum stress integral occur during a step of the foot.

17. The shoe as claimed in claim 14, wherein the active cushioning devices comprise electro-rheological fluids, the base material of the electro-rheological fluids is oil with finely dispersed particles that determines the base viscosity.

18. The shoe as claimed in claim 14, wherein the voltage is processed by electronic control circuitry or is sent directly to the electro-rheological fluid.

19. The shoe as claimed claim 14, wherein an acceleration meter located in the shoe measures a speed of a runner and sends this value to an electronic control circuitry as an additional information signal.