Patents Examined by Marie D. Patterson
  • Patent number: 5295314
    Abstract: A shoe formed by an upper and a flat sole of a type having an air chamber made up of compartments, capable of being inflated by means of valves, the flat sole of which is provided with a raised perimetral edge. The sole receives the air chamber and is connected with a rigid countersole and upper by means of stitching, gluing or the like, there being also included in such flat sole a rigid layer. This combination provides a flexible cavity capable of allowing flat and parallel movement of the arch support of the shoe in relation to the outer sole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Inventor: Armenak Moumdjian
  • Patent number: 5242051
    Abstract: An end stop for use in a magazine for carrying components. The end stop comprises a head that overlies one of a set aligned apertures in a magazine. A leg projecting from the head passes through the apertures to obstruct an opening at the end of the magazine. A retaining structure hinged to an intermediate portion of the leg extends toward the head and is spaced from a top wall of the structure. As the end stop is inserted, the wall of the magazine pivots the retaining means. After the retaining means passes through the wall, the retaining means relaxes to overlie the wall and capture the end stop to the magazine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: R. H. Murphy Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert H. Murphy
  • Patent number: 5228219
    Abstract: A waterproof device, for boots having a shell and/or a quarter which have a first and a second overlapping flaps. The device is constituted by an insert arranged at a seat defined on the first flap of the shell and/or of the quarter. The insert has containment seats for respective levers and a tab which can be sealingly interposed between the first flap and the second flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Nordica S.p.A.
    Inventor: Valerio Tonel
  • Patent number: 5216826
    Abstract: A rear entry alpine ski boot, in which the rear spoiler is latched on the sides of the upper. The rear spoiler of the boot has an indent in its rear portion, the indent extending along a plane intersecting a plane passing by its latch on the upper and its pivot on the lower shell and determining an upper segment journalled on latch and lower segment journalled on pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Salomon S.A.
    Inventors: Jerome Chaigne, Bernard Nerrinck
  • Patent number: 5212878
    Abstract: A sole for an article of footwear, such as an athletic shoe, comprises a mass of sole-forming material having provided therein a block of material functioning harmoniously with the remaining mass of material and providing a receptacle in the sole; and a user-selectable, removable insert fitted in the receptacle to impart desired energy characteristics to the sole. The insert can be selected by the user according to his particular needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Bata Limited
    Inventors: Robert Burke, James Russell
  • Patent number: 5210963
    Abstract: A toe cap for a protective shoe is injection molded utilizing a fiber-filled plastic resin having a high loading of relatively long fibers. The toe cap is constructed to provide a controlled vertical collapse of the body under a vertical load imposed on the roof by providing a roof section of relatively higher strength than the front and side walls of the toe cap. The front and/or side walls are provided with regions of substantially reduced cross section, as compared to the roof section, allowing the walls to close vertically and collapse in a hinge-like manner, while the relatively stronger roof substantially retains its original shape. A specially positioned and shaped gate allows the fiber-filled resin to be injected to form the toe cap in a manner resulting in the lateral orientation of the fibers across the roof to substantially enhance the strength thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Inventor: John M. Harwood
  • Patent number: 5187885
    Abstract: This invention comprises generally an integral insert for a golf shoe having several raised protuberances extending upwardly from a base shaped to fit on and cover the inner sole of the shoe. The protuberances are resilient and can be made from cellular plastic or elastomer, or can be molded integrally with the base. One protuberance tapers inwardly from the outer edge of the insert and extends from the heel to the end of the toes, and another protuberance tapers inwardly from the inner edge in the middle section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Inventor: John T. Murphy
  • Patent number: 5185942
    Abstract: The apparatus is arranged to provide for a lotion container contained within an upper and lower shoe sole portion, wherein the sole portion includes supporting bands for mounting the container to an individual's foot. Confronting and mirror image cavities within the upper and lower sole portions receive a fluid bladder therewithin. A modification of the invention includes the upper and lower sole portion separable relative to one another to permit selective replacement of the fluid bladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Inventor: Patrick A. Decker
  • Patent number: 5177884
    Abstract: The invention concerns a sport shoe made of an upper with a heel cap, and including a rigid collar attached to the heel cap of the shoe and intended to surround the lower leg. According to the invention, the upper of the shoe is low, and the attachment of the rigid collar on the upper occurs at the upper end of the latter and essentially at the level of the malleolus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Salomon S.A.
    Inventor: Pierre Rullier
  • Patent number: 5175946
    Abstract: An insole includes a heel portion defining a recess. A replaceable pneumatic buffer defining a first and a second tubular elements is received in the recess of the insole. A central tunnel communicating with the first tubular element defines a hole. A plurality of tunnels communicate the first tubular element with the second tubular element. When load is exerted on the buffer, the second tubular element abuts a surface of the shoe, thereby defining a chamber filled with air. When the load increases excessively, air is ventable through the hole of the central tunnel and further off the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Inventor: Ming-En Tsai
  • Patent number: 5172494
    Abstract: A foot cushioning device to absorb shock primarily shock due to heel strike which device is insertable in or may be incorporated in footwear. The exterior of the body of the device carries primary shock absorbers extending at least from the portion of the device in the heel area. The primary shock absorber deforms to protect the foot by absorbing initial shock loads. Secondary shock absorbers are also provided which with increased deformation will provide resistance to higher shock load so that a non-linear force displacement behavior similar to that occurring in the natural heel pad occurs. In the preferred embodiment, the body of the device is a heel cup and the primary and secondary shock absorbing members are defined by longer and shorter ribs extending longitudinally and transversely along the outer surface of the heel cup in a grid-like pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Inventor: Murray R. Davidson
  • Patent number: 5167322
    Abstract: A package roll of paper or other sheet material comprised of a cylinder core about which paper is wound into a roll. A wrapper is wrapped around the roll of paper. An inside header is secured over the end walls of the roll by the overhang portions of the wrapper which is crimped over a peripheral outer edge portion of the header positioned thereon. The inside header has a base wall of substantially the same diameter as the roll and disposed over the end walls. The overhang edge portions are crimped about the outer peripheral edge portion of an outer face of the base wall. A support disc of smaller predetermined surface area, relative to the diameter of the roll, is secured to the outer face of the base wall to support the roll when positioned on one of its ends and to relieve pressure from outer end edges of the roll of paper. An outside header is secured over the support disc and crimped edge portions of the wrapper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Cascades Conversion Inc.
    Inventor: Alain Lemaire
  • Patent number: 5152082
    Abstract: A shoe is provided with an ankle support member to reduce the risk of ankle injury. The ankle support member is a stiff resilient piece of bendable sheet material including a base portion, and a plurality of lateral and medial strips which are inclined upwardly and rearwardly. The base portion has a U-shaped horizontal cross section which extends into and is bonded to the shoe sole. Some lateral strips are connected to medial strips to form inverted support loops behind the wearer's heel. Other lateral and medial strips have free upper ends which are curved toward each other in a transverse direction, and their stiffness deters lateral movement of the ankle to reduce a risk of ankle injury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Inventor: Thomas C. Culpepper
  • Patent number: 5146697
    Abstract: A shoe having increased flexibility and ability to twist and bend in a variety of directions is disclosed. The shoe is constructed by an overlap slip last construction in which the last allowance of the upper of the shoe is stitched to the sole or mid-sole, not cemented to the sole. The presence of a full insole board and wrap in the forepart of the shoe as well as a conventional shank is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Inventor: Howard K. Weiss
  • Patent number: 5134792
    Abstract: The boot is of the rear-fitting type and comprises a hinged upper consisting of two parts (3, 4) and provided with a first tensioning lever (6) acting on a cable, one end of which is connected to a second tensioner (9) permanently connected to the front part (3) of the upper. When the first tensioner (6) is closed, opening of the second tensioner (9) ensures sufficient relaxation of the upper to allow a rest position and facilitate walking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: Lange International, S.A.
    Inventors: Renzo Balbinot, Vincenzo Bidoia, Mario Mattiuzzo, Cristiano Benetti
  • Patent number: 5131173
    Abstract: An outsole for sports shoes comprising a carrier element (1) of relatively hard material and relatively soft sole portions (2, 3) which are secured to the carrier element on the outward side thereof. The carrier element (1) comprises a sole plate (11) which is stiffened by stiffening wells which are disposed approximately perpendicular to the surface of the plate and which substantially follow the contour of the edge of the sole. To provide for deformability of the carrier element (1), in the shank region (4) the height of the stiffening walls (13, 14) is at least locally markedly lower than in the heel region of the sole plate (FIG. 1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Adidas AG
    Inventor: Wolf Anderie
  • Patent number: 5125173
    Abstract: A cycling shoe having a cleat-attaching hole in its sole. The shoe has a pair of attaching holes for attaching a cleat to a sole of the shoe, the attaching holes being formed in the sole. The attaching holes are a pair of elongated slots formed substantially along a longitudinal direction of the shoe and are disposed substantially in parallel with each other along a lateral direction of the shoe. Each of the elongated slots can be alternately formed of a series of small holes aligned along the longitudinal direction of the shoe. A distance between the centers of the pair of elongated slots relative to the width of the shoe is limited at not greater than 19 mm so as to obtain a sufficient and necessary amount of cleat attachment angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: Shimano Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Nagano, Shinpei Okajima
  • Patent number: 5111931
    Abstract: A non-palletized unit of cargo of multiple substantially identical high density bales of hay capable of being handled by a forklift truck or the like without a pallet comprises a plurality of substantially identical high density bales of hay, arranged into at least one layer of multiple horizontal rows, and bound together as a unit solely by multiple layers of an elongated continuous sheet of pre-stretched polymeric film having a memory wrapped horizontally around the periphery of the bales of hay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: A.C.X., Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Gombos, Moshe Leashno
  • Patent number: 5111598
    Abstract: A ski boot of the type having a shell with overlapping flaps or of the rigid monolithic type, with at least one closure point on the instep and/or on the metatarsal region and a front quarter and a rear quarter associated with the shell. A band-like element is associated with the front quarter. The front quarter has one or more partially mutually superimposed tabs inside which there is at least one tongue which protrudes from the band-like element. The band-like element, which interacts with tension-producing devices, has rivets engaging respective slots in the front quarter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: Nordica S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mariano Sartor, Valerio Tonel
  • Patent number: 5101581
    Abstract: Damping element for ski boots, comprising a collar 21, swivellable in skiing direction, in relation to a shell 20, the swivel movement being damped in forward direction by a damping spring 9, positioned on the heel side, which is supported on a shoulder 22 of the collar 21 on the one hand, and on a bolt 3, mounted in the shell 20, on the other, the bolt in the shell 20 being mounted level- adjustably and lockably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: Dynafit Skischuh Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Kurt Hilgarth