Resilient shoe lift

Abstract

Resilient shoe lift incorporating a series of lever rods stabilized by bars and integrally molded into the structure of a shoe sole, such that when the sole is fabricated into assembled shoe, and the shoe is worn, the lever rods add lift to the shoe which enhances the ability of the athlete to run, jump, or even when employed within a walking situation.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This nonprovisional patent application claims priority to the provisional application having Ser. No. 60/577,147, which was filed on Jun. 4, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to footwear, and more specifically relates to the addition of resilient structure into the sole portion of a shoe, in order to add to the resiliency and perhaps dexterity to the wearer of the shoes particularly when participating in strenuous exercise or athletic events.

A myriad of footwear has been developed and which incorporated various types of means, within the shoes, in order to add to their liftabilities, but in many instances, usually relates to enhancing the cushioning of the footwear, when worn. For example, these types of structures can be seen in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,760 and 24,894,933.

All of the prior art as reviewed herein may have had some attributes towards either cushioning or adding springiness to the sole of the footwear, in order to enhance the motion of the wearer, but none of them have incorporated the concept of the lever or spring approach, into the structure of the sole or even the heel of the shoe, so as to act as a lifting mechanism to aid in the jump of the athlete, or even add to the acceleration in their running, when such shoes are worn.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a lift mechanism, generally in the formation of a resilient lever, or spring rod that enhances the lift of the foot, and that may add to the jump of the athlete, or running of the sportsmen, participating in an athletic event.

This invention contemplates the addition of further structure to the sole of the shoe, and generally, in the preferred embodiment, such will be arranged more permanently at the arch and forward portion of the foot, and then extend forwardly, to add to the lift of the runner, when participating in an athletic event, or even when just walking. On the other hand, it is just as likely that the lever lift mechanism of this invention could also extend rearwardly, or solely extend rearwardly, in order to add to the lift at that location of the wearer, when the shoes are worn during athletic events.

Nevertheless, when the structure of this particular invention is incorporated into footwear, it can even be added to walking shoes, or casual shoes, and provide for some degree of enhancement, in the movement of the wearer, as during foot pronation, when either walking, running, or simply wearing such shoes for routine purposes.

The structure of this invention incorporates stabilizer member, such as a stabilizer bar, that has a series of apertures provided therein, and which will function either individually, or when incorporated into pairs, useful for holding a variety of preferably forwardly extending, but perhaps even rearwardly extending, resilient bars or spring rods that have inherent flexibility, so as to add to the lift of the wearer of the shoes, as when such structure is incorporated into and integrated within the fabricated shoe, during its manufacture. The various stabilizer bars as utilized, and whether it be one or more that are employed in the structure of this lifting mechanism, may be made of any material that will provide for fixing the back end of the spring rods in place, and may be fabricated as steel, polymer, or any other type of material that can function as a stabilizer, and to hold the lift bars in place, when embedded within the sole of a shoe. The rods of this particular invention, as employed for lifting purposes, may be formed of any type of flexible material, whether it be metal, polymer, or even fiberglass, and which are inherently resilient so that when a lever rod is bent, due to the continuing changing curvature of the sole of the shoe, as during walking or running, the rods will have a tendency to resiliently seek its steady state linear condition, and thereby add to the lift of the shoe of the wearer, during participation in any type of an event that provides for such footwear to bend or curve, during application. These spring rods may be affixed within their stabilizer bars, by any type of adhesive, or other means, that function to hold these components in place, as when the sole is being molded, in preparation for their integration into the structure of footwear.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a spring lift mechanism that may be incorporated into the sole of a shoe, and add to the ability of the wearer to jump, or enhance their running or walking, during application.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a spring and lever like lift mechanism that is used in conjunction with a stabilizer bar, and all of which may be integrally molded into the sole of a footwear or athletic shoe, and be essentially unnoticeable to the wearer or others.

Yet another object of this invention to provide lever rods that add flexibility and resiliency to the sole of a shoe, and can add to the comfort and more efficient walking or running for the wearer when such structure is embedded into the manufacture of footwear.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a series of linear alined, or staggered, lever bars that add inherent flexibility to the sole of a shoe, to enhance the physical achievement of any runner or athlete, while participating in strenuous sports.

Another object of the invention is to provide a series of resilient shoe lifts that cause their bending when incorporated into the structure of any shoe soles, and have enhanced ability to lift the foot, overlying the bent portion of the flexible structure, as the shoe is being worn.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a series of lever rods, that may be staggered, even vertically nonaligned, in their location as integrated within the structure of a shoe sole, in order to enhance the lifting characteristics through flexing of any footwear as worn.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide for enhancements to anyone impaired with the physiological characteristics of being flat-footed, to add to their lift during wearing of shoes incorporating the inherent shoe lift structure of this invention.

These and other objects may become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the summary of the invention as provided herein, and upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of the lever rods incorporated into the structure of a pair of shoes;

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a stabilizer bar for holding the lever rods in place;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the front of a back stabilizer bar;

FIG. 1C is a front view of the front stabilizer bar;

FIG. 1D is a schematic view of the emplacement of the lever rods within the shoe sole relative to the toes of the foot of the wearer;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the lever rods as embedded within the shoe sole;

FIG. 2A provides a schematic view of the lever rods relative to the toes of the foot of the wearer;

FIG. 2B is a schematic view of the lever rods relative to the location of the toes of the foot of the wearer;

FIG. 2C shows the arrangement of the lever rods, schematically, and it bending, during foot pronation of the wearer;

FIG. 2D provides a schematic view of the lever rods being bent during foot pronation;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the lever rods relative to their securement within the stabilizer bars of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lever rods located within their stabilizer bars in preparation for their embedment within the sole of a shoe; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the lever rods that also extend rearwardly, as embedded within the shown shoe sole.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENT

In referring to the drawings, and in particular FIG. 1, the resilient shoe lift of this invention is readily disclosed. It includes a series of lever rods 1, which are destined to be embedded within the sole 2, usually for both the right and left shoe soles, as noted. The lever rods are a series of such rods, as can be noted, and generally radiate from a mid point of the sole where there is located a front stabilizer bar 3 and a rear stabilizer bar 4, as can be seen. The stabilizer bars, as noted, in their perspective views, as in FIG. 1A, are generally similar in construction, with the rear bar for mounting the approximate back ends of the lever rods 1, as can be seen at 5. The lever rods, as noted at 1, then extend through the front stabilizer bar 3, in a manner as shown at 6, and as can be seen in FIG. 1C, and these lever bars may be of a solid configuration as shown at 7, or they may be of a hollow structure, as noted at 6, in order to add to their flexibility, and resiliency, in providing lift to any shoe, as the shoe is worn by the user. See also FIG. 1B.

In any event, all of the structure as just previously reviewed are generally embedded within the sole 2, is molded from a polymer, rubber, or the like, as normally known in the trade. Furthermore, as can be noted in the upper segments of this FIG. 1D, the lever bars have a tendency to undertake the shape of the pressure of the foot, as noted at F, and become rather staggered in their configuration, as shown at 8. They can even be vertically staggered. Nevertheless, when the shoe is worn, and has a tendency to bend along the frontal portion of the sole, this bend also flexes the lever bars, which builds up inherent force within them, such that when the shoe is raised, it has a tendency to snap the foot upwardly, through its tendency to linear align within the sole, and straighten the sole, as the shoe is worn during walking, or even while performing a strenuous exercise as while participating in an athletic event.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 through 2D, flexing of the soles can be readily seen as noted. The lever rods 1 can flex, while the shoe undertakes a walking motion, at its approximate midpoint, as noted at 9, and as the foot is lowered onto the ground, and the vicinity under the toe portion of the foot F reaches the ground, this point of pressure causes a bending of the lever rods 1, and the sole, in the vicinity as shown at 10, all of which is building up inherent resiliency, that tends to force the foot upwardly, since the rods have a tendency to want to enter into linear alignment, to maintain and sustain their nature state. Thus, this causes a lift within the structure of the shoe at the region of the bend or curving of the lever rods, and has a tendency to push the sole and the shoe upwardly, in addition to the foot, thereby inherently transferring its lift to the wearer of the shoes, when used.

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the rods 1, located through their front stabilizer bar 3, and then fixed by the rear stabilizer bar 4, as noted. There are approximately 16 of the lever rods employed within this particular design, although more or less rods may be employed. Nevertheless, when this structure is assembled, for providing a resilient shoe lift, it is embedded within the structure of the sole of the shoe, when manufactured, that adds lift to the tennis or athletic shoes, or even walking shoes, when the sole is integrated into the structure of such footwear, when manufactured. As can be understood, the faster the runner runs, the more flexing of the lever rods takes place, which enhances the force generated within the shoe sole, to add to the efficiency of performance of the athlete, during usage. As previously reviewed, there is a tendency for the lever rods to flex along their entire length, depending upon that stage of walking or running in which the wearer participates, to add to the lift motion, inherently, because of the force generated by the series of rods intending to achieve their steady state condition, which is to be linear aligned, within the sole, thereby forcing the frontal portion of the shoe sole upwardly, during usage.

As previously summarized, it is likely that the back end of the rods 1 may extend further back into the region of the heel of the sole, to add to further lift to the sole and the shoe including its wearer when the shoes are used for walking, since the heel is the first portion of the shoe that contacts the ground, during foot pronation and such movement.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of the lever rods 1, mounted to their front and rear stabilizer bars 3 and 4, as previously reviewed, to add to the resiliency of the shoe in which this lifting structure is embedded. As can also be noted, so that the structure of this device can conveniently be molded directly into the shoe sole, it can be seen at the front tips, as at 11, may have differing lengths, so that the lever rods may enter into proximity of the front of the sole structure for the shoe, depending upon the contoured shape of the front of the sole, during its manufacture. The rods may even have different vertical alignment

Also, as can be seen in FIG. 5, the lever rods 1, as embedded within the shoe sole 2 may also extend rearwardly, as noted at 12, after they are secured within the front and back stabilizer bars 3 and 4, as can be seen. This provides further resiliency in the rearward segment of the shoe, as proximate its heel, so as to add further lift to the footwear and the wearer, particularly during foot pronation, which can occur either while walking, running, or participating in any athletic event.

Variations or modifications to the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon review of the disclosure as provided herein. Such variations, if within the spirit of this development, are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention as shown and described. The description of the preferred embodiment and the disclosure of the resilient shoe lift in the drawings are set forth for illustrative purposes only.

Claims

1. A footwear incorporating a resilient shoe lift, said footwear providing a sole with a shoe upper, a resilient shoe lift embedded within the sole, and extending generally forwardly within the sole, said shoe lift comprising a plurality of resilient lever rods, at least one rear a mount provided embedded within the sole, and securing the approximate back end of each lever rod fixably in place, such that when the shoe is worn, and the foot phonates, the lever rods resiliency add to the lift by the shoe of the wearer.

2. The resilient shoe lift of claim 1, and including a second mount located slightly forwardly of the rear mount, and also securing the plurality of lever rods therethrough, to provide for a rear fixing of the lever rods to enhance their generation of resiliency in their forward portions, and to add to the lift of the shoe when worn,

3. The resilient shoe lift of claim 2 wherein said footwear is an athletic shoe.

4. The resilient shoe lift of claim 2 wherein the footwear is a walking shoe.

5. The resilient shoe lift of claim 2 wherein the footwear is a casual shoe.

6. The resilient shoe lift of claim 2 and including a integral heel provided at the back end of the footwear, and said plurality of lever rods extending rearwardly of the said mounts and being embedded within the heel segment of the footwear during application, and therein adding to the resiliency of the heel portion of the shoe during foot phonation.

7. The resilient shoe lift of claim 6 wherein the front of the resilient rods extend within proximity of the front edge of the shoe sole.

8. The resilient shoe lift of claim 7 and wherein the rearwardly extending resilient rods extend into proximity of the rear edge of the heel for the footwear.

9. The resilient shoe lift of claim 2 and wherein select of the forwardly extending rods are of differing vertical positioning within the sole.