Shoe sole having heel cushioning member

Abstract

A shoe sole includes a resilient cushioning device engaged in the heel portion for cushioning heel portions of users, the resilient cushioning device includes one frame member resiliently supported above another frame member, and a number of cushioning members disposed between the frame members, to provide a resilience to cushion and support the heel portions of the users. The cushioning members of different resilience may be changeably disposed or engaged between the frame members, according to the users' need, or according to the weights of the users, in order to suitably support various kinds of users.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a shoe sole, and more particularly to a shoe sole having a resilient cushioning device for the heel portion thereof.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical shoe soles may comprise one or more bladders or air chambers formed in the shoe soles, to increase the resilience of the shoe soles, and to resiliently support the heel portions of the users.

However, the bladders or the air chambers formed in the shoe soles may not be used to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional shoe soles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a shoe sole including a resilient cushioning device for attaching to the heel portion thereof to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users, and thus to comfortably support the heel portions of the users.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a shoe sole comprising a resilient cushioning device engaging in a heel portion of the shoe sole, the resilient cushioning device comprising a lower frame member, an upper frame member disposed above the lower frame member, a coupling device for coupling the lower and the upper frame members together, and a number of cushioning members disposed between the lower and the upper frame members, and having a resilience to provide a cushioning force between the frame members, and to cushion users.

The lower and the upper frame members each includes at least one recess formed therein to stably receive and retain the cushioning members between the lower and the upper frame members. The coupling device includes at least one arm coupled between the lower and the upper frame members, to resiliently couple the upper and the lower frame members together.

Each of the lower and the upper frame members includes an inner peripheral portion having the arm coupled therebetween. The lower and the upper frame members each includes an opening formed therein to define the inner peripheral portion thereof.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side schematic view of a shoe sole in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a resilient cushioning device for the shoe sole;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the resilient cushioning device for the shoe sole, taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating another arrangement of the resilient cushioning device for the shoe sole, which is in an open position;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the resilient cushioning device as shown in FIG. 4, which is in a closed or folded position;

FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the resilient cushioning device as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the resilient cushioning device, taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the resilient cushioning device as shown in FIGS. 5-7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, a shoe sole 10 in accordance with the present invention comprises a rear or heel portion 11 for supporting heel portions of users, a front portion 12 for supporting front foot portions of the users, and a resilient cushioning device 20 attached or engaged in the heel portion 11 of the shoe sole 10 to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users.

The resilient cushioning device 20 may be engaged into the heel portion 11 of the shoe sole 10 while molding the shoe sole 10, or may be engaged into the heel portion 11 of the shoe sole 10 after the shoe sole 10 has been molded, and includes two frame members 30, 40 arranged substantially parallel to each other (FIGS. 1-3) as seen from the side portion of the resilient cushioning device 20.

The resilient cushioning device 20 further includes a number of resilient or spring balls or bladders or balloons or spherical or spatial cushioning members 50 disposed or arranged between the frame members 30, 40, and having a suitable resilience to provide a suitable cushioning force between the frame members 30, 40, and thus to suitably cushion the heel portions of the users.

The first or the lower frame member 30 is located below the second or the upper frame member 40, and includes one or more recesses 31 formed or provided in the upper portion thereof, and the upper frame member 40 also includes one or more recesses 41 formed or provided in the lower portion thereof, for stably receiving and retaining the spatial cushioning members 50 between the frame members 30, 40.

Each of the frame members 30, 40 includes an opening 32, 42 formed or provided in an inner portion thereof, to form or define an inner peripheral portion 33, 43 respectively. The resilient cushioning device 20 further includes a coupling means or device 60 resiliently coupled between the frame members 30, 40, to further suitably and resiliently couple the frame members 30, 40 together.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coupling device 60 includes one or more resilient or spring and/or C-shaped ribs or arms 61 provided or coupled between the frame members 30, 40, by such as molding, mold injection processes, or by adhering materials, or the like, to resiliently couple the frame members 30, 40 together, and preferably includes one or more slots 63 formed or located between the spring ribs or arms 61, to further increase a resilience of the coupling device 60.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 4-8, the spring ribs or arms 61 of the coupling device 60 may be formed or extended from or coupled between the side or outer peripheral portion of the frame members 30, 40 respectively, and the coupling device 60 may also includes one or more slots 63 formed or located between the spring ribs or arms 61, to increase the resilience of the coupling device 60.

The coupling device 60 may further include one or more spring or resilient stays 64 formed or extended from the frame members 30, 40 respectively, and arranged offset from each other, to allow the spring stays 64 to be arranged or located side by side (FIGS. 5, 6) after the frame members 30, 40 are disposed or arranged in parallel to each other, in order to suitably provide a resilience or cushioning force between the frame members 30, 40.

The upper or the lower frame member 30 includes a catch 34 extended therefrom, and the lower or the upper frame member 40 includes a lock notch 44 formed therein for receiving the catch 34, and one or more protrusions 45 extended into the lock notch 44 thereof, for engaging with the catch 34, and for detachably or openably securing the upper and the lower frame member 40, 30 together, and to maintain the he upper and the lower frame member 40, 30 in parallel to each other.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 1, due to the engagement or the molding of the frame members 30, 40 of the resilient cushioning device 20 within the heel portion 11 of the shoe sole 10, and due to the resilient support of the upper frame member 40 above the lower frame member 30 with the cushioning members 50, the resilient cushioning device 20 may be used to provide a suitable resilience to cushion and to comfortably support the heel portions of the users.

It is to be noted that the resilient cushioning device 20 may further include the other cushioning members 50 of different resilience, which may be selectively and changeably engaged into or disposed between the frame members 30, 40, according to the users' need, or according to the weights of the users, in order to suitably support various kinds of users.

As shown in FIG. 1, it is preferable that the frame members 30, 40 and the cushioning members 50 are partially exposed and may be seen or reached from outside of the shoe sole 10, to allow the cushioning members 50 of different resilience to be selectively and changeably engaged into or disposed between the frame members 30, 40.

Accordingly, the shoe sole in accordance with the present invention includes a resilient cushioning device for attaching to the heel portion thereof to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users, and thus to comfortably support the heel portions of the users.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A resilient cushioning device engaging in a heel portion of a shoe sole, said resilient cushioning device comprising:

a lower frame member,

an upper frame member disposed above said lower frame member,

means for coupling said lower and said upper frame members together, and

a plurality of cushioning members disposed between said lower and said upper frame members, and having a resilience to provide a cushioning force between said frame members, and to cushion users.

2. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower and said upper frame members each includes at least one recess formed therein to stably receive and retain said cushioning members between said lower and said upper frame members.

3. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupling means includes at least one arm coupled between said lower and said upper frame members, to resiliently couple said upper and said lower frame members together.

4. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said lower and said upper frame members includes an inner peripheral portion having said at least one arm coupled therebetween.

5. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 4, wherein said lower and said upper frame members each includes an opening formed therein to define said inner peripheral portion thereof.