Cushioned Sole with Air Chamber and Resistance Protrusions

Abstract

A shoe providing increased comfort and decreased weight without sacrificing in quality or durability by cresting a chamber below the insole, and preferably in between an outsole and a midsole, with protrusions projecting up from the outsole towards the chamber directly beneath the midsole. In some embodiments, the protrusions may project directly into the chamber but maintains a gap between the top of the protrusions and the midsole.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/763,260, entitled “Cushioned Sole with Air Chamber and Resistance Protrusion,” filed Feb. 11, 2013, which application is incorporated in its entirety here by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to shoes.

BACKGROUND

Many hours are spent standing, walking, and running. Poor shoes create discomfort in each of these activities, and can cause or exacerbate knee pain and back pain. Further causing discomfort is the weight of a shoe. An old adage indicates a pound of weight on the foot equals shout five pounds carried on the back. Some studies indicate carrying a certain amount of weight on the foot required about 5 to 6 times more energy to carry that same weight on the back. Therefore, it is important to wear lightweight shoes that provide the proper support to the feet.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to an improved shoe that has reduced weight than the average shoe by creating air chambers underneath the insole, preferably in between the outsole and the midsole, but providing improved stability by using protrusions projecting up from the outsole into the air chambers towards the midsole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention:

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a dose-up of a cross-section of the front portion of the shoe shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a close-up of a cross-section of the heel portion of the shoe shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows a close-up of a cross-section of the arch of the shoe shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 shows another close-up of a cross-section of the heel portion of the shoe shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent fractions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

The present invention is an improved shoe providing increased comfort and decreased weight without sacrificing in quality or durability by creating an air chamber 108, 110 below the insole 102, and preferably in between the outsole 106 and the midsole 104, with protrusions 114 projecting op from the outsole 106 into the chamber directly beneath the midsole 104. A typical shoe comprises an upper 101 that covers the top portion of the foot and a sole 100 that covers the bottom portion of the foot and provides a safe surface tor the toot to rest upon. The sole 100, therefore, serves as the interface between the wearer's foot and the ground, while the upper 101 provides covering and protection for the top portion of the foot.

Depending on the type of shoe, the upper 101 can be made of many different materials, such as canvas, rubber, leather, nylon and the like.

The sole 100 generally comprises an insole 102, a midsole 104, and the outsole 106. The insole 102 is the first or top layer of material inside the shoe upon which the foot rests. The insole 102 provides a comfortable surface and support for the foot. As such, the insole 102 may be made of soft or cushiony material, such as foam, rubber, silicone, leather, cotton and the like.

The outsole 106 is the exposed or outside part of the sole that makes contact with the ground. The outsole 106 can be made of any type of material that provides grip, is durable, and optionally, water resistant. In the preferred embodiment, the outsole 106 may be made of rubber, leather, plastic, and the like.

To improve comfort and shock absorption, a midsole 104 is provided in between the insole 102 and the outsole 106. In the preferred embodiment, the midsole 104 is made of ethylene-vinyl acetate EVA, but polyurethane, and other types of rubber, foam, plastic, and the like are also suitable. In the preferred embodiment, the insole 102 is fixed to the midsole 104 and the midsole 104 is fixed to the outsole 106. However, the insole 102 and the midsole 104 can be removable.

To further improve shock absorption and comfort, the midsole 104 and the outsole 106 are constructed so as to create a chamber 108, 110 or cavity in between the midsole 104 and the outsole 106. In some embodiments, the chamber 108, 110 may be one continuous chamber from the front portion 10 of the shoe underneath the ball of the foot or the metatarsals all the way to the heel portion 12 of the shoe. In other words, the chamber 108, 110 may extend substantially the fall length and width of the shoe.

The portion of the shoe underneath the arch of the foot may be filled, or include an arch support 112 to provide added support to the arches. To maintain lightness, the arch support may be made from a rigid sheet of material, such as plastic, metal, and the like, having a convex top surface and a concave bottom surface. The concave bottom surface is curved, to fit or mate with the contours of the outsole at the arch portion. The convex top surface provides the upwardly arching curve to provide support for the arches of the wearer's foot. The arch support is glued, cemented, welded, bonded, or otherwise adhered to the outsole for added stability, while still allowing for some give or flexibility so as not to cause pain in the arches. The area support 112 is sufficiently stiff so as to maintain its general form while the shoe is worn.

Due to the arch support 112, the cavity between the outsole and midsole define two distinct chamber sections 108, 110, one under the heel of the foot (heel chamber section 108) and one under the ball (metatarsal chamber section 110), since most of the pressure is applied at the heel and the ball of the foot. The two chamber sections 108, 110 may be sealed from each other or may be in fluid communication. Creation of the chamber 108, 110 not only provides a more comfortable feel, but it also allows the shoe to be lighter in weight as much of the material that would have been occupied by the outsole 106 or the midsole 104 can be removed.

In some embodiments, to ensure a tight seal, the chamber 108, 110 may be lined with an airtight lining. In another embodiment, the midsole 104 itself may be constructed in the form of a sealed bladder with the chamber 108, 110 inside the midsole 104. In other words, the bladder defines the air chamber 108, 110. The bladder may have a top side upon which the insole is positioned, and a bottom side which rests upon the outsole 106. The protrusions 114 may be on the outsole 106 and abut against the bottom side of the outsole 104. In some embodiments with the bladder, the protrusions 114 may be on the inner side of the bottom side of the midsole 104 protruding into the chamber 108, 110.

The chamber 108, 110 created between the midsole 104 and the outsole 100 is the preferred embodiment. This allows for the creation of a plurality of protrusions 114 to project up from the outsole 100 into the air chamber 108, 110. The protrusions 114 create added stability and support under the heel and the ball of the feet where most pressure is applied. Preferably, the protrusions 114 are integrally formed with the outsole 106. Therefore the protrusions 114 may be made of the same material as the outsole 186. The outsole 106 and protrusions 114 can be created by the use of a mold. However, the protrusions 114 can be modified to have a particular hardness that is the same as or different from the outsole 106 to provide the proper support.

The combination of a sealed air chamber 108, 110 and protrusions 114 creates superior comfort and stability while minimizing the weight of the shoe. The air chamber 108, 110 alone, although providing comfort can collapse, especially if the air chamber 108, 110 is not air tight. Using the protrusions 114 without the air light chamber may provide improved stability; however, it may not necessarily be as comfortable by itself.

Although the protrusions 114 can be any shape, preferably, the protrusions 114 are characterized by a rounded top portion 120 and a base 122 opposite the top portion 120, the base 122 integrally formed with the outsole 106. The height of the protrusions 114 may vary depending on their location. Preferably, the height of the protrusion 114 is slightly smaller than the height of the chamber within which they reside. The chamber may have varying heights due to the contours of the midsole 104 and/or the outsole 106. As such, the heights of each individual protrusion 114 may vary accordingly so as to maintain a constant gap between the top of the protrusion 114 and the midsole 104 in its natural state, meaning when no weight is applied to the midsole. When weight is applied to the midsole, specifically, when a user is wearing the shoe and standing, the gap may be diminished or eliminated due to the pressure applied to the midsole causing it to depress towards the protrusions. Preferably, the average height of the protrusions 114 located in the heel air chamber is taller than the average height of the protrusions 114 in the metatarsal air chamber.

Although the protrusions 114 can be dome shaped, in the preferred embodiment, the main body of the protrusions 114 is cylindrical. In other words, the walls of each protrusion 114 are generally parallel to each other. This provides the most variability in determining the density of the protrusions 114 as well as the height of the protrusions 114. This also provides the greatest strength to the protrusions to resist axial force along the longitudinal axis.

Each protrusion 114 being cylindrical defines a longitudinal axis L. Preferably, the protrusion 114 has a diameter or thickness sufficiently great enough so as not to bend or have the longitudinal axis deviate from its normal direction when put under pressure, for example during walking or running. This allows the protrusions 114 to create an internal spring or recoil when pressure is applied along the longitudinal axis. This prevents the midsole 104 from collapsing into the void created by the air chambers 108, 110.

To create the sole 100, the outsole 106 and the midsole 104 may be compression or injection molded. Then the midsole 104 and the outsole 106 can be glued, cemented, bonded, welded, or otherwise adhered together. If a liner is used, the liner can be filled with a fluid and inserted into the chamber before the midsole 104 and outsole 106 are attached. The upper and insole 102 can then be glued, cemented, bonded, welded, or otherwise adhered to the midsole 104 and outsole 106.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A shoe, comprising:

a. an outsole;

b. a midsole positioned above the outsole, wherein the midsole is feed to the outsole;

c. a chamber in between the outsole and the midsole, wherein the chamber extends from a front portion of the shoe to a heel portion of the shoe;

d. a plurality of protrusions projecting up from the outsole into the chamber directly beneath the midsole, wherein the protrusions are characterized by a rounded top portion and a base opposite the top portion, the base integrally formed with the outsole, wherein the top portion of each protrusion and the midsole define a gap therebetween when in a natural state; and

e. an arch support within the chamber in between the front portion and the heel portion, wherein the arch support is a rigid sheet having a convex top surface and a concave bottom surface.

2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the air chamber comprises a heel chamber section and a metatarsal chamber section.

3. The shoe of claim 2, wherein the heel chamber section and the metatarsal chamber section are sealed from each other.

4. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the air chamber 108, 110 is lined with an airtight lining.

5. A shoe, comprising:

a. an outsole;

b. a midsole positioned above the outsole;

c. an insole positioned above the midsole;

d. a chamber below the insole, wherein the chamber extends from a front portion of the shoe to a heel portion of the shoe; and

e. a plurality of protrusions projecting up towards the insole, wherein the protrusions are characterized by a rounded top portion and a base opposite the top portion, the base formed adjacent the outsole, wherein the top portion of each protrusion and the insole define a gap therebetween when in a natural state.

6. The shoe of claim 5, wherein the chamber comprises a heel chamber and a metatarsal chamber.

7. The shoe of claim 6, wherein the two air chambers are sealed from each other.

8. The shoe of claim 5, wherein the air chamber is lined with an airtight lining.

9. The shoe of claim 5, wherein the midsole is a sealed bladder having a top side and a bottom side with the air chamber defined by the top and bottom side of the midsole.

10. The shoe of claim 9, wherein the protrusions are Integrally formed with the outsole and abut the bottom side of the midsole.

11. The shoe of claim 5, further comprising an arch support in between the front portion and the heel portion, wherein the arch support is a rigid sheet having a convex top surface and a concave bottom surface.

12. The shoe of claim 5, wherein the protrusions are integrally formed with the outsole and protrude into the chamber beneath the midsole, wherein the top portion of each protrusion and the midsole define the gap.