Patent Grant
9289028
The present invention relates to the field of shoe design and particularly to a new multi-layered or multi-density shoe sole design that contains layers of different materials with different densities that are arranged in such a fashion so as to prevent or help to reduce injury to the user's feet.
A well known problem associated with today's footwear is that it is not designed to adequately protect the user's feet from the natural stresses that result from walking. Improper weight distribution can cause a number of injuries to the human foot. These ailments can range from those as simple as foot fatigue to those as severe as actual metatarsal injuries. The present invention footwear sole has been designed to help overcome or at least reduce these problems.
The present invention generally provides a footwear sole having a variety of cushioning materials to prevent, reduce and/or eliminate foot fatigue, plantar fasciitis, and metatarsal injuries as a result of improper weight distribution to the bottom of the foot. These cushioning materials can possess differing densities and can be arranged in such a fashion so as to force the impact of the body's weight on the foot to dissipate outwards rather than straight down. When the force of the body's weight is directed downwards, it results in the wearer's heel and metatarsal absorbing the body's weight, The present invention helps to prevent or reduce this by dissipating the force outwards from the foot.
For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be had to the preferred embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below. In the drawings, which are not necessarily to scale:
The present invention will now be described fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention, however, may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the preferred embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these preferred embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. It will be understood that all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.
The present invention footwear sole is shown and generally designated as sole 10. Sole 10 can comprise a variety of cushioning materials to help prevent, reduce and/or eliminate foot fatigue, plantar fasciitis, and metatarsal injuries as a result of improper weight distribution to the bottom of the foot. These cushioning materials can possess differing densities and can be arranged in such a fashion so as to force the impact of the body's weight on the foot to dissipate outwards rather than straight down. When the force of the body's weight is directed downwards, it results in the wearer's heel and metatarsal absorbing the body's weight,
Footwear sole 10 helps to prevent or reduce the amount of weight absorbed by the body by dissipating the force outwards from the foot. The dissipation occurs by removing the pressure from the user's heel and metatarsal. Instead, the present invention allows the force to be gradually absorbed by the medial and lateral arch muscles of the foot. This absorption occurs during the normal walking movement, with the forward movement initiating the force transfer. The use of a forward rocking bottom, in conjunction with weight dispensing layers of different densities under the metatarsal and heel regions of the foot, as well as a firm layer under the foot's arch, permits the kinetic energy created by the forward motion to be dissipated outward from the user's foot, thereby releasing pressure on the metatarsal and heel regions of the foot and thereby reducing the chance of injury.
Therefore, force of weight dissipation can occur when pressure is first applied to the softer material in a downward motion from a softer layer to a material with a greater density on a gradual basis. This action transfers the pressure with a weight and impact reduction, which results in an off loading of the body's weight to a greater overall area of the foot. While usual custom orthotics are designed to perform the same function, they are made from a material with only one density and they also, therefore, place all of the weight on the heel and metatarsal. Thus, they do not provide the same force transference function as the present invention, and thereby fail to impart the same protection to the wearer's foot as the present invention.
Gravity and forward locomotion usually places about eighty percent of the body's weight on the heel and metatarsal. The present invention provides multiple layers of cushioning that not only dissipates the weight of the body, but also provides a gradual weight transference through this cushioning action. Thus, the process allows for a gradual dissipation of the body's weight during the forward motion of walking, which, in turn, reduces the impact of the walker's weight on the heel and metatarsal.
The present invention comprises a shoe body of ordinary construction with a specially designed multi-layered sole. The multi-layered and/or multi-density shoe sole can be incorporated into a variety of shoe types and styles and all are considered within the scope of the invention. In a preferred embodiment, the multi-layered sole comprises at least six different materials of varying densities, as measured in durometers in Scale OO. However, other number amount less and more than six, can be used, and are also considered within the scope of the invention.
As seen in
Underneath upper sock lining 12 can be a multi-layered metatarsal design 14 and a multi-layered heel seat design portion 22 of the multi-layered and/or multi-density sole 10. These portions can be comprised of a first weight dissipating layer 16, second weight dissipating layer 18 and third weight dissipating layer 20 for metatarsal design 14 and a first weight dissipating layer 24, second weight dissipating layer 26 and a third weight dissipating layer 28 for heel design 22.
First weight dissipating layer 16 (metatarsal) and first weight dissipating layer 24 (heel) can be mainly comprised of a polyurethane material or EVA foam (though other materials can be used are also considered within the scope of the invention) and can have a durometer density falling within a range of about 20 to about 30, and preferably 25 or about 25. In another embodiment, the durometer density range can be about 15 to about 25, and preferably 20 or about 20. As seen in
Second weight dissipating layer 18 (metatarsal) and 26 (heel) can rest below their respective first weight dissipating layers 16 and 24 and can be mainly comprised of a polyurethane material or EVA foam (though other materials can be used and are also considered within the scope of the invention) and can have a durometer density falling within a range of about 20 to about 30 and preferably 25 or about 25. In another embodiment, the durometer density range can be about 25 to about 35 and preferably 30 or about 30.
Third weight dissipating layer 20 (metatarsal) and 28 (heel) can rest below their respective second dissipating layer 18 and 26 and can be mainly comprised of a polyurethane material or EVA foam (though other materials can be used and are also considered within the scope of the invention) and can have a durometer density falling within a range of about 30 to about 40 and preferably 35 or about 35. In another embodiment, the durometer density range can be about 35 to about 45 and preferably 40 or about 40.
Preferably surrounding the lower two layers (18 and 20) of multi-layered metatarsal design 14 and the lower two layers (26 and 28) of heel seat design 22, and preferably in direct contact with at least a portion of the sections of the upper sock lining 12 that are not in contact with multi-layered metatarsal design 14 and heel seat portion 22, can be a molded filler 30. Molded filler 30 can be mainly comprised of a EVA or Fylon foam (though other materials can be used and are also considered within the scope of the invention) and can have a durometer density falling with a range of about 53 to about 58 and preferably 55 or about 55. In another embodiment, the density durometer range can be about 45 to about 55 and preferably 50 or about 50. Lower layers 18 and 20 and 26 and 28 along with molded filler 30 can be considered the midsole portion of sole 10
Following molded filler 30 and attached to the bottom thereto can be a molded rocker bottom 32. The molded rocker bottom 32 can be mainly comprised of rubber or a thermoplastic rubber (though other materials can be used and are also considered within the scope of the invention) and can have a durometer density falling within a range of about 60 to about 65 and preferably 63 or about 63. In another embodiment, the durometer density range can be about 60 to about 70 and preferably 65 or about 65. Rocker bottom 32 can be considered the outer sole portion of sole 10.
The preceding is exemplary of the best mode for the multi-layered shoe sole. Variances in the densities and thicknesses of the layers and materials are contemplated by the invention.
Preferably located within the above-referenced layers 26 and 28 in heel design 22 of the midsole can be a hole 34, which preferably can be circular in shape though such is not considered limiting. Hole 34 can be of varying size based on the size of the shoe. A ball 36, preferably expandable, can be placed within hole 34 of varying durometer gel material based on the size of the shoe. In one embodiment ball 36 can be constructed from a thermoplastic rubber gel and can have a durometer density falling within a range of about 25 to about 35 and preferably 30 or about 30. Ball 36 can be 10% or about 10% smaller in diameter than hole 34 in which it rests (though such is not considered limiting) to allow ball 36 to expand both downward and outward thereby filling hole 34 and further absorbing impact at heel strike. Hole 34 can extend all the way through layers 26 and 28 (layer 26 having a first aperture portion of hole 34 and layer 28 being a second aperture portion of hole 34—See
It is advantageous and preferred, though not absolutely required, for the layers to be cemented, glued or otherwise permanently secured together. It is also advantageous to use a heat-activated cementing process and any commercially available EVA and rubber-compatible cement. In addition to cementing the layers of the sole together, it is also advantageous to join them together with stitching, staples, and other like means, though again not absolutely required.
Thus, generally in a preferred embodiment the present invention provides a shoe sole comprised of multiple layers of different materials with different densities arranged in such a fashion to help prevent or reduce injury to a user's foot. Each of the preferred six layers acts independently to dissipate the impact when the wearer/use steps down. Rather than one “bounce” of cushioning each layer has its own rate of absorbing the impact.
All measurements, dimensions, amounts, ranges, values, percentages, sizes, materials, locations, configurations, etc. discussed above or shown in the Figures are merely by way of example and are not considered limiting and other measurements, amounts, ranges, values, percentages, sizes, materials, locations, configurations, etc. can be chosen and used and all are considered within the scope of the invention.
While the invention has been described and disclosed in certain terms and has disclosed certain embodiments or modifications, persons skilled in the art who have acquainted themselves with the invention, will appreciate that it is not necessarily limited by such terms, nor to the specific embodiments and modification disclosed herein. Thus, a wide variety of alternatives, suggested by the teachings herein, can be practiced without departing from the spirit of the invention, and rights to such alternatives are particularly reserved and considered within the scope of the invention.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/285,967, filed Dec. 12, 2009, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 61285967 | Dec 2009 | US |
