Claims
- 1. A shock absorbing device for a shoe sole comprising:a lower layer having an upper face; an upper layer having a lower face; and an intermediate layer interposed between the lower layer and the upper layer; wherein the lower layer and the upper layer are both made of an elastomer, the upper face of the lower layer and the lower face of the upper layer are each substantially corrugated in their sectional configurations, the faces each have a plurality of top portions, a plurality of bottom portions, and a plurality of inclined portions joining the top portions and bottom portions, the upper face and lower face mate via the intermediate layer with each other, the two faces are in contact with the intermediate layer at the inclined portions of the faces, the two faces are spaced apart from each other via spaced-apart portions defined by the two faces at least at either the top portions or the bottom portions, with gaps being formed at the spaced-apart portions.
- 2. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 1, whereinthe faces are each formed from essentially a smooth and continuous curvilinear surface.
- 3. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 2, whereinthe top portions of the upper face of the lower layer are formed with essentially a recess-free, upwardly convexed surface, the bottom portions of the lower face of the upper layer are formed with essentially a recess-free, downwardly convexed surface.
- 4. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 1, whereinthe intermediate layer is made of a material having a hardness smaller at least 2 degrees than the hardness of the upper layer in SRIS-C hardness, and wherein the intermediate layer is made of a material having a hardness smaller at least 2 degrees than the hardness of the lower layer in SRIS-C hardness.
- 5. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 4, whereinthe upper layer and the lower layer are made of a foam material selected from a group consisting of resin and rubber, and wherein the intermediate layer is made of a gel material.
- 6. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 4, whereinthe upper layer and the lower layer have an SRIS-C hardness of 40 degrees or over, and wherein the intermediate layer has an SRIS-C hardness of 35 degrees or below.
- 7. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 1, whereinthe shoe sole includes a loading depression, a surface of the loading depression providing the upper face of the lower layer, and wherein a member making up the intermediate layer and a member making up the upper layer are loaded into the loading depression.
- 8. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 7, whereinthe upper layer is placed on the intermediate layer, the upper layer providing a cap for plugging up the loading depression.
- 9. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 1, whereinthe shock absorbing device is formed from a midsole of the shoe sole.
- 10. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 1, whereinthe lower face of the upper layer and the upper face of the lower layer are each corrugated not only in one section but also in another section in a direction crossing the one section.
- 11. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 10, whereinthe upper layer and the lower layer each include at least four crests arranged in lattice points of a substantially plane lattice, and wherein the upper layer and the lower layer each include at least four troughs arranged in lattice points of a substantially plane lattice, and wherein each crest of one of the layers fits in each trough of the other of the layers.
- 12. The shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to claim 1, whereinthe two faces are spaced apart from each other via the spaced-apart portions defined by the two faces both at the top portions and the bottom portions, with gaps being formed at the spaced-apart portions.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2000-141718 |
May 2000 |
JP |
|
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/850,286 filed on May 7, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,539, which claims priority of Japanese 2000-141718 filed May 5, 2000. The entire disclosures of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (18)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
6-17504 |
Mar 1994 |
JP |
11346803 |
Dec 1999 |
JP |
2000-4905 |
Jan 2000 |
JP |