Information
-
Patent Grant
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6749187
-
Patent Number
6,749,187
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Date Filed
Wednesday, November 27, 200222 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, June 15, 200421 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 267 141
- 267 249
- 267 238
- 267 257
- 267 290
- 267 1411
- 267 1412
- 267 1414
- 267 142
- 267 182
- 036 27
- 036 28
- 036 114
- 036 88
- 036 37
- 036 69
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A shock-absorbing structure includes an elastic helical body, and an elastic helical curved tube. The elastic helical body is formed with a plurality of loops and a plurality of buffer spaces each defined between any two adjacent loops. The elastic helical curved tube is formed with a plurality of curved convex portions each inserted into a respective buffer space and urged between any two adjacent loops. Thus, the buffer spaces of the elastic helical body provide a cushioning effect. In addition, the elastic helical body and the elastic helical curved tube produce an elastic restoring force, so as to damp and reduce the stress applied on the shoe sole, thereby providing a shock-absorbing effect.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material, and more particularly to a shock-absorbing structure having a shock-absorbing effect and a cushioning effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional shock-absorbing structure in accordance with the prior art shown in
FIG. 1
is mounted in a shoe sole
10
, and comprises a plurality of air chambers
11
and a plurality of rubber columns
12
. Thus, the conventional shock-absorbing structure provides a shock-absorbing effect. However, the restoring effect of the rubber columns
12
is limited, and the deformable space of the air chambers
11
is also limited. In addition, the stress is excessively concentrated on the rubber columns
12
, so that the rubber columns
12
are easily deformed or broken. Further, when the air chambers
11
are worn out, the shock-absorbing effect of the conventional shock-absorbing structure fails.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantage of the conventional shock-absorbing structure.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a shock-absorbing structure having a shock-absorbing effect and a cushioning effect.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material, wherein the buffer spaces of the elastic helical body provide a deformable and compressible space efficiently, so as to damp and reduce the stress applied on the shoe sole, thereby providing a cushioning effect.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material, wherein the plurality of loops of the elastic helical body produce an elastic restoring force, and the curved convex portions and curved concave portions of the elastic helical curved tube also produce an elastic restoring force, so as to damp and reduce the stress applied on the shoe sole, thereby providing a shock-absorbing effect.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material, wherein the softer elastic helical curved tube balances and buffers the compression stress efficiently, so as to protect the harder elastic helical body.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material, wherein the curved convex portions and curved concave portions of the elastic helical curved tube distribute and reduce the compression stress on the loops at the compressed side of the elastic helical body, thereby preventing the loops at the compressed side of the elastic helical body from being torn and broken.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material, comprising an elastic helical body, and an elastic helical curved tube combined with the helical body, wherein:
the elastic helical body is formed with a plurality of loops, and a plurality of buffer spaces each defined between any two adjacent loops; and
the elastic helical curved tube is formed with a plurality of curved convex portions each inserted into a respective one of the buffer spaces of the elastic helical body and urged between any two adjacent loops of the elastic helical body.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a plan cross-sectional view of a conventional shock-absorbing structure in accordance with the prior art;
FIG. 2
is a partially cut-away perspective cross-sectional view of a shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of the shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a partially plan cross-sectional assembly view showing the shock-absorbing structure being mounted in a shoe sole; and
FIG. 5
is a schematic operational view of the shock-absorbing structure as shown in
FIG. 4
in compression.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings and initially to
FIGS. 2-4
, a shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an elastic helical body
20
, and an elastic helical curved tube
30
combined with the helical body
20
.
The elastic helical body
20
is made of a harder elastic plastic material. The elastic helical body
20
has a shape of a curved helical spring, and is formed with a plurality of loops
200
which are connected and arranged in a helical manner. The elastic helical body
20
is formed with a plurality of buffer spaces
23
each defined between any two adjacent loops
200
. The elastic helical body
20
has a flattened upper end face
21
and a flattened lower end face
22
.
The elastic helical curved tube
30
is made of a softer elastic plastic material. The elastic helical curved tube
30
is mounted in an inner periphery of the elastic helical body
20
. Preferably, the elastic helical curved tube
30
is combined with the elastic helical body
20
integrally by a plastic injection molding process. The elastic helical curved tube
30
is formed with a plurality of curved convex portions
31
each inserted into a respective one of the buffer spaces
23
of the elastic helical body
20
and urged between any two adjacent loops
200
of the elastic helical body
20
. The elastic helical curved tube
30
is formed with a plurality of curved concave portions
310
each encompassing a respective one of the loops
200
of the elastic helical body
20
. Each of the curved concave portions
310
is located between any two adjacent curved convex portions
31
of the elastic helical curved tube
30
. The curved convex portions
31
and the curved concave portions
310
of the elastic helical curved tube
30
are connected and arranged in a helical manner. The elastic helical curved tube
30
has a flattened upper end face
32
flush with the flattened upper end face
21
of the elastic helical body
20
and a flattened lower end face flush with the flattened lower end face
22
of the elastic helical body
20
.
In application, the shock-absorbing structure of the present invention is mounted in a shoe sole
40
as shown in FIG.
4
. When the shoe sole
40
is subjected to a compression stress, the flattened upper end face
21
of the elastic helical body
20
and the flattened upper end face
32
of the elastic helical curved tube
30
withstand the stress simultaneously. Thus, the buffer spaces
23
of the elastic helical body
20
provide a deformable and compressible space efficiently, so as to damp and reduce the stress applied on the shoe sole
40
, thereby providing a cushioning effect.
At the same time, the plurality of loops
200
of the elastic helical body produce an elastic restoring force, and the curved convex portions
31
and curved concave portions
310
of the elastic helical curved tube
30
also produce an elastic restoring force, so as to damp and reduce the stress applied on the shoe sole
40
, thereby providing a shock-absorbing effect.
Referring to
FIG. 5
, when the shoe sole
40
is subjected to an unevenly distributed compression stress, the elastic helical body
20
and the elastic helical curved tube
30
withstand the unevenly distributed compression stress simultaneously. At this time, the buffer spaces
23
at one side of the elastic helical body
20
are compressed and shortened, while the buffer spaces
23
at the other side of the elastic helical body
20
are stretched and lengthened. Similarly, the curved convex portions
31
and curved concave portions
310
at one side of the elastic helical curved tube
30
are compressed and deformed, the curved convex portions
31
and curved concave portions
310
at the other side of the elastic helical curved tube
30
are stretched and deformed.
In such a manner, the elastic helical body
20
and the elastic helical curved tube
30
at the compressed side withstand the compression stress simultaneously, while the curved convex portions
31
and curved concave portions
310
at the other side of the elastic helical curved tube
30
produce a support pulling force on the loops
200
at the other side of the elastic helical body
20
, thereby distributing and reducing the compression stress of the compressed side.
Accordingly, the softer elastic helical curved tube
30
balances and buffers the compression stress efficiently, so as to protect the harder elastic helical body
20
. In addition, the curved convex portions
31
and curved concave portions
310
of the elastic helical curved tube
30
distribute and reduce the compression stress on the loops
200
at the compressed side of the elastic helical body
20
, thereby preventing the loops
200
at the compressed side of the elastic helical body
20
from being torn and broken.
While the preferred embodiment(s) of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the embodiment(s) without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Such modifications are all within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
- 1. A shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material, comprising an elastic helical body, and an elastic helical curved tube combined with the helical body, wherein:the elastic helical body is formed with a plurality of loops, and a plurality of buffer spaces each defined between any two adjacent loops; and the elastic helical curved tube is formed with a plurality of curved convex portions each inserted into a respective one of the buffer spaces of the elastic helical body and urged between any two adjacent loops of the elastic helical body; the elastic helical curved tube formed with a plurality of curved concave portions each encompassing a respective one of the loops of the elastic helical body.
- 2. The shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the curved concave portions is located between any two adjacent curved convex portions of the elastic helical curved tube.
- 3. The shock-absorbing structure formed by plastic material in accordance with claim 1, wherein the curved convex portions and the curved concave portions of the elastic helical curved tube are connected and arranged in a helical manner.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
91218489 U |
Nov 2002 |
TW |
|
US Referenced Citations (10)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
61290245 |
Dec 1986 |
JP |