Patent Application
20170208904
The present invention relates to a shoe or boot sole and, more particularly, to a shoe or boot sole integrating a mechanical device.
Many solutions exist for preventing people from slipping when walking on ice or other slippery surfaces. For instance, mechanical devices have been developed with selectively extending spikes. Unfortunately, devices on the market that attempt to integrate such mechanical device in a sole while maintaining desired functionalities of a typical sole are ineffective or, at best, difficult to manufacture.
The present invention addresses this problem.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a sole capable of being integrated in a boot or shoe. The sole comprises an outsole, made of at least a first material, that comprises an outer boundary defining an exterior lateral shape of the sole and an inner boundary defining an inner space of the outsole for receiving a filling material and a housing within the inner space for receiving a rigid mechanical device. The rigid mechanical device has a plurality of protrusions that extend from the outsole through a corresponding plurality of openings of the sole. A wall surrounding the housing, made of the first material, has a thickness of at least 20 mils (0.5 mm), preferably at least 40 mils (1 mm) and a portion of the wall is shared with the inner boundary along a heel-section of the outsole. A seal plate is provided for covering at least a portion of the wall surrounding the housing of the outsole. The seal plate is for preventing the filling material from entering the housing of the outsole. The filling material, once the sole is assembled, comprises a layer covering the seal plate. The sole, once assembled, conceals the mechanical device except for the plurality of protrusions.
Optionally, the plurality of openings may comprise a plurality of bottom openings from the outsole for allowing therethrough a plurality of retractable spike protrusions of the plurality of protrusions of the mechanical device and a lateral heel opening along the heel-section of the outsole for allowing an actuator protrusion of the plurality of protrusions of the mechanical device through the portion of the wall shared with the inner boundary of the outsole.
The first material may be one of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polyurethane, thermoplastic or a blend thereof. The outsole may also be made of a second material different from the first material. The filling material may be a polymer (e.g., polyurethane) and the layer may have a thickness of at least 20 mils (0.5 mm). The layer may further provide electric isolation considering the mechanical device.
The seal plate may exemplarily be made of a polymer sheet non-porous to the filling material, of an alloy sheet non-porous to the filling material, of cardboard sheet non-porous to the filling material or of undulated cardboard sheet non-porous to the filling material.
The housing may further comprise inner intermediate walls.
A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of assembling a sole with a rigid integrated mechanical device. The sole is capable of being integrated in a boot or shoe. The method comprises providing a sole frame. The sole frame comprises an outsole, made of at least a first material. The outsole of the sole frame comprises an outer boundary defining an exterior lateral shape of the sole frame and an inner boundary defining an inner space of the outsole for receiving a filling material and a housing within the inner space for receiving a rigid mechanical device. The wall surrounding the housing, made of the first material, has a thickness of at least 20 mils (0.5 mm), preferably 40 mils (1 mm) and a portion of the wall is shared with the inner boundary along a heel-section of the outsole. The method also comprises inserting the rigid mechanical device within the housing of the outsole, the rigid mechanical device having a plurality of protrusions that extend from the outsole through a corresponding plurality of openings of the sole frame. The method then also comprises covering at least a portion of the wall surrounding the housing of the outsole with a seal plate and filling the outsole with the filling material. The filling material is prevented from entering the housing of the outsole by the seal plate, the filling material comprising a layer covering the seal plate, thereby concealing the mechanical device within the sole except for the plurality of protrusions.
Inserting the rigid mechanical device within the housing of the outsole may comprise, for instance, inserting an actuator protrusion of the plurality of protrusions of the mechanical device through a lateral heel opening along the heel-section of the outsole and inserting plurality of retractable spike protrusions of the plurality of protrusions of the mechanical device through a corresponding plurality of bottom openings from the outsole.
Further features and exemplary advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:
Reference is now made to the drawings in which
The sole 1 is capable of being integrated in a boot or shoe. The sole 1 comprises an outsole 40 made of at least a firstmaterial. The inside 50 of the outsole 40 comprises an outer boundary 52 defining an exterior lateral shape of the sole 1 and an inner boundary 54 defining an inner space of the inside 50 of the outsole 40 for receiving a filling material. The inside 50 of the outsole 40 also comprises a housing 56 within the inner space for receiving a rigid mechanical device 20. The rigid mechanical device 20 has a plurality of protrusions that extend from the inside 50 of the outsole 40 through a corresponding plurality of openings 58 of the sole 1. A wall 60 surrounding the housing 56 is made of the first material. In the example shown on
During manufacturing of the sole 1, the filling material expands and fills in the inside 50 of the outsole 40. In preferred embodiments, the filling material is limited in its expansion by a top plate of a filling apparatus (not shown), positioned over the seal plate 12. A top surface of the sole 1 is thereby formed when the filling material reaches the top plate. The top surface could also be partially or completely sculpted. In the depicted example of
The design of the different structures of the inside 50 of the outsole 40 and the seal plate 12 allow formation of a seal above the mechanical device 20. The thickness of the seal plate 12 and the amount of filling material provides the rigid seal with a tensile strength. The tensile strength should be sufficient considering that the sole 1 is expected to be used in a boot or a shoe, e.g., for running or jumping therewith. The tensile strength considers expected movements of the sole 1 in use such that, for instance, the fore part of the sole may be put under higher pressure than the eel portion at certain times and vice-versa. A bound between the housing 56 and seal plate 12 (e.g., provided by the filling material and/or by an additional adhesive therebetween (not shown)) has to be sufficient to maintain the required tensile strength of the midsole 10. Skilled person will also readily acknowledge that the filling material also contributes to the tensile strength and to distribution of the different forces within the sole 1 when in use.
Persons skilled in the art will readily recognize that the number of protrusions 58 as well as the shape of the rigid mechanical device 20 may be changed without affecting the teachings of the present invention.
In the depicted exemplary embodiment, the plurality of openings 58 comprise a plurality of bottom openings 58 from the inside 50 of the outsole 40 through the outsole 40 for allowing therethrough a plurality of retractable spike protrusions of the plurality of protrusions of the mechanical device 20 and a lateral heel opening 58′ along the heel-section from the inside 50 of the outsole 40 for allowing an actuator protrusion 22 of the plurality of protrusions of the mechanical device 20 through the portion 61 of the wall 60 shared with the inner boundary 54 of the inside 50 of the outsole 40. In the depicted example of
The first material may be one of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polyurethane, thermoplastic or a blend thereof. The outsole may also be made of at least a second material different from the first material. For instance, the second material may be of different color, texture and/or composition. Specifically, the second material may be a softer polymer used for certain portions of the outsole 40 not expected to be in contact with the ground. Conversely, the second material may be a harder polymer used for certain portions of the outsole 40 expected to be in contact with the ground.
In the depicted exemplary embodiment, the filling material is a polymer (e.g., polyurethane) and the layer over the seal plate 12 has a thickness of at least 20 mils (0.5 mm). The layer provides electric isolation considering characteristics of the mechanical device 20. In preferred embodiments, the seal plate 12 is non-porous to the filling material. The seal plate 12 prevents the filling material from entering the housing 56 in such a way that would change the mechanical properties of the sole 1.
For instance, the seal plate 12 may be made of different materials such as a fabric sheet or polymer sheet or one or more materials presenting the required mechanical properties. For instance, the seal plate 12 may be made of an alloy sheet non-porous to the filling material, of cardboard sheet non-porous to the filling material, of undulated cardboard sheet non-porous to the filling material, etc.
The housing 56 may further comprise inner intermediate walls 64, which may further support the mechanical device 20 within the housing 56.
The method 4000 also comprises inserting 4020 the rigid mechanical device within the housing of the outsole. The rigid mechanical device has a plurality of protrusions that extend from the outsole through a corresponding plurality of openings of the sole frame.
In some embodiments, inserting 4020 the rigid mechanical device within the housing of the outsole may optionally comprise inserting an actuator protrusion of the plurality of protrusions of the mechanical device through a lateral heel opening along the heel-section of the outsole and inserting plurality of retractable spike protrusions of the plurality of protrusions of the mechanical device through a corresponding plurality of bottom openings from the outsole.
The method 4000 then follows with covering 4030 at least a portion of the wall surrounding the housing of the outsole with a seal plate before filling the midsole with the filling material. The filling material is prevented from entering the housing of the outsole by the seal plate. The filling material comprises a layer covering the seal plate, thereby concealing the mechanical device within the sole except for the plurality of protrusions.
In some embodiments, once the mechanical device is inserted 4020 in the outsole and covered 4030 by the seal plate, the outsole is put on a bottom plate of a filling apparatus (not shown). In this example, one or more side rings are then sealingly closed (sideways or vertically) on the outsole. The filling material is then put in the outsole. A top plate is then positioned over the outsole while the filling material expands (e.g., typically between 2 and 4 minutes). When the filling material expands, it fills the outsole and also expands towards the top plate, over the seal plate. A top surface of the sole is thereby formed when the filling material reaches the top plate. The top surface of the sole is shaped (e.g., by the top late) for receiving and bounding a shoe or boot thereon.
The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. The embodiments were chosen to explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention in order to implement various embodiments with various modifications as might be suited to other contemplated uses.
