U.S. patent application number 09/415359 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-25 for footwear outsole having arcuate inner-structure.
Invention is credited to BROOKS, JEFFREY S..
Application Number | 20010032400 09/415359 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23645377 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010032400 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BROOKS, JEFFREY S. |
October 25, 2001 |
FOOTWEAR OUTSOLE HAVING ARCUATE INNER-STRUCTURE
Abstract
An outsole having a body member with an inner-structure
including arcuately shaped channel members extending substantially
from the medial to lateral sides thereof. The arcuately shaped
channel members are spaced forwardly, rearwardly, and generally
below the metatarsophalangeal joints of a wearer's foot inserted in
footwear constructed from the outsole. The lower surface of the
outsole has structure which provides formed areas of flexion to
accommodate changes of anatomical position of the metatarsal joint
axis of the wearer's foot during normal growth thereof and to
permit the outsole to readily flex at areas which correspond to
areas of the wearer's foot which normally flex as the foot passes
through normal phases of gait, to thereby enhance the wearer's
Inventors: |
BROOKS, JEFFREY S.;
(RESIDENCE, XP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PETER C KNOPS
LATHROP & GAGE L C
2345 GRAND BOULEVARD
KANSAS CITY
MO
|
Family ID: |
23645377 |
Appl. No.: |
09/415359 |
Filed: |
October 8, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/102 ; 36/25R;
36/28; 36/35R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/141 20130101;
A43B 13/12 20130101; A43B 23/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/102 ;
36/25.00R; 36/28; 36/35.00R |
International
Class: |
A43B 001/10; A43B
013/18; A43B 021/26 |
Claims
What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as
follows:
1. An outsole for footwear, the outsole comprising a body member
having a medial side, a lateral side, an upper surface and a lower
surface, (a) the upper surface comprising an inner-structure having
at least one arcuately shaped transverse channel member extending
substantially from said medial side to said lateral side, wherein
said at least one arcuately shaped transverse channel member is
configured to be spaced approximately below the
metatarso-phalangeal joints of a wearer's foot inserted in footwear
constructed with said body member; and (b) the lower surface having
structure providing formed areas of flexion to accommodate changes
of anatomical position of the metatarsal joint axis of the wearer's
foot during normal growth thereof and to permit the outsole to
readily flex at areas which correspond to areas of the wearer's
foot which normally flex as the foot passes through normal phases
of gait, to thereby enhance the wearer's foot comfort.
2. The outsole of claim 1 wherein the inner structure of the upper
surface provides a stable structure for receiving an insole.
3. The outsole of claim 1, wherein the structure providing formed
areas of flexion comprises at least first and second paired
channels formed into the lower surface of the outsole.
4. The outsole of claim 3 wherein said at least one arcuately
shaped transverse channel member extending substantially from said
medial side to said lateral side comprises at least first and
second paired arcuate shaped channel members.
5. The outsole of claim 4 wherein said at least first and second
paired channels formed into the lower surface of the outsole and
the at least first and second paired channels formed in the upper
surface are cooperatively configured such that a proximal wall
member of each of said paired channels of the lower surface and
said paired channel members of the upper surface are in planar
relation.
6. The outsole of claim 2 wherein the inner-structure of the upper
surface further comprises a first relief area formed into the upper
surface at a position beneath the ball of the wearer's foot to
accommodate downward and proximal movement of the user's first
metatarsal to thereby cooperatively enhance flexion of said
outsole.
7. The outsole of claim 6 wherein the first relief area comprises a
plurality of spaced-apart, concentric annular members formed into
the upper surface at a position beneath the ball of the wearer's
foot.
8. The outsole of claim 6 wherein the inner-structure of the upper
surface further comprises a second relief area formed into the
upper surface at a position beneath the heel of the wearer's
foot.
9. The outsole of claim 8 wherein the second relief area comprises
a plurality of spaced-apart, concentric annular members formed into
the upper surface at a position beneath the heel of the wearer's
foot.
10. An outsole as provided in claim 1, wherein said at least one
arcuately shaped of the upper surface has a substantially uniform
fore-to-aft width.
11. An outsole as provided in claim 10, wherein said fore-to-aft
width of said arcuately shaped rib is approximately three
millimeters.
12. An outsole as provided in claim 4, wherein said at least first
and second paired arcuately shaped channel members are
approximately spaced apart by the amount of generally acceptable
grown of the wearer's foot without replacement of the footwear
utilizing said outsole.
13. An outsole as provided in claim 4, wherein said at least two
arcuately shaped channel members are spaced relative to said body
member such that at least one of said at least two arcuately shaped
channel members is spaced forwardly from the metatarsophalangeal
joints of the wearer and at least one of said at least two
arcuately shaped channel member underlies the metatarsophalangeal
joints of the wearer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to footwear and, more
specifically, without limitation, to an outsole for footwear.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Various man-made products are generally imposed between a
user's feet and supporting surfaces situated there beneath.
Optimally, these man-made products should be designed to provide
support and shock attenuation to protect the user's feet from
structural injury. Unfortunately, man-made supporting surfaces tend
to be detrimental to the human musculoskeletal structures.
[0005] As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,899, issued Jun. 16,
1981 to Jeffrey S. Brooks, the disclosures and teachings of which
are incorporated herein by reference, a contoured insole structure
may be provided in shoes to reduce abnormal stress from the heel to
the metatarsals by properly supporting and stabilizing the feet
during development. Proper support and stabilization reduces the
associated stresses placed upon the medial column of the foot and
distributes the body weight more evenly on the sole of the
foot.
[0006] More specifically, when walking or running, the lateral
(outside) portion of the human heel is generally the first part of
the foot to strike the ground, with the foot then pivoting on the
heel such that the lateral part of the forefoot bears against the
underlying surface. In this position, the foot is
supinated--inclined upwardly from the lateral to the medial side of
the foot. The foot then pronates such that the metatarsal heads are
in a substantially horizontal planar orientation relative to the
underlying supporting surface (assuming the supporting surface is
substantially horizontal) and the heel, ideally, is oriented
perpendicularly to that underlying surface. As such, the foot is in
a neutral position with the subtalar joint neither pronated nor
supinated. Preferably, the bone structural alignment is firmly
supported when the foot assumes such neutral position to prevent
the ligaments, muscles and tendons of the foot from becoming
over-stressed.
[0007] Various skeletal characteristics of the feet are pertinent
to proper foot support, including: first, second, third, fourth and
fifth metatarsal heads, indicated in phantom at M1 through M5 in
FIG. 1; first, second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal necks
associated with the respective metatarsal heads M1-M5, indicated in
phantom at N1 through N5; first, second, third, fourth and fifth
proximal phalanges spaced distally outwardly from the respective
metatarsal heads M1-M5, indicated in phantom at P1 through P5; and
first, second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal phalangeal joints
spaced between the respective metatarsal heads M1-M5 and proximal
phalanges P1-P5, indicated at J1 through J5 in FIG. 1. Further,
various muscles and tendons interact to stabilize the foot during
the sequence of progressive movements normally experienced in a
walking or running gait in preparation for movement from the
neutral position to a propulsive phase of the gait cycle, sometimes
referred to as "toe-off" or "push-off".
[0008] Thus, the progressive phases of gait are heel strike, when
the heel hits the ground; midstance (or the neutral position), when
stability of the arch is an essential necessity; and propulsive
phase (or toe-off), as the heel lifts off the ground and the body
weight shifts onto the ball of the foot. During the transition from
the neutral position through toe-off, it is preferable that the
second and third metatarsals be firmly supported, and that the
first metatarsal head plantarflex (move downward) relative the
second and third metatarsal heads. The toes preferably are firmly
supported during toe-off so that they remain straight, and thus
promote a stronger "pillar effect" by the phalanges.
[0009] Flexion of the first metatarsal phalangeal joint (i.e., the
great toe joint) is normally approximately fifteen degrees to the
associated metatarsal in a dorsiflexed position when standing, and
increases to between sixty-five and ninety degrees, depending on
the available motion and the activity required by the joint just
prior to lifting off the underlying supporting surface. Proper foot
care requires that the relationship among the foot bones comprising
the metatarsophalangeal joints be maintained during flexure of the
foot during walking, running, etc. A study of the normal length
pattern of metatarsal bones at the metatarso-phalangeal joints,
based on 279 radiographs and reported in Clinical Foot
Roentgenology, by Gamble & Yale, Williams & Wilkins
Publishers, Baltimore, 1966, disclosed that the relative spacing of
those joints approximate an arcuate relationship that may be
generally described as a parabolic curve, as suggested by the
dashed line designated by "A" in FIG. 1.
[0010] In ideal foot posture for minimal stress, the position in
which the feet would normally realize greatest weight-bearing
efficiency (including an optimal ratio of supination and pronation)
is one in which the subtalar joint is approximately forty-two
degrees from the transverse plane, approximately sixteen degrees
from the sagittal plane, and approximately forty-eight degrees from
the frontal plane, sometimes referred to as the neutral position
hereinbefore mentioned. In such neutral position, the leg and
calcaneus are perpendicular to the weight-bearing surface, and the
knee joint, ankle joint and forefoot, including the plane of the
metatarsal heads, are substantially parallel to the subtalar joint
and to the walking surface.
[0011] In view of the foregoing, it should be obvious that the
user's feet should be placed in their individually most efficient
position to function properly and to reduce excessive strain not
only on the feet but also on the lower body structure supported by
the feet. Throughout the progressive phases of gait, certain parts
of the feet are generally subjected to higher stresses and that
other parts of the feet require different degrees of support for
maximum biomechanical efficiency, particularly since high impact
forces to the foot are generally transferred to other skeletal
structures, such as the shins, knees, and lower back region.
Control of the user's foot must begin in the heel and progressively
proceed to the more distally situated parts of the foot, including
providing stability of the forefoot and proper flexure of the
metatarsophalangeal joints, in order for the foot to function
properly through the normal phases of gait.
[0012] As the thickness of the outsole of a shoe is increased, the
inability of the shoe to allow appropriate arcuate flexure at the
metatarsal joints of the wearer's foot confined to thick-soled
footwear becomes more pronounced. For example, such thick-soled
footwear may arise from platform-type outsoles utilized on selected
footwear styles. Because of the inability of platform- or
thick-soled shoes to allow appropriate flexure at the metatarsal
joints, the normal functions of the wearer's foot--and the
resulting increased stresses and strains on the wearer's
musculo-skeletal structure--may also be substantially pronounced.
In that event, proficiency of a wearer's foot may be greatly
reduced in footwear utilizing platform- or thick-soled
footwear.
[0013] Thus, what is needed is an outsole for footwear which, even
when having a platform-type structure, provides appropriate flexure
at the metatarsophalangeal joints, an appropriate amount of support
and shock attenuation for different regions of the foot to thereby
provide a proper environment that promotes a balanced foot position
for healthy postural and skeletal structural support thus allowing
the parts of the foot to function in a way which provides maximum
efficiency, to prepare the body for stresses normally subjected
thereto, and to protect those parts of the foot which are subjected
to high impact forces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] In an outsole for footwear, there is provided a body member
having a medial side, a lateral side, a toe end, a heel end, an
upper surface and a lower surface; the upper surface of the body
member has an inner-structure including a plurality of arcuately
shaped channel members having a substantially uniform fore-to-aft
width and extending substantially from the medial side to the
lateral side. The plurality of arcuately shaped channel members are
generally uniformly spaced apart and are configured such that at
least one channel member is spaced forwardly from
metatarsophalangeal joints of a wearer's foot inserted in footwear
constructed with the body member, at least one channel member is
spaced rearwardly from the metatarsophalangeal joints, and
intermediate channel members are spaced generally below the
metatarsophalangeal joints.
[0015] The lower surface of the body member has formed areas of
flexion to accommodate changes of anatomical position of the
metatarsal joint axis of the wearer's foot during normal growth
thereof and to permit the outsole to readily flex at areas which
correspond to areas of the wearer's foot which normally flex as the
foot passes through normal phases of gait, to thereby enhance the
wearer's foot comfort.
PRINCIPAL OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Principal objects and advantages of the present invention
include: providing an outsole that promotes arcuate flexure of a
wearer's metatarso-phalangeal joints when confined to footwear
constructed with such an outsole; providing such an outsole having
arcuately shaped channels formed on the upper surface of such
outsole and extending substantially from medial to lateral sides
thereof for promoting such flexure therebetween; providing such an
outsole that utilizes spacing between the respective walls of the
channels to provide an appropriate amount of flexure between such
channels; and generally providing such a device that is efficient
in operation, reliable in performance, and is particularly well
adapted for the proposed usage thereof.
[0017] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this
specification and wherein are set forth exemplary embodiments of
the present invention to illustrate various objects and features
thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outsole in accordance
with the present invention showing the arcuate channels of the
inner-structure for a user's right foot;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the outsole showing flexion
channels formed in the bottom surface of the body member in
accordance with the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the outsole showing the arcuate
channel members of the inner-structure;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the outsole of the
present invention taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the outsole of the
present invention taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the
outsole in a flexed position during the propulsion phase of
gait;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration, showing a top plan view
of an insole of a left shoe and illustrating the approximate
position of the metatarsal and related bone structure of a user's
left foot in relation thereto;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration, bottom plan view,
showing the bottom surface of an outsole (for a left shoe)
constructed in accordance with the invention; and
[0025] FIG. 8 is a reduced schematic view of the outsole of FIG. 2,
indicating specific angles for proper placement of the lines of
weakness.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention
are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which
may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural
and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted
as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a
representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to
variously employ the present invention in virtually any
appropriately detailed structure.
[0027] The reference numeral 1 generally refers to a footwear
outsole having an arcuate inner-structure in accordance with the
present invention, as shown in FIGS. 2 through 4. The outsole 1
comprises a body member 13 having a generally planar upper surface
15 for comfortable stable support for an insole and related
structure of the footwear, known to those having skill in the
pertinent art and a lower surface 17. The outsole 1 generally has a
medial side 23, a lateral side 25, a toe end 27, and a heel end
29.
[0028] The upper surface 15 of body member 13 has an
inner-structure 35 having at least one arcuately shaped transverse
channel member 37 extending continuously substantially from medial
side 23 to lateral side 25, as shown in FIG. 4. The channel member
37 is defined by fore and aft walls, 38 and 40, respectively, and
has a substantially uniform fore-to-aft width. Preferably, the
fore-to-aft width for the channel member is approximately 3
millimeters. For some applications, however, it is to be understood
that the fore-to-aft width of each channel member 37 may be
non-uniform and, further, that the fore-to-aft widths of the each
respective channel 37 may vary between channels 37.
[0029] The plurality of channel members 37 are configured in a
forwardly convex arcuate shape, such as the approximately parabolic
shape as shown in FIG. 3, in a position on the body member
appropriate for the relative positioning of the wearer's
metatarsophalangeal joint based on the wearer's age, gender, foot
size. In addition, the plurality of channel members 37 are
generally substantially uniformly spaced apart, such as
approximately 8 mm for example.
[0030] Preferably, sole 1 includes four channel members 37 and are
configured such that one foremost channel members 50 is spaced
forwardly from the metatarsophalangeal joints of a wearer's foot
inserted in footwear constructed with the body member 13, one
rearmost channel members 52 is spaced rearwardly from the
metatarso-phalangeal joints, and intermediate channel members 54
and 56 are spaced generally below the metatarsophalangeal joints to
thereby accommodate flexure thereof. For a growing foot, the
intermediate channel members 37 are preferably formed such that one
such channel member substantially underlies the metatarsophalangeal
joints of the youth and forwardly positioned channel members 56 is
generally spaced apart by the amount of foot growth that can be
accommodated without replacing the footwear utilizing the outsole
1, such as one-half shoe size for example. The precise position of
each channel member 37 will be discussed hereinafter.
[0031] The inner-structure 35 also includes a plurality of small
weight-reduction bores, such as those indicated in FIG. 3 at 43 to
reduce the overall weight of the outsole. Weight-reduction holes 13
may be varied as desired in shape, number and location, as is well
known in the industry. The weight-reduction bores 43 have a
diameter of approximately 5 mm., for example, and are preferably
positioned at the forefoot of body member 13 both forwardly and
rearwardly from each of the plurality of arcuately shaped channel
members 37. More preferably, weight-reduction bores 43 are formed
in an arcuate relationship between each channel member 37 and
extend substantially from medial side 23 to lateral side 25. Bores
43 positioned between two channel members 37 are appropriately
spaced apart to provide desired support and are preferably spaced
apart approximately 8 to 10 millimeters on center.
[0032] A common sole perimeter 45 defines the limits of both the
upper surface 15 and lower surface 17, taking any of the usual shoe
sole shapes (although not limited thereto), and includes portions
defined for purposes of reference herein as the toe edge 27, heel
edge 29, medial side edge 23 and lateral side edge 25. A sole
peripheral member 47 is spaced along the perimeter 45 inwardly
thereof. The medial- and lateral-most portion of each channel
member 37 terminates at the peripheral member 47 before the
perimeter 45.
[0033] Body member 13 further includes a first relief area 53, and
a second relief area 57, each of which is connected to the
peripheral member 47. The upper surface of body member 13 of sole 1
permits the foot to be as secure and stable as is necessary for
appropriate flexing and movement of the bone structure throughout
the phases of gait. First relief area 53 is formed to have less
resiliency than peripheral member 47 to permit the first
metatarsophalangeal joint to move vertically downwardly in walking,
in conjunction with the flex line action described to permit proper
foot flexion in walking. First relief area 53 may be annular, as
shown, or have an alternative, broad, relatively flat shape. For
example, cutout 53 may be rectangular, triangular, oval, etc., as
long as it is broad enough, in the distal to proximal
(longitudinal) direction to accommodate the plantar grade, or
downward and proximal shifting of the transverse axis of the first
metatarsophalangeal joint, as the foot grows, and in normal
walking.
[0034] The resiliency of the first relief area is lessened by
forming the relief area such that it gives upon encountering force.
As shown, relief area 53 includes at least one and preferably more
than one concentric annular members 59 that are attached at several
intervals to body member 13 or another concentric annular member
59, as shown in FIG. 3. As the first metatarsophalangeal joint
moves vertically downwardly, the annular wall 61 of each concentric
member 59 is able to buckle slightly and thus give relative to body
member 13.
[0035] Likewise, second relief area 57 is also formed to have less
resiliency than peripheral member 47 to provide shock attenuation
for the high impact force encountered upon heel strike. Preferably,
second relief area 57 may be circular, as shown, or have an
alternative, broad, relatively flat shape. The resiliency of the
second relief area is lessened by forming the relief area such that
it gives upon encountering force. As shown in FIG. 3, second relief
area 57 includes at least one and preferably more than one
concentric annular members 63 that are attached at several
intervals to body member 13 or another concentric member 63. During
heel strike, the annular wall 65 of each concentric member 59 is
able to buckle slightly and thus give relative to the body member
13. It is to be understood that second heel area 57 may be
rectangular, triangular, etc. without departing from the scope of
the invention.
[0036] The arch support includes a flexure-reducing structure 58,
such as a diagonal crisscross type structure as shown in FIG. 3,
configured to reduce flexure in an area defined by a rearmost
arcuate channel 52, peripheral member 47 and heel support 57. It is
to be understood that the flexure-reducing structure 58 may have
any other configuration or combination of configurations. One of
the purposes for the flexure-reducing structures 58 is to provide
suitable support for the wearer's foot while preventing excessive
lateral, forward, and rearward deflection of the respective spaces
of the outsole 1 when subjected to the wearer's weight and while,
at the same time, providing shock-absorbing characteristics for
cushioning impacts directed at the wearer's foot during various
walking, running, and other activities.
[0037] The arch support further includes a stabilizing member 60,
which spans the entire length and width of the arch-support area of
the outsole 1. The stabilizing member 62, as shown in FIG. 1, may
include a rigid piece of material, such as a stiff cardboard, that
prevents the arch area from deflecting or flexing downwardly upon
bearing the user's weight. It is to be understood that the
stabilizing member may be formed on the lower surface of the body
member and may be formed integrally with the body member.
[0038] The outsole 1 also includes a tread member 75. For some
applications, it may be desirable to utilize a pattern in the
bottom surface 17 of body member 13, and in particular, forming a
pattern in the tread member 75, which further enhances flexure of
the metatarsophalangeal joints promoted by the inner-structure of
body member 13 as hereinbefore described.
[0039] With reference to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the bottom or
outsole surface 17 has incorporated therein preferably four spaced
apart flexion channels 60, particularly indicated at A, B, C, D, in
the order shown, from the distal or toe end 27 of outsole 1 toward
the proximal or heel end 29 thereof. It will be noted in the
figures that each channel A, B, C, D extends substantially
transversely in a very gentle arc (convex side directed distally
from heel edge 33) entirely from the medial edge 23 to the lateral
edge 25 of sole 1. This is the preferred arrangement. For reasons
that will become clear, it is especially preferred that the two
central channels, indicated at B and C so extend across the sole.
Channels A and D, however, may be discontinued prior to reaching
perimeter 45. Channels A and D may be effectively ornamental, such
as painted on the sole, actually engraved into bottom sole surface
17, or even omitted altogether, although this latter option is not
preferred. With reference to FIG. 5 it can be seen that channels A
and D when engraved into the sole at least serve to some extent to
assist with sole flexion, which is primarily the function of
central lines B and C.
[0040] Although channels B and C are shown in FIG. 2 to be
continuous and unbroken, they can also be broken, as long as they
extend entirely across the sole and interrupt perimeter edge 47, as
indicated, at both the medial and lateral sides; for example, as in
the side views shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. This feature, of breaking
the perimeter, is necessary in order to provide the optimal degree
of flexibility to sole 1 along flex channels B and C.
[0041] Also, although flex channels B and C are shown as being
relatively thin, they can be broader than shown, especially if
warranted for a large size shoe, and may in some cases be formed as
broader flex "areas." However, it is expected that, especially in
small children's shoes, flex channels B and C, at least, will be
narrow grooves or channels formed in bottom surface 17.
[0042] FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom shoe pattern for determining the
precise angles and spaced-apart placement of flexion lines A, B, C
and D on bottom surface 17. As will be further seen and described
hereafter, the specific positions of the flex areas, or lines B and
C, is critical for appropriate foot flexion in footwear having
outsole 1. Four straight dashed lines A', B', C' and D' correspond
respectively to flexion channels or areas A, B, C, and D.
Positioning lines A' and B' extend medially and intersect at point
X, medially of sole 1. Likewise, positioning lines C' and D' extend
medially and intersect at point Y, also medially of sole 1.
[0043] Two other straight lines, shown in FIG. 6, the bottom
pattern center line G and the heel tread center line H, both extend
substantially longitudinally and pass through a central heel point
Z. The angles between longitudinal line G and positioning lines A'-
D', and between line H and lines A'- D' are used in determining the
proper placement of flexion channels A, B, C and D. Although it is
understood that the spacing between the lines will necessarily vary
proportionately with increases or decreases in shoe size, as a
specific example, in a children's size seven shoe having the sole 1
of the present invention, the angles shown in the figure are as
follows:
[0044] Angel M, between lines G and A' is 93 degrees, 30
minutes.
[0045] Angle N, between lines G and B' is 100 degrees, 0
minutes.
[0046] Angle 0, between lines G and C' is 106 degrees, 30
minutes.
[0047] Angle P, between lines G and D' is 113 degrees, 0
minutes.
[0048] Angle Q, between lines H and A' is 86 degrees, 30
seconds.
[0049] Angle R, between lines H and B' is 92 degrees, 30
seconds.
[0050] Angle S, between lines H and C' is 99 degrees, 30
seconds.
[0051] Angle T, between lines H and D' is 106 degrees, 0
seconds.
[0052] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the flexion channels 60 of the
lower surface 17 of sole 1 and the channel members 37 of the inner
structure of the upper surface 15 are cooperatively configured to
provide optimum flexibility for the sole. It is to be noted that
the flexion channel of the lower surface may have a smaller width
than the associated channel member 37.
[0053] Although a children's boot outsole is shown here as one
example of the type of sole, sole 1 can also be just as readily
incorporated into sandals, sports shoes of all types, oxford-style
shoes, etc. Conceivably, even women's pumps and other shoes with
higher heels can also be modified with the new sole 1.
[0054] The body member 13 is generally integrally molded or
otherwise formed or constructed from one or more pliable materials
that provides the desired flexure, cushioning, light-weightiness,
physical characteristics, wearability, slip resistance, durability
for long use, and relative inertness. For example, the body member
13 may be formed of any suitable material, such as DPU sometimes
referred to as blown thermoplastic rubber, polyurethane, TPR, PVC,
EVA or other material well known to those of ordinary skill in the
art of footwear.
[0055] It is to be understood that the length, width and vertical
thickness of any particular outsole 1 may vary as is customary,
depending upon the application and size of footwear for which that
outsole 1 is intended. An example of outsole 1 may include a body
member 13 having a thickness of approximately eight millimeters, a
stabilizing member 62 having a thickness of approximately four
millimeters, and a tread member 75 having a thickness of
approximately six millimeters.
[0056] The arcuate structure of the channel members 37 and flexion
channels 60 of the body member 13 provide the outsole 1 with the
desired ability to permit a user's foot to be secure and stable as
necessary while promoting appropriate flexing and movement of the
metatarso-phalangeal joints throughout the supported phases of
gait, even in platform footwear that would not otherwise provide
such security, stability, and flexure. In addition, the outsole 1
comprises a structure configured to attenuate impact forces applied
to the user's foot and other skeletal structures during standing,
walking and running.
[0057] In an application of the present invention wherein the
outsole 1 is appropriately fitted to a footwear upper and worn on a
user's foot, some of the primary benefits provided thereby while
walking and running begin at heel strike, when the heel of the
user's footwear first hits the underlying supporting surface. After
each such initial impact, the user's foot pivots distally about his
heel, with the lateral sides of his arch and forefoot impacting
against the underlying supporting surface and his foot pronating to
a neutral position with the central vertical plane of his heel
generally appropriately oriented perpendicularly to the underlying
supporting surface. Resiliency of the herein-described components
of the outsole 1 provides cushioning for the shocks arising from
such secondary impacts.
[0058] the resiliency of the body member 13 beneath the user's
metatarsal heads M1-M5 also serves to attenuate and/or redistribute
weight-generated forces applied there against during mid-stance
through propulsive phases of his gait cycle. The described motion
places the user's foot in an appropriate biomechanical position for
the propulsive phase of his gait cycle during midstance and toe-off
phases.
[0059] As the user's foot rotates forwardly into the toe-off phase,
the body member 13 promotes appropriate natural arcuate flexure of
the metatarso-phalangeal joints while providing necessary support
for the wearer's foot to remain stable as the user's heel lifts
from the underlying supporting surface, and continuing to remain
stable and appropriately flex up to the position in the user's gait
whereat the metatarsophalangeal joints lift from the underlying
supporting surface.
[0060] One of the primary reasons the user's foot remains stable
throughout the supported phases of his gait is because the
structure of the outsole 1 provides support and stability from
before the user's foot rotates forwardly, during the lifting of the
heel from the underlying supporting surface, to the point in the
user's gait where the user's first metatarsal actually lifts from
the underlying supporting surface. Thus, the outsole 1
appropriately allows the user's foot to function within the
confines of his shoe.
[0061] It should be obvious from the foregoing that the material
properties of the various regions of the outsole 1 appropriately
flex, cushion, support and stabilize various parts of the user's
foot as herein described. It should also now be obvious that the
resiliencies may be altered, depending upon the intended use of the
footwear for which the outsole 1 is intended without departing from
the scope of the present invention. Further, it will be appreciated
that the present invention is not limited necessarily to any
particular type of footwear and may be equally desirable for use in
shoes and boots, particularly those having thick- or platform-type
soles.
[0062] It is to be understood that the invention described herein
is equally applicable to outsoles for footwear for infants,
toddlers, and youth as well as adults and that, while certain forms
of the present invention have been illustrated and described
herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or
arrangement of parts as described and shown.
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