U.S. patent application number 09/726359 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-17 for sole for a trail running shoe.
Invention is credited to Caine, Andrew, Wesselhoff, Matt.
Application Number | 20020004999 09/726359 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7930994 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020004999 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Caine, Andrew ; et
al. |
January 17, 2002 |
Sole for a trail running shoe
Abstract
The present invention relates to a sole for a shoe, in
particular a trail running shoe. The sole includes at least one
first ground engaging profile element having a first flexibility
and at least one second ground engaging profile element having a
second flexibility. The second profile element has a ridge or
riblike shape and the second flexibility is greater than the first
flexibility. The invention also relates to a sole for a shoe
including at least two ground engaging profile elements and a
plurality of second ground engaging profile elements. The invention
further relates to a shoe including a sole having at least one
first ground engaging profile element with a first flexibility and
at least one second ground engaging profile element with a second
flexibility.
Inventors: |
Caine, Andrew; (Nurnberg,
DE) ; Wesselhoff, Matt; (Deerfield, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TESTA, HURWITZ & THIBEAULT, LLP
HIGH STREET TOWER
125 HIGH STREET
BOSTON
MA
02110
US
|
Family ID: |
7930994 |
Appl. No.: |
09/726359 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/129 ; 36/31;
36/59R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/186 20130101;
A43B 13/223 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/129 ;
36/59.00R; 36/31 |
International
Class: |
A43B 013/14; A43B
005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 1, 1999 |
DE |
19957821.4 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising: at least
one first ground engaging profile element with a first flexibility;
and at least one second ground engaging profile element with a
second flexibility, wherein the second profile element has a
riblike shape and the second flexibility is greater than the first
flexibility.
2. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second
profile elements are substantially the same height.
3. A sole according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of second
profile elements are arranged around the at least one first profile
element.
4. A sole according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of second
profile elements comprise parallel ridges spaced apart from each
other to allow substantially independent deflecting of the
ridges.
5. A sole according to claim 4, wherein the ridges are about 1 mm
to about 2 mm wide.
6. A sole according to claim 4, wherein the ridges are spaced about
1 mm to about 2 mm apart.
7. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second
profile element is oriented substantially perpendicular to a
longitudinal axis of the sole.
8. A sole according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of first
profile elements are arranged in a forefoot area and a midfoot area
of the sole.
9. A sole according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of first
profile elements are essentially sickle-shaped.
10. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first
profile element is oriented substantially perpendicular to a
longitudinal axis of the sole.
11. A sole according to claim 10, wherein additional first profile
elements are arranged along an outer edge of a forefoot area and a
midfoot area of the sole.
12. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second
profile elements are between about 1 mm to about 10 mm high.
13. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second
profile elements are about 5 mm high.
14. A sole according to claim 1, further comprising an elongate
indentation disposed between a forefoot part and a midfoot part
extending from a lateral side to a medial side of the sole to
facilitate flexibility in the sole in a wearer's natural gait
cycle.
15. A sole according to claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing
element disposed in a midfoot area of the sole for support of an
arch of a wearer's foot.
16. A sole according to claim 1, further comprising a damping
element disposed in a heel area of the sole.
17. A sole for an article of footwear, comprising: at least two
first ground engaging profile elements with a first flexibility;
and a plurality of second ground engaging profile elements with a
second flexibility, wherein the plurality of second profile
elements are arranged on the sole to encompass the at least two
first profile elements and the second flexibility is greater than
the first flexibility.
18. An article of footwear including a sole, the sole comprising:
at least one first ground engaging profile element with a first
flexibility; and at least one second ground engaging profile
element with a second flexibility, wherein the second profile
element has a riblike shape and the second flexibility is greater
than the first flexibility.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application incorporates by reference, and claims
priority to and the benefit of, German patent application serial
number 19957821.4, which was filed on Dec. 1, 1999.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The invention generally relates to articles of footwear,
such as sports shoes, and in particular to a sole for a trail
running shoe.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0003] When shoes, in particular running shoes, are constructed,
the design of the sole is of particular importance. The sole
performs several functions. The sole should, depending on the
intended use of the shoe, provide sufficient cushioning to reduce
stresses arising on the human body. Further, the design of the
lower part of the sole, the outsole, determines the interaction of
the shoe with the ground. The outsole can be designed to optimize
the grip of the shoe on the ground.
[0004] The optimal design of a sole for a running shoe, for example
the number, distribution, shape, and flexibility of profile
elements arranged thereon, strongly depends on the intended use of
the shoe. The term running shoe may include all kinds of shoes
where the sole directly contacts the ground, for example jogging
shoes, sprint shoes, or hiking boots. It is, for example, desirable
that a sole for a hiking boot to be used on rough ground preferably
has a coarser profile structure than a shoe for indoor sports.
[0005] It is, however, often a problem with sports shoes that the
exact field of use of the shoe, i.e., the ground on which the shoe
is to be used, is not clearly determined in advance. For example,
running shoes for trail running are often used on a variety of
different surfaces. In trail running, the athlete runs over long
distances not only on even asphalt roads, but also on gravel roads
or woodland trails. Furthermore, depending on weather conditions,
the ground may be either dry and hard or wet and muddy. Therefore,
it is desirable for a manufacturer of such shoes to construct soles
that provide sufficient grip on a plurality of ground surfaces,
thereby allowing the multipurpose use of a trail running shoe.
[0006] It is known in the prior art to use soles with different
characteristics. See, for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,283, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,271,608, U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,357, and U.S. Pat. No.
5,926,974, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by
reference in their entirety.
[0007] Up till now, different sole materials were almost
exclusively employed with respect to the use on grounds with
different hardnesses. Other objectives included the self-cleaning
of the profile and the reduction in the overall weight of the shoe.
The problem of using a particular shoe on ground surfaces with
different roughnesses, e.g., asphalt or gravel, has until now not
been addressed.
[0008] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to
provide a sole for a shoe, in particular a trail running shoe, that
assures a reliable grip on ground surfaces of different
roughnesses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In one aspect, the invention relates to a sole for an
article of footwear. The sole includes at least one first ground
engaging profile element with a first flexibility and at least one
second ground engaging profile element with a second flexibility.
The second profile element has a ridge or riblike shape and the
second flexibility is greater than the first flexibility.
[0010] In another aspect, the sole includes at least two first
ground engaging profile elements with a first flexibility and a
plurality of second ground engaging profile elements with a second
flexibility. The plurality of second profile elements are arranged
on the sole to encompass the at least two first profile elements.
The second flexibility is greater than the first flexibility.
[0011] In yet another aspect, the invention relates to an article
of footwear. The article of footwear includes a sole having at
least one first ground engaging profile element with a first
flexibility and at least one second ground engaging profile element
with a second flexibility. The second profile element has a ridge
or riblike shape and the second flexibility is greater than the
first flexibility.
[0012] In some embodiments, the first and the second profile
elements are substantially the same height. In other embodiments,
the first and the second profile elements are about 1 mm to about
10 mm high, preferably about 3 mm to about 8 mm high, and more
preferably about 5 mm high. In still other embodiments, the height
of the first profile element at least slightly exceeds the height
of the second profile element. Both profile elements may
simultaneously contact on even ground surfaces when the first
profile element is compressed by the weight of a wearer.
[0013] In some further embodiments, a plurality of first profile
elements are arranged in a forefoot area and a midfoot area of the
sole. These areas of the sole may be more critical to gripping
during push-off from the ground. Additional first profile elements
can be arranged along an outer edge of the forefoot area and the
midfoot area of the sole. This arrangement may improve sideways
grip. In other embodiments, the first profile elements are
essentially arcuate or sickle-shaped and/or can be oriented
substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the sole. The
substantially perpendicular orientation may aid push-off in a
forward direction.
[0014] In still some further embodiments, the second profile
elements include parallel ridges spaced apart from each other to
allow substantially independent deflection of each of the ridges.
In various embodiments, the ridges are about 0.5 mm to about 3.0 mm
wide and preferably about 1.0 mm to about 2.0 mm wide. The parallel
ridges are spaced about 0.5 mm to about 4.0 mm apart and preferably
about 1.0 mm to about 2.0 mm apart. This spacing allows the ridges
to deflect on rough surfaces independently of each other. In other
embodiments, a plurality of second profile elements can be arranged
around the at least one first profile element, thereby obtaining an
isolated first profile element when the second profile elements are
deflected. Such an arrangement is well suited for engaging a rough
surface. In still other embodiments, the at least one second
profile element can be oriented substantially perpendicular to a
longitudinal axis of the sole.
[0015] In some additional embodiments, the sole includes an
elongate indentation disposed between a forefoot part and a midfoot
part and extending from a lateral side to a medial side of the sole
to facilitate greater flexibility in a wearer's natural gait cycle.
In other embodiments, the sole may include a reinforcing element
disposed in the midfoot area of the sole for support of an arch of
a wearer's foot and/or a damping element disposed in a heel area of
the sole.
[0016] These and other objects, along with advantages and features
of the present invention herein disclosed, will become apparent
through reference to the following description of embodiments of
the invention, the accompanying drawings, and the claims.
Furthermore, it is to be understood that the features of the
various embodiments described herein are not mutually exclusive and
can exist in various combinations and permutations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer
to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the
drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally
being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In
the following description, various embodiments of the present
invention are described with reference to the following drawings in
which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a planar schematic view of an outsole of one
embodiment of an article of footwear according to the invention;
and
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective schematic view of the embodiment of
FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] One embodiment of the present invention includes a sole 1
with essentially two groups of downwardly extending profile
elements. For the sake of simplicity, only generally commonly
configured profile elements 10, 20 of the two groups are identified
in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is, however, to be understood that the
following description relates to all profile elements of each
respective group, where variations within one or the other group
concerning the size and the orientation are possible. Further, the
sole depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is for a left shoe; however, it is
to be understood the right shoe is typically a mirror image of the
left shoe and the description applies to both the left and right
shoes.
[0021] As can be seen from FIG. 1, which presents a view from the
bottom of a shoe 2, nine first profile elements 10 are arranged on
the medial and lateral midfoot part 6, 7 and the lateral forefoot
part 8 of the sole 1. The first profile elements 10 may be embedded
into a plurality of ridge or riblike second profile elements 20.
This arrangement of the elements 10, 20 corresponds to the parts of
the sole 1 that are important for a good grip, in particular during
the rolling-off and pushing-off phase of a step cycle. For
additional grip during ground contact with the heel, additional
profile elements (not shown) can be arranged in the heel part of
the sole.
[0022] The first profile elements 10 are, in their original
configuration, about 0.5 mm higher than the second profile elements
20, so that under compression by the weight of an athlete, both
groups of profile elements contact the ground. As a result, a
comparatively dense ground contacting profile results, as can be
seen in FIG. 2, thereby providing good grip on an even ground
surface, such as an asphalt road or a gymnasium floor. In the
embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the height of the profile
elements 10, 20 is about 5 mm; however, other height dimensions,
for example between about 1.0 mm and about 10.0 mm, are also
possible.
[0023] The first profile elements 10 may be made of a comparatively
hard and relatively inflexible material. They deform only slightly
under stress during ground contact and are, therefore, able to
penetrate the ground on which a sole 1 according to the invention
is used. In some embodiments, the first profile elements 10 have a
Shore hardness of approximately 65A.
[0024] In contrast thereto, the second profile elements 20 may be
made out of a soft and sticky rubber, thereby providing a greater
flexibility than the first profile elements and a good grip even on
wet surfaces due also, in part, to their thin, riblike
configuration. In some embodiments, the second profile elements 20
have a Shore hardness of approximately 60A. Due to their greater
flexibility, the second profile elements 20 are forwardly or
backwardly deflected by protrusions of the ground (see arrow 21 in
FIG. 2). As a result, they retract with respect to the first
profile elements 10 and no longer extend as far downward from the
sole 1 as the first profile elements 10. This occurs most often
during running on ground surfaces with great roughness, for example
gravel roads. The deflection of the second profile elements 20
results in an overall profile of the sole dominated by the harder
first profile elements 10 such that a comparatively rough sole 1
resembling a spiked sole is obtained. In this situation, the first
profile element 10 is able to penetrate the ground or to engage the
protrusions of the ground and the grip of the sole 1 under these
ground conditions is improved. Because of the greater flexibility
of the second profile elements 20, the second profile elements 20
together with the first profile element 10 adapt to the
irregularities of the ground surface. In the situation where the
sole is used on a comparatively even surface, for example asphalt
or the surface of a gymnasium floor, the first and second profile
elements 10, 20 together provide the contact area of the sole 1
necessary for a good grip.
[0025] The second profile elements 20, which can also be described
as lamella-like structures, are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with
parallel ribs oriented generally perpendicularly to a longitudinal
axis 5 of the sole 1; however, other shapes and arrangements of the
second profile elements 20 are possible. For example, the second
profile elements 20 could be concentric rings disposed around the
first profile elements 10 or could be irregularly arranged
longitudinal units with an arbitrary orientation.
[0026] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second profile
elements 20 have a width of about 1.0 mm to about 2.0 mm and are
spaced about 1.0 mm to about 2.0 mm apart. These values, however,
are only approximate values. In practice, the spacing of the second
profile elements 20 with respect to each other is determined by the
requirement that they do not interfere with each other when they
deflect, otherwise they may lose their greater flexibility with
respect to the first profile elements 10.
[0027] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first profile
elements 10 have an essentially sickle-shaped design and are
oriented, as are the second profile elements 20, essentially
perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis 5 of the sole 1. Such an
arrangement supports, in particular, a forwardly directed push-off
of a wearer of the shoe 2. Other possible shapes and orientations
of the first profile elements 10 are possible, for example a Z-like
shape and/or an orientation parallel to or at an acute angle to the
longitudinal axis 5 of the sole 1.
[0028] Further details of a sole 1 according to the invention are
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. To support not only a forwardly directed
push-off, but also the sideways grip of the shoe 2, additional
first profile elements 11 may be arranged along the medial and
lateral edges of one or more of the midfoot part 6, 7 and forefoot
part 8, 9, where their orientation follows essentially the course
of the edge of the sole 1. One or more separate profile elements 12
are arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis 5 of the sole
1 in the medial forefoot part 9, which provides good grip in the
last phase of the step cycle.
[0029] Additionally, the medial and center part of the forefoot can
be provided as a stable rolling-off surface 31 extending upwardly
from the sole 1 over the front part of the upper 3 of the shoe 2,
thereby increasing the life of the shoe 2. In the embodiment shown
in FIG. 2, the rolling-off surface 31 is ribbed with relatively
thick ridges; however, other profile shapes are possible.
[0030] Between the forefoot part 8, 9 and the midfoot part 6, 7 of
the sole 1 and extending from the medial to the lateral side is a
continuous groove-like indentation 40. This indentation 40 allows
the bending stiffness of the sole to be selectively reduced in this
region in order to reduce impairment of the natural rolling-off
movement of the foot with the toes.
[0031] Additional ribs 50 may be provided in the rear area of the
midfoot part 6, 7 close to the arrangement of the first and second
profile elements 10, 20. The additional ribs 50 may have a
mirror-inverted orientation and arcuate shape with respect to the
first profile elements 10. Thus, forward sliding is effectively
avoided during the landing phase of a step cycle when the foot
contacts the ground. Whereas the profile elements 10, 20 primarily
support the forwardly directed push-off, the additional ribs 50
serve to decelerate the shoe during landing on the ground. In some
embodiments, the additional ribs 50 have metal surfaces to improve
their grip on soft ground.
[0032] A reinforcing element 60 may be disposed between the midfoot
part 6, 7 and the heel part 15. The element 60 supports the arch of
the foot and may increase stability of the shoe 2. Whereas the
parts of the sole 1 described until now are made out of more or
less flexible materials and serve for improving the grip of the
shoe, the reinforcing element 60 is preferably a rigid structural
element of the sole 1 and is preferably made out of a stable
plastic material. The reinforcing element 60 is disposed on the
medial side of the sole 1 and has a three-dimensional shape. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the reinforcing element 60 extends into
the midfoot and heel parts 6, 7, 15; however, the degree of the
extension may vary. It is also possible that the reinforcing
element 60 extends over the complete width of the sole 1 to the
lateral side.
[0033] The heel part 15 of the sole 1 may include on its lateral
side 16 a damping element 70. This may be desirable, because most
athletes first contact the ground with this part of the sole, which
typically is where the greatest stress arises. It is, however, also
possible that the damping element 70 extends over the complete heel
part 15 or just the medial side 17 of the heel part 15. The surface
of the damping element may include a combination of first and
second profile elements 10, 20 according to the invention. For the
sake of simplicity, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has a simple
grooved profile. In some other embodiments, additional ribs 80 may
be arranged on the medial side of the heel part, which by their
inclined orientation help avoid sideways sliding of the shoe
immediately after the first ground contact.
[0034] Having described certain embodiments of the invention, it
will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other
embodiments incorporating the concepts disclosed herein may be used
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The
described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as only
illustrative and not restrictive. Therefore, it is intended that
the scope of the present invention be only limited by the following
claims.
* * * * *