U.S. patent application number 11/330116 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-27 for footwear with an adjusting system of a width dimension.
This patent application is currently assigned to Diadora - Invicta S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Angelo Mason.
Application Number | 20060162191 11/330116 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36177372 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060162191 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mason; Angelo |
July 27, 2006 |
Footwear with an adjusting system of a width dimension
Abstract
A footwear has a sole comprising at least a resilient component
having a peripheral profile, with a medial part and a lateral part
which define therebetween a width dimension. To the resilient
component an adjusting system is associated, operable in order to
select a desired adjusting degree of the width dimension. The sole
comprises inspection means arrangede for allowing the visual check,
from the lower part of the sole, of the adjusting degree selected
by means of the adjusting system.
Inventors: |
Mason; Angelo; (Caerano di
San Marco (Treviso), IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC
901 NORTH GLEBE ROAD, 11TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22203
US
|
Assignee: |
Diadora - Invicta S.p.A.
Caerano di San Marco (Treviso)
IT
|
Family ID: |
36177372 |
Appl. No.: |
11/330116 |
Filed: |
January 12, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/97 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/097 |
International
Class: |
A43B 3/26 20060101
A43B003/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 25, 2005 |
IT |
TO2005U000016 |
Claims
1. A footwear having an upper and a sole, the sole comprising at
least a resilient component having a peripheral profile with a
medial part and a lateral part, said parts defining therebetween a
width dimension, a discontinuity of material arranged for allowing
a variation of said width dimension, and therefore a shape
variation of said peripheral profile, wherein to the resilient
component an adjusting system is associated, operable in order to
select a desired adjusting degree of said width dimension, in
particular for the purpose of adapting the shape of said peripheral
profile to a foot of a user of the footwear, wherein said sole
comprises inspection means arranged for allowing the visual check,
in a zone of said resilient component which is intermediate with
respect to said medial and lateral parts, of the adjusting degree
selected by means of said adjusting system.
2. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein said inspection means are
configured in order to allow said visual check from the lower part
of the sole.
3. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein said inspection means
comprise a component made at least partly of a substantially
transparent material.
4. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein said discontinuity of
material is formed in said resilient component substantially in
correspondence with the metatarsal region of the sole.
5. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting system
comprises at least a first element and a second element susceptible
of co-operation in a varying extent and that said inspection means
are arranged for allowing a visual check of the co-operation degree
between the first and the second elements.
6. Footwear according to claim 5, wherein within said resilient
component at least a first housing for said first and second
elements is formed, said housing transversally extending itself
relative to a longitudinal development of said discontinuity of
material.
7. Footwear according to claim 5, wherein said first and second
elements co-operate together by means of a threaded coupling.
8. Footwear according to claim 7, wherein said first element
comprises an insert having a hollow part with a female thread and
said second element comprises a screw element having a respective
head and at least a threaded end part, susceptible of screwing in
said hollow part of the first element.
9. Footwear according to claim 8, wherein said insert is made at
least partly of a transparent material and forms at least part of
said inspection means.
10. Footwear according to claim 8, wherein said insert has a slot
or notch which forms at least part of said inspection means.
11. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein said resilient component
is an intersole, that said sole further includes an outer or lower
sole fixed to said intersole and that said inspection means include
at least one of an opening or passage formed in said outer sole, at
least a part of said outer sole made of a transparent material, a
transparent element at least partly interposed between said
intersole and said outer sole.
12. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of
said housing is configured as a cylindrical hole opened on said
peripheral profile, in particular on said medial part.
13. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of
said housing is configured as a cavity opening on a greater face of
said resilient component.
14. Footwear according to claim 13, wherein said cavity is
conformed for housing at least part of an insert having a surface
intended to remain substantially flush with a surface of the lower
face of the resilient component.
15. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein said discontinuity of
material includes at least one of a hollow or a void formed in the
resilient component; an insert or a part of the body of the
resilient component made of a more compressible material than the
material forming the rest of the resilient component; a chamber
containing a fluid.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a footwear including an
adjusting system, suitable for allowing to adapt the shape of the
footwear itself to the one of a user's foot.
[0002] It is known that, on the same length, the feet of different
persons can vary in shape and width and that even the right and
left feet of a same person can be different from each other. The
greatest size differences are found in the width, especially in the
zone of the sole of the foot.
[0003] For this reason, given a certain length, an identical
footwear model should ideally be carried out in a multitude of
versions, differentiated from each other in terms of width or
"fitting", corresponding to the size of the plan circumference
passing between the 1.sup.st and the 5.sup.th metatartsus.
[0004] De facto, the manufacturers perform a mediated choice of
versions to be produced, as a function of the sale market of the
footwear, its use destination, employed materials, construction
typology. In each case, however, some different versions of an
identical footwear model must be carried out, which, on the same
length, are "larger" or more "narrow", in order to satisfy the feet
variability.
[0005] Such productive diversification, as far as it is the result
of a reasonable productive compromise, involves problems both for
the footwears manufacturer, which has to arrange, anyway, different
plants for shapes, soles, uppers, etcetera, and for the retailers,
which have to buy a greater number of versions of the same model of
footwear, trying to satisfy the various requirements of the end
customers. It goes without saying that some customers will have to
buy, however, slightly larger or more narrow footwears, if their
feet do not correspond to the "mediated" dimensions of the various
available versions.
[0006] In view of solving these drawbacks, the document U.S. Pat.
No. 5,813,146 proposes a footwear having an adjusting system
conceived for allowing to adapt the shoe to the user's foot. The
footwear includes an upper and a sole which, in its metatarsal
zone, presents a discontinuity of material, in correspondence of
which adjusting means are operative. The sole includes in
particular at least an intersole, made of an elastically yielding
material, and the aforesaid discontinuity can consist of a void,
such as a slot formed in the intersole, or of an insert of a more
yielding material relative to the one forming the rest of the
intersole, or still of a small air chamber placed in the ambit of
the intersole. The intersole thus conceived is positioned between
the upper of the footwear and an outer sole of the same.
[0007] In one of the possible embodiments described in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,813,146, the adjusting means include threaded rods, placed
transversally to the intersole and fixed at a central part of this
latter; on the ends ot such fixed threaded rods respective bushings
with female thread are screwed, whose heads are accessible on the
outer profile of the intersole, in opposite parts of this latter.
Each of such heads is equipped with a notch, susceptible of
co-operation with a suitable tool so as to screw or unscrew the
bushing on the respective threaded rod, for determining the
compression or allowing the expansion of a corresponding portion of
the discontinuity of material. In this way, it is possible to
adjust in an independent way the width of the sole in multiple
points of the metatarsal zone, between an ideal central
longitudinal axis and the periphery of the sole itself, so as to
adapt the shape of the sole profile to the user's foot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The aim of the present invention is to carry out an
improvement of the known art above mentioned, in particular for the
purpose of render easier the adjustment step of the width of the
footwear, either if it is carried out by the manufacturer, the
retailer or the end user.
[0009] These and further objects, which will result more evident
hereinafter, are attained according to the present invention by a
footwear having the features shown in the appended claims, which
form an integral part of the descriptive content of the present
application of utility model.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Further objects, as well as the features and the advantages
of the present invention will result evident from the following
description and the enclosed drawings, which are given by mere way
of explanatory and not limitative example, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is an elevational and partly sectional diagrammatic
view of a sports footwear carried out according to the
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic bottom view of the body of a sole
component of the footwear of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIGS. 3 and 4 are two diagrammatic side views of the
component of FIG. 2, of a medial part and a lateral part of the
peripheral edge or profile of such component, respectively;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a plan diagrammatic view of an insert forming part
of an adjusting system of the footwear according to the
invention;
[0015] FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic sections according to the
lines VI-VI and VII-VII of FIG. 5;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a front diagrammatic view of the insert of FIG.
5;
[0017] FIG. 9 is an elevational diagrammatic view of two components
forming part of the adjusting system of the footwear according to
the invention;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic side view of two screws forming
part of the adjusting system of the footwear according to the
invention;
[0019] FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic bottom view of the component of
FIG. 2, equipped with the adjusting means of FIGS. 5-10, in a first
possible configuration;
[0020] FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic side view of the component of FIG.
11;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic bottom view of a footwear
according to the invention;
[0022] FIG. 14 is a section according to the line XIV-XIV of FIG.
13;
[0023] FIG. 15 is a view similar to that of FIG. 11, but with the
respective component in a second configuration;
[0024] FIGS. 16 and 17 are diagrammatic sections, similar to those
of FIGS. 6 and 7, of an insert carried out according to a possible
variant of the invention;
[0025] FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic section, substantially similar to
that of FIG. 14, for showing a possible variant of the invention,
using the insert of FIGS. 16 and 17;
[0026] FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic section, substantially similar to
that of FIG. 14, for showing another possible variant of the
invention, using the insert of FIGS. 16 and 17;
[0027] FIGS. 20 and 21 are two partial and diagrammatic sections of
the component of FIG. 11 or 15, carried out according to another
possible variant of the invention;
[0028] FIGS. 22 and 23 are a diagrammatic bottom view and a
diagrammatic side view, respectively, of a component similar to
that of FIG. 2, according to another possible variant of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] In FIG. 1, a general sport footwear carried out according to
the invention is generally indicated by 1, having an higher part or
upper 2 and a lower part or sole; in the exemplary case, the sole
comprises a lower or outer sole 3 and an intersole 4.
[0030] The type of embodiment of the upper 2 leaves out the
purposes of the present invention and therefore it will not be
described and shown in detail.
[0031] The outer sole 3 is made of a synthetic material, for
example rubber with a differentiated hardness; in the exemplified
case, in the outer sole 3 two portions 3a and 3b are found, each
one defining a part of tread, for the back part and the front part
of the footwear 1, respectively; between the two parts of outer
sole 3a and 3b, in correspondence with the zone of the waist edge
of the footwear 1, an intermediate portion 3c is foreseen, which
does not necessarily perform tread functions. It should be noted
that the outer sole 3 could also be formed in multiple discrete
pieces stuck to the intersole 4, such as for example a back part,
defining the portion 3a, a front part, defining the portion 3b, and
an intermediate part defining the portion 3c.
[0032] The intersole 4 has a body 4a presenting an upper face, a
lower face and a side edge or peripheral profile, this latter
having a first tract, shown by 4a' in FIG. 2 and in the following
defined as medial tract, and a second tract, shown by 4a'' in FIG.
2 and in the following defined as lateral tract; the medial tract
6a' is substantially the part of the peripheral profile of the
intersole 4 which is faced towards the other foot of the user, when
the footwear is worn, while the lateral tract 4a'' is substantially
the part of the peripheral profile opposite to the medial one.
[0033] The intersole 4 is positioned between the upper 2 and the
outer sole 3, and upon it, within the footwear 1, an arch support
or plantar is foreseen, if necessary, of an extractable type, not
shown; for this purpose, the intersole 4 defines in its higher zone
a depression 4b, in which ambit the aforesaid arch support finds at
least a partial housing.
[0034] The body 4a of the intersole 6 can be obtained by molding of
an elastic, soft and light material, such as for example EVA, and
then associated with the upper 2, for example of sticking in
peripheral zones of its higher face; to the lower face of the
intersole 4, equipped with adjusting means which will be described
hereinafter, the outer sole 3 is successively associated,
preferably through sticking.
[0035] In FIGS. 2-4 the body 4a of the intersole 4 is depicted. As
it can be seen in FIG. 2, in the front part of the body 4a, and
particularly in the metatarsal zone, a discontinuity of material is
foreseen, indicated by 8; in the exemplified case, such
discontinuity consists of a hollow or void in form of a slot, which
extends itself lenghtwise in the same direction of longitudinal
extension of the intersole 4. Alternatively to a hollow or a void,
the discontinuity 8 could also be constituted by an insert or a
body part formed in a material more easily compressible than the
one forming the rest of the body 4a, or by a small air chamber,
similarly to what described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,146 already
mentioned, whose teachings regarding this are incorporated herein
by reference.
[0036] In the body 4a two housings, indicated by 9, are further
formed, substantially parallel to each other (although if such
parallel arrangement is not strictly necessary) and which extend
themselves transversally with respect to the body 4a and/or with
respect to the longitudinal development of the slot 8.
[0037] Each housing 9 presents a first end portion configured as a
cylindrical hole, indicated by 9a, having an end which opens on the
medial tract 4a' of the peripheral profile of the body 4a; the
other end of the hole 9a ends in correspondence with a
substantially parallelepiped-shaped first seat 9b, opened on the
lower face LF of the body 4a; adjacent the first seat 9b a further
small seat 9b' is foreseen, having dimensions lower than the seat
9b and also opened on the lower face LF of the body 4a.
[0038] From the seat 9b', the housing 9 then proceeds with a
substantially U-shaped groove 9c, also opened on the lower face LF
of the body 4a; the groove 9c of each housing extends lengthwise
transversally to the slot 8. The housing 9 finally ends with a
second seat 9d, with a complex shape conformed for housing at least
part of a respective insert, one of which is depicted with
different views in the FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, where it is indicated
by 11. In the example, the seat 9d is slightly recessed relative to
the lateral tract 4a'' of the peripheral profile of the body
4a.
[0039] In the FIGS. 5-8, only one of the inserts 11 is shown in
different views, in view of the fact that the other insert is of a
substantially similar shape. The insert 11 presents a small-plate
base 11a, from an end of which a front wall 11b is orthogonally
raised, having a respective groove-shaped passage 11b''; in the
central zone of the base 11a, from the same side from which the
wall 11b is raised, a cylindrical tube 11c, internally threaded and
opened at both the ends, is defined, the passage 11b' and the tube
11c being substantially coaxial to each other. In the surface of
the base 11a opposite to the one in which the walls 11b and the
tube 11c are raised, a substantially U-shaped relief or projection
11d is present, aligned at the open bottom of the tube itself.
[0040] The seat 9d is shaped so as to have
[0041] a first portion 10a, intended to receive the front wall 11b
of the insert 11,
[0042] a second portion 10b, intended to receive the tube 11c of
the insert 11, and
[0043] a third portion 10c, intended to receive the base 11a of the
component 11, such that its surface from which the relief 11d is
protruding results substantially flush with the surface of the
lower face of the body 4a of the intersole 4.
[0044] It should be noted that between the portions 10a and 10b, a
tract of seat 10d is also formed, which performs a sort of
extension of the groove 9c of the housing 9.
[0045] The seat 9b is foreseen in order to house a small plate 12,
visible in FIG. 9, which has a wholly parallelepiped shape and is
equipped with a groove-shaped passage 12a.
[0046] In FIG. 10 two screws or adjusting rods are visible,
indicated by 13, each one intended to co-operate with a respective
insert 11. Each screw 13 has a respective head 13a, having a notch
13a' (see FIG. 10), a substantially cylindrical intermediate part
13b and a threaded end part 13c; on the part 13c two small flanges
or washers 13a' and 13d are foreseen; the washer 13a' is at a short
distance from the head 13a, while the washer 13d is in
correspondence with the end of the thread.
[0047] The body 6a of the intersole 6 can be molded, with
procedures and means known per se, so as to present the slot 8 and
the housings 9. In each hole 9a a respective screw 13 is threaded,
the threaded end 13c of which is then partly screwed in the tube
11c of the insert 11, with the washer 13d being positioned between
the front wall 11b and the tube 11c of the insert itself; such
operation is allowed by the elasticity of the material forming the
body 4a and since the parts 13b, 13d of the screw 13 are of such a
diameter that they can pass in the ambit of the passage 11b' of the
front wall 11b of the insert 11.
[0048] The insert 1 is then introduced in the respective seat 10,
with the surface of its base 11a substantially flush with the
surface of the lower face of the body 4a; in each seat 9b a
respective small plate 12 is then introduced, such that its passage
12a is fitted on the cylindrical portion 13b of the screw 13; so
the small plate 12 became then positioned between the head 13a and
the washer 13a' of the respective screw 13. Finally, the small
plate 12' of FIG. 9 is slipped on the screw 13, such that the
passage 12a' results fitted on the threaded part 13c of the screw
itself, between the washer 13d and the front wall 11b of the insert
11.
[0049] After the aforesaid operations, the intersole 4 is
substantially as depicted in FIG. 11. For the purposes of the
assembly, the screw 13 can be screwed in the tube 11c in a
predefined position, for example as visible in FIG. 11; in such
case, the washer 13d, which is, as already mentioned, at the limit
of thread of the end 13c, is in contact against the small plate
12a' which is in turn in contact against the front wall 11b of the
insert 11.
[0050] In the assembled condition and as it can be seen in FIG. 12,
in correspondence with the holes 9a on the medial tract 4a' of the
peripheral profile of the intersole 4 the heads 13a of the screws
13 result accessible, and thanks to the presence of the respective
notches 13a', can be rotated, for example by means of a
screwdriver.
[0051] According to the main aspect of the invention, the footwear
1 has inspection means, intended to allow the visual control of the
adjusting degree, in correspondence with a zone of the sole 3, 4
which is intermediate with respect to the medial 4a' and lateral
4a'' tracts of its outer profile.
[0052] For this purpose, in the exemplified embodiment, the body of
the insert 11 is made of a substantially transparent plastic
material and the outer sole 3, in its front part 3a, is equipped
with openings or passages, suitable for allowing the direct view of
at least a part of a respective transparent insert 11.
[0053] In FIG. 13 the footwear 1 is depicted through a bottom view,
while in FIG. 14 a partial section of the sole 3, 4 is depicted. As
it can be seen, in the part 3a of the lower or outer sole two
passages or holes are foreseen, each one located in correspondence
with the projection 11d of a respective insert 11. As it can also
be seen in FIG. 14, the peripheral zone of the base 11b of the
insert 11 is covered by the outer sole 3, so as to ensure the
positioning of the insert itself in the ambit of the respective
seat formed in the body 4a of the intersole.
[0054] Through the passages 15 and the transparent body of the
inserts 11 it is possible to visually check the extent of the
screwing of the threaded portion 13c of each screw 13 in the
respective tube 11c, that is of their co-operation or coupling
degree. For this purpose, on the surface of the base Ha of the
insert intended to remain exposed in corrispondence with a
respective passage 15, reference notches can be suitably formed,
useful for the adjusting purposes.
[0055] For the purposes of carrying out of the footwear 1,
therefore, after the obtainment of the intersole 4 equipped with
the adjusting means 11-13, on the lower face LF of the intersole
itself the outer sole is stuck, such that the passages 15 result
positioned as previously described.
[0056] The functioning of the adjusting means of the footwear is
very easy. After the screwing of a screw 13, the respective head
13a presses on the adjacent small plate 12, with the consequence
that the part of the body 4a of the intersole 4a which is between
such small plate 12 and the button hole 8 is forced towards the
insert 11, and/or this latter is pulled towards the small plate 12;
this determines a compression of the discontinuity 8, which allows
to obtain a width decrease of the intersole 4, and therefore a
modification of the shape of its peripheral profile.
[0057] In FIG. 15 the maximum screwing situation of the two screws
13, determined by the contact of the respective washers 13d on the
front end of the respective tubes 11c of the inserts 11, is
depicted; it should be noted that in such a figure the outer sole 3
has not been shown, for greater clarity sakes. As it can be seen,
in such condition the discontinuity 8 results substantially
compressed, with a consequent decrease of the width of the
intersole 4 in the metatarsal zone; always in FIG. 15, the dotted
part points out the shape of the peripheral profile of the
intersole 4 in a non adjusted condition, namely as in the case
depicted in FIG. 11. On the contrary, starting for example from the
configuration of FIG. 15, by unscrewing the screws 13 the
discontinuity 8 tends to expand itself, thanks to the elasticity of
the material forming the intersole 4, returning in the
configuration of FIG. 11.
[0058] In each case, the extent of the adjustment carried out
through the screws 13 can be visually controlled with accuracy,
through the passages 15 and the transparency of the material
forming the inserts 11; as mentioned, the inserts could be equipped
of proper indicating notches. As it can be assumed, therefore, the
width or the "fitting" of the shoe according to the invention can
be accurately personalized in an easy and repetitive manner. This
is particularly advantageous, besides for the manufacturers and the
retailers of footwears, also for the end users. For example, in
some circumstances, a user will be able to provisionally change the
adjustment in view of a particular use situation of the footwear,
however having then the possibility of re-establish the initial
adjustment, thanks to the possibility of physically precisely
observe, and therefore remember, the initial adjustment degree
through the passages 15 and the transparency of the inserts 11.
[0059] Of course, construction details and embodiments could widely
vary with respect to what has been described and shown by mere way
of example, without leaving the ambit of the present invention.
[0060] For example, the body of the component 11 could also be made
of an opaque material, with its base portion 11a having a slot
longitudinally extending in correspondence with the threaded tube
11c. Such a variant is diagramatically depicted in FIGS. 16 and 17,
wherein the aforesaid slot is indicated by 11e. In this way,
through the slot 11e it is possible to see the threaded end 13c of
the screw 13, and therefore visually check the adjustment degree;
for this purpose, on the base 11a reference notches could be also
foreseen. In this embodiment, the zone wherein the slot 11e is
located can be suitably covered by a thin layer of transparent
material; as visible for example in the section of FIG. 18, such
layer can consist of a transparent element 11f interposed between
the intersole 4 and the outer sole 3, or being directly constituted
of a transparent portion of the outer sole 3, as it can be seen in
FIG. 19.
[0061] Without considering the selected implementation and for the
purpose of making easier the vision of the adjustment degree, the
screws 13 or the means which replace them could have at least in
part a colouring which contrasts with the one of the material
forming the body 4a of the intersole 4 and/or the outer sole 3.
[0062] In an alternative embodiment, the extent of the adjustment
could also be made visible through the position of the washer 13d,
instead of the threaded end of the respective screw 13; in this
case, with an insert 11 having the slot 11e, this latter will be
obviously obtained in correspondence with the tract of the stroke
allowed for the washer 13d, such stroke being produced by the
movement of the respective screw 13.
[0063] On the slot 8, in case it is formed by a void crossing the
body 4a, a covering stuck on the upper face of the body itself can
be foreseen; such a covering, comprising for example a fabric or an
elastic or flexible material sheet, is indicated by 14 and
diagrammatically depicted in section in two conditions in FIGS. 20
and 21, corresponding to the two situations of extreme adjustment
in FIGS. 11 and 15, respectively.
[0064] In the FIGS. 22 and 23 an embodiment of the invention is
finally depicted, wherein in the body 4a of the intersole a single
housing 9 is foreseen and wherein the adjusting means are formed by
a single insert 11 and a screw 13, with the respective two small
plates 12, 12'. The adjustment, in the case of the variant of FIGS.
22, 23 occurs with the same procedures previously explained.
[0065] In the embodiments previously exemplified, the adjustment of
the width or "fitting" allows to obtain a substantially symmetrical
variation of the peripheral profile of the footwear, that is the
adjustment is carried out in substantially equal proportions
between the medial 4a' and the lateral 4a'' tracts of said profile.
Nothing prevents, in principle, to foreseen an adjustment in
independent points, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,813,146, being understood that for one or more adjusting means
respective inspection means will be foreseen, accessible from the
lower face of the sole 3, 4 and particularly formed at least partly
in the lower sole 3. Also the adjusting means could foresee a
mutual coupling other than the threaded one previously described,
and being for example in form of small plates co-operating together
in a varying manner through respective teeth or ratchet gears,
similarly to what has been described in the mentioned U.S. Pat. No.
5,813,146, whose teachings concerning this aspect are considered
incorporated herein by reference.
[0066] For intersoles made of an extremely elastic and yielding
material, the body 4a could be possibly overmolded directly to the
adjusting means, which in this case should be previously assembled
together and directly placed within the overmolding mold.
[0067] The invention has been described with a particular reference
to a sport footwear, but it is evident that the same is susceptible
of application also to other kinds of shoes.
* * * * *