U.S. patent application number 11/034989 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-26 for shoe sole insert.
Invention is credited to Swei Mu Wang.
Application Number | 20060236562 11/034989 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32681694 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060236562 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang; Swei Mu |
October 26, 2006 |
Shoe sole insert
Abstract
A shoe sole insert includes an upper member and a lower member,
and a number of cells formed between the upper member and the lower
member, the upper member includes an elastic pad and a pattern
layer and a flexible envelope secured together, the lower member
also includes an elastic pad and a pattern layer and a flexible
envelope secured together, and the members each includes a number
of recesses and depressions and receptacles aligned with each
other, to form the cells of the shoe sole insert, and to increase
elasticity and resilience for the shoe sole insert. The envelopes
are transparent or semi-transparent, to allow patterns of the
pattern layers to be seen through the envelopes.
Inventors: |
Wang; Swei Mu; (Taichung,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARLES E. BAXLEY, ESQ.
90 JOHN STREET
THIRD FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10038
US
|
Family ID: |
32681694 |
Appl. No.: |
11/034989 |
Filed: |
January 12, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10364384 |
Feb 12, 2003 |
|
|
|
11034989 |
Jan 12, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/29 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/14 20130101;
A43B 13/125 20130101; A43B 13/181 20130101; A43B 13/026 20130101;
A43B 13/187 20130101; A43B 13/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/029 |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/20 20060101
A43B013/20 |
Claims
1. A shoe sole insert comprising: an upper member and a lower
member, and a plurality of cells formed between said upper member
and said lower member, said upper member including a lower portion
having a first elastic pad attached thereto, and said first elastic
pad including a plurality of recesses formed therein, a first
pattern layer attached to said lower portion of said first elastic
pad of said upper member and including a plurality of depressions
formed therein corresponding in shape to said recesses of said
first elastic pad of said upper member respectively and including a
pattern applied thereon, and a first envelope attached to said
first pattern layer and including a plurality of receptacles formed
therein corresponding in shape to said recesses of said first
elastic pad and to said depressions of said first pattern layer of
said upper member respectively and attached to said first pattern
layer, said lower member including an upper portion having a second
elastic pad attached thereto, and said second elastic pad including
a plurality of recesses formed therein, a second pattern layer
attached to said upper portion of said second elastic pad of said
lower member and including a plurality of depressions formed
therein corresponding in shape to said recesses of said second
elastic pad of said lower member respectively and including a
pattern applied thereon, and a second envelope attached to said
second pattern layer and including a plurality of receptacles
formed therein corresponding in shape to said recesses of said
second elastic pad and to said depressions of said second pattern
layer of said lower member respectively and attached to said second
pattern layer, said receptacles of said first and said second
envelopes being aligned with each other, and said first and said
second envelopes including interconnecting portions engaged with
each other and secured together, to form said cells of said shoe
sole insert, and to increase elasticity and resilience for said
shoe sole insert, and said first and said second envelopes being
made of transparent materials, to allow patterns of said first and
said second pattern layers to be seen through said first and said
second envelopes.
2. The shoe sole insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cells
of said shoe sole insert include open ends, and said shoe sole
insert further includes a plurality of plugs engaged into said open
ends of said cells of said shoe sole insert.
3. The shoe sole insert as claimed in claim 2, wherein said plugs
each includes a threaded connecting portion provided therein, for
engaging into said open ends of said cells of said shoe sole
insert.
Description
[0001] The present invention is a continuation application of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 10/364,384, filed 12 Feb. 2003,
pending, and to be abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a midsole or a shoe sole
insert for footwear, and more particularly to a shoe sole insert
having a shock absorbing effect and having an elastic portion
prevented from aging and wear.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Various kinds of typical sports shoes have been developed
and provided for jogging, running or other sport purposes, and
comprise two basic requirements. The principal task of the shoe is
to help or to facilitate running and to allow runners to move
easily. The other task of the shoe is to protect the feet from
running exertion, so that runners' optimum performance may be
preserved or maintained in races. In addition, in a consumer's
point of view, longer life of a shoe sole is preferred. To achieve
the aforementioned functions, many different shoe soles have been
developed.
[0006] Suitable or required resilience of shoe soles can be
obtained in many different ways. For example, a traditional shoe
sole is made of foamable materials for providing a suitable
elasticity, and a rubber layer is combined with the foamable
material for protecting the foamable material. However the rubber
layer can only protect the bottom portion of the foamable material.
The surroundings of the foamable are not protected. Therefore the
foamable material exposes to sunlight and moisture directly. That
causes the foamable material aged and worn quickly. Besides, for
the purpose of running or other sports with heavy duties, the
elasticity provided by the foamable material of the traditional
shoe sole structure is not enough.
[0007] Another traditional shoe sole includes an air cushion
structure. However, the cost of air cushioned shoe sole is high and
the procedure of manufacturing is complicated. In addition,
sometimes, unnecessary deformations may take place in the shoe
soles of air cushion structure. Accordingly a shoe sole with
sufficient and proper elasticity as well as long life and
comparatively low cost of manufacture is needed.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,851 to Miller discloses one of the
typical boat shoes including a series of openings formed therein,
through which water escapes from inside the shoe. However, the
openings are simply formed within the shoe portion by such as
molding or mold injection processes, and thus may not have patterns
formed around the openings or within the shoe portion. Normally,
the shoe portion is formed by foaming or foamable materials by
hot-pressing processes, such that it will be difficult to form or
to apply patterns or colors onto the shoe portion.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,931 to Vermeulen discloses another
typical shock absorbing system for footwear application, and
comprising a membrane disposed within an envelope, and having cells
and receptacles formed therein, for forming a shoe absorbing
structure. However, similarly, the membrane and the envelope are
also formed by foaming or foamable materials by hot-pressing
processes, such that it will also be difficult to form or to apply
patterns or colors onto the membrane and the envelope.
[0010] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional shoe
soles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a shoe sole insert including a shock absorbing effect and including
an elastic portion prevented from aging and wear.
[0012] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a shoe sole insert comprising an upper member and a lower
member, and a number of cells formed between the upper member and
the lower member, the upper member includes a lower portion having
a first elastic pad attached thereto, and the first elastic pad
includes a number of recesses formed therein, a first pattern layer
is attached to the lower portion of the first elastic pad of the
upper member and includes a number of depressions formed therein
corresponding in shape to the recesses of the first elastic pad of
the upper member respectively, and a first envelope is attached to
the first pattern layer and includes a number of receptacles formed
therein corresponding in shape to the recesses of the first elastic
pad and to the depressions of the first pattern layer of the upper
member respectively, the lower member includes an upper portion
having a second elastic pad attached thereto, and the second
elastic pad includes a number of recesses formed therein, a second
pattern layer is attached to the upper portion of the second
elastic pad of the upper member and includes a number of
depressions formed therein corresponding in shape to the recesses
of the second elastic pad of the lower member respectively, and a
second envelope is attached to the second pattern layer and
includes a number of receptacles formed therein corresponding in
shape to the recesses of the second elastic pad and to the
depressions of the second pattern layer of the lower member
respectively, the receptacles of the first and the second envelopes
are aligned with each other, and the first and the second envelopes
includes interconnecting portions engaged with each other and
secured together, to form the cells of the shoe sole insert, and to
increase elasticity and resilience for the shoe sole insert, and
the first and the second envelopes are made of transparent
materials, to allow patterns of the first and the second pattern
layers to be seen through the first and the second envelopes.
[0013] The cells of the shoe sole insert include open ends, and the
shoe sole insert further includes a number of plugs engaged into
the open ends of the cells of the shoe sole insert. The plugs each
includes a threaded connecting portion provided therein, for
engaging into the open ends of the cells of the shoe sole
insert.
[0014] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed
description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a side plan view of a shoe having a shoe sole
insert in accordance with the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shoe sole insert;
[0017] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the shoe sole insert;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the shoe sole insert,
taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;
[0019] FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the
shoe sole insert;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a partial exploded view showing plugs for plugging
into open ends of grooves of the shoe sole insert;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view illustrating a further
arrangement of the shoe sole insert;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view illustrating another
arrangement of the shoe sole insert;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view illustrating a still
further arrangement of the shoe sole insert;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view illustrating a still
further arrangement of the shoe sole insert;
[0025] FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating another
embodiment of the shoe sole insert;
[0026] FIG. 12 a partial exploded view illustrating a further
embodiment of the shoe sole insert;
[0027] FIG. 13 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view
illustrating a still further embodiment of the shoe sole insert;
and
[0028] FIG. 14 a partial exploded view illustrating the shoe sole
insert as shown in FIG. 13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0029] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-5, a
midsole or a shoe sole insert 10 in accordance with the present
invention is provided for attaching to bottom of a shoe 1, and is
arranged to be engaged or disposed between an outsole 11 and an
insole 12 or a shoe front 13, for forming and for providing a shock
absorbing effect to the shoe 1, and the midsole or shoe sole insert
10 is suitably shielded or protected between the outsole 11 and the
insole 12 or the shoe front 13, and prevented from exposing to
sunlight and air directly, and thus prevented from aging and
wear.
[0030] The midsole or shoe sole insert 10 comprises a number of
cells 14 formed between an upper member 20 and a lower member 30
each of which includes an elastic pad 21, 31 having a number of
curved recesses 22, 32, such as semi-circular or semi-cylindrical
recesses 22, 32 formed therein, such as formed in the lower portion
23 of the elastic pad 21 and/or of the upper member 20 and in the
upper portion 33 of the elastic pad 31 and/or of the lower member
30 respectively. The elastic pads 21, 31 may be made of foamable
materials, rubber materials, synthetic materials, or the like.
[0031] Two pattern layers 40 are attached to or secured to the
upper member 20 and the lower member 30 respectively, and located
at the lower portion 23 of the elastic pad 21 and/or of the upper
member 20 and at the upper portion 33 of the elastic pad 31 and/or
of the lower member 30 respectively, and each carries a number of
depressions 41 which correspond in shape, design and size to the
recesses 22, 32 of the upper member 20 and the lower member 30
respectively. The pattern layers 40 include various patterns and/or
colors applied thereon.
[0032] Two flexible envelopes 50 are attached to or secured to the
pattern layers 40 respectively, and located at the lower portion 23
of the elastic pad 21 and/or of the upper member 20 and at the
upper portion 33 of the elastic pad 31 and/or of the lower member
30 respectively, and each carries a number of receptacles 51 which
also correspond in shape, design and size to the recesses 22, 32 of
the upper member 20 and the lower member 30 and to the depressions
41 of the pattern layers 40 respectively.
[0033] It is preferable that the receptacles 51 of the flexible
envelopes 50 and/or the depressions 41 of the pattern layers 40
and/or the recesses 22, 32 of the upper member 20 and the lower
member 30 are aligned with each other respectively, and the
flexible envelopes 50 include interconnecting portions 52 engaged
with each other or coupled or secured together, to form the cells
14 of the midsole or shoe sole insert 10 which preferably include a
circular or cylindrical shape.
[0034] The formation or the provision of the cells 14 in the shoe
sole insert 10 may greatly increase the elasticity or the
resilience of the shoe sole insert 10. The flexible envelopes 50
are preferably made of transparent, or semi-transparent, waterproof
and wear resisting materials, to allow the patterns and/or colors
of the pattern layers 40 to be seen through the transparent or
semi-transparent flexible envelopes 50. The typical shoe soles fail
to provide a pattern layer 40 between a flexible envelope 50 and an
outer member 20, 30, and the flexible envelope 50 be transparent or
semi-transparent to allow the patterns and/or colors of the pattern
layers 40 to be seen through the flexible envelopes 50.
[0035] The midsole or shoe sole insert 10 may be manufactured with
molding, mold injection, or similar processes, and with mold
devices. One example of the method for manufacturing the midsole or
shoe sole insert 10 has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,743,385
to Wang, which may thus be taken as a reference for the present
invention.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 6, it is preferable that the cells 14 of
the shoe sole insert 10 are open-ended, and the shoe sole insert 10
further includes a number of plugs 60 each having a threaded
connecting portion 61 formed or provided therein, for threading or
engaging into the open ends of the cells 14 of the shoe sole insert
10, in order to enclose and to shield the cells 14 of the shoe sole
insert 10, and thus to prevent sands or rocks from engaging into
the cells 14 of the shoe sole insert 10.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 7, the cells 14 of the shoe sole insert 10
may only be disposed or placed in the rear portion of the shoe sole
insert 10, or may only be disposed or placed in the front portion
of the shoe sole insert 10 as shown in FIG. 8. Alternatively, as
shown in FIG. 9, the receptacles 51 of the flexible envelopes 50
and the depressions 41 of the pattern layers 40 and the recesses
22, 32 of the upper member 20 and the lower member 30 may be offset
from each other. Further alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10,
without the lower member 30, the upper member 20 may be directly
attached or secured onto the outsole 11, so as to form
semi-circular or semi-cylindrical cells 14 for the shoe sole insert
10.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 11, the receptacles 51 of the flexible
envelopes 50 and the depressions 41 of the pattern layers 40 and
the recesses 22, 32 of the upper member 20 and the lower member 30,
and the cells 14 of the shoe sole insert 10 may be formed into
other shapes, such as square or rectangular shape, and may also be
formed into close ended as shown in FIG. 12. As shown in FIGS. 13
and 14, without the pattern layers 40, the upper member 20 and the
lower member 30 may include various patterns and/or colors 53
formed on the flexible envelopes 50.
[0039] Accordingly, the shoe sole insert in accordance with the
present invention includes a shock absorbing effect and includes an
elastic portion prevented from aging and wear, and includes a
pattern layer disposed between a flexible envelope and an outer
member, to allow the patterns and/or colors of the pattern layers
to be seen through the flexible envelopes.
[0040] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous
changes in the detailed construction and the combination and
arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *