U.S. patent application number 11/446432 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-17 for variable surface sole for bowling and other shoes.
Invention is credited to Stephen M. Pasternak, Thomas Seeman.
Application Number | 20070107268 11/446432 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38039263 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070107268 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Seeman; Thomas ; et
al. |
May 17, 2007 |
Variable surface sole for bowling and other shoes
Abstract
For virtually any kind of shoe, regions at the front and/or back
of the heel and/or forsesole can be raised or lowered relative to
the remainder of that bottom surface. In this manner, one or both
of a friction or pronation adjustment can be made at the front,
back, or lateral side of the foresole or heel. An adjustment device
is operatively associated with one region in one of a first
(foresole) or second (heel) weight bearing bottom surface, for
raising and lowering the region relative to the bottom surface
surrounding the region, thereby adjusting the overall texture of
the weight bearing bottom surface.
Inventors: |
Seeman; Thomas; (Weston,
MA) ; Pasternak; Stephen M.; (Englewood, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ALIX YALE & RISTAS LLP
750 MAIN STREET
SUITE 1400
HARTFORD
CT
06103
US
|
Family ID: |
38039263 |
Appl. No.: |
11/446432 |
Filed: |
June 2, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60735796 |
Nov 11, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/130 ; 36/39;
36/59R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/246 20130101;
A43B 3/24 20130101; A43B 5/005 20130101; A43C 15/00 20130101; A43B
13/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/130 ;
036/039; 036/059.00R |
International
Class: |
A43B 21/24 20060101
A43B021/24; A43C 15/00 20060101 A43C015/00; A43B 5/00 20060101
A43B005/00 |
Claims
1. A shoe having an adjustable weight bearing bottom surface,
comprising: an upper supported by a sole extending generally along
a longitudinal centerline, said sole having an arch, a foresole
defining a first, weight bearing bottom surface longitudinally
forward of the arch, and a heel defining a second weight bearing
bottom surface longitudinally behind the arch, each of said first
and second weight bearing bottom surfaces formed by contiguous
regions which collectively establish an overall texture,
respectively, for each of said first and second weight bearing
bottom surfaces; and an adjustment device operatively associated
with one of said regions in one of said first or second weight
bearing bottom surfaces, for raising and lowering said one region
relative to the bottom surface surrounding said one region, thereby
adjusting the overall texture of said one weight bearing bottom
surface.
2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said adjustment device has a drive
member at least partially embedded in the sole and operatively
associated with said one region, and an actuator connected to the
drive member and accessible when the shoe is held in one hand, such
that manual adjustment of said actuator raises or lowers said one
region relative to the bottom surface surrounding said one region,
thereby adjusting the overall texture of said one bottom weight
bearing surface.
3. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said one region is a distinct pad
and the adjustment device selectively raises or lowers the pad.
4. The shoe of claim 3, wherein the pad comprises at least one
cleat.
5. The shoe of claim 3, wherein the shoe is a bowling shoe and the
pad is in the heel.
6. The shoe of claim 3, wherein the shoe is a bowling shoe and the
pad is in the foresole.
7. The shoe of claim 3, wherein at least one pad is in each of the
heel and the foresole.
8. The shoe of claim 3, wherein the adjustment device selectively
raises or lowers the entire pad the same distance.
9. The shoe of claim 3, wherein the pad is substantially centered
on the centerline and comprises a plurality of cleats at least some
of which are situated laterally of the centerline.
10. The shoe of claim 3, wherein a drive member is embedded in the
foresole on each lateral side of the centerline such that
respective pads can each be adjusted individually.
11. The shoe of claim 2, wherein said sole includes an exterior
outsole having said bottom weight bearing surfaces and a midsole
between the upper and the outsole; said drive member spans said mid
sole and outsole; and said actuator selectively expands or
contracts said drive member to push or pull said one region away
from or toward the midsole.
12. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said one region comprises ripples
having a nominal amplitude, and said adjustment varies the
amplitude.
13. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said one region is a distinct pad
having ripples of nominal amplitude, and said adjustment varies the
amplitude.
14. The shoe of claim 1, comprising a plurality of said adjustment
devices with respective regions distributed as distinct pads that
can be raised or lowered, on the foresole.
15. The shoe of claim 1, comprising a plurality of said adjustment
devices with respective regions distributed as distinct pads that
can be raised or lowered, on the heel.
16. The shoe of claim 14, wherein at least one pad is situated on
each side of the centerline.
17. The shoe of claim 15, wherein at least one pad is situated on
each side of the centerline.
18. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said one region has an exposed
surface of one type of material and the bottom surface surrounding
the adjustable region is a different material.
19. The shoe of claim 18, wherein one material is leather and the
other material is synthetic.
20. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe is a bowling shoe.
21. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe is a driving shoe.
22. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe is a court shoe.
23. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe is a hiking shoe.
24. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe is a field game shoe.
25. A shoe having a sole extending generally along a longitudinal
centerline, said sole having an arch, a foresole defining a first,
weight bearing bottom surface longitudinally forward of the arch,
and a heel defining a second weight bearing bottom surface
longitudinally behind the arch, said first weight bearing surface
having an overall nominal texture, wherein the improvement
comprises: said first weight bearing surface having at least one
distinct region that is adjustable to a plurality of fixed
positions relative to the first bottom surface surrounding said one
region, thereby altering the overall nominal texture of said first
bottom surface.
26. The shoe of claim 25, comprising: an adjustment device having a
drive member at least partially embedded in the foresole and
operatively associated with said one region, and an actuator
connected to the drive member and accessible when the shoe is held
in one hand, such that manual adjustment of said actuator raises or
lowers said one region to one of said fixed positions relative to
the first bottom surface surrounding said one region, thereby
altering the overall nominal texture of said first bottom
surface.
27. The shoe of claim 26, wherein the manual adjustment raises or
lowers said one region the same distance.
28. The shoe of claim 26, wherein the manual adjustment raises or
lowers said one region with a bowed profile.
29. A shoe having a sole extending generally along a longitudinal
centerline, said sole having an arch, a foresole defining a first,
weight bearing bottom surface longitudinally forward of the arch,
and a heel defining a second weight bearing bottom surface
longitudinally behind the arch, said second weight bearing surface
having an overall nominal texture, wherein the improvement
comprises: said second weight bearing surface having at least one
distinct region that is adjustable to a plurality of fixed
positions into and out of the second bottom surface surrounding
said one region, thereby altering the overall nominal texture of
said second bottom surface.
30. The shoe of claim 29, comprising: an adjustment device having a
drive member at least partially embedded in the heel and
operatively associated with said one region, and an actuator
connected to the drive member and accessible when the shoe is held
in one hand, such that manual adjustment of said actuator raises or
lowers said one region to one of said fixed positions relative to
the second bottom surface surrounding said one region, thereby
altering the overall nominal texture of said second bottom
surface.
31. The shoe of claim 30, wherein the manual adjustment raises or
lowers said one region the same distance.
32. The shoe of claim 30, wherein the manual adjustment raises or
lowers said one region with a bowed profile.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date under
35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e), of U.S. Provisional App. No. 60/735,796
filed Nov. 11, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention pertains to performance footwear,
especially walking and athletic shoes, and most particularly,
bowling shoes.
[0003] As has been recognized for a number of years, and as
discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,682, experienced bowlers often
desire that each of the left and right shoes exhibit different
characteristics, especially with respect to sliding friction on the
smooth, wooden or synthetic floors typically present in the
approach region of a bowling lane. Moreover, even for one or the
other of the left or right shoe, such bowler typically desires a
different sliding characteristic on the foresole portion verses the
heel portion of that shoe sole. In yet a further customization, the
bowler may desire that the friction characteristics of each
foresole and heel be adjustable depending on, for example, the
surface characteristics of the bowling center in which a particular
competition is staged, the day-to-day changes in temperature and
humidity in the bowling center, or increase in confidence as the
bowler warms up and reaches peak performance during the course of a
match.
[0004] One technique for permitting a bowler to adjust the friction
characteristics of one or both shoes, even during competition, is
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,198. The concept described therein
provides for replaceable foresole and heel surface elements of
different configurations and performance characteristics. Although
this technique has enjoyed some commercial success, it has the
disadvantages of requiring a bowler to carry a kit of varying
replacement pads and, even with such a variety of pads, each
adjustment increment is a step change, without continuous
adjustability. A related technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,662,475 and 6,662,476.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to an aspect of the present invention, the
effective friction of the shoe is adjusted by changing the
position, especially raising or lowering, a region of the bottom
surface of the heel and/or foresole.
[0006] For virtually any kind of shoe, regions at the front and/or
back of the heel and/or forsesole can be raised or lowered relative
to the remainder of that bottom surface. In this manner, one or
both of a friction or pronation adjustment can be made at the
front, back, or lateral side of the foresole or heel.
[0007] An adjustment device is operatively associated with one
region in one of a first (foresole) or second (heel) weight bearing
bottom surface, for raising and lowering the region relative to the
bottom surface surrounding the region, thereby adjusting the
overall texture of the weight bearing bottom surface.
[0008] In general, the shoe comprises an upper supported by a sole
extending generally along a longitudinal centerline. The sole has
an optionally recessed arch, a foresole defining a first, weight
bearing bottom surface longitudinally forward of the arch, and a
heel defining a second weight bearing bottom surface longitudinally
behind the arch. Each of the first and second weight bearing
surfaces are formed by contiguous regions, such as central, front,
and lateral regions, which together establish overall floor or
ground contact characteristics for each of the first and second
weight bearing surfaces. By adjusting surface irregularities in at
least one region of the heel or foresole, the overall ground
contact characteristics are likewise adjusted. For convenience, the
term "texture" will be used to refer to the pattern of
irregularities in the floor or ground contact surface of the heel
or foresole.
[0009] Viewed from a different perspective, the first and/or second
weight bearing surface has an overall nominal or reference texture,
and at least one, optionally distinct, region is adjustable to a
plurality of fixed positions or orientations relative to the
surrounding surface, thereby altering the overall texture of the
bottom surface. For example, some adjustable regions can be made
from a different material than the surrounding surface of the heel
or foresole, and the degree of adjustment of the region determines
the relative contribution of the various heel or foresole surfaces
to the overall sliding or friction performance of, e.g., a bowling
shoe.
[0010] Lateral adjustment can alter the effective friction
characteristics of the shoe and the time dependent friction force
resulting from a bowler's unique weight transfer in the foot bed
during the course of completing the delivery of the bowling ball.
Such adjustment can affect the area of the foresole or heel that
first contacts the floor, the total area of the foresole or heel in
contact with the floor during a stroke, and the weight distribution
over the heel or foresole.
[0011] The ability to adjust the heel or foresole, front-to-back
and side-to-side can also provide benefits in other performance
characteristics that do not depend significantly on the user's
sensitivity to sliding friction, but do depend on comfort or
safety. In this respect, the present invention can provide
pronation adjustment at the exterior of the sole, whether or not
sliding and/or braking are important performance
considerations.
[0012] Another advantage achievable with the present invention, is
the ability to effectuate a reverse inclination on either the heel
or foresole. Bowling, athletic, and other performance shoes, as
well as street shoes, are universally manufactured with the main
weight bearing, ground contacting surfaces of the heel in
substantially the same plane as the main weight bearing, ground
contacting surfaces of the foresole. In other words, the foresole
and heel lie flat on a flat surface. As an example with an
adjustable heel according to the invention, the neutral adjustment
position can correspond to the conventional coplanar relationship
between the heel and the foresole, but with adjustment options the
back region of the heel weight bearing surface can be effectively
raised or lowered. This added capability can be attractive to some
bowlers who have unusual approaches, foot shapes, or braking
tendencies.
[0013] The adjustment device can have a drive member at least
partially embedded in the heel or foresole and operatively
associated with at least one of the regions of the heel or
foresole. An actuator is connected to the drive member for raising
or lowering at least a portion of the region relative to the bottom
surface surrounding the raised or lowered surface of the region,
thereby adjusting the overall texture of the bottom surface. The
adjustable portion of a region can be a distinct pad and the
adjustment device selectively raises or lowers the pad. The pad can
have one or more cleats.
[0014] The adjustment device is preferably accessible as the sole
faces the user's hand or a tool in the user's hand. Alternatively,
the adjustment device can be accessed at an upstanding lateral
surface of the heel, such as at the back rim. Actuation of the
device can be by any means under the control of the end-user of the
shoe. An adjustable plug, jack, lever or the like can be pushed or
extended through the footbed or mid sole, to extend a pad in the
heel or foresole. An air injection pump or other diaphragm or
bladder-type member can likewise be used for this purpose.
[0015] The adjustment device can take a variety of forms. In one
embodiment, one disc is embedded in a base portion of the sole,
such as in the midsole, and another disc is embedded in a movable
pad of the sole, with a threaded bore for receiving a worm screw or
the like that has its drive end accessible at the exterior of the
sole. With a screw driving device such as an Allen wrench or the
like, the user can readily displace the disc in the movable pad
relative to the stationary disc in the base of the sole, thereby
raising or lowering the pad. This can be implemented for continuous
adjustment, or be ratcheted for repeatable stepwise adjustment.
[0016] In another form, the adjustment device could be a disc
interposed between the base portion of the sole and the movable pad
in the sole, mounted for rotation with an arc of the disc
accessible externally for rotation by the user. The disc has a
variable thickness that cams the pad up or down.
[0017] It should thus be appreciated that an important aspect of
the invention is that the exposed surface of the sole, i.e., one or
both of the heel or foresole, is adjusted, not the footbed or other
shoe component that conforms to the wearer's foot. The purpose of
the adjustment is to increase or decrease the surface area of the
sole, or the particular regions of the sole, that contact the
ground or floor. The footbed remains in the same relation to the
shoe centerline, but the exposed surface of the adjusted sole
portion changes. This adjustment can affect the timing of when
certain portions of the sole contact the ground, which of multiple
materials contact the ground and in what sequence, and how the
weight of the wearer is distributed on various portions of the
foresole and heel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the bottom of a bowling shoe for
the left foot, having an adjustment pad in the foresole and an
adjustment pad in the heel, substantially centered on the shoe
centerline;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a section view along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing
an adjustment mechanism for raising or lowering the heel pad
relative to the surrounding bottom surface;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a section view through line 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing
an adjustment device and associated pad in the foresole, that
function substantially the same as the actuation device and pad
shown in FIG. 2;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing two adjustment
pads in the foresole, situated laterally of the shoe centerline and
independently adjustable in the manner described with respect to
FIGS. 2 and 3;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing larger pads
which carry a plurality of cleats, with the pads adjustable
relative to the remaining bottom surface of the foresole and heel,
in a manner analogous to that described with respect to the
foregoing figures;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the bottom surface of the heel
portion of a shoe, showing a pad with a rippled surface which is
deformable to alter the texture and thus effective friction;
[0024] FIG. 7A is a schematic cross sectional view of the textured
surface of the pad in FIG. 6, during a first, or nominal
condition;
[0025] FIG. 7B is a schematic view similar to FIG. 7A, showing this
region compressed by the adjustment means, resulting in the
amplitude of the ripple structure increasing, while the spacing
decreases, thereby altering the friction; and
[0026] FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment whereby the foresole
or heel can be deformed inwardly or outwardly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] FIG. 1 shows the bottom of a bowling shoe 100, having an
overall sole comprising a foresole, a heel, and an intermediate
arch. The foresole and heel define front and back weight bearing
bottom surfaces, whereas the arch is typically recessed and
functions primarily to distribute the wearer's weight to the
foresole and heel. Each of the foresole and heel has contiguous
regions, such as front and back regions, as well as central and
lateral side regions. It should be understood that the term
"region" refers to a general sub-area or location on the foresole
or heel, and that a front region may extend toward a side, a side
region may extend toward the front or back, etc.
[0028] Adjustable pads 102, 104 can be provided in the foresole
and/or the heel, and made of the same or different material than
the main bottom surface, for adjusting one or both of the friction
and weight distribution aspects of the shoe.
[0029] The adjustment device 106 shown in FIG. 2 is substantially
similar to that shown and described in the U.S. patent application
filed on even date herewith, entitled "Variable Friction Sole for
Bowling and Other Shoes", in the name of Stephen M. Pasternak,
which claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/735,795 filed Nov. 11, 2005, the disclosures of
which are hereby incorporated by reference. Other actuation devices
and configurations described in that application may be adapted for
use in the present invention.
[0030] Without intending to be limited, FIGS. 1 and 2 show the pad
104 in the forward region of the heel with a central opening in the
bottom surface, and the adjustment device 106 substantially
embedded within the outer portion 112 of the heel. A disc or the
like 108 is seated for rotation against the base portion of the
heel 114, and another disc 110 is situated between disc 108 and the
pad 104, while fixed to the pad. A rim 118 defines an upright,
substantially cylindrical cavity that surrounds at least disc 110
and extends close to the underside of heel base 114. In the
illustrated embodiment the adjusting worm screw 120 is accessible
through the pad 104, having a slot or the like at the exposed end.
The other end of the screw is fixed to passive disc 108 for
co-rotation while the screw body threadably engages the active disc
110. Turning the screw advances the disc 110 relative to disc 108,
thereby pushing (or in the opposite direction pulling) the pad 104
outward or inward relative to the surrounding surface 122 of the
exposed lower surface of the heel. In a typical shoe, an upper 116
is a secured to the sole. In FIG. 2, the heel comprises portions
114 and 112; portions 112 and 114 are attached and upper 116 is
attached to heel portion 114. Optionally, the screw or similar
actuation component could be accessible through the foot bed
124.
[0031] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the pad 102 in the foresole
substantially centered along the shoe centerline, with actuation
options within the phantom lines similar to those described
above.
[0032] Preferably, the surface characteristics of the pads 102, 104
are different from the characteristics of the surrounding bottom
surface 122, 126. If made of the same basic material, the pad and
surrounding surface can have different texture. Generally, however,
the pad would be made of a different material, e.g., one would be a
synthetic or rubber material, whereas the other would be leather.
Under most circumstances, the surface area of the pad or pads
occupies about 35 to 65 percent of the total bottom surface of the
foresole (or heel), with about 50 percent preferred.
[0033] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment 200 where the pads
202, 204 are situated on either lateral side of the centerline, in
the foresole. Each of these pads can be the same as, or variations
of the pads and actuator shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. One or two pads
can optionally be situated in the center or forward regions of the
foresole.
[0034] FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment 300 where larger pad
or platform 302 supports a plurality of cleats 304 that extend
outwardly, for example, in a hiking or similar boot. In this
instance, the adjusting device 306 adjusts the platform 302 into
and out of the shoe, whereas the cleats 304 provide the texture,
thus effective friction, for the foresole and/or heel.
[0035] In the embodiment 400 of FIGS. 6 and 7, the adjustable
region 402 comprises a large pad with ripples 404 having nominal
amplitude whereby the adjustment varies the amplitude. FIG. 7A
shows a nominal amplitude B and spacing A, whereas FIG. 7B shows
that compression along the direction indicated by the arrow,
increases the amplitude B' while decreasing the spacing A' between
peaks. This can be accomplished in one embodiment, by providing
actuating screws 406, 408 or the like at one or both of the front
and back rims of the heel. One of ordinary skill can provide
appropriate seating and confinement of the rippled material, such
as rubber or the like, and any intermediate attachment points to a
frame or the like in the base of the heel, to assure that during
compression, the pad does not undergo a gross buckling or
warping.
[0036] Alternatively, as shown schematically in FIG. 8, an
elongated pad extending, for example, from front to back or from
side to side of the heel or foresole, can be rigidly secured at
both ends while having some degree of flexibility in the center,
such that an actuating device at the center produces a gross bowing
that alters the curvature relative to the nominal curvature. In
FIG. 8, this embodiment 500 is implemented in a heel 502 having a
base portion 504 and an adjustable pad portion or the like 506,
which are nominally flush with each other along an interface line
508. The exposed, weight bearing surface 512 is normally flat (or
of nominal curvature). The forward and back ends of the portions
504, 506 are rigidly connected together, but the central regions
are connected by an adjustment device 510, of a type analogous to
that shown in FIG. 2, whereby separation of the discs causes a
bowing of the outer, pad portion 506 thereby moving the interface
line 508' and the exposed bottom surface 512'.
[0037] The FIG. 8 embodiment is in many ways analogous to the other
embodiments in that the elongated pad 506 defines a narrow or
strip-like region extending front to back of the weight bearing
bottom surface of the heel, and the adjustment raises or lowers the
pad. The pad can be distinct, in particular, a strip of different
material, or the pad can be integral with the remainder of the
bottom surface. In the latter variation, the change in position of
the adjusted region forms a continues bulge or the like, rather
than a step change. This can also occur with the embodiment of FIG.
6, wherein the actuating forces via screws 406, 408 not only change
the amplitude of the ripples, but may also produce a slight bowing
of the rippled pad.
[0038] It should be appreciated that the foregoing embodiments can
be implemented with only one adjustment device per pad, but for
larger pads two devices enhance stability and offer greater
precision. Two or more pads can be used in combination, at
different projection heights from the surrounding surfaces, for
even more flexibility in fore/aft and lateral adjustment. The
invention can be used in other types of performance shoes,
including but not limited to shoes used in court games, such as
basketball or tennis, field games, and walking shoes, driving
shoes, hiking shoes etc.
* * * * *