U.S. patent application number 13/028984 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-16 for shoe.
This patent application is currently assigned to Skechers U.S.A., Inc. II. Invention is credited to Kevin Chen, David Raysse, Kurt Stockbridge.
Application Number | 20120204449 13/028984 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46635771 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120204449 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stockbridge; Kurt ; et
al. |
August 16, 2012 |
SHOE
Abstract
A shoe having an upper and a curved sole member, the sole member
may be comprised of one unitary piece or a separate midsole and a
separate outsole. The curvature results from the sole member
tilting along a center of mass axis that extends through a point in
the vicinity of the lateral side of the heel region of the sole
member to a point in the vicinity of the medial side of forefoot
region of the sole member. The center of mass axis runs diagonally
along the entire length of the shoe. Due to the curvature, the sole
member has a non-uniform thickness. The curvature of the sole
member allows the user's foot to be guided in a more natural motion
providing more movement efficiency and comfort.
Inventors: |
Stockbridge; Kurt; (Palos
Verdes Estates, CA) ; Raysse; David; (Los Angeles,
CA) ; Chen; Kevin; (Dongguan City, CN) |
Assignee: |
Skechers U.S.A., Inc. II
Manhattan Beach
CA
|
Family ID: |
46635771 |
Appl. No.: |
13/028984 |
Filed: |
February 16, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/103 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/04 20130101;
A43B 13/145 20130101; A43B 5/06 20130101; A43B 13/141 20130101;
A43B 13/125 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/103 |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/14 20060101
A43B013/14 |
Claims
1. A shoe having an upper and a sole member, wherein said sole
member comprises: a front tip, a rear tip, a forefoot region, a
middle region, a heel region, a lateral side and medial side,
wherein said sole member has a curvature that extends along a
center of mass axis from a point at the lateral side of the heel
region to a point at the medial side of the forefoot region.
2. The shoe of claim 1 wherein said center of mass axis intersects
a longitudinal axis extending from the front tip to the heel region
at an angle between about 1 and about 27 degrees.
3. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the forefoot region of said sole
member has a curvature extending from said middle region to the
medial side of the forefoot region along said center of mass
axis.
4. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the heel region of said sole member
has a curvature extending from said middle region to the lateral
side of the heel region along said center of mass axis.
5. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the sole member is substantially one
unitary piece.
6. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the sole member is comprised of a
separate midsole and a separate outsole.
7. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the sole member has a plurality of
incisions that create a plurality of individual portions of the
sole member.
8. A shoe having an upper and a sole member, wherein said sole
member comprises: a front tip, a rear tip, a forefoot region, a
middle region, a heel region, a lateral side and medial side,
wherein said sole member has a curvature along a center of mass
axis from a point at the lateral side of the heel region to a point
at the medial side of the forefoot region, wherein said center of
mass axis intersects a longitudinal axis extending from the front
tip to the heel region at an angle of between about 1 and about 27
degrees, wherein said sole member has a varying thickness due to
said curvature.
9. The shoe of claim 8 wherein the forefoot region of said sole
member has a curvature extending from said middle region to the
medial side of the forefoot region along said center of mass
axis.
10. The shoe of claim 8 wherein the heel region of said sole member
has a curvature extending from said middle region to the lateral
side of the heel region along said center of mass axis.
11. The shoe of claim 8 wherein the sole member is substantially
one unitary piece.
12. The shoe of claim 8 wherein the sole member is comprised of a
separate midsole and a separate outsole.
13. The shoe of claim 8 wherein the sole member has a plurality of
incisions.
14. A shoe having an upper and a sole member, wherein said sole
member comprises: a front tip, a rear tip, forefoot region, a
middle region, a heel region, a lateral side and medial side,
wherein said sole member has a curvature that runs along a center
of mass axis from a point at the lateral side of the heel region to
a point at the medial side of the forefoot region, wherein said
sole member has a plurality of incisions.
15. The shoe of claim 14 wherein said center of mass axis
intersects a longitudinal axis extending from the front tip to the
heel region at an angle of between about 1 and about 27 degrees in
a substantially horizontal plane with respect to the ground.
16. The shoe of claim 14 wherein the forefoot region of said sole
member has a curvature extending from said middle region to the
medial side of the forefoot region along said center of mass
axis.
17. The shoe of claim 14 wherein the heel region of said sole
member has a curvature extending from said middle region to the
lateral side of the heel region along said center of mass axis.
18. The shoe of claim 14 wherein the sole member is substantially
one unitary piece.
19. The shoe of claim 14 wherein the sole member is comprised of a
separate midsole and a separate outsole.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to athletic shoes, in
particular, a shoe that promotes the natural motion of the user's
foot, thus providing movement efficiency and comfort for the user.
This motion is achieved by a uniquely curved sole member.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Shoes arc designed for many purposes--from protection on the
job, to performance during athletic activity, to everyday use.
Shoes have also been used to promote physical health and activity.
Increasingly, shoes have been designed to allow the user to walk
more naturally. Prior art shoes attempt to achieve such motion by
having rocker bottoms, specialized midsoles, etc.
[0005] However, none of these prior art shoes are designed to
account for the actual location on a person's heel that initially
bears the load incurred when a person's heel first begins to make
contact with the ground at the beginning of a step. That initial
load bearing location is not at the rearmost point of a person's
heel. Instead, that initial load bearing location is typically
located in the vicinity of the rearmost center of the person's heel
at a location on the rear edge of the heel on the same side as the
little toe, i.e., the lateral side. Similarly, none of the prior
art shoes are designed to account for the actual location in a
person's toe area that bears the load incurred when a person's foot
begins to leave the ground at the end of a step. That end-of-step,
or final, load bearing location is not at the frontmost point of a
person's foot. Instead, that final load bearing location is
typically located in the vicinity of the frontmost center of the
person's big toe at a location on the front edge of the big toe on
the side of the big toe closest to the other big toe, i.e., the
medial side. The soles and midsoles of the prior art shoes,
however, are not designed to account for these actual load bearing
locations or the transfer of the load between them. Instead, prior
art shoes are designed as though the load borne by a shoe
throughout each step begins at the rearmost point of the shoe and
ends at the frontmost point of the shoe. Thus, in a typical prior
art shoe. the bottom of the sole forms a series of straight,
horizontal lines, each one of which extends between (a) any given
point on the medial side of the sole bottom and (b) the
corresponding opposite point on the lateral side of the sole
bottom. All points of each such straight, horizontal line are meant
to simultaneously touch the ground as the shoe rolls along from
heel to toe.
[0006] Prior art shoes may be likened to a car tire. The tire's
contact patch is along a horizontal axis and as the tire rotates,
the contact patch remains the same along the horizontal axis. Feet
are not like tires and the motion of a human walking or running is
not like a car rolling.
[0007] Prior art shoes assume that the center of mass axis forms a
straight line between the rearmost point of the shoe and the
frontmost point of the shoe. As used herein, the term "center of
mass axis" refers to a line on the sole bottom that coincides with
the centerpoint of the load applied by the user to the sole bottom
as the shoe makes rolling contact with the ground throughout each
step. During normal walking or running, however, the centerpoint of
the load applied by the user to the sole bottom, i.e., the center
of mass axis, does not follow a line that begins at the rearmost
point of the sole and extends to the frontmost point of the sole.
Instead, the center of mass axis is usually a diagonal line that
begins at a lateral portion of the heel region and ends in the
medial region of the forefoot area. As a result, a shoe with an
entirely new geometry is needed to accommodate the actual center of
mass axis.
[0008] Prior art running shoes have attempted to simulate a more
anatomically correct geometry by having a heel "varus" which is a
heel cleft in the rear of the shoe. The heel cleft produces a
slight upwards curvature in the lateral region of the heel. That
allows the foot to strike the ground in a more natural motion.
However, due to the shape of the entire midsole in prior art shoes,
the heel cleft cannot effectively enable natural motion due to the
entire shoe being flat. As a result, the shoe still moves in a
straight line through a straight axis from the heel to the toe of
the shoe as described above. A heel cleft is simply not sufficient
and a whole new sole member with new geometry is required.
[0009] Prior art shoes have only accounted for the rotation of the
foot along or parallel to a straight line from the rearmost point
of the sole to the frontmost point of the sole. Prior art shoes
have not accounted for the natural movement of the foot from the
lateral portion of the heel region during heel-strike to the medial
region of the forefoot area during toe-off.
[0010] The present invention aims to provide a way of assisting
with and moving along with the natural motion/rotation of the
user's foot, thus providing comfort and movement efficiency for the
user. This motion is achieved by a unique sole member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides a shoe that assists with and
moves naturally in tandem with the motion of the foot. It achieves
this by tilting the sole member gradually throughout the sole
member in order to create a uniquely curved, "twisted" sole member.
The sole member may be comprised of one unitary piece or a combined
separate midsole and separate outsole.
[0012] The curvature results from the sole member following and
tilting around an axis that follows the foot's true center of mass,
referred to as the center of mass axis, which extends through a
point in the vicinity of the lateral side of the heel region of the
sole member to a point in the vicinity of the medial side of
forefoot region of the sole member. The center of mass axis extends
diagonally along the entire length of the shoe, rather than
straight from the rearmost point of the shoe (centered directly
between the medial and lateral sides of the shoe) to the frontmost
point of the shoe (also centered directly between the medial and
lateral sides of the shoe). Moving along the center of mass axis
from the rear of the sole to the front of the sole, the tilt shifts
from the lateral side to the medial side to form the curvature. The
curvature is pronounced in the forefoot region, so that it appears
to be curved upwardly towards the medial side of the shoe, the sole
member progressively tilts until the heel region is curved upwardly
towards the lateral side of the shoe. Due to the curvatures, the
sole member has a non-uniform thickness. The areas in which there
is an upward curvature are thinner relative to the areas in which
there is no upward curvature. The unique curvature and resulting
non-uniform thickness of the sole member allows the user's foot to
be guided in a more natural motion that follows the center of mass
axis, thus providing more movement efficiency and comfort.
[0013] The shoe comprises an upper, and sole member, each having a
medial side and a lateral side. The medial side is the side closest
to the user's opposite leg (and the same side as the user's big
toe) and the lateral side is the side that is opposite of the
medial side, away from the user's other leg (and the same side as
the user's small toe). The outsole may also be integrated into or
be part of the midsole. In the preferred embodiment, the outsole is
integrated with the midsole in order to create one unitary piece.
In an alternative embodiment, a separate midsole and separate
outsole may be used. An integrated, unitary midsole and outsole or
the combination of a separate midsole and a separate outsole is
therefore described with reference to the surface that contacts the
ground as the sole member. The upper, midsole and outsole each has
a frontmost point and a rearmost point substantially opposite the
frontmost point. As the terms imply, each frontmost point is closer
to the user's toes than each rearmost point and correspondingly
each rearmost point is closer to the user's heel than each
frontmost point.
[0014] The shoe has a front tip that is located at the farthest
forward point of the shoe when moving from the heel region to the
forefoot region. The shoe has a rear tip that is located at the
farthest rearward point of the shoe when moving from the forefoot
region to the heel region. In a preferred embodiment, the front tip
coincides with the frontmost point of the upper, the frontmost
point of the midsole, or the frontmost point of the outsole while
the rear tip coincides with the rearmost point of the upper, the
rearmost point of the midsole, or the rearmost point of the
outsole. In a preferred embodiment, the frontmost point of the
upper, the frontmost point of the midsole, and the frontmost point
of the outsole are all located relatively close to one another
while the rearmost point of the upper, the rearmost point of the
midsole, and the rearmost point of the outsole are all located
relatively close to one another.
[0015] The upper and sole member each has a forefoot region. The
forefoot region includes the region that extends substantially from
the medial side to the lateral side at a location that begins in
the vicinity of the front tip of the shoe and extends from there to
a location that is approximately one third of the distance toward
the rear tip of the shoe.
[0016] The upper and sole member each has a heel region. The heel
region includes the region that extends substantially from the
medial side to the lateral side at a location that begins in the
vicinity of the rear tip of the shoe and extends from there to a
location that is approximately one third of the distance toward the
front tip of the shoe.
[0017] The upper and sole member each has a middle region. The
middle region includes the region that extends substantially from
the medial side to the lateral side at a location that extends
approximately between the forefoot region and the heel region.
[0018] The present invention naturally guides the motion of the
foot by tilting the bottom surface of the sole member gradually
from the medial side of the forefoot region to the lateral side of
the heel region so that it forms a curvature that is "twisted"
along an axis that runs through a point in the vicinity of the
lateral side of the heel region of the sole member to a point in
the vicinity of the medial side of the forefoot region. The "twist"
and resulting curvature affects the amount of material in the sole
member. As a result, it affects where the pressure and weight of
the user is placed relative to the ground. Thus, it conforms to and
guides the body's center of mass during motion.
[0019] The amount of curvature affects the thickness of the sole
member. For any given sole member material, the thinner the sole
member, the quicker the user's foot reaches full load bearing
capacity and stops sinking toward the ground during each step.
Furthermore, having less thickness results in the foot impacting
lower to the ground relative to the thicker region. The
construction of the sole member allows the invention to guide the
user's foot and control the user's speed and motion. For any given
sole member material, reduced thickness allows the user's foot to
more quickly complete its compression of the reduced thickness
region during each step compared to the thicker region which, due
to its increased thickness, takes longer for the user's foot to
compress.
[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the sole member is curved. It is
unlike the curvature that is found in prior art and conventional
shoes that impacts evenly along a horizontal axis parallel to plane
of the ground from the heel region to the forefoot region. The
curvature of the sole member has a center line that extends through
an axis that runs diagonally through a point in the vicinity of the
lateral side of the heel region of the sole member to a point in
the vicinity of the medial side of the forefoot region.
[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the curvature of the sole member
results in a shift of the location and orientation of the bottom
curve apex from the location and orientation where the bottom curve
apex appears in prior art shoes. As used herein, the term "bottom
curve apex" applies to the lowest point on the bottom surface of
any sole member on an unloaded shoe when the shoe is in its normal,
upright position without any load with the bottom surface facing
the ground. The bottom curve apex is formed by the intersection of
two lines. The first line runs from the front of the shoe to the
rear of the shoe and intersects the second line that runs from the
lateral side to the medial side of the shoe. Generally, these two
lines are perpendicular. In a typical prior art shoe that has such
a continuously curved bottom surface, the line first line coincides
with the frontmost tip to the rearmost point of the shoe, generally
in the center of the shoe. Thus, in prior art shoes, the second
line that runs from the lateral side to the medial side is
typically at the center. However, due to the fact that in the
present invention the curvature of the bottom surface follows the
center of mass axis, the first line of intersection is rotated (in
comparison to the first line of a typical prior art shoe) to follow
the center of mass axis and thus also shifts the second
perpendicular line that runs from the lateral side to the medial
side, thus also shifting the location of the bottom curve apex.
[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the sole member curves upwardly
from the middle region to the medial portion to the forefoot
region.
[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the sole member curves upwardly
from the middle region to the lateral portion of the heel
region.
[0024] In a preferred embodiment, due to the location of the apex
on the center of mass axis, more material is placed towards the
rear of the middle region on the medial side towards the start of
the heel region. Thus, the additional material in the rear of the
middle region towards the heel region creates a medial post to slow
the rate of pronation and provide additional support.
[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the sole member may have a
plurality of vertical incisions that go through a substantial
portion of the sole. member. The incisions allow greater flexure of
the shoe and easier flexure of the shoe. The added flexure due to
the incisions allows the shoe to more readily conform to the
natural movement of the user's foot along the center of mass
axis.
[0026] During walking or running while wearing a preferred
embodiment of the instant invention, when the user's heel touches
the ground during footstrike, at the beginning of each step, the
lateral side of the curved heel region of the sole member strikes
the ground, due to the curvature of the sole member and thickness.
The body weight is shifted along the center of mass axis towards
the posterior position in the middle region. The weight is shifted
towards the medial side of the forefoot region along the center of
mass axis during the completion of the step. Thus, natural motion
is achieved by shifting the body weight along the center of mass
axis.
[0027] As mentioned above, the natural motion is achieved by the
rotation of the foot along or parallel to a center of mass axis
that extends through a point in the vicinity of the lateral side of
the heel region of the sole member to a point in the vicinity of
the medial side of the forefoot region by tilting the sole member
to follow that center of mass axis, thus forming a unique
curvature. This, in turn, imparts various fitness benefits to the
user such as increased movement efficiency and increased
comfort.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] By way of example only, selected embodiments and aspects of
the present invention are described below. Each such description
refers to a particular figure ("FIG.") which shows the described
matter. All such figures are shown in drawings that accompany this
specification are for the shoe to be worn on the right foot. Each
such figure includes one or more reference numbers that identify
one or more part(s) or element(s) of the invention.
[0029] FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of the sole
member of the right shoe.
[0030] FIG. 1A is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of a prior
art conventional rocker bottom right shoe midsole.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a medial side elevation view of an embodiment of
the sole member of the shoe.
[0032] FIG. 2A is a front elevation view of the embodiment shown in
FIG. 2.
[0033] FIG. 3 is a lateral side elevation view of an embodiment of
the sole member of the shoe.
[0034] FIG. 3A is a rear elevation view of the embodiment shown in
FIG. 3.
[0035] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of the sole
member of the right shoe.
[0036] FIG. 5A is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5A-5A.
[0037] FIG. 5B is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5B-5B.
[0038] FIG. 5C is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5C-5C.
[0039] FIG. 5D is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5D-5D.
[0040] FIG. 5E is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5E-5E.
[0041] FIG. 5F is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5F-5F.
[0042] FIG. 5G is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5G-5G.
[0043] FIG. 5H is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5H-5H.
[0044] FIG. 5I is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5I-5I.
[0045] FIG. 5J is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5J-5J.
[0046] FIG. 5K is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5K-5K.
[0047] FIG. 5L is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5L-5L.
[0048] FIG. 5M is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5M-5M.
[0049] FIG. 5N is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5N-5N.
[0050] FIG. 5O is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5O-5O.
[0051] FIG. 5P is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5P-5P.
[0052] FIG. 5Q is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5Q-5Q.
[0053] FIG. 5R is a front elevation view in cross section of the
embodiment of the sole member shown in FIG. 4 along line 5R-5R.
[0054] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view in cross section of the sole
member of the present embodiment.
[0055] FIG. 7 is a side elevation view in cross section of the sole
member of the present embodiment in a position of being flexed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0056] The invention will now be described with reference to the
preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view
of an embodiment of the sole member 110 of a right shoe. The
preferred embodiment of the shoe is comprised of an upper (not
shown), a midsole and an outsole. In this preferred embodiment, the
midsole and outsole are integrated and form a unitary piece, thus
it is referred to as a sole member 110. A sole member may also
alternatively be comprised of a combined separate outsole and
separate midsole.
[0057] The sole member 110 has a front tip 100 that is located at
the farthest forward point of the shoe when moving from the heel
region 106 to the forefoot region 102. The shoe has a rear tip 108
that is located at the farthest rearward point of the shoe when
moving from the forefoot region 102 to the heel region 106. In the
preferred embodiment, the front tip 100 coincides with the
frontmost point of the sole member 110 while the rear tip 108
coincides with the rearmost point of the sole member 110.
[0058] The area within the brackets in the vicinity of the front
tip 100 is referred to as the forefoot region 102. The area within
the brackets in the vicinity of the rear tip 108 is referred to as
the heel region 106. The area between the forefoot region 102 and
heel region 106 within the brackets is referred to as the middle
region 104. The sole member 110 extends and curves along a line 116
which is referred to as the center of mass axis 116.
[0059] The sole member 110 has a medial side 112 which is the side
closest to the user's opposite leg and a lateral side 114 which is
away from the user's other leg.
[0060] In the preferred embodiment, center of mass axis 116
represents the axis that extends from the lateral side 114 of heel
region 106 to the medial side 112 of forefoot region 102 in which
the sole member 110 is curved. Center of mass axis 116 may vary in
angle relative to a typical traditional longitudinal shoe axis 122.
The angle 124 may be between about 1 and about 27 degrees.
[0061] The sole member 110 has a bottom curve apex 126 that is
shifted in location due to the center of mass axis 116. The line
D-D connotes a line that intersects and is perpendicular to the
center of mass axis 116 and creates the bottom curve apex 126. The
bottom curve apex 126 is the lowest point of the sole member 110
and therefore the thickest point on the sole member 110 as
well.
[0062] FIG. 1A is a bottom plan view of a prior art conventional
rocker bottom midsole 200 having a typical traditional longitudinal
axis 122. As seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 1A, the preferred embodiment
of the invention has a center of mass axis 116 having an angle 124
with respect to the typical traditional longitudinal axis 122. The
angle 124 may be between about 1 to about 27 degrees. As shown in
FIG. 1 and FIG. 1A, the point of intersection of center of mass
axis 116 and the periphery of the shoe in the heel region 106 is
slightly toward the lateral side 114 of the sole member 110 with
respect to the point of intersection of the typical traditional
longitudinal axis 122 and the periphery of the sole member 110 in
the heel region 106. Correspondingly, the point of intersection of
center of mass axis 116 and the periphery of the shoe in the
forefoot region 102 is slightly toward the medial side 112 of the
sole member 110 with respect to the point of intersection of the
typical traditional longitudinal axis 122 and the periphery of the
sole member 110 in the forefoot region 102.
[0063] FIG. 1A also shows the traditional apex 202 in conventional
rocker bottom shoes that is created by line E-E intersecting the
typical traditional longitudinal axis 122 which creates the
traditional apex 202 shown in FIG. 1A. The traditional apex 202 is
the lowest point of the prior art conventional rocker bottom
midsole 200 and therefore is the thickest point as well.
[0064] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the
medial side 112 of the sole member 110. FIG. 2 shows the curvature
of the sole member 110 in that it is convex towards the ground from
the rear tip 108 to the front tip 100. Furthermore, it shows the
forefoot region 102 of the sole member 110 curving upwardly towards
the medial side 112 due to the center of mass axis 116.
[0065] FIG. 2A is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the
sole member 110 shown in FIG. 2 towards the front tip 100. The
figure shows the curvature of the sole member 110 curving upwardly
towards the medial side 112 due to the center of mass axis 116.
[0066] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the
lateral side 114 of the sole member 110. FIG. 3 shows the curvature
of the sole member 110 in that it is convex towards the ground from
the rear tip 108 to the front tip 100. Furthermore, it shows the
heel region 106 of the sole member 110 curving upwardly and
therefore having less material towards the lateral side 114 due to
the center of mass axis 116.
[0067] FIG. 3A is a rear elevation view of an embodiment of the
sole member 110 shown in FIG. 3 towards the rear tip 108.
Furthermore, it shows the sole member 110 curving upwardly towards
the lateral side 114 due to the center of mass axis 116.
[0068] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of the sole
member 110 of the shoe. It has lines 5A-5A, 5B-5B, 5C-5C, 5D-5D,
5E-5E, 5F-5F, 5G-5G, 5H-5H, 5I-5I, 5J-5J, 5K-5K, 5L-5L, 5M-5M,
5N-5N, 5O-5O, 5P-5P, 5Q-5Q, 5R-5R that intersect the shoe from the
lateral side 114 to medial side 112. These lines show different
elevation cross sections in FIGS. 5A-5R. The cross sections show
how the sole member 110 tilts and its progression as one views the
sole member 110 from the front tip 100 to the rear tip 108 with
respect to the shoe's normal position with the sole member 110
facing the ground 120. The tilts and progression form the curvature
and "twist" in the plane of the sole member 110.
[0069] FIG. 5A is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5A-5A, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the medial side 112.
[0070] FIG. 5B is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5B-5B, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the medial side 112, but slightly less tilted than
FIG. 5A. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
towards the lateral side 114 from the medial side 112.
[0071] FIG. 5C is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5C-5C, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the medial side 112, but slightly less tilted than
FIG. 5B. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
towards the lateral side 114 from the medial side 112.
[0072] FIG. 5D is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5D-5D, when viewed from, the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the medial side 112, but slightly less tilted than
FIG. 5C. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
towards the lateral side 114 from the medial side 112.
[0073] FIG. 5E is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5E-5E, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the medial side 112, but slightly less tilted than
FIG. 5D. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
towards the lateral side 114 from the medial side 112.
[0074] FIG. 5F is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5F-5F, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the medial side 112, but slightly less tilted than
FIG. 5E. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
towards the lateral side 114 from the medial side 112.
[0075] FIG. 5G is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5G-5G, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the medial side 112, but slightly less tilted than
FIG. 5F. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
towards the lateral side 114 from the medial side 112.
[0076] FIG. 5H is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5H-5H, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the medial side 112, but slightly less tilted than
FIG. 5G. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
towards the lateral side 114 from the medial side 112.
[0077] FIG. 5I is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5I-5I, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the medial side 112, but slightly less tilted than
FIG. 5H. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
towards the lateral side 114 from the medial side 112 and beginning
to taper off and be leveled with no tilt.
[0078] FIG. 5J is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5J-5J, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 in
which there is no tilt, but rather the medial side 112 is even with
the lateral side 114.
[0079] FIG. 5K is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5K-5K, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110
beginning to tilt slightly towards the lateral side 114.
[0080] FIG. 5L is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5L-5L, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the lateral side 114, but slightly more tilted
than FIG. 5K. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
from the medial side 112 to the lateral side 114.
[0081] FIG. 5M is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5M-5M, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the lateral side 114, but slightly more tilted
than FIG. 5L. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
from the medial side 112 to the lateral side 114.
[0082] FIG. 5N is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5N-5N, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the lateral side 114, but slightly more tilted
than FIG. 5M. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
from the medial side 112 to the lateral side 114.
[0083] FIG. 50 is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5O-5O, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the lateral side 114. 5N. It shows the gradual
progression of the tilt, moving from the medial side 112 to the
lateral side 114.
[0084] FIG. 5P is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5P-5P, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the lateral side 114, but slightly more tilted
than FIG. 5O. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
from the medial side 112 to the lateral side 114.
[0085] FIG. 5Q is an elevation cross section of the sole member 110
at line 5Q-5Q, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole
member 110 facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is
shown on the right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is
on the left side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted
slightly towards the lateral side 114, but slightly more tilted
than FIG. 5P. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving
from the medial side 112 to the lateral side 114.
[0086] FIG. 5R is a cross section of the sole member 110 at line
5R-5R, when viewed from the front tip 100 with the sole member 110
facing the ground 120, so that the medial side 112 is shown on the
right side of the figure and the lateral side 114 is on the left
side of the figure. It shows the sole member 110 tilted slightly
towards the lateral side 114, but slightly more tilted than FIG.
5Q. It shows the gradual progression of the tilt, moving from the
medial side 112 to the lateral side 114.
[0087] The sole member 110 is typically made from polyurethane,
polyvinyl chloride, rubber, thermal plastic rubber or thermoplastic
polyurethane.
[0088] Due to the unique "twisted" shape and curvature in the plane
of the sole member created by the shifting of the plane of the sole
member 110, the s foot rotates in a natural motion along the sole
member 110 along or parallel to the center of mass axis 116.
Furthermore, the tilting of the sole member 110, creates lateral
curvatures along the sole member 110. The lateral curvatures along
the different portions of the sole member 110 also correlate to
greater or less thickness in certain areas of the sole member 110.
When the lateral curvature is upward away from the ground towards
the lateral side 114 of the sole member 110, the lateral side 114
of the sole member 110 is thinner than the opposite medial side
112, as seen in the rear elevation view of an embodiment of the
sole member 110 shown in FIG. 3A. When the curvature is upward away
from the ground towards the medial side 112 of the sole member 110,
the medial side 112 of the sole member 110 is correspondingly
thinner than the opposite lateral side 114, as seen in the front
elevation view of an embodiment of the sole member 110 shown in
FIG. 2A. The relative thickness and thinness of the sole member 110
influences how the foot strikes the ground 120 and how the user's
motion is transferred. In areas in which the sole member 110 is
thinner, the user's foot sinks further to the ground during
movement in that region. This is due to the reduced thickness to
resist the movement of the user's foot in the area in which the
sole member 110 is relatively thinner. This allows the user's foot
to pronate at a higher rate. Conversely, in areas in which the sole
member 110 is thicker, the relative thickness causes a slowing
effect on that area and the user's foot must overcome a greater
thickness in order resist the movement.
[0089] In normal use of the shoe, each forward step taken by the
user begins when the heel region 106 of the sole member 110 begins
to make contact with the ground 120. Due to the shape of the
curvature and how the sole member 110 curves upwards towards the
lateral side 114 of the heel region 106, the foot strikes the
ground 120 on the lateral side 114 of the heel region 106. During
the step, the user's foot rotates along or parallel to the center
of mass axis 116 and the weight is transferred to the middle region
104, where the relatively flat, thick surface allows the user's
weight and footstrike to maintain the same direction along or
parallel to the center of mass axis 116. The relatively flat thick
surface created by the bottom curve apex 126 acts as a medial post
which slows down the rate of pronation and allows the user's foot
to be guided and rotate along or parallel to the center of mass
axis 116. Due to the upward curvature of the sole member 110 in the
forefoot region 102 towards the medial side of the sole member 110,
the user's weight and footstrike then moves along to the medial
side 112 of the forefoot region 102 where the user then toes off of
the ground 120.
[0090] Due to the footstrike that is induced by this the unique
"twisted" shape and curvature of the plane of the sole member 110
and therefore the change in thickness, the foot rotates in a
natural motion along or parallel to the center of mass axis 116
along the sole member 110 and thus provides optimum motion and
support, enabling more efficient movement and comfort to the
user.
[0091] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view in cross section of an
alternative embodiment of the sole member 110, showing incisions
118 along the sole member 110. The incisions 118 allow the sole
member 110 to flex and conform to the user's foot and natural
motion. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the sole
member 110 contains these incisions 118.
[0092] FIG. 7 is a side elevation view in cross section of an
alternative embodiment of the sole member 110 showing flexing
throughout the sole member 110. As shown, the incisions 118 along
the sole member 110 allow the sole member 110 to flex and conform
to the user's foot and natural motion.
[0093] While the foregoing detailed description sets forth selected
embodiments of a shoe in accordance with the present invention, the
above description is illustrative only and not limiting of the
disclosed invention. The claims that follow herein collectively
cover the foregoing embodiments. The following claims further
encompass additional embodiments that are within the scope and
spirit of the present invention.
* * * * *