U.S. patent application number 14/520801 was filed with the patent office on 2015-04-23 for flexible shoe sole.
The applicant listed for this patent is Wilfredo Ganuza. Invention is credited to Herman Cziment, Wilfredo Ganuza.
Application Number | 20150107133 14/520801 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52824918 |
Filed Date | 2015-04-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150107133 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ganuza; Wilfredo ; et
al. |
April 23, 2015 |
FLEXIBLE SHOE SOLE
Abstract
There is a shoe sole that has a continuous and uniform sole
body. The sole body is configured to have a continuous curve so
that both the toe region and the heel region flex upwards away from
the mid-foot region and has a downward curving or a flat end
region, allowing the mid-foot region of sole to flex toward a
surface whereto the sole is placed. Preferably, the sole body is
strong and resilient and made from a single type of material, such
as iron, steel, aluminum alloy, titanium or resilient plastic. When
a wearer steps on the shoe sole, the sole body is flattened. When
wearer steps forward to walk or run, the heel region flexes up and
provides a pushing force to the heel of the wearer, facilitating
the walking or running motion.
Inventors: |
Ganuza; Wilfredo; (Roselle,
NJ) ; Cziment; Herman; (Brooklyn, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ganuza; Wilfredo |
Roselle |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
52824918 |
Appl. No.: |
14/520801 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61893941 |
Oct 22, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/25R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/10 20130101;
A43B 13/223 20130101; A43B 13/04 20130101; A43B 13/41 20130101;
A43B 5/00 20130101; A43B 13/141 20130101; A43B 13/026 20130101;
A43B 13/145 20130101; A43B 13/183 20130101; A43B 23/08
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/25.R |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/18 20060101
A43B013/18; A43B 13/10 20060101 A43B013/10 |
Claims
1: A shoe sole assembly, comprising: a continuous sole body having
a toe region, a mid-foot region, a heel region, a top surface and a
bottom surface, wherein the sole body is configured to have a
continuous curve wherein the toe region flexes upward away from the
mid-foot region, and the heel region flexes upwards away from the
mid-foot region and has a downward or flat end region, allowing the
mid-foot region of the bottom surface to flex toward a surface
whereto the shoe sole is placed.
2: The shoe sole assembly of claim 1, wherein the sole body is
strong and resilient.
3: The shoe sole assembly of claim 1, wherein the sole body is made
from a single type of material.
4: The shoe sole assembly of claim 3, wherein the single type of
material is selected from a group consisting of: iron, steel,
titanium, aluminum alloy, and resilient plastic.
5: The shoe sole assembly of claim 1, wherein the mid-foot region
has a consistent mid-foot curvature.
6: The shoe sole assembly of claim 1, wherein the sole body is
configured to become flat when a foot is pressed upon the sole
body, and the heel region flexes up when the heel of the foot is
lifted to start a walking or running motion.
7: The shoe sole assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a shoe
counter having a heel portion and a stretching portion, wherein the
heel portion is attached to a back end of the heel region of the
sole body and stands generally vertical to the heel region, and the
stretching portion connects the heel portion with the mid-foot
region.
8: The shoe sole assembly of claim 7, wherein the stretching
portion is flexible and stretches the mid-foot region to the heel
portion.
9: The shoe sole assembly of claim 1, further comprising: cleats
attached to the bottom surface of the sole body.
10: The shoe sole assembly of claim 1, wherein there are
anti-slippery treads at the bottom surface.
11: The shoe sole assembly of claim 1, further comprising: an outer
sole attached to the bottom surface of the sole body.
12: The shoe sole assembly of claim 11, further comprising: a shoe
upper attached to the top surface of the sole body.
13: A shoe sole assembly, comprising: a titanium sole body having a
toe region, a mid-foot region, a heel region, a top surface and a
bottom surface, wherein the titanium sole body is configured to
have a continuous curve wherein the toe region flexes upward away
from the mid-foot region, and the heel region flexes upwards away
from the mid-foot region and has a downward or flat end region,
allowing the mid-foot region of the bottom surface to flex toward a
surface whereto the titanium sole body is placed.
14: The shoe sole assembly further comprising an outer sole coupled
to the bottom surface of the continuous sole body.
Description
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Application Ser.
No. 61/893,941 filed on Oct. 22, 2013 the contents of which are
herein fully incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The field of the invention and its embodiments relate to a
sole for an article of footwear. In particular, the current
invention relates a flexible shoe sole or shoe sole assembly that
may be implemented in a shoe to facilitate walking or running
motions thereby limiting or reducing the incidence of injury from
engaging in such activities.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Footwear such as shoes are an important part of people's
daily lives. Shoes serve indispensible functions to provide support
and comfort to the wearers. They are also used for aesthetic
appeals as a part of fashion and style. There are many designs for
shoes and shoe soles, directed to make improvements in one aspect
or another. Many of the designs aim to improve comfort by adding
soft cushions, resilient materials, or arch-supporting segments.
Some other models are used to increase the fashionable appeal of
shoes. The current invention, however, is directed to facilitate
the most basic function of shoes--the motion of walking and/or
running.
[0004] By employing a simple and elegant design, the current
invention illustrates a shoe sole model that provides an additional
propelling force when the wearer is walking or running. The
propelling force is exerted through shoe soles that have structures
similar to leaf-springs. Further, the current invention may limit
or prevent injuries caused by running, walking, or overuse (seen
typically in athletes) or a combination thereof. Though some
related art may be identified, they do not serve the same
functional goal and do not have the same structural design as the
current invention.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0005] U.K. Patent GB 2,483,298 pertains to a shoe sole with an
outer sole, an insert of a soft, spongy material running nearly the
whole length of the upper surface of a curved mid-sole. The
mid-sole, soft spongy insert and outer sole have a pivot axis,
positioned at or near a mid-point of the length of the shoe sole
and, in use, when a centre of pressure is exactly over the pivot
axis there is formed a uniform pivot area either side of the pivot
axis. This patent also describes a shoe comprising an inner sole, a
flexible inner sock, a soft spongy insert at the top surface of a
mid-sole, and outer sole of hard rubber.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,059 pertains to a shoe sole having a
resiliently deformable, arch-supporting middle segment extending
between a heel-supporting rear segment and toe-supporting front
segment. The middle segment has an upwardly projecting
longitudinally convex, bottom face which, when flattened by the
wearer's weight, pushes the top face up against the wearer's
arch.
[0007] These disclosures, however, do not have the same structure
as the current invention. Nor do they serve the same functions. GB
2,483,298 does not provide a propelling force to the wearer. U.S.
Pat. No. 4,372,059, on the other hand, teaches a shoe sole with
functionally separable segments, making the sole difficult to
manufacture and assemble. The current invention does not have such
disadvantages. In summary, various devices are known in the art,
but they are distinctively different from the current invention.
Moreover, the other inventions fail to address the issues solved by
the invention described herein. A number of embodiments of this
invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be
described in more detail herein below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The current invention provides a number of benefits
including, but not limited to, reinforcing the correct walking
and/or running form thereby decreasing injuries associated with
over use or incorrect bodily movements. For example, the shoe sole
is designed to elevate the heel and redistribute the weight of a
user over the ball of the foot. This prevents "heel shock" and a
number of other ailments that result from repeating striking of the
heel and stretching of the calf, Achilles tendon, etc. Further,
benefits include helping to limit or prevent injuries cause by
pronation of the foot. Pronation can cause a number of injuries
including "shin splints" and these injuries can often be rectified
by the use of orthotics such as the subject matter of the current
invention.
[0009] The current invention and its embodiments disclose a shoe
sole comprising a continuous sole body having a toe region, a
mid-foot region, a heel region, a top side and a bottom side,
wherein the sole body is configured to have a continuous curve
wherein the toe region flexes upwards away from the mid-foot
region, and the heel region flexes upwards away from the mid-foot
region and has a downward curving or a flat end region, allowing
the mid-foot region of the bottom surface to flex toward a surface
whereto the shoe sole is placed.
[0010] Preferably, the sole body is strong and resilient so that
the sole body is flattened when a foot is pressed upon it. The heel
region flexes up when the heel of the foot is lifted to start a
walking or running motion, providing a pushing force against the
heel. To achieve this goal, it is preferable that the sole body is
made from a single uniform type of material such as but not limited
to: iron, steel, aluminum alloy, titanium, and resilient
plastic.
[0011] The shoe sole disclosed here may be used in any kind of
shoes and footwear, including but not limited to: boots, sandals,
dancing shoes, slippers and flip-flops, dress shoes, walking shoes,
running shoes, and sports shoes such as but not limited to soccer
shoes, basketball shoes, football shoes, baseball shoes, golf
shoes, tennis and racquet ball shoes, and bowling shoes, and any
other kind of footwear worn by people to assist walking or running
or for any other special purposes.
[0012] In accordance with its various uses, the shoe sole in the
current invention may be part of a shoe sole assembly and in turn
part of a shoe or footwear. Other components may be attached to the
sole body to form complete footwear. For example, cleats may be
attached to the bottom surface of the sole body if the shoe sole is
used to make a soccer shoe or football shoe. There may be
anti-slippery treads at the bottom surface of the sole body if the
sole body is used directly as an outer sole. Alternatively, the
sole body disclosed here may serve as a mid-sole with an inner sole
attached to the top surface and an outer sole attached to the
bottom surface.
[0013] The shoe sole assembly may further include a shoe counter
having a heel portion and a stretching portion, wherein the heel
portion is attached to a back end of the heel region of the sole
body and stands generally vertical to the heel region, and the
stretching portion connects the heel portion with the mid-foot
region. It is preferable that the heel portion is semi-rigid and
strong and the stretching portion is flexible and elastic. The
stretching portion stretches the mid-foot region to the heel
portion, helping the formation of the curved sole shape.
[0014] In general, the present invention succeeds in conferring the
following, and others not mentioned, desirable and useful benefits
and objectives.
[0015] It is an object of the present invention to provide a shoe
sole that is strong and resilient.
[0016] It is an object of the present invention to provide a shoe
sole that has a curved sole body.
[0017] It is an object of the present invention to provide a shoe
sole that is made from a single type of material, preferably
titanium.
[0018] It is an object of the present invention to provide a shoe
sole that provides a pushing force to the wearer's heel in the
walking or running motions.
[0019] It is still another object of the current invention to
provide a shoe sole that may be easily combined with other shoe
components.
[0020] It is another object of the current invention to provide a
shoe sole that is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.
[0021] It is yet another object of the current invention to provide
a shoe sole assembly that includes a curved sole body and other
components such as an outer sole and/or cleats.
[0022] It is yet another object of the current invention to provide
a shoe sole that reduces impact injuries from running and/or
walking.
[0023] It is yet another object of the current invention to provide
a shoe sole that reduces injury to the foot, knees, legs, hips, and
lower back
[0024] It is still another object of the current invention to
provide a shoe sole that positions the foot in a way to shift the
weight distribution over the ball of the foot.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a top perspective view of a pair of shoe soles
of the current invention.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a shoe sole of the current
invention.
[0027] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a shoe sole assembly of the
current invention.
[0028] FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of a shoe sole assembly of the
current invention. The shoe sole assembly has cleats at the bottom
surface of the sole body.
[0029] FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of a shoe sole assembly of the
current invention. The shoe sole assembly has anti-slippery treads
at the bottom surface of the sole body.
[0030] FIG. 6 shows a top perspective view of a shoe sole assembly
of the current invention. The shoe sole assembly has a shoe counter
attached to the top surface of the sole body.
[0031] FIG. 7 shows a side view of a shoe sole assembly of the
current invention. The shoe sole assembly has a shoe counter
attached to the top surface of the sole body.
[0032] FIG. 8 shows a top perspective view of a shoe sole assembly
of the current invention. The shoe sole assembly has a shoe counter
attached to the top surface of the sole body.
[0033] FIG. 9 shows a side view of a shoe sole assembly of the
current invention. The shoe sole assembly has a shoe counter
attached to the top surface of the sole body.
[0034] FIG. 10 shows a side view of a shoe sole assembly of the
current invention.
[0035] FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the invention where the
sole has a toe region, middle region and a heel region and the heel
region has an upward curved portion and a slightly downward curved
end region.
[0036] FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of the invention where the
sole has a toe region, middle region and a heel regions and the
heel region has an upward curved portion and a substantially flat
end region.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now
be described with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in
the various figures are identified, as far as possible, with the
same reference numerals.
[0038] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the
present invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of
explanation of the present invention, which is not intended to be
limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may
appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the
present drawings that various modifications and variations can be
made thereto without deviating from the innovative concepts of the
invention.
[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of an embodiment
of a pair of shoe soles of the current invention. Shown in FIG. 1
are a left sole body 5 and a right sole body 8, wherein the left
sole body 5 and right sole body 8 are minor images of one another.
The sole bodies are the basic components of a pair of shoes, which
are broadly defined. Since the sole bodies are strict minor images,
the following illustrations focus on one sole body, which shows all
the features of the complete set.
[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a shoe sole assembly of the
current invention. Shown in FIG. 2 is a shoe sole assembly 1 having
a sole body 10. The sole body 10 has a top surface 15, a toe region
20, a mid-foot region 25, and a heel region 30.
[0041] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a shoe sole assembly 1 of
the current invention. Shown in FIG. 3 is a shoe sole assembly 1
having a sole body 10. The sole body 10 has a top surface 15, a
bottom surface 18, a toe region 20, a mid-foot region 25, and a
heel region 30. Attached to the bottom surface 18 of the sole body
10 are cleats 45.
[0042] As indicated in FIG. 3, the sole body 10 is configured to
have a continuous curve wherein the toe region 20 flexes upwards
away from the mid-foot region 25, and the heel region 30 flexes
upwards away from the mid-foot region 25, allowing the mid-foot
region 25 of the bottom surface 18 to flex toward a surface whereto
the shoe sole is placed. Each region form a curve and the three
regions form a continuous curve with the whole curvature 200, as
indicated in FIG. 3. The mid-foot region 25 defines a mid-foot
region curvature 100, which preferably is uniform. The mid-foot
region curvature 100, as a part of the whole curvature 200, may be
more than 0 degrees and less than 360 degrees. The whole curvature
200 may thus also be more than 0 degrees and less than 360
degrees.
[0043] FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of a shoe sole assembly of
the current invention. Shown in FIG. 4 is a shoe sole assembly 1
having a sole body 10. The sole body 10 has a bottom surface 18, a
toe region 20, a mid-foot region 25, a, and a heel region 30. The
shoe sole assembly 1 has cleats 45 attached to the bottom surface
18 of the sole body 10.
[0044] FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of a shoe sole assembly of
the current invention. Shown in FIG. 5 is a shoe sole assembly 1
having a sole body 10. The sole body 10 has a bottom surface 18, a
toe region 20, a mid-foot region 25, and a heel region 30. The shoe
sole assembly 1 has treads 50 imprinted to the bottom surface 18 of
the sole body 10.
[0045] As indicated above, the sole body 10 herein disclosed may
serve as a basic component of a shoe. It may be configured to be an
outer sole, a mid sole, or an inner sole. When the sole body 10 is
an outer sole, additional structures such as cleats 45 may be
attached to the bottom surface of the outer sole. The robustness of
the sole body 10 makes it a good candidate for soccer and football
shoes. However, as indicated, other footwear may also use the
current sole body 10 as a fundamental part.
[0046] FIG. 6 shows a top perspective view of a shoe sole assembly
of the current invention. Shown in FIG. 6 is a shoe sole assembly 1
having a sole body 10. The sole body 10 has a top surface 15, a toe
region 20, a mid-foot region 25, and a heel region 30. Also shown
in FIG. 6 is a shoe counter 54 attached to the top surface 15 of
the sole body 10. The shoe counter 54 includes a heel portion 55
and a stretching portion 60, wherein the heel portion 55 is
attached to a back end of the heel region 30 of the sole body 10
and stands generally vertical to the heel region 30, and the
stretching portion 60 connects the heel portion 55 with the
mid-foot region 25.
[0047] FIG. 7 shows a side view of a shoe sole assembly of the
current invention. Shown in FIG. 7 is a shoe sole assembly 1 having
a sole body 10. The sole body 10 has a top surface 15, a bottom
surface 18, a toe region 20, a mid-foot region 25, and a heel
region 30. Also shown in FIG. 7 is a shoe counter 54 attached to
the top surface 15 of the sole body 10. The shoe counter 54
includes a heel portion 55 and a stretching portion 60, wherein the
heel portion 55 is attached to a back end of the heel region 30 of
the sole body 10 and stands generally vertical to the heel region
30, and the stretching portion 60 connects the heel portion 55 with
the mid-foot region 25.
[0048] The shoe counter 54 helps the formation of the curved
structure of the sole body 10. The stretching portion 60 of the
shoe counter 54 pulls the mid-foot region 25 toward the heel
portion 55, which is preferred to be rigid or semi-rigid structure.
When a wearer steps directly onto the shoe integrating the shoe
sole assembly 1, the sole body 10 becomes flat, extending the
stretching portion 60. The tension of the stretching portion 60
then provides an additional propelling force when the wearer of the
shoe starts a walking or running motion.
[0049] FIG. 8 shows a top perspective view of another embodiment of
the shoe sole assembly of the current invention. The shoe sole
assembly has a shoe counter attached to the top surface of the sole
body. Shown in FIG. 8 is a shoe sole assembly 1 having a sole body
10. The sole body 10 has a top surface 15, a toe region 20, a
mid-foot region 25, and a heel region 30. Also shown in FIG. 8 is a
shoe counter 54 attached to the top surface 15 of the sole body 10.
The shoe counter 54 includes a heel portion 55 and a stretching
portion 60, wherein the heel portion 55 is attached to a back end
of the heel region 30 of the sole body 10 and stands generally
vertical to the heel region 30, and the stretching portion 60
connects the heel portion 55 with the connecting point of the toe
region 20 and the mid-foot region 25. The stretching portion 60
includes elastic straps 57 that provide the stretching force to
bend the sole body 10.
[0050] FIG. 9 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8.
Shown in FIG. 9 is a shoe sole assembly 1 having a sole body 10.
The sole body 10 has a top surface 15, a bottom surface 18, a toe
region 20, a mid-foot region 25, and a heel region 30. Also shown
in FIG. 9 is a shoe counter 54 attached to the top surface 15 of
the sole body 10. The shoe counter 54 includes a heel portion 55
and a stretching portion 60, wherein the heel portion 55 is
attached to a back end of the heel region 30 of the sole body 10
and stands generally vertical to the heel region 30, and the
stretching portion 60 connects the heel portion 55 with the
connecting point of the toe region 20 and the mid-foot region 25.
The stretching portion 60 includes elastic straps 57 that provide
the stretching force to bend the sole body 10.
[0051] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is slight different
from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In the embodiment shown
in FIGS. 8 and 9, the stretching portion 60 is connected to the
connecting point of the toe regions 20 and the mid-foot region 25.
This is a preferred design. However, it should be noted that the
stretching portion 60, while being anchored to the shoe counter 54,
may be connected to any part of the sole body 10, as long as the
stretching force exerted by the stretching portion 60 facilitates
or reinforces the curve of the sole body 10. In addition, the
stretching portion 60, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, may include
elastic straps 57
[0052] FIG. 10 shows a side view of a shoe sole assembly of the
current invention. Shown in FIG. 10 is a shoe sole assembly 1
having a sole body 10. The sole body 10 has a top surface 15, a
bottom surface 18, a toe region 20, a mid-foot region 25, and a
heel region 30. Attached to the bottom surface 18 of the sole body
10 are cleats 45.
[0053] FIG. 11 shows a side view of a shoe sole assembly according
to one preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 11 illustrates a
side view of a shoe sole assembly of the current invention. Shown
in FIG. 11 is a shoe sole assembly 1 having a sole body 10. The
sole body 10 has a top surface 15, a bottom surface 18, a toe
region 20, a mid-foot region 25, and a heel region 30. The heel
region has an upward curved region 31 and a slightly downward
curved end region 32. The sole body 10 is configured to have a
continuous curve wherein the toe region 20 flexes upwards away from
the mid-foot region 25, and the heel region 30 flexes upwards 31
and then slightly downwards 32.
[0054] FIG. 12 shows a side view of a shoe sole assembly according
to one preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 12 illustrates a
side view of a shoe sole assembly of the current invention. Shown
in FIG. 12 is a shoe sole assembly 1 having a sole body 10. The
sole body 10 has a top surface 15, a bottom surface 18, a toe
region 20, a mid-foot region 25, and a heel region 30. The heel
region has an upward curved region 31 and a substantially flat end
region 33. The sole body 10 is configured to have a continuous
curve wherein the toe region 20 flexes upwards away from the
mid-foot region 25, and the heel region 30 flexes upwards 31 and
then is substantially flat 33.
[0055] As indicated above in the description of FIG. 3, the sole
body 10 is configured to have a continuous curve wherein the toe
region 20 flexes upwards away from the mid-foot region 25, and the
heel region 30 flexes upwards away from the mid-foot region 25,
allowing the mid-foot region 25 of the bottom surface 18 to flex
toward a surface whereto the shoe sole is placed. Alternatively as
is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the heel region may have a slightly
downward curving part (FIG. 11) or a substantially flat part (FIG.
12). Each region form a curve and the three regions form a
continuous curve with the whole curvature 200, similar to FIG. 3.
The FIG. 10 embodiment illustrates a more extreme version curve
formed by the sole body, wherein the whole curvature 200 is more
than 180 degrees.
[0056] The sole body 10 in the current invention may be made from
any materials, including but not limited to metals such as iron,
steel, and aluminum alloy, titanium, fiberglass, rubber, and hard
plastic including but not limited to polyethylene terephthalate
(PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC),
polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene
(PS), high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and polycarbonate (PC), and
any combinations thereof. Preferably, the sole body 10 is made
titanium. The heel portion 55 of the shoe counter 54 may be made
from the above indicated materials. The stretching portion 60 of
the shoe counter 50 may be made from elastic materials.
[0057] The thickness of the sole body 10 may be 0.1-50 mm, with the
preferred range of 0.2-5 mm. The thickness may be adjusted
according to the material used and the intended shoe to be
manufactured. To reduce weight, the sole body is preferred to have
a minimum thickness that maintains its physical characteristics
such as flexibility and durability.
[0058] It should be noted that some features herein described for
embodiments may be applicable in other embodiments. As long as the
features described for a first embodiment do not conflict with the
descriptions of a second embodiment, the features should be
considered included in the second embodiment.
[0059] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that
numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of
parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the
scope of the invention.
* * * * *