U.S. patent application number 17/635909 was filed with the patent office on 2022-09-08 for shoe sole layer having supporting means.
This patent application is currently assigned to X-Technology Swiss GmbH. The applicant listed for this patent is X-Technology Swiss GmbH. Invention is credited to Bodo Lambertz.
Application Number | 20220279894 17/635909 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006402373 |
Filed Date | 2022-09-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220279894 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lambertz; Bodo |
September 8, 2022 |
Shoe Sole Layer Having Supporting Means
Abstract
In a shoe sole having a shoe sole layer in which a plurality of
supporting means arranged in a plurality of channels extending
parallel to one another over the sole surface are introduced, the
shoe sole layer and the supporting means should be easy to produce
and, as a result of their interaction, should enable an optimised
supporting or cushioning effect to be achieved in local regions of
the sole surface. This is achieved in that the supporting means are
formed in at least two parts from parts that can be separated from
one another, more particularly from a shell and at least one core,
and that the plurality of supporting means are inserted into the
plurality of channels in the vertical direction (V),
perpendicularly in relation to the sole longitudinal axis (L), in a
manner such that they are retained with a form fit, the supporting
means at least partially filling out the channels and the
supporting means having, depending on their position on the shoe
sole layer, different supporting effects along the sole surface due
to their total hardness.
Inventors: |
Lambertz; Bodo; (Wilen bei
Wollerau, CH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
X-Technology Swiss GmbH |
Wollerau |
|
CH |
|
|
Assignee: |
X-Technology Swiss GmbH
Wollerau
CH
|
Family ID: |
1000006402373 |
Appl. No.: |
17/635909 |
Filed: |
August 17, 2020 |
PCT Filed: |
August 17, 2020 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2020/073006 |
371 Date: |
February 16, 2022 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/186
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/18 20060101
A43B013/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 20, 2019 |
CH |
01044/19 |
Claims
1. A shoe sole having a shoe sole layer, in which a plurality of
supporting means arranged in a plurality of channels extending
parallel to one another and arranged over the sole surface is
introduced, wherein the supporting means are formed in at least two
parts from parts that can be separated from one another, more
particularly from a shell and at least one core, and in that the
plurality of supporting means is inserted into the plurality of
channels in the vertical direction (V), perpendicularly in relation
to the sole longitudinal axis (L), in a manner such that they are
retained with a form-fit, wherein the supporting means at least
partially fill out the channels and the supporting means have,
depending on their position on the shoe sole layer, different
supporting effects along the sole surface due to their total
hardness.
2. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein the shell is designed softer
than the at least one core.
3. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein an outer core contour of the
at least one core is adapted to the inner shell contour of the
shell such that the at least one core can be inserted in a manner
such that it is retained in the shell with a form-fit.
4. The shoe sole of claim 3, wherein the at least one core is
attached in the inner shell contour with an adhesive bond.
5. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein the hardness of the at least
one core of the supporting means is softer in the region of the
balls of the foot of the shoe sole layer than the hardness of the
at least one core of the supporting means in the region of the heel
of the shoe sole layer.
6. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein a shell height (H) of the
shell is selected so that the supporting elements protrude away
from a foot-facing, upper end surface of the shoe sole layer in the
vertical direction (V) of the shoe sole layer.
7. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein the at least one core
protrudes away from the inner shell contours of the shells.
8. The shoe sole of claim 6, wherein a core height (K) corresponds
to a shell height (H) of the supporting means.
9. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels is
formed as a blind hole in the shoe sole layer from which a
foot-facing, upper end surface of the shoe sole layer extends to an
outsole layer connected to the shoe sole layer.
10. The shoe sole of claim 3, wherein the outer core contour of the
at least one core represents a cross.
11. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels
extends parallel to one other in the vertical direction (V) of the
shoe sole layer, from which a foot-facing, upper end surface of the
shoe sole layer is arranged, forming a honeycomb-like structure in
the direction of an outsole layer perpendicular to the longitudinal
direction (L) of the shoe sole layer, and adjacent channels are
separated from one another by channel walls.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention describes a shoe sole having a shoe
sole layer, in which a plurality of supporting means arranged in a
plurality of channels extending parallel to one another over the
sole surface are introduced.
PRIOR ART
[0002] In the past, the soles of shoes were further developed such
that primarily the cushioning properties of the shoe sole or
individual shoe sole layers were matched to the usage purpose of
the shoe and the size and weight of the wearer of the shoe. In all
such developments, it should be ensured that the stability of the
entire shoe sole is not reduced. This is sometimes the problem when
shoe soles are provided with massage effects, which is not the goal
here.
[0003] As known, for example, from CN107440218, shoe sole layers
have been developed that have various cushioning means in the
profile thereof. These cushioning means are designed as
cushion-like or spring-like structures which are incorporated into
recesses or cavities during the manufacturing process of the shoe
sole layer. With resilient cushioning means, a desired affect can
be achieved at defined points such that, for example, pressure
points on the sole of the shoe wearer's foot can be prevented
during sport activities. When a wearer is especially heavy,
CN204908160 also discloses shoes with shoe sole layers having an
improved shock absorption. Within the shoe sole layer, there are
likewise cavities recessed in which, in turn, cushion-like or
spring-like cushioning means are placed.
[0004] The aforementioned ideas appear to be quite vague as a
whole, and it is difficult to adapt the commercial mass-production
of shoes to the personal requirements of various shoe wearers. It
is unclear precisely how an adaptation of the shock absorption
properties of the shoe sole layer is supposed to be adjustable, in
a reproducible manner, to match to the weight or the usage purpose
of the shoe. It is not sufficiently precisely possible in this case
to implement the precise adjustment of the cushioning properties.
Even if the number of cavities flatly distributed on the sole
surface is greatly increased, the adjustment options are very
limited. It is unlikely that cushioning means with a sufficiently
high density can be flatly distributed on the sole surface. It is
certainly difficult for simple manufacturing of such shoe sole
layers since the adaptation of the cushioning means in differently
sized cavities in the shoe sole layer is associated with a great
deal of complexity.
REPRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The object of the present invention is to obtain a shoe sole
layer of a shoe sole with a plurality of supporting means, in which
the shoe sole layer and the supporting means, due to the
interaction thereof, are simple to manufacture, and an optimized
supporting or cushioning effect is achieved in local regions of a
sole surface.
[0006] It should be possible to achieve different cushioning
specifications of the resulting shoe sole, in which the shoe still
has a sufficiently stable shoe sole layer. In order to achieve
this, the supporting means are placed in the shoe sole layer with a
form-fit.
[0007] To achieve the object, the shape of the shoe sole layer or
the arrangement and shape of the cavities, matched to the desired
shoe size, always have the same structure, in which the selection
of the supporting means to be used is different, matched to the
cushioning properties to be achieved.
[0008] Variations of combinations of features or slight adaptations
of the invention are stated in the detailed description, depicted
in the figures, and included in the dependent claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The subject matter of the invention is described in detail
in the following using the appended drawings. Necessary features,
details, and advantages of the invention result from said
description as follows.
[0010] The following is shown:
[0011] FIG. 1 a perspective, exploded view of a shoe sole having a
plurality of supporting means before insertion into a plurality of
channels in a shoe sole layer.
[0012] FIG. 2 a perspective view of various filled supporting
means, in which, using an example here, cores with cruciform
cross-sectional surfaces are selected.
[0013] FIG. 3 a perspective view of a shoe sole with the shoe sole
layer, in which the plurality of supporting means is partly
arranged extending away from a sole surface.
DESCRIPTION
[0014] In this case, a shoe sole layer 10 is shown as a part of a
shoe sole 1. The shoe sole 1 itself forms a part of a shoe, which
is not shown here. The resulting shoe sole layer 10 obtains an
adjustable option, finely meshed along the sole surface, for
defining the local cushioning properties under discussion here.
Specifically defined cushioning properties can be achieved along
various regions, in the ball of the foot, in the heel region, in
the outer edge region of the foot, or along the longitudinal arch
region of the sole surface, which properties are correspondingly
scaled for all shoe sizes or sole sizes. These regions are
indicated, in a delimited manner, by dashed lines in FIG. 3.
[0015] In the ready-to-use state, the shoe sole layer 10 is
equipped, at the base, with an outsole layer 11 having a profile
110 of the outsole layer 11. The outsole layer 11 in this case
protrudes up to the height of an upper end surface 100. A cover
sole and an inner sole or brand sole is typically arranged on the
upper end surface 100 of the shoe sole layer 10 before the entire
shoe sole 1 is ready for use. For the sake of clarity, these
various soles are not shown in this case but could also be an
optional part of the shoe sole layer 10.
[0016] Channels 101 extending parallel to one another over the sole
surface are recessed in the shoe sole layer 10. The channels 101
are arranged in several rows of channels 101 parallel to the
longitudinal direction L and in several columns of channels 101
parallel to the transverse direction Q of the shoe sole layer
10.
[0017] The extension direction of the channels 101 is oriented in a
vertical direction V, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L
and transverse direction Q, respectively. In this case, the
channels 101 extend from the foot-facing, upper end surface 100 of
the shoe sole layer 10, in the direction of the shoe sole layer 11,
perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and to the transverse
direction Q of the shoe sole layer 10. A honeycomb-like structure
is formed by the orientation and plurality of channels 101 Channel
walls 102, which separate the interior of the channels from one
another, are arranged between adjacent channels 101. The channels
101 preferably all extend parallel to one another, in which the
depth of the channels 101 may differ due to the different heights
of the shoe sole layer 10. This is shown in FIG. 1, in which the
depths of the channels 101 are greater in the vertical direction V
in the heel region than in the region of the ball of the foot of
the shoe sole layer 10.
[0018] The cross-sectional surface of the channels 101 in this case
is particularly respectively cruciform, in which other flat
geometric figures, such as polygons like rectangles, squares,
triangles, hexagons, or even stars can be selected.
[0019] The cross-sectional surface in the course of the channels
101 preferably remains constant. This results in the shape of the
channels 101 in the form of blind holes in the shoe sole layer 10,
which are open toward the upper end surface 100.
[0020] Several supporting means 2, preferably designed in multiple
parts respectively, are then inserted, which are introduced into
the plurality of channels 101 in the vertical direction V. The
supporting means 2 fill out the channels 101 at least partially.
Thus, the supporting means 2 are retained in the channels 101 with
a form-fit. Because the weight force of the shoe wearer is applied
in the vertical direction V in use, the supporting means 2 are
retained in a captive manner. The supporting means 2 should have
different hardnesses so that the regions of the shoe sole layer 10
have different cushioning effects depending on the placement of the
supporting means 2.
[0021] The supporting means 2 are produced in at least two parts
from parts which can be separated from one another. In this case,
the two-part variant is shown with a shell 20 and at least one core
21 and explained in more detail. The shell 20 in this case is
equipped with a cruciform cross-sectional surface, in which an
inner shell contour 200 is recessed. The cross-sectional surface of
the shell 20 corresponds to the cross-sectional surface of the
channels 101 such that a form-fit connection is possible. In the
recessed area of the shell 20, the core 21 is introduced in the
longitudinal axis of the shell. To this end, the core 21 is
provided with a corresponding outer core contour 210. The
connection between the core 21 and the shell 20 is also a form-fit
connection.
[0022] Due to the material used for the shell 20, the shell height
H. and the inner shell contour 200, the shell 20 has an adjustable
hardness. The same applies to the core 21 due to the material
thereof, the core height K, and the outer core contour 210. A total
hardness of each supporting means 2 is thereby achieved.
[0023] For example, differently inserted cores 21 with different
hardnesses or an empty shell 20 are shown in FIG. 2. Supporting
means 2 with various levels of hardness and thus cushioning can be
achieved through the correct selection of suitable shells 20 and
cores 21. Optionally, the core 21 of some supporting means 2 can be
inserted partially protruding from the shell 20.
[0024] Preferably however, the core height K of the core 21 is
selected to be the same size as the shell height H of the shell 20
of the supporting means 2, and the cores 21 are inserted into the
inner shell contour 200 flush with the shell height H.
[0025] In practice, the shell 20 tends to be designed softer than
the at least one core 21 such that the hardness of the shell 20 is
respectively less than the hardness of the incorporated at least
one core 21.
[0026] The desired supporting effect or cushioning effect can
specifically be achieved locally along the sole surface through the
design of the individual parts of the supporting means 2 and
depending on the placement in the course of the shoe sole layer
10.
[0027] In the examples shown of the supporting means 2, the shape
of the outer core contour 210 or the cross-sectional surface of the
core 21 is a cross. This cross-sectional surface has proven to be
especially suitable; however, other flat geometric shapes could
also be chosen.
[0028] In the finished state of the shoe sole layer 10, the
supporting means 2 are introduced into the provided channels 101.
In this case, the shell heights H of the shell 20 are selected such
that the supporting elements 2 extend slightly away from the
foot-facing, upper end surface 100 of the shoe sole layer 10. Thus,
the end face of the shell 20 is not selected to be flush with the
upper end surface 100 of the shoe sole layer 10. The core heights K
in this case are selected to be the same size, just as the shell
heights H or the cores 21 are introduced such that the cores 21 and
the shells 20 thereof terminate flush on one side.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, there are sections, for example in the
region of the ball of the foot, in which the channels 101 are
filled with identical supporting means 2, comprising identical
shells 20 and cores 21, with a defined total hardness. In other
regions, for example in the heel region, the columns of channels
101 are filled with identical supporting means 2 parallel to the
transverse direction Q, which have, however, a total hardness
different from the supporting means 2 in the region of the ball of
the foot.
[0030] For example, region C is indicated, into which supporting
means 2 with different shells 20, cores 21, and/or hardnesses of
shells 20 and/or cores 21 are introduced in the adjacent channels
101. Therefore, a locally very precise adjustment of the cushioning
effect can be achieved along the sole surface. Depending on the
diameter of the channels 101 and of the supporting means 2, a high
density of supporting means 2 can be achieved along the upper end
surface 100 such that a very precise adjustment can be achieved in
the local cushioning effect.
[0031] Since the shells 20 and cores 21 are produced from plastics,
preferably from polymers and elastomers, the hardness measurement
is implemented using a Shore durometer. Preferably, the Shore A
hardnesses are between 20 to 30 and 40 to 50.
[0032] The shoe sole layer 10 with recessed channels 101 can be
produced in a plastic injection-molding process or, for example,
using a 3D printer. The same applies to the shell 20 and the core
21 of the supporting means 2. Any plastic materials correspondingly
processable can be suitable for this. Optionally, the cores 21 in
the inner shell contour 200 can also be attached using an adhesive
bond, which is achieved, for example, by means of an adhesive.
[0033] It would also be possible to insert more than one core 21
into the shell 20 of each supporting means 2.
[0034] Since the supporting means 2 are arranged flatly distributed
in the plane of the sole surface in a plurality, the cushioning
properties of the shoe sole layer 10 can be adjusted very precisely
and locally. In this case, directly adjacent channels 101 can be
provided with different supporting means 2. The plurality of
supporting means 2 can be inserted into the corresponding channels
101 completely in layers. The individual supporting means 2 are
possibly connected to one another via predetermined breaking-point
bridges. In the 3D printing process, the shoe sole layer 10
including the channels 101 and the supporting means 2 can also be
printed simultaneously. Accordingly, the shoe sole layer 10
according to any of the claims is produced completely by printing
in a 3D printing process by means of a 3D printer.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0035] 1 Shoe sole [0036] 10 Shoe sole layer [0037] 100 Upper end
surface [0038] 101 Channel, channels [0039] 102 Channel wall [0040]
Sole surface [0041] 11 Outsole layer [0042] 110 Profile of the
outsole layer [0043] 2 Supporting means (plurality, preferably in
two parts) [0044] 20 Shell [0045] 200 Inner shell contour [0046] H
Shell height [0047] 21 Core (of at least one) [0048] 210 Outer core
contour [0049] K Core height [0050] L Sole longitudinal
axis/longitudinal direction (L) of the shoe sole layer [0051] Q
Transverse direction [0052] V Vertical direction [0053] C
Region
* * * * *