Split-sole footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12256802-B2
Application number	US-202318346014-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2023
Priority date	Aug 10, 2011
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A shoe including an upper forming an interior portion for a foot, the interior portion including toe and heel cavities, is provided. The shoe includes a midsole having toe and heel ends and inner and outer sides. The midsole is affixed to the upper forming a bottom to the interior portion. An insole is affixed to the bottom. An outsole patch includes a toe portion disposed on the toe end of the midsole and a heel portion disposed on the heel end of the midsole. The outsole patch includes an exterior contour providing clearance between the midsole and ground when worn. A region between the heel and toe portions of the outsole patch extends from the inner to outer sides occupying a position intermediate the toe and heel ends of the midsole, permitting the shoe to fold about the region. The insole is not stitched to the upper or midsole.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A shoe comprising:
an upper, the upper forming an interior portion for receiving a foot, the interior portion including a toe cavity and a heel cavity;
a midsole, the midsole having (i) a toe end, (ii) a heel end, (iii) an inner side, and (iv) an outer side, wherein a perimeter of the midsole is affixed to the upper thereby forming a bottom to the interior portion;
an insole that is affixed to the bottom of the interior portion; and
an outsole patch, the outsole patch having (i) a toe portion disposed on the toe end of the midsole, and (ii) a heel portion disposed on the heel end of the midsole, wherein the outsole patch comprises an exterior contour configured to provide (i) a clearance between the toe end and the heel end of the midsole and the ground when worn and (ii) a distance that is uniform between an edge of the heel portion and the perimeter of the midsole;
wherein there is a region between (i) the heel portion of the outsole patch and (ii) the toe portion of the outsole patch, the region extending from the inner side to the outer side and occupying a first face of the midsole at a position intermediate the toe end of the midsole and the heel end of the midsole, thereby permitting the shoe to fold about the region; and wherein
the insole is not stitched to the upper or midsole.

2. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the midsole is made out of leather.

3. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the interior portion further comprises a foam inlay and wherein the insole is affixed by glue to the foam inlay.

4. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein
the midsole comprises a second face opposed to the first face running from the toe end to the heel end of the midsole, and
the interior portion further comprises a cushion insert that is glued to a heel portion of the second face of the midsole.

5. The shoe of claim 3 , wherein
the midsole comprises a second face opposed to the first face running from the toe end to the heel end of the midsole,
the interior portion further comprises a cushion insert that is glued to a heel portion of the second face of the midsole, and
the foam inlay is glued to (i) the cushion insert and (ii) a toe portion of the second face of the midsole.

6. The shoe of claim 4 , wherein
the cushion insert is characterized by a first end and a second end,
the first end of the cushion insert is glued to a first part of the heel portion and the second end of the cushion insert is glued to a second part of the heel portion of the second face of the midsole,
the first part of the heel portion is closer to the toe portion of the second face of the midsole than the second part of the heel portion, and
the first end of the cushion insert has a thickness that is less than the second end of the cushion insert.

7. The shoe of claim 4 , wherein the cushion insert has a thickness that increases along the insert as a function of a distance away from a toe portion of the second face of the midsole so that a portion of the cushion insert that is closest to the toe portion of the midsole is thinner than a portion of the cushion insert that is farthest away from the toe portion of the midsole.

8. The shoe of claim 4 , wherein the cushion insert comprises an ethylene vinyl acetate or polyurethane material.

9. The shoe of claim 4 , wherein the cushion insert has a Shore A hardness of between 45 and 70.

10. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein:
a first groove having a depth of at least 3/64 of an inch is formed proximate to a perimeter of the outsole patch and wherein the outsole patch is stitched onto a heel portion of the first face of the midsole with a first thread that occupies the first groove.

11. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the upper is formed as a single piece having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are united by a second seam at the heel cavity.

12. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper is formed as a single piece having (i) a first end, (ii) a second end, (iii) a first edge, and (iv) a second edge,
the first end and the second end are united by a second seam at the heel cavity,
the first edge is stitched to the perimeter of the midsole thereby forming the bottom to the interior portion, and
a first portion of the second edge is characterized by an elastic restriction, wherein the portion of the second edge does not extend to the heel cavity.

13. The shoe of claim 12 , wherein a second portion of the second edge is characterized by an Achilles cushion that provides an upper boundary to the heel cavity.

14. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper is formed as a single piece having a first end and a second end,
the first end and the second end are united by a second seam at the heel cavity, and
a half moon piece covers a lower portion of the second seam.

15. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the outsole patch has a durability coefficient of between 0.8 and 1.5.

16. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the outsole patch has a durability coefficient of between 1.0 and 1.3.

17. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein a region of the shoe defined by the heel portion of the outsole patch and comprising a corresponding portion of the midsole and the insole has a spring constant of between 0.40 kilogram-force/inch and 0.70 kilogram-force/inch.

18. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein a region of the shoe defined by the heel portion of the outsole patch and comprising a corresponding portion of the midsole and the insole has a spring constant of between 0.45 kilogram-force/inch and 0.55 kilogram-force/inch.

19. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the insole is affixed by glue to the bottom of the interior portion.

20. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the midsole is stitched to the upper thereby forming the bottom to the interior portion that is bounded by a first seam.

21. The shoe of claim 20 , wherein a back corner of the toe portion of the outsole patch is within ¼ of an inch of a portion of the first seam.

22. The shoe of claim 20 , wherein a back corner of the toe portion of the outsole patch is within 3/16 of an inch of a portion of the first seam.

23. The shoe of claim 20 , wherein a front corner of the toe portion of the outsole patch is within ¼ of an inch of a portion of the first seam.

24. The shoe of claim 20 , wherein a back corner of the heel portion of the outsole patch is within 3/16 of an inch of a portion of the first seam.

25. The shoe of claim 20 , wherein a back corner of the heel portion of the outsole patch is within 1/4 of an inch of a portion of the first seam.

26. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the outsole patch is stitched onto a first face of the midsole.

27. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the edge of the heel portion of the midsole and the perimeter of the midsole is uniform within 1/4 of an inch.

28. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the edge of the heel portion of the midsole and the perimeter of the midsole is uniform within 3/16 of an inch.

29. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the distance between an edge of the toe portion of the midsole and the perimeter of the midsole is uniform within 1/4 of an inch.

30. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the distance between an edge of the toe portion of the midsole and the perimeter of the midsole is uniform within 3/16 of an inch.

31. The shoe of claim 1

Assignees

• Gavrieli Brands LLC

Inventors

• Gavrieli Kfir
• Gavrieli Dikla

Classifications

• A43B23/0245

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title

• A43B13/186

  Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot (resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32) · CPC title

• A43B13/141

  with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion · CPC title

• A43B3/24

  Collapsible or convertible · CPC title

• A43B3/12

  Sandals; Strap guides thereon · CPC title