A midsole for a shoe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020329811-A1
Application number	US-201816763480-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 13, 2018
Priority date	Nov 13, 2017
Publication date	Oct 22, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A midsole for a shoe, where the midsole is 3D printed from an elastic polymeric material, the midsole comprising: a sole facing surface, a foot facing surface, a plurality of walls that in a first position are substantially perpendicular to the sole facing surface that extend from the sole facing surface to the foot facing surface where each wall has a height, where the plurality walls define a plurality of cells having a central axis that is substantially parallel to the walls and having a radius from a wall to the central axis, where the walls in a second position are configured to elastically deform upon application of an external force so that the deformation provides a change in the radius and/or the height, and where the walls are adapted to return to their first position upon removal of the external force

First claim

1 . A midsole for a shoe, where the midsole is 3D printed from an elastic polymeric material, the midsole comprising:
a sole facing surface; a foot facing surface; a plurality of walls that in a first position are substantially perpendicular to the sole facing surface and extend from the sole facing surface to the foot facing surface where each wall has a height; wherein the plurality of walls define a plurality of cells having a central axis that is substantially parallel to the walls and having a radius from a wall to the central axis; wherein the walls in a second position are configured to elastically deform upon application of an external force so that the deformation provides a change in at least one of the radius and the height; and wherein the walls are configured to return to their first position upon removal of the external force.

2 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein a peripheral boundary of a cell comprises at least two walls.

3 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the midsole comprises at least two layers of material that are bonded to each other.

4 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein each wall comprises at least two layers of material.

5 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the radius of each cell is between 1.5 mm and 8 mm.

6 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells have a first radius in a heel area and a second radius in a forefoot area, where the first radius is larger than the second radius.

7 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls have a first height in the heel area, and a second height in the forefoot area, the first height being larger than the second height.

8 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls have a third height in the arch area, a second height in the forefoot area, and a first height in the heel area, at least one of the first and the second height being larger than the third height.

9 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the elastic polymeric material is selected from at least one of a silicone based material, a silicone composition, and a composition comprising a mixture of silicone.

10 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the hardness of the polymer is between 30 and 90 Shore A upon curing.

11 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of each wall is between 0.4 mm and 1.6 mm.

12 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the structural stability is stronger in a direction of the thickness of the midsole, than in at least one of the longitudinal direction and transversal direction of the midsole.

13 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cell is open from the sole facing surface to the foot facing surface.

14 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein at least one cell is void of any liquid, particulate, or solid material, allowing the walls in the second position to deform into the volume defined by the cell in the first position without substantial resistance.

15 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein each layer of material of the midsole is 3D printed on top of a prior layer.

16 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells have a first radius in the heel area and a second radius in a forefoot area, the first radius is smaller than the second radius.

17 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls have a first height in the heel area, and a second height in the forefoot area, the first height may be smaller than the second height.

18 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls have a third height in the arch area, a second height in the forefoot area, and a first height in the heel area, where at least one of that the first height and the second height is smaller than the third height.

19 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the hardness of the polymer is between 65 and 85 Shore A upon curing.

20 . The midsole for a shoe of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of each wall is between 0.5 and 1.2 mm.

Assignees

• Ecco Sko As

Inventors

• Davis Peter John

Classifications

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · 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

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• A43B13/181 Primary

  Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole · CPC title

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title