Shoe, especially sports shoe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9398785-B2
Application number	US-201214342511-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2012
Priority date	Mar 9, 2012
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoe ( 1 ), especially to a sports shoe, having a shoe upper ( 2 ) and a sole ( 3 ) which is connected with the shoe upper ( 2 ), wherein the sole ( 3 ) has a longitudinal axis (L) and has a forefoot region ( 4 ), a midfoot region ( 5 ) and a rearfoot region ( 6 ). To support the foot especially during running in a more natural way the invention is characterized in that at least one first hinge ( 7 ) is provided in the sole ( 3 ) being located between the forefoot region ( 4 ) and the midfoot region ( 5 ), which first hinge ( 7 ) allows a bending of the forefoot region ( 4 ) relatively to the midfoot region ( 5 ) around a first horizontal axis (T 1 ) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L), and that at least one second hinge ( 8 ) is provided in the sole ( 3 ) being located in the midfoot region ( 5 ), which second hinge ( 8 ) allows a bending of two adjacent parts ( 5 a, 5 b ) of the midfoot region ( 5 ) around a second horizontal axis (T 2 ) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L), wherein at least one elastic tensioning element ( 9 ) is arranged at or in the sole ( 3 ), which biases the forefoot region ( 4 ) to pivot around the first horizontal axis (T 1 ) upwards relatively to the midfoot region ( 5 ) when the shoe is standing on the ground ( 10 ) and which biases the two parts ( 5 a, 5 b ) of the midfoot region ( 5 ) to pivot around the second horizontal axis (T 2 ) to form an arch when the shoe is standing on the ground ( 10 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shoe comprising:
a shoe upper and a sole which is connected with the shoe upper, wherein the sole has a longitudinal axis and has a forefoot region, a midfoot region and a rearfoot region,
at least one first hinge is provided in the sole being located between the forefoot region and the midfoot region, which first hinge allows a bending of the forefoot region relatively to the midfoot region around a first horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
at least one second hinge is provided in the sole being located in the midfoot region, which second hinge allows a bending of two adjacent parts of the midfoot region around a second horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
at least one elastic tensioning element is arranged at or in the sole, which biases the forefoot region to pivot around the first horizontal axis upwards relatively to the midfoot region when the shoe is standing on the ground and which biases the two parts of the midfoot region to pivot around the second horizontal axis to form an arch when the shoe is standing on the ground.

2. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the tensioning element is a rubber band.

3. The shoe according to claim 2 , wherein the rubber band has a circular cross section.

4. The shoe according to claim 3 , wherein the rubber band has a diameter between 2 mm and 7 mm.

5. The shoe according to claim 2 , wherein the rubber band is guided at least partially in channels or grooves which are formed in or on the sole.

6. The shoe according to claim 2 , wherein the rubber band is guided substantially in the shape of an eight seen in a top plan view of the sole.

7. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the rubber band is guided from the rearfoot region to the front end of the sole, wherein the rubber band is turned at the front end of the sole and runs back in the direction of the rearfoot region along a defined extension.

8. The shoe according to claim 7 , wherein the turned rubber band is running below the rubber band coming from the rearfoot region.

9. The shoe according to claim 7 , wherein the turned rubber band is running in or on the shoe upper.

10. The shoe according to claim 2 , wherein the rubber band is a closed band.

11. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the forefoot region has a tangent in the front end of the sole seen in a side view, wherein an angle is arranged between the tangent and the ground, which angle is between 15° and 40°, when the shoe is in a loadfree status and standing on the ground.

12. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the two adjacent parts of the midfoot region limit a radius of curvature, wherein the radius of curvature is between 15% and 35% of the length of the sole, when the shoe is in a loadfree status and standing on the ground.

13. The shoe according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one third hinge is arranged in the forefoot region, which third hinge allows a bending of sections of the forefoot region relatively to another around a third horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

14. The shoe according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one fourth hinge is arranged in the midfoot region, which fourth hinge allows a bending of sections of the midfoot region relatively to another around a fourth horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

15. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the sole has at least one further groove being formed in the bottom surface of the sole and running substantial in the longitudinal direction of the shoe, which groove forms a hinge for pivoting a part of the sole relatively to another part of the sole around the longitudinal direction of the shoe.

Assignees

• Horacek Raymond Alfred
• Puma SE

Inventors

• Horacek Raymond Alfred

Classifications

• A43B5/06

  Running shoes; Track shoes · CPC title

• A43B3/0036 Primary

  characterised by a special shape or design · CPC title

• A43B7/32 Primary

  with shock-absorbing means (resilient soles A43B13/18) · CPC title

• A43B13/141

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

• A43B13/181

  Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole · CPC title