Patent ID: 11857027
Assignee: ATHLETIC PROPULSION LABS LLC
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A  F | IPC A  F

Claim 11:
12. A method of using a device in a shoe, the device including a first foot, a second foot, a third foot, a fourth foot, a first flexible leg that extends from the first foot and is curved, a second flexible leg that extends from the second foot and is curved, a third flexible leg that extends from the third foot and is curved, a fourth flexible leg that extends from the fourth foot and is curved, a first spring extending from a bottom surface of the first foot, a second spring extending from a bottom surface of the second foot, a third spring extending from a bottom surface of the third foot, and a fourth spring extending from a bottom surface of the fourth foot, the first spring having a bottom end for contacting a top surface of an outsole of the shoe, the second spring having a bottom end for contacting the top surface of the outsole of the shoe, the third spring having a bottom end for contacting the top surface of the outsole of the shoe, the fourth spring having a bottom end for contacting the top surface of the outsole of the shoe, the first flexible leg and the third flexible leg joined together with each other forming a first arch from the first foot to the third foot, the second flexible leg and the fourth flexible leg joined together with each other forming a second arch from the second foot to the fourth foot, the second arch having a center portion that is located under a center portion of the first arch, the center portion of the first arch and the center portion of the second arch both higher than a top surface of the first foot, a top surface of the second foot, a top surface of the third foot, and a top surface of the fourth foot, the method comprising:
applying force to the center portion of the first arch to cause force to be applied to the center portion of the second arch, and to cause the first spring located under the first foot connected to the first flexible leg to compress, and to cause the second spring located under the second foot connected to the second flexible leg to compress, and to cause the third spring located under the third foot connected to the third flexible leg to compress, and to cause the fourth spring located under the fourth foot connected to the fourth flexible leg to compress, and to cause a fifth spring located under the center portion of the second arch to compress, and to cause the first flexible leg, the second flexible leg, the third flexible leg, and the fourth flexible leg to flex to a flexed position, so as to store potential energy; and
releasing the force from the center portion of the first arch to allow the first spring, the second spring, the third spring, the fourth spring, and the fifth spring to stretch, and to allow the first flexible leg, the second flexible leg, the third flexible leg, and the fourth flexible leg to return back from the flexed position, so as to return energy;
wherein the bottom end of the first spring, the bottom end of the second spring, the bottom end of the third spring, and the bottom end of the fourth spring are all separate from each other and provide four separate contacts with the top surface of the outsole of the shoe.