Patent ID: 6050001
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: A43B

Abstract:
A shoe comprising:an outsole having a heel portion, a toe portion, and a shank portion interconnecting the heel portion and the toe portion, the heel portion including an upwardly opening cavity;an elastomeric plug disposed in the cavity, the elastomeric plug including a central axis, a generally planar lower surface and an upper surface, the upper surface having a raised central portion, an outer boundary, and an annular depression separating the raised central portion from the outer boundary, the elastomeric plug being adapted to permit deformation of the plug in two phases in response to the application of a load generally coaxial with the central axis of the elastomeric plug, the first phase being defined by a downward and outward displacement of the raised central portion, the second phase being defined by the outer boundary being recruited to resist the load; andthe outsole heel portion further having a downwardly facing plunger defined therein, the plunger being spaced downwardly away from a bottom surface of the elastomeric plug, the plunger including a ring surrounded by a groove and having a center, the center and the groove extending into a bottom surface of the heel portion, the plunger being generally aligned with the elastomeric plug central axis, the plunger being adapted to deform in response to the application of the generally coaxial load;whereby the elastomeric plug and the plunger progressively deform in response to the application of the generally coaxial load thereby cooperating to resist the load.