FOOTWEAR,MAINLY A RUNNING SHOE

Abstract: A running shoe must have a yielding sole in order to protect the bones of the foot and the leg, especially when the foot touches the ground. In order to improve such running shoes, oblique, elastic ribs (1) are mounted between the binding sole (3) and the wearing sole (2) so that a bending of the ribs takes place when the foot touches the ground, by means of which energy is accumulated, which energy is released during the take-off by the straightening out of the ribs so that this energy can be utilized as a contribution to the energy of the foot. The ribs (1) have an angle (//c) of approximately 40` to the horizontal plane, and are oblique from the binding sole (3) forward against the wearing sole (2). The ribs (1) are dimensioned according to the required yielding and elasticity, the dimensions, number, and angle (//c) of the ribs corresponding to this. The ribs (1) are preferably made of polyurethane on the basis of ether, which produces good elastic qualities. Finally, ventilating apertures (12) can be arranged between the binding sole and the space between the ribs, so that air is pressed from the airspace upwards to the sole of the foot while running.

Description: FOOTWEAR, MAINLY A RUNNING SHOE. The invention relates to footwear, mainly a running shoe- comprising a sole unit with a binding sole and a wearing sole 1 and an upper part fixed thereto. Hitherto known running shoes of that kind are supplied with a sole that is more or less elastic. This is mainly by means of a pad " between the binding sole and the wearing sole. The pad is preferably made of foam plastic, which functions as a sort of shock absorber for the foot which has to transfer the weight from body when the foot touches- the ground in a cycle of movements. Such pads work like passive shock absorbers whose only purpose is to protect the bones and joints of the foot and the leg and the blood cells, which are exposed to a heavy pressure, especially when the heel meets the ground. This passive absorbing system gives a good contact between the sole of the foot and that of the shoe, as the foot will sink a little into the sole of the shoe, the surface pressure being the less possible. It is the purpose of the invention to improve this sole, keeping its good characteristics as e.g. a low surface pressure and a suitable shock absorption, and • where, however, the compression of the sole is utili¬ zed in the take-off as a contribution to the energy, which furthermore has an improving effect on the cir¬ culation in the foot. This purpose is fulfilled when the sole ' unit is sup- ________ WIPO plied with elastic ribs that are running transversely to the centre line of the shoe, and placed between the binding sole and the wearing sole, if any, and running obliquely backwards against the binding sole in the proceeding direction of the shoe. By means of these elastic ribs the shock absorbing and contact creating characteristic of the sole, furthermore, how¬ ever, a kind of spring effect is achieved from the ribs as they give a obliquely upwards and forwards oriented pressure against the foot during their straightening out, which pressure helps while taking- off, i.e. during the so-called taking-off•phase. Thus the compression of the ribs is not a passive shock absorption but an accumulation of energy that is released during the taking-off. In this way the energy is utilized to the greatest possible extent to the benefit of the runner. Besides a successive undulation from the heel part against the upper part is generat¬ ed by the straightening out or the release of" the ribs, which undulation has an improving effect on the circulation in the foot. When giving the ribs an inclination of approx. -40 , which is mentioned in claim 2, a very good elastic function is obtained. As mentioned in claim 3 the ribs can be dimensioned according to the placing in the sole so that you can adapt the ribs to the most convenient shock absorption and elasticity. Finally, it is advantageous to make the sole of a polyurethanic material on the basis of ether, as described in claim 4. Then a viscous surface of the ribs is created, which increases the elastic charac¬ teristics of the ribs. OMPI IPO The invention will now be further described with re¬ ference to the drawing, where Fig. 1 shows the left sole unit from above, Fig. 2 shows a sectional view II-II in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a sectional view III-III in Fig. 1 and 2. As shown in Fig. 1, which represents a left sole of the shoe, seen from above, the outerOutlines of the sole are shaped according to the ■■• nature " of the ' foot. Longitudinally to the sole runs its centre line a-a, and the zones, where the foot presses against the sole are shown hatched, i.e. at the back the ball of the heel 5, in front the ball of the big toe 8 and the ball of the foot 7, and finally the connection be¬ tween these zones, the so-called isthmus 6. Across the centre line a-a a number of parallel ribs 1 a- rs running in the full length of the shoe, as in¬ dicated with ' a dot-and-dash line. Finally, the pro¬ ceeding line 4 of the foot is indicated with a -strongl j dot-and-dash line. -This line 4 runs from the ball 5 of the heel, via the isthmus β, across the ball 7 of the big toe, and through the ball 8 of the toe. The sole unit is shov/n on Fig. 2 ' .in a sectional view of the sole of Fig. 1, seen in the direction II-II. At the top the sole is supplied with a binding sole ) which can be made of leather or the like. Under this binding sole there is a rib-sole that is suppli¬ ed with a number of transverse recesses at the under¬ side, which recesses create the transverse mutually parallel ribs 1. These ribs have an inclination of approx. 40 to the binding sole, but this angle can be varied which is later to be explained. Finally a wearing sole 2 can be fastened to the rib-sole. Fig. 3 shows a sectional view across the sole in the direction III-III on Figs. 1 and 2. It appears that the wearing sole 2prσoeeds upwards, round the rib-sole and surrounds it. The wearing sole is rounded off the whole way round the sole , along the outside 11, as shown on Fig. 3. The rib-sole is preferably made by moulding of poly- urethan on the basis of ether. Then the surface of the ribs gets a viscous membrane with an improving effect to the elasticity of the ribs, which will be explained later. The sole has been constructed with a maximum contact surface between foot sole and shoe bottom causing the less possible surface pressure. The general elastici¬ ty of the sole by load results" " ±n a general increase of the contact surface of the foot sole with the shoe bottom, as the foot will sink more or less down into the sole. Furthermore the ribs with their air space intensify the ability of compression of the sole, and the maximum energy is accumulated in the compressed ribs. As the air space between the ribs is compressed and increased in this way an effective ventilation of the shoe can be obtained, when the space is supplied with one or more channels or openings 12, cmp Fig. 2, which pass the binding sole 3, as the air will be pressed up under the foot sole by means of the compression of the ribs. These ventholes can be arranged evenly distributed in the whole sole or in defined zones as required. The inclination of the ribs results in the fact that they can be compressed by the downwards and backwards turned pressure, ' and then in the phase of take-off be released like a kind of spring effect. This compression of the ribs - and thus the accumula¬ tion of energy, will be released in the phase of take¬ off of the foot and will contribute to the energy of the take-off which will not end until the rib returns to its unloaded position. The ribs are compressed in a successive movement from the heel to the toe causing a kind of undulation in the binding sole with an improving effect to the cir- culation in the foot sole. When dimensioning the ribs you have to take ' the pro¬ ceeding line of the foot into consideration, as the height of the ribs is one of the things that define the elasticity. Other factors are the distance between the ribs and their angle a . Finally the elasticity of the material is of importance. This can be utilized in order to give ' he best possible working conditions to the foot, e.g. to support the torsional function when -starting and ending a step. This function means that the foot is guided through the proceeding line 4 which is indicated with a dot- and-dash line on Fig. 1. The height 9 of the ribs on Fig. 3 is larger in the right side than in the left side 10. This means that the ribs at the proceeding line 4 may have a height 9 of e.g. 18 mm whereas the general height 10 of the ribs may be e.g. 15 mm. In this way a greater elasticity and suspension is achie- ved around the proceeding line than in the rest of the sole. The ribs 1 may completely or partly form other angles with the centre line a-a of the shoe in order to fulfill special needs. In this way y ' ou can e,g. compensate for sideways loads of different strenghs and directions. According to the invention this sole creates the con¬ ditions according to the best utilization of the spring function of the muscles. This can be exploited by people with e.g. a stationary job where the body can be moved forwards and backwards in the ankle join with active back and calf- muscles and with full ac¬ tivity in the toes, as the feet can "walk" in the sole.

Claims: C A I S 1. Footwear, mainly a running shoe, comprising a sole unit with a binding sole and perhaps a wearing sole and an upper part fixed thereto, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the sole unit is supplied with elastic ribs (1) that are running transversely to the centre line (a-a) of the shoe, and placed be¬ tween the binding sole (3) and the wearing sole (2), if any, and running obliquely backwards against the binding sole (3) in the travelling direction of the shoe. 2. Footwear according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d i n that the angle (α) of the ribs to the surface of the binding sole (3) is approx. 40 3. Footwear according to claim 1 and 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the dimensions, intervals, and angle (α) of the single ribs (1) can be varied both mutually and lengthwise. 4, Footwear according to claim 1-3, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d that the ribs (1) are made of poly- urethan on the basis of ether.

Inventors: GUSTAVSEN B, KELLER J
Applicants: GUSTAVSEN B, KELLER J
Application year: 1981
Main classification: A43B7
IPC codes: A43B13