Abstract:
A sole assembly for footwear supporting a foot over a ground surface. The sole assembly includes a sole made of insulating material. The sole has a top surface configured to support the foot, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface configured to contact the ground surface. At least one contact extends between the top and bottom surfaces and is generally surrounded by the sole. The at least one contact has a conducting material that is configured to allow a flow of electrical current between the foot adjacent the top surface and the ground surface adjacent the bottom surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to footwear, such as sandals, shoes, boots, etc. More specifically, the present invention relates to the construction of a sole assembly of the footwear. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    In one embodiment, the invention provides a sole assembly for footwear supporting a foot over a ground surface. The sole assembly includes a sole made of insulating material. The sole has a top surface configured to support the foot, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface configured to contact the ground surface. At least one contact extends between the top and bottom surfaces and is generally surrounded by the sole. The at least one contact has a conducting material that is configured to allow a flow of electrical current between the foot adjacent the top surface and the ground surface adjacent the bottom surface. 
         [0003]    In another embodiment, the invention provides a footwear assembly for supporting a foot over a ground surface. The footwear assembly includes a sole made of insulating material. The sole has a top surface configured to support the foot and a bottom surface opposite the top surface that is configured to contact the ground surface. At least one contact extends between the top and bottom surfaces and is generally surrounded by the sole. The at least one contact has conducting material configured to allow flow of electrical current between the foot adjacent the top surface and the ground surface adjacent the bottom surface. 
         [0004]    In another embodiment the invention provides a method of transferring electrical energy through a sole assembly of footwear. The method includes providing at least one contact in a sole of the sole assembly, such that the contact extends completely through the sole between top and bottom surfaces of the sole. The method further includes placing the sole on a ground surface, inserting a foot into the footwear, and supporting a foot with the sole. The method further includes positioning at least a portion of the foot adjacent the contact, resisting electrical energy through the sole, and communicating electrical energy through the contact between the ground and the foot. 
         [0005]    Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a sandal according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the sole assembly of the sandal of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the sole assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of a contact of the sole assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a sandal according to another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a shoe according to yet another embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a foot  10  positioned in a sandal  12  that has a sole  14  and a plurality of straps  16   a - 16   c  that secure the foot  10  against the sole  14 . Although a sandal  12  is illustrated, other footwear can also be used in other embodiments such as a shoe, boot, slipper, “flip-flop”, etc. The sole  14  has a top surface  18  that is shaped to support the foot  10  and a bottom surface  20  opposite the top surface  18  and configured to contact a ground surface. The illustrated sole  14  comprises a polymer or other similar resilient material. In other embodiments, other materials, such as wood, cork, or other such materials can comprise the sole  14 , in addition to or in lieu or a polymer. 
         [0014]    The illustrated embodiment includes two top straps  16   a,    16   b  extending across the width of the foot  10  that connect to heel strap  16   c.  The heel strap  16   c  is coupled to the sole  14  at the top surface  18  and extends around the back of a heel  22  of the foot  10 . Other quantities and locations of straps  16  are possible on the sandal  12 , and are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0015]    Two portions of the sole  14  are cutaway to reveal heel and toe contacts  26 ,  28 , that extend between the top and bottom surfaces  18 ,  20 . The contacts  26 ,  28  include contact top surfaces  30 ,  32 , that are generally coplanar with the top surface  18  of the sole  14  and contact bottom surfaces  34 ,  36 , that are generally coplanar with the bottom surface  20  of the sole  14 . The heel contact  26  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is positioned adjacent to the heel  22 . The heel contact top surface  30  is configured to abut against the heel  22 , and the heel contact bottom surface  34  is configured to contact a ground surface. The toe contact  28  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is positioned adjacent to one toe  24  of the foot  10 . The toe contact top surface  32  is configured to abut against the toe  24 , and the toe contact bottom surface  36  is configured to contact the ground surface. 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates the sole top surface  18  including the heel contact  26  for contacting the heel  22  and five toe contacts  28   a - 28   e  for contacting respective toes  24  of the foot  10  of the wearer. The toe contacts  28   a,    28   b,    28   c,    28   d,    28   e  are similar to each other, but the illustrated contact  28   a  is the largest toe contact  28  and is configured to engage the largest toe of the foot  10 , whereas the contact  28   e  is the smallest toe contact  28  and is configured to engage the smallest toe of the foot  10 . The illustrated toe contacts become smaller moving from  28   a  to  28   e.  Other configurations are possible, such as making the toe contacts  28  to all be essentially the same size. In another embodiment, the toe contacts  28   c,    28   d,  and  28   e  are substantially the same size, but toe contact  28   b  is larger than  28   c,    28   d,    28   e  and toe contact  28   a  is larger than  28   b,    28   c,    28   d,  and  28   e.  In yet another embodiment, toe contacts  28   b,    28   c,    28   d  and  28   e  are substantially the same size whereas toe contact  28   a  is larger in size. 
         [0017]    An arch contact  38  is configured to engage an arch  40  of the foot  10  of the wearer. The arch contact  38  illustrated in  FIG. 2  has a top surface  42  with a larger diameter than the top surfaces  30 ,  32  of the other contacts  26 ,  28   a - 28   e.  In the illustrated embodiment, the arch contact  38  is positioned adjacent the top surface  18  and does not extend through the sole  14  to the bottom surface  20 . In other, non-illustrated embodiments, the arch contact  38  is configured similarly to the other contacts  26 ,  28   a - 28   e  and extends through the sole  14  to the bottom surface  20  to engage the ground surface. 
         [0018]    The sandal  12  further includes a first set of lengths of electrically conductive material  44  positioned between the heel contact  26  and the arch contact  38 , and a second set of lengths of electrically conductive material  46  between the toe contacts  28   a - 28   e  and the arch contact  38 . The lengths of material  44 ,  46  electrically connect the various contacts  26  and  28   a - 28   e  to contact  38  on the top surface  18 . In another embodiment, the lengths  44 ,  46  are positioned in the sole  14  between the sole top and bottom surfaces  18  and  20 , respectively. In yet another embodiment, the lengths  44 ,  46  are positioned adjacent the sole bottom surface  20 . The material can comprise any conductive material, such as a metal. Some examples include gold, silver, copper, platinum, titanium etc. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  shows the sole bottom surface  20  that is configured to contact a ground surface. The sole bottom surface  20  includes the toe contact bottom surfaces  36   a - 36   e.  In the illustrated embodiment, each toe contact bottom surface  36   a - 36   e  is generally in alignment with the respective top surface  32   a - 32   e.  The illustrated toe contact bottom surfaces  36   a - 36   e  have a smaller diameter than the illustrated toe contact top surfaces  32   a - 32   e.  In another embodiment, the toe contact top surfaces  32   a - 32   e  are similar in size to the respective toe contact bottom surfaces  36   a - 36   e.  In yet another embodiment, at least some of the toe contact bottom surfaces  36   a - 36   e  are larger than the respective toe contact top surfaces  32   a - 32   e.  The illustrated toe contact bottom surfaces  36   a - 36   e  are generally the same size as the other toe contact bottom surfaces  32   a - 32   e.  In another embodiment, the toe contact bottom surfaces  36   a - 36   e  are different sizes, for example, toe contact  32   a  has the largest bottom surface  36   a,  whereas toe contact  32   e  has the smallest bottom surface  36   e.  Other relative sizes and configurations are possible and are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. The heel contact bottom surface  34  is also illustrated in  FIG. 3  and is smaller than the heel contact top surface  30 , but the relative sizes of the heel contact top and bottom surfaces  30 ,  34  can be varied in different embodiments. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  shows one of the toe contacts  28  including the top surface  32  and the bottom surface  36 . A middle portion  48  extends between the top and bottom surfaces  32 ,  36 . The middle portion  48  includes a tubular portion  50 , part of which is cutaway in  FIG. 4 . The middle portion  48  further includes a conductive material  52  generally contained within the tubular portion  50  and electrically coupling the top and bottom surfaces  32 ,  36 . Some examples of conductive material are gold, silver, copper, platinum, titanium etc. In various embodiments, varying degrees of conductivity are desired, so the conductive material is chosen to suit the desired conductivity of each particular embodiment. The illustrated conductive contact material  52  is arranged in a double helix formation. Other arrangements and configurations of the conductive material are possible, such as a single helix, a triple helix, a straight line, etc. 
         [0021]    The sole  14  and the contacts  26 ,  28 ,  38  are collectively referred to as the sole assembly. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, the tubular portion  50  comprises the same material as the top and bottom surfaces  32 ,  36 , respectively. The top surface  32  and the bottom surface  36  can comprise the same material as the conductive material  52 , or can comprise a different conductive material. The tubular portion  50  can comprise the same material as the conductive material  52 , the top and bottom surfaces  32 ,  36 , respectively. In another embodiment, the tubular portion  50  includes a first material, the top and bottom surfaces  32 ,  36 , respectively include a second material and the conductive material  52  includes a third material. A similar contact arrangement is utilized for all of the toe contacts  28   a - 28   e  and for the heel contact  26 . For example, energy can flow from the arch  38  though the conductive strips  44 ,  46  and out to the contacts  26 ,  28  where the energy exits into the ground surface. In addition, energy can flow from the heel  22  through the contact  26  to the ground surface and the energy can flow from the toes  24  through the contacts  28  to the ground surface. 
         [0023]    A common Eastern medicine belief is that flow of energy into and out of the body is accomplished at the head, hands and feet. This flow of energy promotes blood flow and general health. Typical footwear has insulating soles that block this flow of energy from the feet. It is believed that allowing a flow of energy between the feet and the earth will enhance blood flow and increase overall health. The sole  14  and contacts  26 ,  28   a - 28   e,  and  38  of the present invention allow energy to flow between the feet  10  and the earth. 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  illustrates a similar sandal configuration, with items being represented in the one hundred series, (e.g.  110 ,  112  etc.). Unless otherwise indicated, item  10  is similar to item  110  and so on. Sandal  112  includes a first toe strap  154   a  positioned adjacent at least one of the toes  124  of the foot  110  and a second toe strap  154   b  positioned over the top of the foot  110 . The toe straps  154   a,    154   b  are coupled to the sole  114  and to each other to hold the foot  110  adjacent the sole  114 . The sole  114  of  FIG. 5  is very similar to the sole  14  of  FIGS. 1-3 . The sole  114  includes a plurality of contacts  126  and  128 , shown here in cutaway portions of the sole  114 . The contacts  126  and  128  extend between the sole top and bottom surfaces  118  and  120 , respectively. The contacts  126  and  128  have contact top surfaces  130  and  132 , respectively that are configured to engage the respective heel  122  and toe  124  of the foot  110 . The contacts  126  and  128  further have respective bottom surfaces  134  and  136  that are configured to engage the ground surface. 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  illustrates a tennis shoe or sneaker  256  that utilizes the sole  214  and the contacts  226 ,  228  as previously discussed. The shoe  256  is operable to receive the foot  210  and hold the foot  210  adjacent the contacts  226 ,  228 , through sock  258 . Adjacent is being used as indirect contact, allowing an intervening member or members, such as a sock  258  to be positioned between adjacent foot  210  and contacts  226 ,  228 . The sock  258  includes a material that conducts electricity between the contacts  226 ,  228  and the foot  210 . The material can be interwoven with the sock  258 , infused into the sock  258 , or otherwise integrated with the sock  258  to conduct electricity through the sock  258 . 
         [0026]    Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.