Patent Publication Number: US-8117769-B2

Title: Cushioned shoe construction including toe and heel plates

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     A shoe sole construction includes a sole member formed from a synthetic plastic material having a first durometer value of hardness, said sole member including toe, ball, arch, and heel portions. Relatively rigid toe and heel plates are secured to the bottom surface of the sole on opposite sides of a relatively soft flex bar member that extends transversely across the ball portion of the sole member. A plurality of toe cushion members are mounted for independent movement within openings contained in the toe plate, and a stabilizing arch cushion member is mounted in the recess defined in the heel plate. These cushion members are arranged in a footprint pattern and have an intermediate durometer value that permits compression of these cushion members during use. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Various proposals have been offered in the shoe sole construction art for improving the walking capability of the user, as for example, a young child learning to walk. In the prior Schumacher et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,507, which was assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, a sole construction was disclosed including a single rigid stabilizing plate that extended completely across the entire bottom surfaces of the sole from the heel to the toe portions thereof. 
     The present invention was developed to provide an improved shoe that affords greater flexibility during use without any undesirable side-to-side torque. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a sole member formed from a synthetic plastic material having a first durometer value of hardness, including relatively rigid longitudinally-spaced toe and heel plates formed from a synthetic plastic material secured beneath the toe and the arch and heel portions of the sole member. A plurality of toe cushion members are mounted for independent movement within openings contained in the toe plate, and a stabilizing arch cushion member is mounted in the recess defined in the horseshoe-shaped heel plate. These cushion members are arranged in a footprint pattern and have an intermediate durometer value that permits compression of these cushion members during use. 
     According to another object of the invention, a relatively soft flex bar member extends in a horizontal groove transversely across the ball portion of the sole member between the toe and heel plates, thereby to impart flexibility to the shoe while preventing side-to-side torque movement. The flex bar member preferably includes vertical leg portions that extend upwardly and are secured within corresponding grooves contained in side walls of the sole member. The flex bar may contain openings or recesses for receiving certain portions of the toe and arch cushion members. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, when viewed in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a shoe including the improved sole construction of the present invention, the upper portion of the shoe being shown in phantom; 
         FIGS. 2-5  are side elevation, top plan, front end and rear end views, respectively of the sole member of the shoe of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a section view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the heel cushion member of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view of the flex bar member, 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 , and 
         FIG. 11  is an end view of the flex bar of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the shoe of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 13   a  and  13   b  are bottom views of the heel and toe plate members of  FIG. 12 , respectively; 
         FIGS. 14   a  and  14   b  are side view of the heel and toe plate members, respectively; 
         FIGS. 15   a  and  15   b  are bottom views or the arch and toe cushion members, respectively; and 
         FIGS. 16   a  and  16   b  are side elevation views of the arch and toe cushion members, respectively. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring first more particularly to  FIGS. 1-7 , the shoe of the present invention includes a sole member  4 , and an upper member  6  (shown in phantom). The sole member is formed from a synthetic plastic material having a first degree of hardness, such as styrene-butadiene-styrene with a durometer value of about 45. The sole includes a toe portion A, a ball portion B, an arch portion C, and a heel portion D. The sole includes a generally horizontal bottom wall  4   a , and vertical toe, heel and side walls  4   b ,  4   c , and  4   d  which cooperate with said bottom wall to define an open-topped chamber  8 . The upper member is adhesively secured or thermally bonded in a conventional manner to the vertical side, front and rear walls of the sole member. 
     The ball portion of the sole member  4  contains a groove  12  having a first portion  12   a  that extends continuously transversely across the bottom surface of the sole, and second portions  12   b  that extend upwardly in the outer surfaces of the side walls  4   d . Secured to the sole member within in the groove  12  is a generally U-shaped flex bar member  10  ( FIGS. 9-11 ) having a horizontal base portion  10   a  that extends within groove portion  12   a  transversely beneath the bottom of the sole member, and a pair of vertical side wall end portions  10   b  that extend upwardly within the groove portions  12   b  contained in the outer surfaces of the side walls of the sole member. The flex bar member  10  is formed from a relatively soft synthetic plastic material having a durometer value (i.e., about 40) that is less than that of the sole member  4 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 12 , secured to the bottom surface of the sole member forwardly and rearwardly of the flex member horizontal base portion  10   a  are generally planar toe and heel plates  22  and  24  ( FIGS. 13   a - 14   b ) formed from a relatively hard synthetic plastic material having a durometer value (i.e., about 60) that is higher than that of the sole member. A plurality of toe cushion members  26  are provided that are independently secured to the bottom surface of the sole member and extend independently through corresponding openings in the toe and heel plate members and said flex bar member. More particularly, the toe cushion member  26   a  is mounted in the opening  28   a  contained in the toe plate member, and the toe cushion members  26   b  are partially contained in recesses  28   b  provided in the toe plate member, and corresponding recesses  28   c  ( FIG. 9 ) provided in the flex bar member. A further toe cushion member  26   c  is mounted in a toe through opening  28   d  contained in the flex bar member. 
     An arch cushion recess  30   a  ( FIG. 13   a ) is formed in the horseshoe-shaped heel plate member  24  and cooperates with a corresponding recess  30   b  ( FIG. 9 ) formed in the flex bar member  10  to define an opening  30  ( FIG. 12 ) for receiving the stabilizing arch cushion member  32 . The toe and arch cushion members are formed from a synthetic plastic material having an intermediate value of durometer hardness (i.e., 50) that is between those of the sole and the toe and heel plate members. These toe and arch cushion members are secured to the sole for compression movement independently of the plate members. 
     Finally, the stabilizing arch cushion member contains in the heel portion of the sole an opening  40  ( FIG. 15   a ) that independently receives the relatively soft heel shock absorber member  42  ( FIG. 8 ) that is secured within the recess  42  contained in the sole bottom surface, which heel shock absorber member has a durometer value equal to that of the flex bar member (i.e., about 40). As shown in  FIG. 3 , the upper surface of the sole heel portion contains a plurality of heel cavities  23  arranged in a checkerboard pattern at least partially above the heel shock absorber member  42 . 
     Thus, according to the present invention, a four-density outsole is provided that is particularly suitable for use in children&#39;s shoes, from beginning walkers up to about five years. The sole member  4  has a relatively soft density (durometer value 45), with very firm density (i.e., durometer value 60) being provided by the heel stabilizer plate  24  in the horseshoe-shaped heel area, and also by the toe plate  22  in the bottom of the toe area forwardly of the flex bar member  10 . Medium density (i.e., durometer 50) is provided in the toe and arch stabilizing footprint area of the sole member. In the area of greatest flexibility between the toes and ball of the ball of the foot for natural flexibility exactly where the foot should flex, the flex bar member  10  is relatively soft (with a durometer value of about 40), as does the heel shock-absorbing pad  42 . All of the components are formed of a thermal plastic resin, such as styrene-butadiene-styrene. By having toe and heel plates of high durometer rigidity value, a rigid heel support is provided while the child is standing, and the sole will not torque side-to-side. Also, the same rigid support is provided when the child flexes the flex bar area of the sole, and weight is distributed forwardly to the toe member, similarly preventing side-to-side torque. As best shown in  FIG. 15   a , the bottom surfaces of the toe and arch cushion members are preferably embossed with a footprint design. These components mash down a bit when the child walks on the ground. The manufacturer&#39;s logo may be placed on the bottom surface of the shock-absorbing heel pad  42 . 
     The toe cushion pads work either separately from each other, or together in the same way as a real foot functions. These components and the arch cushion stabilizing plate have an intermediate hardness, and mash down because of their contact with the ground. The sole member  4  is of softer durometer and works as a foot bed covering the entire surface of the sole between the foot of the child and the more rigid heel and toe members  22  and  24 , and the arch cushion stabilizing plate  32 . The sole member acts as a shock absorber for the entire foot, and the heel pad creates a shock absorber in the heel area to compress and lessen the shock as the heel of the child strikes the ground. 
     It should be noted from  FIG. 6  that the front wall  4   b  of the sole member  4  extends upwardly to protect the shoe from scuffing in the toe area when the child is crawling, and also to protect the child&#39;s toes as well. Similarly, the vertical rear wall  4   c  extends upwardly sufficiently protect the heel of the shoe from scuffing as the child sits on the ground. Therefore, the shoe sole construction of the present invention is more flexible in the areas where it needs to be, and more stable in the area it has to be. Thus, the shoe of the present invention affords the closest possible imitation of a child&#39;s bare foot actually walking on the ground while still providing it with the utmost of protection achievable. 
     While in accordance with the provisions of the Patent Statutes the preferred forms and embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made without deviating from the invention described above.