Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8082684?dq=7,292,151
Timestamp: 2013-12-18 16:01:15
Document Index: 525533747

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 05', 'Application No. 2005277218', 'Application No. 05786806', 'Application No. 2005277218', 'Application No. 2577344', 'Application No. 2577344', 'Application No. 05786806', 'Application No. 05786806']

Patent US8082684 - Footwear with bridged decoupling - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA sole unit for a shoe having at least one decoupling track between regions of sole unit allowing for the decoupling of the regions in response to forces from foot-ground contact; a plurality of bridge elements connecting opposite sides of the track so that when forces from foot-ground contact are alleviated,...http://www.google.com/patents/US8082684?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8082684 - Footwear with bridged decouplingAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS8082684 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/573,856PCT numberPCT/US2005/029628Publication dateDec 27, 2011Filing dateAug 18, 2005Priority dateAug 18, 2004Also published asCA2577344A1, CA2577344C, EP1824351A1, EP1824351A4, EP1824351B1, US20080289221, WO2006023773A1Publication number11573856, 573856, PCT/2005/29628, PCT/US/2005/029628, PCT/US/2005/29628, PCT/US/5/029628, PCT/US/5/29628, PCT/US2005/029628, PCT/US2005/29628, PCT/US2005029628, PCT/US200529628, PCT/US5/029628, PCT/US5/29628, PCT/US5029628, PCT/US529628, US 8082684 B2, US 8082684B2, US-B2-8082684, US8082684 B2, US8082684B2InventorsJon MunnsOriginal AssigneeFox Head, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (35), Non-Patent Citations (12), Classifications (12), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetFootwear with bridged decouplingUS 8082684 B2Abstract A sole unit for a shoe having at least one decoupling track between regions of sole unit allowing for the decoupling of the regions in response to forces from foot-ground contact; a plurality of bridge elements connecting opposite sides of the track so that when forces from foot-ground contact are alleviated, there is a recouping of the decoupled regions. The bridge elements may extend from a tendon element disposed on one side of a decoupling track to the other side of the track.
RELATED APPLICATIONS This invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/602,733, entitled FOOTWEAR WITH BRIDGED DECOUPLING, filed on Aug. 18, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference and set forth in its entirety for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to footwear, and in particular to an article of footwear with a cushioning system to protect the wearer from impact combined with a stability system to protect the wearer from uncontrolled motion. It is particularly suited for athletic footwear adapted to accommodate the dynamic motions of the leg, ankle, and foot when walking, running, biking, jumping, turning, and so on. Accordingly, to illustrate the principles of the inventive concepts, it will be described in terms of athletic shoes such as, but not limited to, running, training, walking, and court shoes.
SUMMARY The inventive concepts described herein overcome problems in the prior art by providing an athletic shoe with the following qualities, alone or in combination:
�Decoupling grooves� are channels molded, cut, or otherwise formed in the outsole, midsole, or both to allow the shoe to preferentially flex along the decoupling groove axis or path. The groove or grooves allow the sole region on one side of a groove to move with a specifiable amount of independence relative to the sole region on the other side, thereby reducing the transfer of motion, force, and stress from one side to the other side. It will also be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that a groove need not be in the nature of a physical depression inset into the sole, but it may also be a virtual groove where material properties or structures define a flexion line. For example, decoupling groove 20 could be substantially coplanar with its adjacent regions of sole unit but be made of a more elastic material than the adjacent regions so that those regions can react to force independently and decouple. Similarly, the groove could be a coplanar structure designed to flex, bend or collapse under force more easily than the adjacent regions, also allowing the regions to react independently to force. For example, accordion or pleated structures, perforated zones, or varying material thicknesses can create a stress risers and consequently flexion lines. Accordingly, the use of the term groove herein is intended to be exemplary and not limiting of a defined track between regions of sole unit that are designated for independent operation, such as decoupling. Hereinafter, the term �decoupling track� may be used to refer to any means of decoupling, including decoupling based on grooves, material properties, and structures.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS3290801Dec 11, 1964Dec 13, 1966Alfred BenteTrack shoe having heel cushioning meansUS4779361Jul 23, 1987Oct 25, 1988Sam KinsaulFlex limiting shoe soleUS4922631 *Jan 18, 1989May 8, 1990Adidas Sportschuhfabriken Adi Dassier Stiftung & Co. KgShoe bottom for sports shoesUS5005299Feb 12, 1990Apr 9, 1991Whatley Ian HShock absorbing outsole for footwearUS5012597Apr 26, 1989May 7, 1991Robert ThomassonShoe sole with twist flex featureUS5384973Dec 11, 1992Jan 31, 1995Nike, Inc.Sole with articulated forefootUS5408761Jul 29, 1993Apr 25, 1995A. D. One Sports, Inc.Sport shoe and support systemUS5440826Mar 18, 1994Aug 15, 1995Whatley; Ian H.Shock absorbing outsole for footwearUS5647145Jun 5, 1995Jul 15, 1997Russell; BrianSculptured athletic footwear sole constructionUS5784808 *Sep 17, 1996Jul 28, 1998Hockerson; StanIndependent impact suspension athletic shoeUS5810764Jul 18, 1996Sep 22, 1998Arthrocare CorporationResecting loop electrode and method for electrosurgical cutting and ablationUS6065230 *Sep 11, 1998May 23, 2000Brocks Sports, Inc.Shoe having cushioning means localized in high impact zonesUS6115945 *Dec 3, 1993Sep 12, 2000Anatomic Research, Inc.Shoe sole structures with deformation sipesUS6338206Jun 13, 2000Jan 15, 2002Mizuno CorporationAthletic shoe sole design and constructionUS6389713Sep 14, 1999May 21, 2002Mizuno CorporationAthletic shoe midsole design and constructionUS6401365Mar 8, 2001Jun 11, 2002Mizuno CorporationAthletic shoe midsole design and constructionUS6438870May 7, 2001Aug 27, 2002Asics CorporationShoe sole with shock absorber structureUS6647645Aug 31, 2001Nov 18, 2003Mizuno CorporationMidsole structure of athletic shoeUS6748675Jun 5, 2002Jun 15, 2004Mizuno CorporationSole assembly for sports shoeUS6962008 *Jan 10, 2003Nov 8, 2005Adidas International Marketing B.V.Full bearing 3D cushioning systemUS6990755 *Oct 9, 2003Jan 31, 2006Nike, Inc.Article of footwear with a stretchable upper and an articulated sole structureUS7124519 *Jan 14, 2004Oct 24, 2006Columbia Insurance CompanyShoe sole having improved flexibility and method for making the sameUS7171767 *Nov 7, 2005Feb 6, 2007Nike, Inc.Article of footwear with a stretchable upper and an articulated sole structureUS7392605 *Dec 18, 2006Jul 1, 2008Nike, Inc.Article of footwear with a stretchable upper and an articulated sole structureUS7430817 *Nov 18, 2005Oct 7, 2008Dc Shoes, Inc.Skateboard shoeUS7441346 *Dec 28, 2004Oct 28, 2008Saucony, Inc.Athletic shoe with independent supportsUS7627963 *Nov 19, 2007Dec 8, 2009Nike, Inc.Footwear with longitudinally split midsole for dynamic fit adjustmentUS20020088145Dec 19, 2001Jul 11, 2002The Timberland CompanyShoe constructionUS20020144429May 24, 2002Oct 10, 2002Hay Gordon GrahamShoe sole with foot guidanceUS20040154188Feb 7, 2003Aug 12, 2004Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc.Footwear with dual-density midsole and deceleration zonesAU2005277218A1 Title not availableCA2577344A1Aug 18, 2005Mar 2, 2006Fox Racing, Inc.Footwear with bridged decouplingEP0836395A1Jun 4, 1996Apr 22, 1998Danny AbshireSculptured athletic footwear sole constructionEP0873061A1Dec 20, 1996Oct 28, 1998Hyde Athletic Industries, Inc.Combination midsole stabilizer and enhancerJP2000189205A Title not available* Cited by examinerNon-Patent CitationsReference1Canadian Office Action dated Sep. 24, 2008, pp. 1-3.2Canadian Office Action for co-pending Canadian Patent Application No. 2,577,344, dated Jun. 19, 2009, 1-4.3European Office Action dated Mar. 17, 2011,which issued in counterpart related European Application No. 05 786 806.9-2318, (5 pages).4European Search Report dated Feb. 2, 2009, 5 pages.5Office action dated Feb. 19, 2008 from Australian Patent Office for Australia Patent Application No. 2005277218; 2 pages.6Office Action from European Patent Office for European Patent Application No. 05786806.9-2318, dated Jul. 13, 2009; 1 page.7PCT International Search Report and PCT Written Opinion dated Dec. 15, 2005 for International PCT Application No. PCT/US05/29628 filed Aug. 18, 2005, 5 pages.8Response to Office Action submitted to the Australian Patent Office for Australia Patent Application No. 2005277218, dated Nov. 4, 2008; 34 pages.9Response to Office Action submitted to the Canadian Patent Office for Canadian Patent Application No. 2577344, dated 12/1612009; 7 pages.10Response to Office Action submitted to the Canadian Patent Office for Canadian Patent Application No. 2577344, dated Mar. 24, 2009; 26 pages.11Response to Office Action submitted to the European Patent Office for European Patent Application No. 05786806..9-2318, dated Jul. 13, 2011; 12 pages.12Response to Office Action submitted to the European Patent Office for European Patent Application No. 05786806.9-2318, dated Nov. 13, 2009; 17 pages.Classifications U.S. Classification36/25.00R, 36/102, 36/103International ClassificationA43B13/00Cooperative ClassificationA43B13/12, A43B13/026, A43B13/141, A43B13/181European ClassificationA43B13/12, A43B13/18A, A43B13/02C, A43B13/14FLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionDec 6, 2010ASAssignmentFree format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:FOX RACING, INC.;REEL/FRAME:025452/0116Effective date: 20061230Owner name: FOX HEAD, INC., CALIFORNIAJun 21, 2008ASAssignmentOwner name: FOX RACING, INC., CALIFORNIAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MUNNS, JON;REEL/FRAME:021132/0613Effective date: 20080612RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google