Boots – shoes – and leggings – Soles – Cushion
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-20
2001-03-13
Kavanaugh, Ted (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Soles
Cushion
C036S03000A, C036S03500R, C036S144000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199302
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an athletic shoe used at the time of going out, jogging and playing sports in daily life.
2. Description of Prior Arts
Midsole is a member arranged on an outer sole and absorbs a shock at the time of landing one's foot. For that purpose, the midsole is composed of a material effective in shock absorption and resilience such as EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer) sponge (foam). To achieve the characteristics of EVA, hardness of the EVA sponge is usually set to a relatively small value of 40° to 60°. As a result, increase of pronation is accelerated in some cases.
Generally, during running, a foot landed from lateral side (outside) of a heel becomes parallel to a road surface and subsequently the heel of the foot inclines a little toward medial side (inside). This inclination of heel toward medial side is called “pronation”. When hardness of the EVA sponge is small as mentioned above, the pronation is accelerated. An excessive movement of pronation or a movement of pronation for a long time is called an over-pronation, and generally this over-pronation is not desirable.
A sole for restraining the pronation was developed.
FIG. 17
is a plan view showing a midsole disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication (examined) No. 61-7801.
FIG. 18
is a side view showing the midsole disclosed in the same patent publication.
As shown in these drawings, in the prior art disclosed in the mentioned patent publication, a pronation restraining member
202
of a larger hardness than that of a midsole body
201
is disposed at a medial side
11
of a rear foot part of a midsole
200
. The midsole
200
according to this prior art supports the medial side of the heel of the foot by the pronation restraining member
202
of a larger hardness, and prevents the heel from inclining toward the medial side of the foot.
However, in this prior art, there exists a problem of easily occurring a feeling of unfitness in the foot when hardness of the pronation restraining member
202
is excessively large.
FIG. 19
is a side view showing a shoe disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication (unexamined) No. 3-51005.
FIG. 20
is a bottom view of the sole disclosed in the same publication.
As shown in these drawings, in this prior art disclosed in the above publication, a groove
302
is formed substantially all over outer periphery of a rear foot part
301
of the sole
300
and extending almost equally to left and right (almost equally to medial and lateral sides). This groove
302
improves cushioning performance of the rear foot part of the sole
300
.
Several other prior arts for improving the cushioning performance of sole by providing a groove extending equally to medial and lateral sides are also disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Publication (examined) No. 59-11610 and in the Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication (unexamined) No. 62-200904. These prior arts, however, cannot restrain the pronation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made to solve the above-discussed problems incidental to the prior arts and has an object of providing an athletic shoe for restraining pronation.
Another object of the invention is to provide an athletic shoe for restraining supination.
An athletic shoe for restraining pronation according to the invention comprises an upper for accommodating an instep of a foot, and outer sole having a tread on bottom surface, and a midsole interposed between the upper and the outer sole. A shock absorbing groove is formed in the midsole. The shock absorbing groove is formed of a long transverse groove and a short longitudinal groove in a continuous manner. The transverse groove is formed on the midsole extending from a side face of a rear foot part of the midsole on lateral side of foot to a back face of a heel part of the midsole, and has an end on the heel part. The longitudinal groove is formed in such a manner as to cut out the heel part of the midsole from a lower end face of the midsole toward the end of the transverse groove.
In the invention, the expression “the transverse groove has an end on the heel part” means that the long transverse groove is formed on one side of the rear part of the midsole, and not formed on another side.
The “shock absorbing groove” in the invention exhibits not only a function of shock absorption but also a function of restraining the pronation, as described below.
When running putting on the athletic shoe for restraining the pronation according to the invention, the portion of lateral side of foot in the midsole is compressed vertically at the portion of the long transverse groove and deformed at the time of landing, and the foot tends to incline toward the lateral side. As a result, the pronation of inclining the foot toward the medial side can be restrained.
Further, in the invention, as the short longitudinal groove is provided in such a manner as to rise toward the end of the transverse groove, the influence of the deformation occurred at the portion of the transverse groove is shut out at the portion of the longitudinal groove. Therefore, even when the portion of lateral side of the midsole is deformed at the time of landing the foot, the portion of medial side is hardly deformed. As a result, the pronation can be sufficiently restrained.
An athletic shoe for restraining supination according to the invention comprises an upper for accommodating an instep of a foot, and outer sole having a tread on bottom surface, and a midsole interposed between the upper and the outer sole. A shock absorbing groove is formed in the midsole. The shock absorbing groove is formed of a long transverse groove and a short longitudinal groove in a continuous manner. The transverse groove is formed on the midsole extending from a side face of a rear foot part of the midsole on medial side of foot to a back face of a heel part of the midsole, and has an end on the heel part. The longitudinal groove is formed in such a manner as to cut out the heel part of the midsole from a lower end face of the midsole toward the end of the transverse groove.
The “shock absorbing groove” in the invention exhibits not only a function of shock absorption but also a function of restraining the supination, as described below.
When running putting on the athletic shoe for restraining the pronation according to the invention, the portion of medial side of foot in the midsole is compressed vertically at the portion of the long transverse groove and deformed at the time of landing, and the foot tends to incline toward medial side. As a result, the supination of inclining the foot toward the lateral side can be restrained.
Further, in the invention, as the short longitudinal groove is provided in such a manner as to rise toward the end of the transverse groove, the influence of the deformation occurred at the portion of the transverse groove is shut out at the portion of the longitudinal groove. Therefore, even when the portion of medial side of the midsole is deformed at the time of landing the foot, the portion of lateral side is hardly deformed. As a result, the supination can be sufficiently restrained.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2048683 (1936-07-01), Broockman
patent: 4813160 (1989-03-01), Kuznetz
patent: 4912858 (1990-04-01), Mochizuki
patent: 5131173 (1992-07-01), Anderie
patent: 5195256 (1993-03-01), Kim
patent: 5224277 (1993-07-01), Sang Do
patent: 5367792 (1994-11-01), Richard et al.
patent: 5575089 (1996-11-01), Giese et al.
patent: 5787610 (1998-08-01), Brooks
patent: 6014821 (2000-01-01), Yaw
patent: 59-11610 (1984-04-01), None
patent: 61-7801 (1986-03-01), None
patent: 62-200904 (1987-12-01), None
patent: 3-51005 (1991-05-01), None
Asics Corporation
Kavanaugh Ted
Zall Michael
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