Boots – shoes – and leggings – Soles – Laminated
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2001-10-02
Sewell, Paul T. (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Soles
Laminated
C036S028000, C036S031000, C036S103000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295741
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sole assembly. More particularly, the invention relates to the improvement of the sole construction, which is comprised of a midsole, a corrugated sheet, and an outsole.
The sole of an athletic shoe used for various sports is generally comprised of a midsole and an outsole. The midsole is typically formed of soft elastic material in order to ensure adequate cushioning properties. The outsole is fitted under the midsole and directly contacts with the ground.
Running stability as well as adequate cushioning properties is required in athletic shoes. There is need to prevent shoes from being deformed excessively in the lateral or transverse direction when contacting with the ground.
As shown in Japanese patent application publication No. 11-332606, filed May 22, 1998, published after the priority date, Apr. 16, 1999, of the present application, the applicant of the present invention proposes a midsole assembly having a corrugated sheet therein, which can prevent such an excessive lateral deformation of shoes.
FIGS. 5 and 6
show the midsole of the above Japanese patent application. As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, a midsole
13
is comprised of an upper midsole
13
a
and lower midsoles
13
b
,
13
b′
. A corrugated sheet
14
is inserted between the upper midsole
13
a
and lower midsoles
13
b
,
13
b′
.
The corrugated sheet
14
extends from the heel portion to the center of the forefoot portion of a shoe and the upper midsole
13
a
is bonded to the upper face of the sheet
14
. The lower midsoles
13
b
,
13
b′
are bonded to the heel portion and forefoot portion, respectively, of the corrugated sheet
14
. The lower midsole
13
b′
is also attached to the upper midsole
13
a
. Under the lower midsoles
13
b
,
13
b′
are attached outsoles
15
,
15
′, respectively.
Such a construction produces resistant force which prevents the heel portion of a midsole from being deformed laterally or transversely when a shoe contacts with the ground. Thereby, the transverse deformation of the heel portion of a shoe is prevented and running stability is secured.
However, in this case, when manufacturing the above-mentioned sole construction, it is necessary to bond the lower midsole
13
b
to the heel portion of the corrugated sheet
14
and to bond the lower midsole
13
b′
to the forefoot portion of the corrugated sheet
14
. Furthermore, attachment of the outsole
15
to the lower midsole
13
b
as well as attachment of the outsole
15
′ to the lower midsole
13
b′
is required, which makes the manufacturing process rather complicated.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a sole assembly for an athletic shoe that can simplify the manufacturing process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a sole assembly for an athletic shoe. In a preferred embodiment, the sole assembly comprises a midsole body extending from the heel part to the forefoot part of the shoe, a corrugated sheet or wavy sheet having a heel portion and a forefoot portion, and a lower midsole attached to the heel portion of the corrugated sheet. The corrugated sheet is made of elastic material. At least the heel portion of the corrugated sheet has a corrugation and the forefoot portion of the corrugated sheet is integrally formed with the outsole on the forefoot side. The heel and forefoot portions of the corrugated sheet are attached to the bottom surface of the midsole body, and an outsole is attached under the lower midsole. The corrugated sheet is preferably made of elastomer. The elastomer may be polyurethane elastomer, polyamide elastomer, polyolefine elastomer, polystyrene elastomer, or polyester elastomer. More preferably, the corrugated sheet is made of solid rubber. The solid rubber may be styrene-butadiene-rubber, chloroprene-rubber, isoprene-rubber, butadiene-rubber, nitrile-rubber, or natural rubber. The solid rubber preferably has a Shore hardness of from 50 to 85 at A scale. More preferably, the Shore hardness of the solid rubber is 55±5 at A scale.
According to the present invention, the outsole on the forefoot side is integrated with the forefoot portion of the corrugated sheet. Such an integrated molding is more easily conducted by making the corrugated sheet of solid rubber. The manufacturing process of the sole construction of the present invention is as follows:
First, a corrugated sheet having a forefoot portion integrated with an outsole on the forefoot side is attached to the bottom surface of a midsole body. Thereafter, a lower midsole is attached to the heel portion of the corrugated sheet and then, an outsole on the heel side is attached to the bottom surface of the lower midsole.
Thus, the present invention not only eliminates the process of bonding the lower midsole to the forefoot portion, but it also eliminates the process of bonding the outsole to the forefoot portion of a shoe, which causes the number of parts to be reduced and causes the manufacturing process to be simplified.
Moreover, because the outsole and corrugated sheet are integrally formed with each other on the forefoot side of the midsole body, when the sole construction bends, peal of the outsole will not occur by the peal stress generated on the boundary between the outsole and corrugated sheet.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2677906 (1954-05-01), Reed
patent: 4561195 (1985-12-01), Onoda et al.
patent: 4798010 (1989-01-01), Sugiyama
patent: 4805319 (1989-02-01), Tonkel
patent: 4864737 (1989-09-01), Marrello
patent: 4999931 (1991-03-01), Vermeulen
patent: 5131173 (1992-07-01), Anderie
patent: 5255451 (1993-10-01), Tong et al.
patent: 5606807 (1997-03-01), Prepodnik
patent: 5720118 (1998-02-01), Mayer et al.
patent: 5799415 (1998-09-01), Kenji et al.
patent: 6219940 (2001-04-01), Kita
patent: 19641866-A1 (1996-12-01), None
patent: 2032760-A (1980-05-01), None
patent: 11-332606 (1999-07-01), None
patent: WO-90/06699 (1990-06-01), None
Fasse W. F.
Fasse W. G.
Mizuno Corporation
Sewell Paul T.
Stashick Anthony
LandOfFree
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