Special receptacle or package – Embroidery – lace – or ruching
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-11
2004-02-03
Mohandesi, Jila M. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
Embroidery, lace, or ruching
C206S039400, C206S039400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06685011
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a shoe sole, and more particularly, to a shock absorbing device for the shoe sole.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A shoe sole needs cushioning or shock absorbing properties.
The conventional shoe sole typically dissipates and absorbs energy of landing shock, i.e., shock from the foot upon walking through compressive transformation of a shock absorbing device such as a midsole. However, such an energy absorption (loss) relying on only the compressive transformation will not ensure sufficient shock absorbing abilities due to its small amount of energy absorption in general.
On the contrary, increased thickness of the midsole to increase the energy loss may impair shoe sole's lightweight properties and stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,010 discloses a shock absorbing device as depicted in FIG.
19
(
a
).
In this prior art, a midsole
102
is interposed between an outsole
100
and an upper
101
. The midsole
102
consists of a flexible elastic member (30 to 50 degrees in hardness)
103
and a rigid elastic member (60 to 80 degrees in hardness)
104
which are joined together via a joint surface
105
. The joint surface
105
is corrugated.
Japan Utility Model Laid-open Pub. No. Hei6-17504 discloses a shock absorbing device as depicted in FIG.
19
(
b
).
In this prior art, the midsole
102
is fitted with a shock absorbing device
106
having a corrugated section.
In these prior arts, loads from above bring about compressive transformations of the corrugated portions. However, such compressive transformations do not ensure by themselves sufficient shock absorbing properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,819 discloses a shock absorbing device as depicted in FIGS.
20
(
a
) and
20
(
b
).
In this prior art, a multiplicity of compressible chambers
202
are formed between a lower sheet-like member
200
and an upper sheet-like member
201
. When a weight
203
is applied from above to the sheet-like member
201
, the chambers
202
are put in compression, which compression provides a shock absorbing feature.
In this prior art, the upper and lower sheet-like members
200
and
201
are brought into pressure contact with each other at inclined faces
204
, causing a slight shearing transformation. The upper and lower members
200
and
201
however involve a multiplicity of sharp edge and shoulder portions (differentiation-impossible points)
205
at which the sectional contour sharply varies. This impairs the continuity of transformation and hence suppresses the energy absorption attributable to the shearing transformation.
Additionally, due to formation of recessed portions
206
in the lower member
200
, when the two members
200
and
201
come into pressure contact with each other at the inclined faces
204
as depicted in FIG.
20
(
b
), the lower member
200
can deform such that convexed portions
207
of the lower member
200
migrate into the recessed portions
206
reducing support for inclined face
204
. This reduces the contact pressure on the inclined faces
204
and impairs the energy absorption abilities attributable to the shearing transformation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel structure of a shock absorbing device for a shoe sole so as to facilitate the occurrence of a shearing transformation to thereby achieve an improvement in the shock absorbing properties.
In one aspect of the present invention to attain the above object, a shock absorbing device for a shoe sole comprises a lower layer having an upper face and an upper layer having a lower face.
The two layers are both made of an elastomer.
The upper face of the lower layer and the lower face of the upper layer are each formed to have substantially a corrugated section. (Hereinafter referred to the faces formed to have substantially the corrugated section as “corrugated faces”).
The corrugated faces each have a plurality of top portions, a plurality of bottom portions, and a plurality of inclined portions joining the top portions and bottom portions, with the corrugated faces each being formed from essentially a smooth and continuous curvilinear surface.
The corrugated upper face and lower face mate with each other.
The two faces mated with each other (two mating faces) are in contact with each other at the inclined portions of the faces.
The two mating faces are spaced apart from each other at the top portions and/or at the bottom portions, with gaps being formed at the spaced-apart portions.
In another aspect of the present invention, a shock absorbing device for a shoe sole comprises a lower layer having an upper face and an upper layer having a lower face.
The two layers are both made of an elastomer.
The upper face of the lower layer and the lower face of the upper layer are each formed to have substantially a corrugated section.
The corrugated faces each have a plurality of top portions, a plurality of bottom portions, and a plurality of inclined portions joining the top portions and bottom portions.
The top portions of the upper face of the lower layer are formed with essentially a recess-free, upwardly convexed surface, the bottom portions of the lower face of the upper layer are formed with essentially a recess-free, downwardly convexed surface.
The corrugated upper face and lower face mate with each other.
The two mating faces are in contact with each other at the inclined portions of the faces.
The two mating faces are spaced apart from each other at the top portions and/or at the bottom portions, with gaps being formed at the spaced-apart portions.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a shock absorbing device for a shoe sole comprises a lower layer having an upper face, an upper layer having a lower face, and an intermediate layer interposed between the lower layer and the upper layer.
The upper face of the lower layer and the lower face of the upper layer are each formed to have substantially a corrugated section.
The corrugated faces each have a plurality of top portions, a plurality of bottom portions, and a plurality of inclined portions joining the top portions and bottom portions.
The corrugated upper face and lower face mate via the intermediate layer with each other.
The two mating faces are in contact via the intermediate layer with each other at the respective inclined portions.
The two mating faces are spaced apart from each other at the top portions and/or at the bottom portions, with gaps being formed at the spaced-apart portions.
According to the present invention, between the upper and lower layers having corrugated sections, gaps are formed at the top portions and/or at the bottom portions of the corrugations. Thus the application of loads from above causes a shearing transformation at the inclined portions in contact with each other, the shearing transformation arising from shearing of textures of the inclined portions along the inclined surfaces. Thus, the loads from above presents not merely the compressive transformation but also a shearing transformation which contributes to an improvement of the shock absorbing properties.
In the present invention, the corrugated faces are each formed from essentially a smooth and continuous curvilinear surface so that there exist no sharply varying points in the sectional contours, whereupon there will occur a shearing transformation not merely at the textures of the inclined portions but also at the top portions and bottom portions without impairing the continuity in the shearing transformation. Remarkably improved shock absorbing properties are thus achieved.
As used herein, “the corrugated faces are each formed from essentially a smooth and continuous curvilinear surface” means that the sectional contours include a contour consisting of a curve and a curve which are smoothly joined together and a contour consisting of a curve and a straight line which are smoothly joined together and that there exist a plurality of crests and troughs having no sharply varying points which make t
Kurosaki Kiyomitsu
Mitsui Shigeyuki
Nishiwaki Tsuyoshi
Ueno Seiichi
ASICS Corporation
Moh'andesi Jila M.
Zall Michael E.
LandOfFree
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