Boots – shoes – and leggings – Soles – Cushion
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-13
2004-10-26
Kavanaugh, Ted (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Soles
Cushion
C036S02500A, C036S027000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06807753
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention generally relates to adjustable cushioning systems for articles of footwear.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Conventional athletic shoes include an upper and a sole. The sole is usually manufactured of a material chosen to optimize a particular function of the shoe, for example, cushioning or stiffness. Typically, the sole includes a midsole and an outsole, either of which can include, for example, a cushioning material to protect a wearer's foot and leg. One drawback with conventional shoes is that the wearer has to select a specific shoe to get optimum performance for a specific activity. For example, the wearer has to use one type of shoe for running and another type of shoe for basketball, because one shoe has more cushioning while the other is stiffer for greater support during lateral movement.
Shoes have been designed that attempt to combine and optimize different functions of sport specific shoes; however, the wearer is still left with a shoe with set functionality that the wearer cannot customize. What may be optimal for one segment of the population is not necessarily optimal for everyone. For example, many shoes are designed with wedges or varying degrees of cushioning across the width of the sole to compensate for pronation or supination. Unfortunately, these shoes are typically limited to compensating for either pronation or supination and the amount of compensation cannot be varied to suit a particular wearer. Furthermore, shoes have been designed that attempt to give a wearer some adjustability with respect to a specific function; however, these shoes may require at least partial disassembly of the shoe and/or the wearer may be limited in the amount of adjustment that can be made.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,568, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a cushioning system including a cylindrical shock-absorbing insert located in a heel of a shoe. Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,430,810 and 4,573,279, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, also disclose cylindrical inserts located in the heel of the shoe. There are several drawbacks to these cushioning systems. For example, the inserts are isotropic. To adjust the cushioning properties of an isotropic insert, the wearer has to remove the insert and replace the insert with another insert having different cushioning properties. The '568 patent discloses rotating the insert to “renew” the cushioning effect of the insert, but the cushioning effect is the same no matter what orientation is selected. In addition, the inserts can “turn” during use, because there is no mechanism for locking the inserts against rotational movement during use.
There is, therefore, a need for a shoe that the wearer can easily, repeatedly, and securely customize. Such a shoe should give the wearer the ability to make numerous adjustments to the functional characteristics of the shoe, for example, increased cushioning, compensation for pronation, compensation for supination, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to adjustable cushioning systems for articles of footwear that can be customized by a wearer. The systems include one or more cushioning inserts having an anisotropic property afforded, for example, by a multiple density construction. The systems may also include structural support elements that provide additional stability and support to the foot. The wearer can adjust the degree of cushioning by rotating the insert within the shoe. Alternatively, the insert could be moved, flipped, or otherwise displaced relative to the shoe to adjust the degree of cushioning. The wearer could also remove the insert and replace the insert with a new and/or different insert. In addition, the insert can be locked in a predetermined position to maintain a specific performance characteristic.
In one aspect, the invention generally relates to an adjustable cushioning system for an article of footwear. The system includes an insert adapted to be received in an aperture formed in a sole of the article of footwear and a locking mechanism disposed proximate the insert for maintaining the insert in a predetermined position or orientation. The insert has an anisotropic property about a longitudinal axis thereof and can be reoriented rotationally in the article of footwear to modify a performance characteristic thereof. The anisotropic property may be compressibility, resiliency, compliancy, elasticity, damping, energy storage, stiffness, or combinations thereof. In various embodiments, the insert is made of a multiple density foam. In another embodiment, the insert may include a skeletal element. In yet another embodiment, the insert is made of a combination of a skeletal element and a multiple density foam. Alternatively, the insert could be made of a first material having a first hardness, a second material having a second hardness, and a third material having a third hardness, for example.
In another aspect, the invention relates to an article of footwear including a sole and an adjustable cushioning system. The system includes an insert adapted to be received in an aperture formed in the sole of the article of footwear and a locking mechanism disposed proximate the insert for maintaining the insert in a predetermined orientation. The insert has an anisotropic property about a longitudinal axis thereof and can be reoriented rotationally in the article of footwear to modify a performance characteristic thereof. The anisotropic property may be compressibility, resiliency, compliancy, elasticity, damping, energy storage, stiffness, or combinations thereof. The system can be located in a heel region and/or a forefoot region of the sole of the article of footwear. In one embodiment, the sole includes an outsole and a midsole, and the insert is disposed at least partially within the midsole of the article of footwear.
In one embodiment, the locking mechanism includes a lever coupled to the insert for rotatably positioning the insert and a mating groove for receiving and maintaining the lever and the insert in a predetermined position. The groove may be disposed in a casing disposed about an end of the insert. Alternatively, the groove could be disposed in a portion of the sole or another structural element disposed within the sole. The lever has a locked position and an unlocked position. The locking mechanism may further include a second mating groove for receiving and maintaining the lever in a second predetermined position. The locking mechanism may also include a detent and an engagement mechanism disposed adjacent the detent. The engagement mechanism has a notch that is engageable with the detent to help maintain the orientation of the insert and/or to indicate to a wearer the position of the insert. The locking mechanism may include a visual position indicator, an audible position indicator, or both. The locking mechanism may be at least partially disposed within a retainer ring circumscribing an end of the insert. The locking mechanism may be disposed on a medial side, lateral side, or heel portion of the article of footwear.
In additional embodiments, the adjustable cushioning system includes a casing disposed in the sole and defining a recess for receiving the insert. The casing may be a retainer ring that circumscribes an end of the insert. The adjustable cushioning system may include a second casing. The second casing may be a retainer ring that circumscribes an opposite end of the insert. In addition, the casing could be a first plate disposed above the insert and a second plate disposed below the insert and coupled to the first plate at an end thereof. In addition, the adjustable cushioning system may include a second insert adapted to be received in the aperture formed in the sole of the article of footwear and a second locking mechanism disposed proximate the second insert for maintaining the second insert in a predetermined position. The second insert has an anisotropic property about, a longitudinal axis t
Acevedo John
Gordon Josh Robert
Lussier Michel
Nigg Sandro Romedi
Orzeck Toren Phillip Ben
adidas International B.V.
Kavanaugh Ted
Testa Hurwitz & Thibeault LLP
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