# US 12,178,282 B2 · Shoe sole and shoe

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- Number: US 12,178,282 B2
- Document ID: US12178282B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/560,042
- Filed: 2021-12-22
- Published: 2022-06-30
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-24
- Assignees: Asics Corporation
- Applicants: Asics Corporation
- Inventors: Masanori Sakamoto; Yutaro Iwasa; Genki Hatano; Koji Shimomura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178282B2

## CPC

- A43B 3/0036: {characterised by a special shape or design}
- A43B 13/186: {Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot (resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32)}
- A43B 13/125: {characterised by the midsole or middle layer}
- A43B 13/181: {Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole}
- A43B 13/223: {Profiled soles}
- A43B 21/26: Resilient heels
- A43B 21/32: Resilient supports for the heel of the foot
- A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR

## Abstract

A shoe sole at least partially comprises a shock absorber, and the shock absorber that includes a shock absorbing portion and a cover portion that has a tread on a side opposite to the shock absorbing portion. The shock absorbing portion is provided with a plurality of pass-through portions passing through the shock absorbing portion as viewed in a direction of a normal to the tread, and the cover portion covers at least one of the plurality of pass-through portions. The cover portion is provided with a communication path having one end open to the pass-through portion and the other end open at the tread, and a condition of R<L is satisfied, where R represents a diameter of a largest virtual incircle of a contour line of an opening of the communication path located closer to the tread, and L represents a length of the communication path.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A shoe sole comprising:
a shock absorber;
a midsole; and
a tread,
the shock absorber including a shock absorbing portion, the shock absorbing portion comprising a three-dimensional structure composed of a plurality of unit structures repeatedly, regularly and successively disposed in at least one direction, each unit structure having a three-dimensional shape configured by a wall having an external shape defined by a pair of parallel planes or curved surfaces,
the shock absorbing portion having a plurality of pass-through portions passing through the shock absorbing portion as viewed in a direction normal to the tread,
the shock absorber, as viewed in the direction normal to the tread, having a cover portion that corresponds to at least one of the plurality of pass-through portions included in the shock absorbing portion and covers that pass-through portion,
the shock absorber being configured of a single member configured with the shock absorbing portion and the cover portion continuously connected together,
the tread being defined by a main surface of the cover portion that is located on a side opposite to a side where the shock absorbing portion is located,
the cover portion defining a communication path having one end open to the at least one covered pass-through portion and the other end open at the tread,
the shoe sole satisfying a condition of R<L, where R represents a diameter of a largest virtual incircle of a contour line of an opening of the communication path located closer to the tread, and L represents a length of the communication path in a direction in which the communication path extends,
the midsole having a notch in a lower portion thereof for accommodating the shock absorber between the midsole and the tread, and the shock absorber is bonded to the midsole such that an entirety of a top surface of the shock absorbing portion is covered by the midsole, including a topmost portion of each of the plurality of pass-through portions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein an opening of the communication path located closer to the tread has a non-round shape.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The shoe sole according to claim 2, wherein the three-dimensional structure is a triply periodic minimal surface with a thickness added thereto.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the communication path includes a portion having a cross-sectional area decreasing from a side of the tread toward a side of the pass-through portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The shoe sole according to claim 4, wherein the three-dimensional structure is a triply periodic minimal surface with a thickness added thereto.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The shoe sole according to claim 4, wherein the opening of the communication path located closer to the tread has a non-round shape.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The shoe sole according to claim 6, wherein the three-dimensional structure is a triply periodic minimal surface with a thickness added thereto.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the communication path includes a portion having a cross-sectional area decreasing from a side of the pass-through portion toward a side of the tread.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The shoe sole according to claim 8, wherein the three-dimensional structure is a triply periodic minimal surface with a thickness added thereto.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The shoe sole according to claim 8, wherein the opening of the communication path located closer to the tread has a non-round shape.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The shoe sole according to claim 10, wherein the three-dimensional structure is a triply periodic minimal surface with a thickness added thereto.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the communication path includes a portion extending in a direction intersecting the direction normal to the tread.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The shoe sole according to claim 12, wherein the communication path has the opening closer to the tread and an opening closer to the pass-through portion positioned such that they do not overlap each other as viewed in the direction of the normal to the tread.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional structure is a triply periodic minimal surface with a thickness added thereto.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional structure is composed of a plurality of planes disposed to intersect with one another and having a thickness such that the three-dimensional structure is internally hollowed.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A shoe comprising:
the shoe sole according to claim 1; and
an upper provided above the shoe sole.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein each respective one of the plurality of pass-through portions is located inside a corresponding one of the plurality of unit structures.