Athletic shoe with stabilized discreet resilient elements in the heel thereof

#1. Area of Invention

#The instant invention relates to athletic shoes having resilient springs, or spring equivalents, within the heel thereof.

#2. Prior Art

#FIG. 1 is a perspective breakaway schematic view of a first embodiment of the invention showing the inventive midsole chamber of the athletic shoe, showing the use of spring elements.

#FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken through Line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through Line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

#With reference to the perspective breakaway view of FIG. 1, the inventive athletic shoe may be seen to include an upper portion 10 forming a covering for insertion of a foot and a lower portion, typically referred to as a sole 12, secured to said upper portion for support of the base of the foot. Sole 12 comprises an upper sole 34, a midsole 30, and a lower sole 36. Securement of upper portion 10 to upper sole 34 occurs along an interface 14. Below this interface and within the midsole 30 is formed a substantially horizontal chamber 16 having atmospheric communication at the lateral sides thereof. A horizontal chamber of this type, however, is one having a greater ratio of height-to-length is taught in my above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,431. Said horizontal chamber 16, exhibits a ratio of longitudinal length to vertical height of approximately 4 to 1. Therein is disposed an upper substantially rigid horizontal support plate 18 having therein a plurality of transverse downwardly directed cavities 20. Said cavities are defined by a corresponding plurality of upper resilient sleeves 22. See FIG. 8.

#Further provided is a lower substantially rigid horizontal plate 24 having a plurality of transverse upwardly directed cavities 26 therein, which are defined by respective lower resilient sleeves 27. Where said upper and lower sleeves 22 and 27 respectively are more flexible than resilient means 28 that are disposed within an aggregate of upper and lower cavities 20 and 26. Said upper and lower sleeves may assume the form of a single continuous sleeve 25 as is shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5. However, where the material of which said sleeves are formed is more rigid than that of the spring means disposed within said cavities the upper and lower cavity defining sleeves will be discreet from each other, as is shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3A, further described below.

#It is to be understood that in a preferred embodiment, vertical sleeves 22/27 will be molded integrally with upper and lower rigid horizontal supports 16 and 24 respectively, such that the joinder of the sleeves 22 and 27 thereof will occur after resilient means 28 has been dropped into apertures 31 within upper rigid horizontal support plate 16 prior to adhesion or other securement of sole 12 to upper shoe portion 10 or, conversely, after said means have been dropped into apertures 32 within lower rigid plate 24. Thereafter, such apertures must be sealed It is, thereby, to be appreciated that any of a number of production techniques may be employed in order to secure resilient within its respective resilient sleeve 22/27. It is however anticipated that, in most production scenarios, insertion of said through the lower plate 24 will be a more practical strategy.