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US 2006/0064900 A1Published application
Impact attenuating devices and products containing such devices
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorMichael Aveni
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An impact attenuating device includes both concave and convex side walls, e.g., in an interleaved arrangement, optionally at least partially surrounded by a restraining element that may help return the impact attenuating device back to its original orientation after attenuating an impact. Such impact attenuating devices may be included in pieces of footwear and/or other foot-receiving devices. Additionally, such impact attenuating devices or portions thereof may be freely selected and/or interchanged in a piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, e.g., based on one or more characteristics of an intended user and/or an intended use, so as to allow users to obtain footwear (or other devices) customized and targeted for use under a predetermined set of conditions.
Claims61
A device, comprising:
- a first element including:
- (a) a first base portion, (b) a second base portion, wherein a space is defined between the first base portion and the second base portion, (c) a first concave side wall portion extending between the first and second base portions and into the space, and (d) a second concave side wall portion extending between the first and second base portions and into the space;
- and
- a second element at least partially included in the space, wherein the second element includes a first convex side wall portion at least partially extending in the space and a second convex side wall portion at least partially extending in the space.
1 more element
(canceled)
A device comprising:
- a first element including a plurality of side walls having a first structural orientation;
- and
- a second element including a plurality of side walls having a second structural orientation, wherein at least one side wall of the second element is located between two adjacent side walls of the first element and at least one side wall of the first element is located between two adjacent side walls of the second element,
- wherein one of the first structural orientation or the second structural orientation is a concave orientation with respect to an internal space defined between the first and second elements and one of the first structural orientation or the second structural orientation is a convex orientation with respect to the internal space.
1 more element
(canceled)
An impact attenuating device, comprising:
- a first base area;
- a second base area;
- a first plurality of side walls extending between the first base area and the second base area;
- and
- a second plurality of side walls extending between the first base area and the second base area, wherein an internal space is defined between the first and second base areas and the first and second plurality of side walls,
- wherein, when a compressive force is applied such that the first base area and the second base area move closer to one another, the first plurality of side walls flex in a concave direction with respect to the internal space and the second plurality of side walls flex in a convex direction with respect to the internal space.
3 more elements
(canceled)
(canceled)
A foot-receiving device, comprising:
- an upper member;
- a sole member engaged with the upper member;
- and
- an impact attenuating member engaged with at least one of the upper member or the sole member, wherein the impact attenuating member includes:
- (a) a first element having:
- (i) a first base portion, (ii) a second base portion, wherein a space is defined between the first base portion and the second base portion, (iii) a first concave side wall portion extending between the first and second base portions and into the space, and (iv) a second concave side wall portion extending between the first and second base portions and into the space;
- and
- (b) a second element at least partially included in the space, wherein the second element includes a first convex side wall portion at least partially extending in the space and a second convex side wall portion at least partially extending in the space.
5 more elements
26-28. (canceled)
A foot-receiving device comprising:
- an upper member;
- a sole member engaged with the upper member;
- an impact attenuating member engaged with at least one of the upper member or the sole member, wherein the impact attenuating member includes:
- (a) a first element including a plurality of side walls having a first structural orientation;
- and
- (b) a second element including a plurality of side walls having a second structural orientation, wherein at least one side wall of the second element is located between two adjacent side walls of the first element and at least one side wall of the first element is located between two adjacent side walls of the second element,
- wherein one of the first structural orientation or the second structural orientation is a concave orientation with respect to an internal space defined between the first and second elements and one of the first structural orientation or the second structural orientation is a convex orientation with respect to the internal space.
4 more elements
(canceled)
35-36. (canceled)
A foot-receiving device comprising:
- an upper member;
- a sole member engaged with the upper member;
- an impact attenuating member engaged with at least one of the upper member or the sole member, wherein the impact attenuating member includes:
- (a) a first base area;
- (b) a second base area;
- (c) a first plurality of side walls extending between the first base area and the second base area;
- and
- (d) a second plurality of side walls extending between the first base area and the second base area, wherein an internal space is defined between the first and second base areas and the first and second plurality of side walls,
- wherein, when a compressive force is applied such that the first base area and the second base area move closer to one another, the first plurality of side walls flex in a concave direction with respect to the internal space and the second plurality of side walls flex in a convex direction with respect to the internal space.
6 more elements
(canceled)
43-45. (canceled)
A method, comprising:
- providing an upper member and a sole member for a foot-receiving device;
- selecting at least a portion of an impact attenuating device at least in part based on a characteristic of an intended user of the foot-receiving device or a characteristic of an intended use of the foot-receiving device;
- and
- engaging at least the portion of the impact attenuating device with at least one of the upper member or the sole member of the foot-receiving device,
- wherein the impact attenuating device includes:
- (a) a first element having:
- (i) a first base portion, (ii) a second base portion, wherein a space is defined between the first base portion and the second base portion, (iii) a first concave side wall portion extending between the first and second base portions and into the space, and (iv) a second concave side wall portion extending between the first and second base portions and into the space, and (b) a second element at least partially included in the space, wherein the second element includes a first convex side wall portion at least partially extending in the space and a second convex side wall portion at least partially extending in the space.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing an upper member and a sole member for a foot-receiving device;
- selecting at least a portion of an impact attenuating device at least in part based on a characteristic of an intended user of the foot-receiving device or a characteristic of an intended use of the foot-receiving device;
- and
- engaging at least the portion of the impact attenuating device with at least one of the upper member or the sole member of the foot-receiving device,
- wherein the impact attenuating device includes:
- (a) a first element including a plurality of side walls having a first structural orientation;
- and (b) a second element including a plurality of side walls having a second structural orientation, wherein at least one side wall of the second element is located between two adjacent side walls of the first element and at least one side wall of the first element is located between two adjacent side walls of the second element, and wherein one of the first structural orientation or the second structural orientation is a concave orientation with respect to an internal space defined between the first and second elements and one of the first structural orientation or the second structural orientation is a convex orientation with respect to the internal space.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing an upper member and a sole member for a foot-receiving device;
- selecting at least a portion of an impact attenuating device at least in part based on a characteristic of an intended user of the foot-receiving device or a characteristic of an intended use of the foot-receiving device;
- and
- engaging at least the portion of the impact attenuating device with at least one of the upper member or the sole member of the foot-receiving device,
- wherein the impact attenuating device includes:
- (a) a first base area;
- (b) a second base area;
- (c) a first plurality of side walls extending between the first base area and the second base area;
- and (d) a second plurality of side walls extending between the first base area and the second base area, wherein an internal space is defined between the first and second base areas and the first and second plurality of side walls, wherein, when a compressive force is applied such that the first base area and the second base area move closer to one another, the first plurality of side walls flex in a concave direction with respect to the internal space and the second plurality of side walls flex in a convex direction with respect to the internal space.
6 more elements
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.