Sole For Footwear
AssigneeThe Rockport Company, Inc.
InventorsAlberto Del Biondi, Alessio Rizzi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sole having respective forefoot, midfoot and backfoot parts, which are contiguous in a longitudinal direction running from toe to heel, and including a stiffening shank extending in the longitudinal direction from toe to heel. The shank extends over a predominant portion of the longitudinal development from the backfoot part to the forefoot part, and has areas of different flexibility alternating along the longitudinal development, the flexibility of these areas being progressively variable in a substantially continuous manner between one area and the contiguous areas.
Claims20
A sole comprising forefoot, midfoot and backfoot parts, which are contiguous in a longitudinal direction running from toe to heel, and including a stiffening shank extending in the aforesaid longitudinal direction from toe to heel, wherein:
- the shank extends over a predominant portion of the longitudinal development from the backfoot part to the forefoot part, and
- the shank has areas of different flexibility alternating along the longitudinal development, the flexibility of these areas being progressively variable in a substantially continuous manner between one area and the contiguous areas.
A shoe sole comprising:
- a sole body;
- and
- a shank, associated with the sole, having a continuously variable thickness along a longitudinal axis thereof, the substantially continuously variable thickness being provided by alternating portions of progressively greater thickness and portions of progressively lesser thickness, the alternating portions providing the shank with of greater thickness and portions of lesser thickness providing the shank with substantially continuously variable flexibility.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.