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US 4,364,188 AGranted
Running shoe with rear stabilization means
AssigneeWolverine World Wide, Inc.
InventorsJerome A. Turner, George W. Dietel
Life of this patent
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AssigneeWolverine World Wide, Inc.
InventorsJerome A. Turner, George W. Dietel
Estimating the term…
A running shoe having an outer sole and a midsole. The midsole comprises a forefoot portion, an arch portion and a heel portion all formed of a resilient material having a first durometer sufficiently low to provide good cushioning and impact absorption. Rear foot stabilization means in the form of a mass of resilient material is located and confined within the midsole adjacent the medial side of the heel portion. The durometer of the stabilization means is higher than the durometer of the midsole to provide resistance to compression at the medial side of the heel portion, thereby lessening the tendency of the shoe to overpronation. In one embodiment, the stabilization means comprises plural plugs confined fully within the midsole. In another embodiment, the stabilization means extend through the outsole and into the insole.
A sole component for an athletic shoe comprising a forefoot portion, an arch portion and a heel portion, said heel portion being formed of a first resilient material, and rear foot stabilization means, said stabilization means comprising a mass of a second resilient material located and confined adjacent the medial side of said heel portion, said first resilient material having a first durometer sufficiently low to provide good cushioning and impact absorption, said second resilient material having a second durometer higher than said first durometer to provide resistance to compression at the medial side of said heel portion, thereby lessening the tendency of the shoe to overpronation.
In combination, a sole component for an athletic shoe and rear foot stabilization means therefor, said sole component comprising a forefoot portion, an arch portion and a heel portion, said heel portion being formed of a first resilient material having a first durometer, said sole component comprising at least one opening located and confined adjacent the medial side of said heel portion for receipt of said stabilizaton means therein, said stabilization means comprising a mass of a second resilient material having a second durometer, said first durometer being sufficiently low to provide good cushioning and impact absorption, said second durometer being higher than said first durometer so that the medial side of said heel portion is resistant to compression when said mass is located within said opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.