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US 4,667,423 AGranted
Resilient composite midsole and method of making
AssigneeAutry Industries, Inc.
InventorsJames C. Autry, Lin Yung-Mai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A midsole (18) is formed from a first, interior member (26) and a second, exterior member (28) molded around the top and sides of the first member (26). The first and second members (26) and (28) are formed of cushionable material and the second member (28) has a higher hardness and resiliency than the first member (26).
Claims17
A midsole for a shoe, comprising:
- a first member having a top and a plurality of sides;
- a second member molded around the top and sides of said first member, said first and second members being formed of cushionable material, said second member having a higher hardness and resilience than said first member;
- a plurality of elongate first member stress bars formed transversely in said first member in an area underneath the metatarsal-phalangeal region of the foot, a plurality of elongate second member stress bars formed in said second member in substantial alignment with said first member stress bars, such that an easily flexing joint of said midsole is formed in conformance with the flexure of the matatarsal-phalangeal junction of the foot.
A method for fabricating a composite midsole allowing easy flexure of the metatarsal-phalangeal junction of the foot, comprising the steps of:
- forming a first cushionable midsole member having a top and a plurality of sides, the first member further having a plurality of transverse stress bars, the stress bars being situated in an area underneath the metatarsal-phalangeal junction of the wearer's foot;
- and
- molding a second cushionable midsole member around the top and sides of the first member, a plurality of stress bars formed in the second member in substantial parallel alignment with the first member stress bars, the second member being harder and more resilient than the first member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.