Sole construction for footwear

A sole structure for footwear and the like having a heel section, a forefoot section and a toe section;

• said sole structure comprising:
• a plurality of adjacent tubular members adapted to contain a gaseous medium under pressure at a selected value;
• said tubular members having a composite structure comprising:
• an inner layer of resilient material substantially completely impermeable to diffusion of said gaseous medium therethrough;
• and
• an outer layer of a flexible mesh material completely surrounding the inner layer of each tubular member;
• said outer layer being resistant to expansion whereby the volume of the tubular members when subjected to increased gaseous pressure values is limited to the volume of the outer layer but sufficiently compliant to cooperate with said inner resilient layer to provide a cushioning effect in response to shock forces;
• and
• a resilient flexible material forming a matrix about said tubular members.

A sole structure for footwear and the like comprising:

• a plurality of spaced tubular members adapted to contain a gaseous medium under pressure at a desired initial selected value and having peripheral edges which conform generally to the contour of a selected sole configuration;
• said tubular members having a composite structure comprising:
• an inner layer of resilient elastomeric material substantially completely impermeable to diffusion of gaseous fluids therethrough;
• and
• an intermediate layer of a flexible fiber mesh material substantially completely resistant to expansion but sufficiently compliant to cooperate with said inner resilient layer to provide a cushioning effect in response to shock forces;
• an outer layer of resilient elastomeric material covering said flexible fiber mesh and having portions thereof permeating through said fiber mesh and contacting said inner elastomeric layer;
• said outer layer being substantially completely impermeable to diffusion of gaseous fluids therethrough;
• and
• a resilient material forming a matrix about said tubular members.

A sole structure for footwear and the like having a heel section, an arch section, a forefoot section and a toe section;

• said sole structure comprising:
• a plurality of sealed tubular members adapted to contain a gaseous medium under pressure at a selected value;
• said tubular members having a composite structure comprising:
• an inner layer of resilient flexible material impermeable to diffusion of said gaseous medium therethrough;
• an outer layer of a flexible mesh material substantially completely resistant to expansion but sufficiently compliant to cooperate with said inner resilient layer to provide a cushioning effect in response to shock forces applied to said sole structure;
• at least one tapered tubular member positioned in the arch section and decreasing in taper from the inside to the outside of said arch section;
• and
• a resilient flexible material forming a matrix about said tubular members.

A sole structure for footwear and the like having a heel section, an arch section, a forefoot section and a toe section;

• said sole structure comprising:
• a plurality of sealed tubular members adapted to contain a gaseous medium under pressure at a selected value formed of adjacent sections of a continuous elongated sealed tubular member positioned in a serpentine-like configuration conforming over all to the configuration of said sole structure;
• said elongated tubular member having a composite structure comprising:
• an inner layer of resilient flexible material impermeable to diffusion of said gaseous medium therethrough;
• an outer layer of a flexible mesh material substantially completely resistant to expansion but sufficiently compliant to cooperate with said inner resilient layer to provide a cushioning effect in response to shock forces applied to said sole structure;
• said adjacent sections of the tubular member being held in position by interlaced fiber members;
• and
• a resilient flexible material forming a matrix about said tubular members.