Shoe comprising liquid cushioning element

A cushioning element for a shoe sole comprising:

• a chamber having flexible walls including
• a top wall,
• a bottom wall, and
• side walls,
• the chamber being filled with a liquid composition,
• wherein the liquid composition comprises an amount of a liquid having a liquid density and an amount of particulate having a particulate density, wherein the particulate density is less than the liquid density
• wherein the chamber includes a plurality of partitions for directing flow from one portion of the chamber to another,
• wherein at least one partition is a gating means comprising:
• a partition element depending from the top or bottom wall to the opposite wall,
• an opening formed between the partition and the opposite wall when the cushion is not compressed,
• wherein when the top and bottom walls are compressed together and a differential in liquid pressure is produced, liquid, including particulate, from a chamber portion of higher liquid pressure passes through the opening to a chamber portion of lower liquid pressure,
• wherein when the cushion is sufficiently compressed the opening is closed and the partition element supports the top and bottom walls of the cushion.

A shoe comprising:

• a sole portion having a substantially vertical peripheral surface;
• a cushioning element comprising:
• a chamber having flexible walls including
• a top wall,
• a bottom wall, and
• side walls,
• at least a portion of the side walls being substantially vertical and constructed to provide vertical support between the top wall and the bottom wall of the chamber,
• the chamber filled with a liquid composition,
• the cushioning element overlies the sole portion, and
• at least a portion of the vertical side walls of the cushioning element which are constructed to provide vertical support substantially extend to a portion of the peripheral surface of the sole to provide cushioning support to the portion of the peripheral surface of the sole,
• wherein the chamber includes a plurality of partitions for directing flow from one portion of the chamber to another,
• wherein at least one partition is a gating means comprising:
• a partition element depending from the top or bottom wall to the opposite wall,
• an opening formed between the partition and
• the opposite wall when the cushion is not compressed,
• wherein when the top and bottom walls are compressed together and a differential in liquid pressure is produced, liquid from a chamber portion of higher liquid pressure passes through the opening to a chamber portion of lower liquid pressure, and
• wherein when the cushion is sufficiently compressed the opening is closed and the partition element supports the top and bottom walls of the cushion.

A shoe comprising:

• a sole portion having
• a substantially vertical peripheral surface;
• a cushioning element comprising:
• a chamber having flexible walls including
• a top wall,
• a bottom wall, and
• side walls,
• at least a portion of the side walls being substantially vertical and constructed to provide vertical support between the top wall and the bottom wall of the chamber,
• the chamber filled with a liquid composition,
• the cushioning element overlies the sole portion, and
• at least a portion of the vertical side walls of the cushioning element which are constructed to provide vertical support substantially extend to a portion of the peripheral surface of the sole to provide cushioning support to the portion of the peripheral surface of the sole and can be viewed from the exterior of the shoe,
• wherein the chamber includes a plurality of partitions for directing flow from one portion of the chamber to another,
• wherein at least one partition is a gating means comprising:
• a partition element depending from the top or bottom wall to the opposite wall,
• an opening formed between the partition and
• the opposite wall when the cushion is not compressed,
• wherein when the top and bottom walls are compressed together and a differential in liquid pressure is produced, liquid from a chamber portion of higher liquid pressure passes through the opening to a chamber portion of lower liquid pressure, and
• wherein when the cushion is sufficiently compressed the opening is closed and the partition element supports the top and bottom walls of the cushion.

A shoe comprising:

• a sole portion having peripheral surfaces:
• a cushioning element comprising:
• a chamber having flexible walls including
• a top wall,
• a bottom wall, and
• side walls,
• at least a portion of the side walls being substantially vertical and constructed to provide vertical support between the top wall and the bottom wall of the chamber,
• the chamber being filled with a liquid composition, wherein the liquid composition comprises an amount of a gel having a gel density and an amount of particulate having a particulate density, wherein the particulate density is less than the gel density,
• wherein the chamber includes a plurality of partitions for directing flow from one portion of the chamber to another,
• wherein at least one partition is a gating means comprising:
• a partition element depending from the top or bottom wall to the opposite wall,
• an opening formed between the partition and the opposite wall when the cushion is not compressed,
• wherein when the top and bottom walls are compressed together and a differential in liquid pressure is produced, liquid, including particulate, from a chamber portion of higher liquid pressure passes through the opening to a chamber portion of lower liquid pressure, and
• wherein when the cushion is sufficiently compressed the opening is closed and the partition element supports the top and bottom walls of the cushion,
• the cushioning element overlies the sole portion, and
• at least a portion of the vertical side walls of the cushioning element which are constructed to provide vertical support substantially extend to a portion of the peripheral surface of the sole to provide cushioning support to the portion of the peripheral surface of the sole,
• wherein a portion of the vertical sidewalls can be viewed from the exterior of the shoe and are substantially transparent to permit viewing of the liquid composition in the chamber from the exterior of the shoe through the substantially transparent walls.