Midsole stabilizer for the heel
AssigneeReebok International Ltd.
InventorsPeter M. Foley, Steven F. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heel stabilizer is provided for the midsole of a shock absorbing sole in footwear. The stabilizer may be provided on a side of a shoe or may surround the entire heel area of the shoe. A stabilizer which surrounds the heel area may be formed as a single piece which wraps around the heel area or may be formed of several pieces joined to form a frame. The stabilizer includes cells when viewed in vertical cross section which provide lightweight, stable cushioning to the foot along the periphery of the midsole. The cells may take a variety of geometric configurations.
Claims7
An article of footwear having a lateral and a medial side comprising:
- an upper, said upper consisting of a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a rearfoot portion;
- a foot support disposed beneath said upper and formed of a lightweight cushion material for cushioning and supporting a portion of a foot of a wearer, said foot support extending beneath said rearfoot portion of said upper from said lateral to said medial side of said article of footwear, said foot support including a heel area positioned beneath said rearfoot portion of said upper, and an exterior sidewall extending along the periphery of said foot support in said heel area of said foot support;
- an outsole disposed beneath said heel area of said foot support;
- a recessed sidewall formed within said exterior sidewall of said foot support in said heel area of said foot support along one of said medial and lateral sides of said article of footwear under the area of foot impact upon heel strike, said recessed sidewall forming a recess in said foot support;
- and
- a stabilizer disposed within said recess in said foot support and formed of an elastomeric plastic for prevention said foot of said wearer from rolling, said stabilizer including a heel terminus disposed adjacent said rearfoot portion of said upper, a forward terminus disposed adjacent the junction of said midfoot portion of said upper with said rearfoot portion of said upper, a top surface for supporting the force of the weight of the wearer upon impact, a bottom surface spanning the entire length of said stabilizer, and an exterior side surface including a plurality of cells when viewed from the side of said stabilizer, said cells being opened to the atmosphere at said exterior side surface of said stabilizer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.