Cushioning devices for feet
OwnerMircea Arcan, Radu Arcaninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cushioning device for cushioning the contact load on a foot during gait. The cushioning device includes a tread of curvilinear shock absorbing elements substantially extending along a basic contact trajectory equivalent to the locus of substantially maximum contact stress during foot rolling. Each shock absorbing element has a triangular-shaped cross section having an inclined face oriented toward the contact trajectory such that each of the shock absorbing elements is flexed away from the basic contact trajectory during stance. As a result, the cushioning device deforms along the basic contact trajectory to a greater degree than on the rest of the device area, thereby equalizing the plantar contact stresses and improving the shock absorbing process.
Claims12
A cushioning device for cushioning a foot during gait, the device comprising:
- a plurality of shock absorbing rings, said plurality of shock absorbing rings located around a common center-line and positioned to lie under and support the heel of a foot in a first end-portion of the cushioning device;
- and
- a plurality of shock absorbing rows, said plurality of shock absorbing rows lying parallel to each other and following the contour of a maximum contact stress path, said maximum contact stress path extending from said plurality of shock absorbing rings to just prior a metatarsal break along an axis forming a small acute angle lateral from a longitudinal axis of the cushioning device, and continuing through the metatarsal break along an axis approximately 60 degrees medial from the longitudinal axis of the cushioning device and continuing through a second opposite end portion of the cushioning device along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of cushioning device, said maximum contact stress path corresponding to a path of maximum pressure developed by the foot as it is rolled from a heel strike position to a toe off position.
The device of claim wherein said wedge shaped medial shock absorbing rows lie medially to said maximum contact stress path, said medial wedge shaped shock absorbing rows include an inclined surface and a surface at least 90 degrees from the horizontal, said inclined surface oriented laterally toward said maximum contact stress path.
The device as in claim wherein said lateral wedge shaped shock absorbing rows lie laterally to said maximum contact stress path, said lateral wedge shaped shock absorbing rows include an inclined surface and a surface at least 90 degrees from the horizontal, said inclined surface oriented medially toward said maximum contact stress path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.