Atheletic shoe

An athletic shoe, comprising:

• an upper portion for engaging the top of a foot on which said athletic shoe is worn;
• a bottom portion connected to said upper portion for engaging a sole of said foot, said bottom portion having at least an upper and a lower strata generally conforming to the outline of said sole and spaced from one another to define a cavity therebetween, said cavity being positioned in alignment beneath a ball of said foot;
• a plurality of helical spring members arranged and mounted in closely spaced side by side relation within said cavity and adapted for providing a spring action perpendicular to said sole, each of said plurality of spring members having a first end molded within said lower strata and a second end molded within said upper strata;
• an air bladder disposed within said cavity;
• a rigid tube member forming an air passageway therein in connection between a first end opening and a second end having an intake aperture therethrough, said first end opening being in fluid connection with said air bladder and said intake aperture being exposed to the atmosphere;
• said second end having a flange end and external threading;
• said intake aperture being formed between said external threading and said flange end;
• said flange end having a concentric plug extending therefrom having an outside diameter less than an outside diameter of said flange end;
• and
• a valve connected to said rigid tube member in a manner to block the passage of air through said intake aperture when said valve is in a closed position and to allow the passage of air through said intake aperture when said valve is in an open position.

An athletic shoe, comprising:

• an upper portion for engaging the top of a foot on which said athletic shoe is worn;
• a bottom portion having a toe section and a heel section connected to said upper portion for engaging a sole of said foot, said bottom portion having at least an upper and a lower strata generally conforming to the outline of said sole and spaced from one another to define a cavity therebetween within the toe section that is substantially aligned with a ball of said foot;
• said bottom portion forming a conduit having a tube pathway therein in connection between an initial end open to said cavity and a terminal end open to a sidewall of said heel section of said bottom portion;
• a plurality of helical spring members arranged and mounted in closely spaced side by side relation within said cavity and adapted for providing a spring action perpendicular to said sole;
• an air bladder disposed within said cavity;
• a rigid tube member disposed within said tube pathway of said conduit;
• said rigid tube member forming an air passageway therein in connection between a first end opening and a second end having an intake aperture therethrough;
• said first end opening being in fluid connection with said air bladder and said intake aperture being exposed to the atmosphere;
• said second end extending beyond said sidewall of said heel section;
• said second end has a flange end and external threading;
• said intake aperture being formed between said external threading and said flange end;
• said flange end having a concentric plug extending therefrom having an outside diameter less than an outside diameter of said flange end;
• and
• a valve comprising a sleeve member having a first open end and a second end forming an orifice therethrough;
• said first open end having internal threading adapted for meshing with said external threading of said second end of said rigid tube member;
• said orifice having an inside diameter adapted for passing said concentric plug in a manner such that a substantially air tight seal is formed when said sleeve member is in said closed position;
• and
• said sleeve member is functionally connected to said rigid tube member in a manner to block the passage of air through said intake aperture when said valve is in a closed position and to allow the passage of air through said intake aperture when said valve is in an open position;
• said air bladder and said rigid tube member being disposed within said cavity in a manner such that said plurality of springs are divided into three sections of multiple springs.