Midsole cushioning system

A shoe comprising:

• a sole portion;
• a substantially elliptically shaped heel strike cushioning element having a longitudinal axis substantially aligned with the length of the shoe comprising:
• a first chamber having substantially transparent flexible gas impervious walls comprising a flat cap having a surrounding peripheral lip and a mating capsule filled with a gel cushioning material;
• a second substantially elliptically shaped chamber having substantially transparent gas impervious walls which enclose the mating capsule and support a portion of the first chamber at the surrounding peripheral lip, the first chamber overlying the second chamber, to form a gas filled cell between the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the walls of the second chamber;
• a plurality of ribs projecting between the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the walls of the second chamber and transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• the second chamber of the cushioning element overlying the sole portion, the sole portion having openings therein
• wherein an impact force to the cap is absorbed by the cushioning material encapsulated in the first chamber and forces the first chamber downward onto ribs, the ribs providing a resilient support for the downwardly forced first chamber and creating a sealing affect to form a plurality of gas filled cells between the ribs and the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the second chamber to assist in cushioning the impact force.

A substantially elliptically shaped cushioning element having a longitudinal axis comprising:

• a first chamber having flexible gas impervious walls comprising a flat cap having a surrounding peripheral lip and a mating capsule filled with a liquid cushioning material;
• a second substantially elliptically shaped chamber having gas impervious walls which enclose the mating capsule and support a portion of the first chamber at the surrounding peripheral lip, the first chamber overlying the second chamber, to form a gas filled cell between the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the walls of the second chamber;
• a plurality of ribs projecting between the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the walls of the second chamber and transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• wherein an impact force to the cap is absorbed by the cushioning material encapsulated in the first chamber and forces the first chamber downward onto ribs, the ribs providing a resilient support for the downwardly forced first chamber and creating a sealing affect to form a plurality of gas filled cells between the ribs and the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the second chamber to assist in cushioning the impact force.

A substantially elliptically shaped cushioning element having a longitudinal axis comprising:

• a first chamber having flexible gas impervious walls comprising a flat cap having a surrounding peripheral lip and a mating capsule filled with a gel cushioning material;
• a second substantially elliptically shaped chamber having gas impervious walls which enclose the mating capsule and support a portion of the first chamber at the surrounding peripheral lip, the first chamber overlying the second chamber, to form a gas filled cell between the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the walls of the second chamber;
• a plurality of ribs projecting between the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the walls of the second chamber and transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• wherein an impact force to the cap is absorbed by the cushioning material encapsulated in the first chamber and forces the first chamber downward onto ribs, the ribs providing a resilient support for the downwardly forced first chamber and creating a sealing affect to form a plurality of gas filled cells between the ribs and the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the second chamber to assist in cushioning the impact force.

A substantially elliptically shaped heel strike cushioning element having a longitudinal axis comprising:

• a first chamber having substantially transparent flexible gas impervious walls comprising a flat cap having a surrounding peripheral lip and a mating capsule filled with a gel cushioning material;
• a second substantially elliptically shaped chamber having substantially transparent gas impervious walls which encloses the mating capsule and support a portion of the first chamber at the surrounding peripheral lip, the first chamber overlying the second chamber, to form a gas filled cell between the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the walls of the second chamber;
• a plurality of ribs projecting between the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the walls of the second chamber and transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• wherein an impact force to the cap is absorbed by the cushioning material encapsulated in the first chamber and forces the first chamber downward onto ribs, the ribs providing a resilient support for the downwardly forced first chamber and creating a sealing affect to form a plurality of gas filled cells between the ribs and the walls of the enclosed portion of the first chamber and the second chamber to assist in cushioning the impact force.