Shock absorption mechanism for shoes

A shock absorbing mechanism for a shoe comprising a plurality of connected structural members defining an upper pedestal and a lower pedestal, said upper pedestal having an upper support surface, said lower pedestal having a lower support surface, means including said plurality of connected structural members for spacing said upper and lower support surfaces apart and for allowing said upper and lower support surfaces to be movable toward and away from each other, said upper and lower support surfaces defining the exterior length, width and height dimensions of said mechanism, said means including a plurality of expandable and collapsible members being connected to said structural members between said upper and lower support surfaces within said length, width and height dimensions of said mechanism, said extendable and collapsible members being movable between an extended position and a collapsed position without increasing said length and width dimensions of said mechanism as defined by said upper and lower support surfaces, means including each of said extendable and collapsible members for resisting the force applied to compress said upper and lower support surfaces together by a force less than the force applied between said upper and lower support surfaces, each of said extendable and collapsible members having a spring associated therewith urging said connected structural members into an at rest position, said spring supporting the wearer of the shoe and cushioning all impacts between said wearer of the shoe and said shoe by decreasing the velocity of all movements from said at rest position between said connected structural members in accordance with Hook's Law a pin connecting said upper pedestal to said lower pedestal, said upper and lower pedestals being movable with respect to said pin and to each other from an expanded position toward each other in all directions, said extendable and collapsible members being positioned between said upper and lower pedestals, said extendable and collapsible members urging said upper and lower pedestals into said expanded position, said extendable and collapsible members decelerating all movement between said pedestals and supporting any load placed upon said pedestals, at least one lever arm pivotally connected to one of said upper and lower pedestals adjacent one end thereof, said lever arm having ends on opposite sides of its pivotal connection to said pedestal, one of said opposite ends engaging the other of said upper and lower pedestals and being movable thereon when said pedestals are moved toward and away from each other, said extendable collapsible members being connected to the other of said opposite ends of said lever arm whereby the force urging said pedestals together is transmitted to said extendable and collapsible members through said lever arm and said extendable and collapsible members urge said pedestals apart through said lever arm.

A shock absorbing mechanism for a shoe comprising a plurality of connected structural members defining an upper pedestal and a lower pedestal, said upper pedestal having an upper support surface, said lower pedestal having a lower support surface, means including said plurality of connected structural members for spacing said upper and lower support surfaces apart and for allowing said upper and lower support surfaces to be movable toward and away from each other, said upper and lower support surfaces defining the exterior length, width and height dimensions of said mechanism, said means including a plurality of expandable and collapsible members being connected to said structural members between said upper and lower support surfaces within said length, width and height dimensions of said mechanism, said extendable and collapsible members being moveable between an extended position and a collapsed position without increasing said length and width dimensions of said mechanism as defined by said upper and lower support surfaces, means including each of said extendable and collapsible members for resisting the force applied to compress said upper and lower support surfaces together by a force less than the force applied between said upper and lower support surfaces, each of said extendable and collapsible members having a spring associated therewith urging said connected structural members into an at rest position, said supporting the wearer of the shoe and cushioning all impacts between said wearer of the shoe and the shoe by decreasing the velocity of all movement from said at rest position between said members in accordance with Hook's law, a pin connecting said upper pedestal to said lower pedestal, said upper and lower pedestals being moveable with respect to said pin and to each other from an expanded position toward each other in all directions, said extendable and collapsible members being positioned between said upper and lower pedestals, said extendable and collapsible members urging said upper and lower pedestals into said expanded position, said extendable and collapsible members decelerating all movement between said pedestals and supporting any load placed upon said pedestals, a plurality of lever arms pivotally connected to one of said upper and lower pedestals adjacent one end thereof, said lever arm having ends on opposite sides of its pivotal connection to said one pedestal, one of said opposite ends engaging the other of said upper and lower pedestals and being movable thereon when said pedestals are moved toward and away from each other, said extendable and collapsible members being connected between the other of said opposite ends of said lever arms whereby the force urging said pedestals together is transmitted to said extendable and collapsible members through said lever arms and said extendable and collapsible members urge said pedestals apart through said lever arms.

A shock absorbing mechanism for insertion into a hollow cavity within the heal of a shoe, said heal cavity having an upper support surface and a lower support surface between which said mechanism is positioned, said mechanism comprising a plurality of resiliently extendable and collapsible members pivotally connected between a plurality of structural members which support said upper and lower surfaces in a spaced apart extended position, said upper and lower support surfaces in said spaced apart extended position thereof defining the length, width and height dimensions of said mechanism in an at rest position, said structural members being pivotally rotated in relation to said resiliently extendable and collapsible members from said spaced apart extended position to a collapsed position between said upper and lower support surfaces, said extendable and collapsible members being movable between said extended and collapsed positions without extending beyond said length, width and height dimensions of said cavity, said extendable and collapsible members resisting the force applied to compress said upper and lower support surfaces together by a force less than the force applied between said upper and lower support surfaces, each of said extendable and collapsible members having at least one spring associated therewith, said spring urging said support surfaces and said structural members into said extended position, said spring urging said support surfaces of said cavity into said extended position and decreasing the velocity of all movement of said support surfaces from said extended position while being worn in accordance with Hook's Law, a pin and a pair of sliders, said pin extending between said plurality of structural members, said structural members being movable toward and away from other guided by said pin, said pin holding said structural members together, said sliders being positioned between said structural members, said extendable and collapsible members being pivotally connected between said sliders, said sliders and said extendable and collapsible members being moveable from said at rest position when said structural members move with respect to each other, said spring of each of said extendable and collapsible members urging said extendable and collapsible members into said at rest position corresponding to said at rest position of said structural members in accordance with Hook's Law.