Shoe having shock-absorber element in sole

A shoe as set forth in 2 further comprising at least one conduit providing fluid communication between the gas-pressurized chambers.

A shoe as set forth in 4 further comprising at least one conduit providing fluid communication between the fluid-pressurized chambers.

A shoe comprising:

• a sole for supporting a foot of a wearer;
• a shoe upper adjacent the sole;
• the sole including an upper force-distribution plate portion, a lower force-distribution plate portion spaced below the upper plate portion, at one resilient shock-absorber element in contact with and between both the upper and lower plate portions, and at least one tension member secured to and extending between the upper and lower plate portions, the tension member being adapted to resist movement of the first and second plate portions away from one another, the tension member being adapted and configured to provide no resistance to compressive forces when placed in compression, the shock-absorber element being generally ellipsoidal in shape.

A shoe comprising:

• a sole for supporting a foot of a wearer;
• a shoe upper adjacent the sole;
• the sole including an upper force-distribution plate portion, a lower force-distribution plate portion spaced below the upper plate portion, at least two discrete resilient shock-absorber elements, and at least one tension member secured to and extending between the upper and lower plate portions, each of said at least two shock-absorber elements being in contact with and between both the upper and lower plate portions, the tension member being adapted to resist movement of the first and second plate portions away from one another, the tension member being adapted and configured so as not to resist movement of the force distribution plates toward one another when the sole is compressed in a manner to move the force distribution plates toward one another.

A shoe comprising:

• a sole for supporting a foot of a wearer;
• a shoe upper adjacent the sole;
• the sole including an upper force-distribution plate portion, a lower force-distribution plate portion spaced below the upper plate portion, at least one resilient shock-absorber element in contact with and between both the upper and lower plate portions, and at least one tension member secured to and extending between the upper and lower plate portions, the tension member being adapted to resist movement of the first and second plate portions away from one another, the shock-absorber element being generally ellipsoidal in shape, the shock-absorber element including a through bore and wherein the tension member extends through the bore.

A shoe comprising:

• a sole for supporting a foot of a wearer, the sole comprising a forefoot region and a heel region generally rearward of the forefoot region, the heel region having a periphery;
• a shoe upper adjacent the sole,
• the sole including an upper force-distribution plate portion, a lower force-distribution plate portion spaced below the upper plate portion, a plurality of resilient shock-absorber elements positioned about the periphery of the heel region of the sole and in contact with and between both the upper and lower plate portions, and at least one tension member secured to and extending between the upper and lower plate portions, the tension member being adapted to resist movement of the first and second plate portions away from one another, the tension member extending through one of the shack-absorber elements.