Shoe with dual cushioning component
US5930918A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 18, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 3, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 18, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA43B21/26
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A shoe of the present invention comprises a sole, a flexible bladder, and a cushioning material. The sole has a recess configured to receive the flexible bladder. The flexible bladder has interior surface portions defining at least one chamber. The chamber includes a first region and a second region. A cushioning material occupies the first region and a compressible fluid occupies the second region. The compressible fluid provides a primary elastic response to an external pressure applied to an external surface of the bladder through compression of the compressible fluid. The cushioning material, elastically deformable but generally incompressible, provides a secondary elastic response to the external pressure applied to the external surface of the bladder through elastic deformation of the cushioning material. A method of the present invention comprises forming a shoe sole having a recess therein, providing a flexible bladder having interior surface portions defining an interior volume, placing an amount of fluid which is curable to an elastomeric solid condition into the interior volume of the bladder, and allowing the fluid to cure to said elastomeric solid condition.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.