SHOE SOLE FOR A RUNNING SPORTS SHOE OR SHOE

Abstract

A running shoe sole has an elastically deformable supporting sole, which has a rear and front foot section connected to each other via a coupling section. An elastically deformable supporting device is arranged on the supporting sole and carries an outsole covering. The supporting device includes a rear foot part which engages around the rear foot section of the supporting sole in a U shape and a front foot part having two limbs which are arranged on mutually opposite lateral edge sections of the front foot section. The rear and front foot part each have a supporting surface, which runs obliquely inward toward the underside of the shoe sole or is curved, preferably convex, and on which the supporting sole rests and is supported in the lateral direction. The rear and front foot parts are made from a highly responsive thermoplastic elastomer of 45-50 Asker Shore C density.

Claims

1. A shoe sole for a shoe, for the sport of running, comprising: an elastically deformable supporting sole, which has a rear foot section and a front foot section, which are mutually connected to one another via a coupling section; and an elastically deformable supporting device which is arranged on the supporting sole and which carries an outsole covering, wherein the supporting device comprises: a rear foot part which engages around the rear foot section of the supporting sole in a U shape; and a front foot part having two limbs which are arranged on opposite lateral edge sections of the front foot section; wherein the rear foot part and the front foot part each have a supporting surface, which is arranged to run obliquely inward toward the underside of the shoe sole or is curved, convexly, and on which the supporting sole rests and is supported in the lateral direction; and wherein the rear foot part and the front foot part of the supporting device are made from a highly responsive thermoplastic elastomer, being thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) having a low density of 45-50 Asker Shore C.

2. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the front foot section has a push-off island with an outsole covering, the surface of which is arranged set back in the direction of the vertical axis of the shoe sole relative to the surface of the outsole covering of the front foot part.

3. The shoe sole according to claim 2, wherein the push-off island together with its outsole covering is segmented by flex zones, which are matched to an externally rotated attachment of the sole bottom when walking.

4. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the two limbs of the front foot part of the supporting device are made in one piece with one another, wherein the front foot part engages around the supporting sole in an area around a shoe sole tip.

5. The shoe sole according to claim 4, wherein the front foot part of the supporting device is materially weakened in the region of the shoe sole tip.

6. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein only the limbs of the rear foot part and the front foot part which are arranged medially on the supporting sole are integrally connected to one another.

7. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the supporting device, over a large part of its extent or over its entire extent, has an essentially round cross-sectional shape.

8. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the supporting device is designed in the form of a tube or is designed as a strand-shaped, solid profile.

9. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the supporting device has different material properties of elasticity, at least in sections.

10. The shoe sole according to claim 9, wherein the supporting device is less elastically deformable along the medial lateral edge section of the supporting sole than in the area of the lateral edge section of the supporting sole.

11. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the supporting device is welded to the supporting sole and/or is glued to the supporting sole.

12. The shoe, for the sport of running, having the shoe sole according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] In the drawings:

[0047] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a runner with a representation of the ground reaction forces for chronologically successive points in time of the movement sequence;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a rear foot, lower leg, and knee in the early standing phase with ground reaction force as well as the resulting leverage of the ground reaction force to the ankle and knee when using a shoe with a conventional shoe sole concept, each shown in the frontal plane;

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a conventional shoe sole of a running shoe with a representation of the ground reaction forces, the spatial movement sequence of the force application point in the plane of the shoe sole, in a perspective view;

[0050] FIG. 4 shows a running shoe according to the invention with a shoe sole having a supporting sole and with an elastically deformable supporting device on which the supporting sole is supported with its edge section on the underside, the supporting device having a rear foot part which at least partially engages around the rear sole portion in a U shape and having a front foot part, which with both its limbs laterally frames the front foot portion of the supporting sole;

[0051] FIG. 5 shows the shoe sole in an exposed side view;

[0052] FIG. 6 shows the shoe sole according to FIG. 4 in a plan view of the lower tread;

[0053] FIG. 7 shows the shoe sole according to FIG. 4 in a longitudinal section;

[0054] FIG. 8 shows the shoe sole according to FIG. 7 in a cross-section along the section line designated by F-F in FIG. 6;

[0055] FIG. 9 shows the shoe sole according to FIG. 7 in a cross section along the section line designated by D-D in FIG. 6;

[0056] FIG. 10 shows the shoe sole according to FIG. 7 in a cross section along the section line designated by C-C in FIG. 6;

[0057] FIG. 11 shows the shoe sole according to FIG. 7 in a cross section along the section line designated B-B in FIG. 6;

[0058] FIG. 12 shows a schematic representation of the operating principle of the shoe sole according to the invention according to FIGS. 4 to 11;

[0059] FIG. 13 shows the shoe sole according to the invention according to FIG. 4 with a representation of the ground reaction forces and the localization of the force application point on the shoe sole during a ground contact phase, in a perspective view; and

[0060] FIG. 14 shows a rear foot, lower leg, and knee in the early standing phase with ground reaction force and the resulting leverage of ground reaction force to the ankle and knee when using a shoe according to FIG. 4 having a shoe sole concept according to the invention, each represented in the frontal plane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0061] FIG. 1 shows a schematic serial image of a runner 10 during a natural running movement at different times from the beginning of the ground contact of a foot 12 to after the push-off phase of the foot 12 in question, with the ground reaction force f shown in each case in a side view.

[0062] FIG. 2 shows the foot 16 provided with a shoe 14, the ankle 18, the lower leg 20, and the knee 22 of the runner 10 (FIG. 1) with ground contact in the early standing phase at successive times A, B, C with superimposed ground reaction force f in the frontal plane.

[0063] The ground reaction force f (more precisely its medio-lateral (ml-/y-) component and z-component according to a right-handed three-dimensional coordinate system) causes an external eversion moment at the ankle joint 18 in the early support phase, which tilts the rear foot inward (B, C) and pushes the ankle 16 with the distal tibia of the lower leg 18 in a medial direction. The medialization of the distal tibia results in increased adduction of the knee 20 and an increase in the leverage of the ground reaction forces fin the frontal plane to the knee. This increases the external adduction moment at the knee joint 20 (C). Leverage forces f at the ankle and knee joints 18, 22 derived from the ground reaction forces f can lead to overloading and damage to the ankle 18 and the knee 20 and require unnecessary muscle work.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows force application points (FAP) 23 of the ground reaction forces f introduced into a conventional shoe sole 24 of a shoe, spatially resolved in two dimensions, in their respective position on the shoe sole 24 during a ground contact phase. The force application points 22 show clear medial/lateral deviations from posterior to anterior from the longitudinal center axis 26 of the shoe sole 24, which essentially coincides with the axial projection of the longitudinal axis of the foot.

[0065] FIG. 4 shows a shoe 14 according to the invention, here by way of example in the form of a jogging or running shoe, which has a shoe sole 24 and an upper shoe part 28 that is suitably connected to the shoe sole 24, for example glued, welded and/or sewn. The representation of a lacing or any other type of closure system has been omitted here, especially since this is not essential for the representation of the invention.

[0066] The shoe sole 24 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each shown in an exposed view. The shoe sole 24 has an elastically deformable supporting sole 30, which functionally essentially corresponds to an insole. The supporting sole 30 comprises a rear foot section 32 and a front foot section 34 (FIG. 6) which are mutually connected to one another via a metatarsal or coupling section 36. The supporting sole 30 is functionally essentially comparable to the classic insole of a shoe sole 24. The supporting sole 30 can, for example, be made of a viscoelastic foam, e.g. an ethylene-vinyl acetate or an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVAC), for example having a density of about 55 Asker Shore C. It should be noted that other elastically deformable materials can also be used. For example, the supporting sole can comprise a flexibly deformable fiber composite material with natural fibers or synthetic fibers or consist of such a material.

[0067] An elastically deformable support device 38 is attached to the supporting sole 30. The supporting device 38 can in particular be glued to the supporting sole 30. Depending on the materials used for the supporting sole 30 and the supporting device 38, the supporting device 38 can also be welded to the supporting sole 30 or held in a press fit in/on the supporting sole 30. The material of the supporting sole 30 is preferably more rigid, i.e. less elastically deformable, than the material of the supporting device 38.

[0068] The supporting device 38 for its part comprises a U shaped rear foot part 40 which engages around the rear foot section 32 of the supporting sole 30. The rear foot part 40 has a first (lateral) and a second (medial) limb 42, 44, which are mutually connected to one another via a rear portion 46. The rear foot part 40 thus frames the rear foot portion 32 of the supporting sole.

[0069] The elastically deformable supporting device 38 further comprises a front foot part, designated as a whole by 48, having a first (lateral) and a second (medial) limb 50, 52, which are each arranged along opposite edge sections 54 of the front foot section 34 of the supporting sole 30. The front foot part 48 is preferably attached to the supporting sole in a manner corresponding to the rear foot part 40.

[0070] The rear foot part 40 can in particular be made in one piece. In the embodiment shown, the U shaped rear foot part 40 of the supporting device 38 forms an opening 58 pointing in the direction of the longitudinal center axis 26 (x-axis) of the shoe sole 24 towards the front end of the shoe sole, i.e. towards the shoe sole tip 56. A free space 60 is delimited by the rear foot part of the supporting device in a direction radial to the vertical axis 59 (z-axis) of the shoe sole 24 and is delimited on the upper side by the supporting sole 30 in the vertical direction.

[0071] An outsole covering 62 is fastened on the underside of the supporting device 38, that is to say on the rear foot part 40 and the front foot part 48. The outsole covering 62 consists of a material suitable for the respective area of application of the shoe 14 and can be provided with a profile 64 in a manner known per se. From a manufacturing point of view, the outsole covering 62 is preferably glued to the supporting device 38 or fastened to it in another suitable manner.

[0072] A push-off island 66 is arranged between the two limbs 50, 52 of the front foot part 48 of the supporting device 38. The push-off island 66 is elastically deformable and forms a pressing platform for pushing off when running. The push-off island 66 is advantageously segmented by flex zones 68 in order to ensure the necessary flexibility of the shoe sole 24 when running. The spatial course of the flex zones 68 relative to the supporting sole 30 can be adapted to an externally rotated foot placement that is often found in runners. It should be noted that the push-off island 66 is not arranged with the surface 70 of its outsole covering 62 flush with the surface 70 of the outsole covering 62 of the two limbs 50, 52 of the front foot part 48 of the supporting device 38 in the direction of the vertical axis 59 (z-direction). The push-off island 66 is rather arranged set back by a few millimeters, for example 2 to 4 millimeters, with respect to the surface 70 of the outsole covering 62 of the front foot part 48.

[0073] The mounting of the supporting sole 30 on the elastically deformable supporting device 38 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 7 to 11. FIG. 7 shows the shoe sole 24 in a longitudinal section along the longitudinal center plane L of the shoe sole 24, while in FIGS. 8 to 11, individual cross-sections of the shoe sole 24 are shown.

[0074] According to FIGS. 7 and 8, the rear foot part 40 of the elastically deformable supporting device 38 has an almost round, here oval cross-sectional shape. The supporting device 38 can be made of a solid material, foamed if necessary, or alternatively also in the form of a tube. An elastically deformable fiber composite material is also conceivable.

[0075] The large outer radius of the rear foot part 40 (FIG. 7) counteracts undesirable leverage forces on the ankle and knee when it touches down. According to the cross-sectional representations of the shoe sole 24 in FIGS. 9 to 11 of the shoe sole 24, the supporting device 38 has an overall round or rounded cross-sectional shape.

[0076] The rear foot part 40 and the front foot part 48 each have a supporting surface 72 which is inclined toward the bottom of the shoe sole or is convexly curved and on which the supporting sole 30 rests and is supported in a lateral direction, i.e. outward in a direction radial to the vertical axis (z-direction).

[0077] In the area of the rear foot part, the supporting surface of the supporting device is convexly curved. In cross-section, the supporting sole has a concave contact or supporting surface 74 which is shaped to correspond or complement it. The rear foot part 40 of the supporting device 38 engages positively in the receptacle or pocket 76 of the supporting sole 30 formed thereby.

[0078] The front foot part 48 of the supporting device has a smaller overall height h than the rear foot part 40. The cross-sectional area of the front foot part 48 of the supporting device 38 decreases towards the tip of the shoe sole 56 (FIG. 7). The lateral extension of the supporting surfaces 72 of the front foot part 48 of the supporting device 38 becomes increasingly smaller along the longitudinal center axis 26 of the shoe sole in the direction of the shoe sole tip 56.

[0079] In FIGS. 9 to 11, the surface 70 of the push-off island 66, which is set back (recessed) with respect to the surface 70 of the outsole covering 62, can be clearly seen.

[0080] The coordinated elastic deformability of the supporting sole 30 and the supporting device 38 with outsole covering 62, which provides ground contact, as well as the laterally supported mounting of the supporting sole 30 on the supporting device 38 enables the centering of the force application point 23 in the ml direction when the shoe sole 24 is placed with respect to the longitudinal center axis 26 or longitudinal center plane L, and to guide it centered in the ap (anterior-posterior) direction anteriorly in the direction of the front foot area, as is shown in a highly schematized manner with the arrows P in FIG. 12 and in FIG. 13 in a manner corresponding to FIG. 3. As a result, external torques in the frontal and transverse planes at the ankle 18 and knee 22 according to FIG. 14 can be minimized. In addition, the force application point 23 can be guided from the rear foot contact to the front foot contact with improved use of the biomechanical potential of the biological coupling elements of the metatarsus (ligaments, tendons, intrinsic foot muscles) in the ap direction forward to the front foot area. Through the ml-centering and ap-orientation of the force application point in the front foot support and push-off, the propulsion efficiency can also be improved. The advantages of the shoe sole 24 according to the invention are given in all forms of foot placement.