Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to a sole for sports shoes, especially
for shoes usea for lon6~distance rr~ning on hard tracks, co~posed of
elastically flexible material, prefera~ly ~lastics material, and
thickened rearwardly from the shank to fo~n a heel wedge.
~or many years it has been conventional to provide r ~ling
shoes and also training shoes for running races wit~ a rounded-off
portion at the heel, the roundea-off`portion extending right into the
sole to ensure a unifo~m rollin~-off process for the foot and thereby
increase the perfor~ance of the runner. ~his rounded-off portion has
produced the desired result in contests held on plas-tics tracks,
particularly short-distance and medium-clistance races, because in
these disciplines the runners make xelatively fax forward contact
with the sole surface by extending the ~oo-t with a view -to increasirlg
the perfor~ance, so that durin6 the rollin~off process the heel i.s
not fully loaded. ~owe~er, it has been found that in long-distance
races in which the force of the ~mner does not usua].ly suffice over
the full distance so -that the heel does not ~ake contact under full
load, the said rounded-off portion has a detximental effect and in an
extreme case can even result in overloadin~ of the heel. Such detri-
mental effects are particularly evident in long-distc~nce races SUC}l
as ~arathon races which lead over relatively long distances and
therefore include stretohes along ordinary roads. ~&len there is heel
contact with the ro~ded-off portion of the sole, the bard road
surface CalSeS the elasticity of the sole to be incompletely utili~ed
and the l~nner is subjected to shocks in the regrion of the heel
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bone that lead to premature tiring and a marked drop in performance.
Similar considerations apply to running or training shoes used by
inexperiencea runners, for example within the scope of slimming
exexcises, because such persons generally also fail to have special
kno~lledge about the technique of running to t~ke the aforementioned
problems into account.
To damp vibrations and shocks occuring d~ring running,particularly on
hard tracks, various solutions have already been proposed. ~or
example, a sports shoe of the aforementioned kind is known in which
an air cushion chamber is formed in the heel region of the sole and
closed by a valve. ~his air cushion chamber is suppesed to absorb
and damp vibrations and i~p~cts elastically by pressure deformation.
~ne provision of comparatively thick soles of very soft flexible
material has the same aim in mind. However, both Icnown constructions
haYe a significant disadvantage in that, in order to achieve adequate
dc~mping, they are socompressible in thehee] region ~f the sole that the
runner has a floating feeling imparted to him and loses the feel of
the -track which is necessary to develop his best perfol~ance. Indeed,
premature tiring of the r~ mer is likely when using an excessively
soft sole which no doubt has a good damping effect for i~pacts.
Thè invention therefore has the object of providing a sports
Æhoe sole in which, on the one hand, -there is substantial damping of
vibrations and impacts occurring during running particularly on hard
tracks and the ~lhealthy effects on the heel are thereby avoided
l~ithout thereby affecting the perforrlcq~lce of the ~ner. However, at
the same ti~e it should be possible to employ one and the same sole
~,1~,
consisting o~ relatively soft material for this purpose or
to adapt the sole to different ground conditions, for example
forest soil or asphalt.
According to the invention, a sole Eor a sports
shoe has a heel wedge of yielding material having at least
one recess extending transversely to the longitudinal axis
of the sole and substantially parallel to the tread face,
the recess being open at least at one side edge of the heel
wedge, at least one supporting membex of elastically bendable
material being replaceably inserted in said recess, said bend-
able material being of greater hardness than said soft yield-
ing material of the heel wedge to increase the overall hard-
ness of the sole, and securing means for securing the support-
ing member in said recess.
The invention is thexefore based on the considera-
tion that the selection of appropriate supporting members
will make it possible to change the softness of the sole
itself. In this way, adaptation to the wishes of the runner
is possible without difficulties, regardless whether with
respect to his weight or the softness of the sole, in some
cases also taking the ground properties into consideration.
If relatively stiff supporting members are used, the outsole
seems to be given a comparatively high hardness. On the
other hand, when using supporting members which are com-
paratively easily resillently deformable, the increase
in the apparent sole hardness is not so high. ~or example,
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the sole itself may be of foam material, e.g. polyurethane
foam having a comparatively low Shore hardness of, for
example, about 35. Depending on the p:roperties of the
supporting members that are used, the apparent Shore hard-
ness of the sole can then be considerably increased, e.g.
to a maximum of 85. The supporting members can be made
of all possible materials. For example, PVC, polye-thylene
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polyamide and especially nylon are sui-table. ~[owever, it would also
be possible to make the supportin~ members of suitable rl~etc~l, e.g.
an appropriate sheet metal. The application of the supportin~ members
to the sole is simple because the recess :is laterally open. Genercilly
it is only required to insert the supportin~r members appropriately
from the side. By selecting a suitable colour, the weight range for
which a particular supporting member is intended can then be made vi-
sible. It is~for example,conceivable to let th~colour become darker with an
increase in weightof the runner for whom they ~re deternined.
It iB favourable to make the supportingr members in the for~
of hollow me~bers of elastically bendable material in order thereby
to save materic~l and also facilitate simple adaptation to a particular
load.
q'o adapt or change the sprin~ properties, it is also poEsible
to shape the hollowmember accordingly, inparticular toprovide thehollow
m~mber with slots,ribs orlike elements,~her~by the bendingflexibility is
alter~d.
A particularl~ simple but also desirable const~lction for the
sole according to the in~ention resides in that the heel wedge is
provided with a plurality o$ parallel transverse bores in which
substantially tubt~ar supportin~ members a~einsertable. It will be
kno~n that, havin~ regard to their wall thickness, tubes possess -the
highest relative strength ~nd therefore use the least possible
matelial. In adaition, no particular orien-tation o~ the -hlbulc~r
supporting membexs is necessary in the recess One adv.~nta$e of usin6
a plur~lity of -tubular supporting m~lbers i3 ~lso that under oertain
circumstances the hardness of the ~ole cc~n be differently selected in
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the re~ion of different supporting members by insertin~,r ~ifferent
tubular supporting members in the bores.
The insertion of the tu'bular supporting rnernbers i.s
e~sy when the transverse bores are open at both ends and the tubular
5 supporting members are tran~versely sub divided in-to two parts which
are each insertable in -the associated transverse bore from opposite
side edges of the sole cmd can be intercoupled near their inner ends
in the opera-tive position.
However,the supportin~ members could be differently constructed~ Tllus,
10 the supporting members could be in one piece a~d, as a supporting
element, carry at least at one end c~n elastic ring which can be
snapped into a circumferential groove in the end portion of the
supporting members and at their other end carry a collar or likewise
an elastic ring which can be snapped into a circ unferential groove.
15 If transverse bores are provided and the suppor-ting members are to be
relatively soft, i~e. the sole is to be used by persons of low weight,
it is for example conceivable to use a gpiral supporting menber of
plastics mate~ial or metal. ~lch a supporting member cculd then be
unifc~ y s¢rewed into the transveræe bore from the side. lilthoucgh
20 a plurali ty of parallel supporting members will preferably ofte~ be
provided in the sole, it would be conceivable for certain applicationa
to provide only one sui tably ~haped supporting member ~/hich co~ld
possibly also be lnserted in a r~ceC~s f`xom the heel end of the ~ole
rather than from the side but in that case suitable prcvision muæt be
25 made for securely closing the reoess.
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Gther feat~es, details and acive~t~;es of the inverltion will
become evident from the follo~ing description of pLeferred exa~ples
ith reference to tne drawing, ~ erein:-
Fig. 1 is a par-t-section~l plat;l view of a s01~3 accor~inOr to
the invention;
~ g. 2 is a side elevation of the l(-`ig. 1 solo;
Fig. ~ shows to a ver.y much enlar~ecl <~cc~ e the inner ends of
t~ro tube portions ~rhich fo~ the su~porting me.-.~ber, tne latter being
modified compared with that of ~
Eig. 4 is an ~mderplan of ~'ig. };
I~g. 5 is a fr~ ntary side el~va--oll of a Modified construc-
tion and
~ ig. ~ is an enl ~ged fra~len-tary vie~r ot a supporting me~lber
used in the sole of ~'ig. 5.
'L'he sole shown in ~'igs. 1 and 2 consists of an actual outsole
1 of wear-resistan-t material, e.g. v~cc~ni~ed n1bber, and a portion 3
fo~mirlg the heel wedge 2 of relatively sof-t material, e.g. polyurethane
foam with a Yhore hardness ofabout 35. The heel portion 3 i9 securely
connected to the outsole 1 by appropriate means, e.g. adhesive. 'rhe
outsole 1 in the illustrated example is also provided with studs 4.
In the region beneath the contact surfaoe 5 for the heel, the
illustrated sole is provided with three transverse bores 6 extending
from one side ed~e 7 of the sole to the other 3ide edge ~, the trans~
ver~e bores 6 each terminating in the vicinity of aepression~ 9 in
the side edges 7, a of tha sole. Incidentally, a correspondin~
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depression 10 is also provided at the re,lL end of the sole,
In the illustrated embodiMent5 tubular suppo t;in.,r t~Lembers 11
are inserted in the respective tr~nsverse bores ~ d these consi st
of a sui table plastics t~aterial, e.g. P'rC, pol,~eth~ylene, poly~2ide
5 or particularly nylon. I~e use of ~netal as a Illaterial f'or the
supporting members 11 is also conceivable.
Each supporting me~nber 11 consists of two hlbe portions 12
and 13 of ~,rhich the outer ends each have a~l annular I~lange 14 abutting
the side waLl 7 or 3 of the wedge me~Qber 3 in -the region of the
10 depression 9.
The inner ends of the tube portions 12, 13 are constructed
so that they can be intercoupled~ For this purpose the one tube
portion 12 has a reduced inner end scction 15 '~Jhi.C:i r~n~ breJ inside
the second -tube por-tion 1~;. This re~',uceo er!d -soction 15 is provided
1~ on the outside l1~ith an annular bead 16 ~hich, ~`or locking the tube
portions 12, 13, is enæagreable cluring insertion of the reduced end
section 15 of` the tube portion 12 into -the lrmer end cf the tube
portion 11, with c~nnular g~ooves 17 provided on the inner waLl of the
tube portion 11, the annulax bead 16 bein~ eng,c~ed in a suitable
20 annula.r groove 17 depending on the desi ~cd length of' the supporting
member 11.
In the tt/o left-hand ~upporti2l,~,r memb~ls 11 ot` I~'ig. L, -the
.umul~: be.-ld 1~'; is engaged in the second .~mu] ar ~jroo~re a~ vie~red from
tlle inner end of the tube portion L3, t~heleas ror tlle ri~ht-hand
25 supporting member the loc~ g takes place itl tne t'ourth ~nula-r 6~oove
wheleby the ri~ht-hand ~upportin~; rnernber as a t~ho]e is considerably
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shorter ~rlich corresponds to tne n~rrower ~l~lth of the sole or the
ed~;e portion 3 at this poin-t.
'rO insert the suppor-tingllLeillber 11, ti~e tube pOrGions 12 or
13 are introduced in the transverse 'bores u froLrl-the respective ends
thexeof and then pressed into each other 90 strongly ;rhile inter-
~loclcing the c~nnula~ bead 16 and the appropriate a~ltlUIc~ groove 17
un-til a proper seating of the tube portions 12, 13 ha~ been achieved
in the transverse bore G with the annular flanga 14 abutting the
side wall 7, ~.
lf the supportin~ members 11 are -to be replaced, the tllbe
portions 129 13 must be pulled apar-t and out of the respective trans-
verse bore. E'or this purpose, the hlbe portions 12, 13 may be provided
with suita~le holding elemen-ts, e.g. apertures or the like which are
no-t visible in the drawing. If'-the annul~r f'li--mge 1~ projects suffi-
ciently beyond the periphery of the tube por-tions 12,13, the latter
can also be g~ripped a-t the a~mular flange 14 itself.
~ppropriate tubular suppor-ting rrl~rrlbers-~ 11 are inserted depend-
ing on the wei~rh-t of the user of the ~hoes a~d -the h~(~ess of' the
sole desired by hirrl. ~he ~hardness~ of the supportin~r mer~'bers 11, i.e.
-their deformability, can be set by selecting a sui-table material, by
varying the wall -thickness and possibly also 'by ilppropliate shaping.
~'or exr~lple, the ~hardness~ can bereduced by applying 310ts, which
collld also extend spirc~ . An increase in the ~hardnec3s~ can for
exaJrlple be acilieved by mec~n~ of web~, ribs or the like.
l~'igs. 3 and ~ illustrate a different embodiment of' the means
fo-r couplirlg the inner ends of the tube portions 12~ or 13~. In the
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~ s. 3 c~d ~ ernbodilnent, one ~Ibe porl;ivn 12' i- a~c~in reduced at
its inner encl 15' so thQt it cc~ be -pushed in-to ~the innel end of the
other tube por-tion 13~.
~he coupling mec~ns 'bet~Jeen -the two -tube por-tions 12', 1~'
are in the nature of a bayonet couplin~. I'or this pu~pose -the
reduced end section 15' of` the -tube portion 12' comprises -two dia-
me-txally opposed axi31 slots 1.3 from which radial locki.ng notches 19
ex-tend in the same circumferenticil ciirection. ~lese locking notches
19 ser~e as lockin~ elerlents for a pin 21 which passes transversely
through the o-ther tube por-tion 13' neal its inner end 20 and ~hich
may be of metal if the tube portion 13' is of plas-tics mate~ic~l.
~ or lockin~ purposes, the inner ends of the tube por-tions 121,
13' in the Fig~. 3 c~nd ~ er~bodiment c~e pushed into each other suf:E`i-
ciently far c~d, by turning -the tube portions 1'~, 13' with respect to
each other, the pin 21 is then introduced in one ~ the locking notch
pairs 19 ~Ihich e~tend laterally from the c~ial slo-ts la, whereby
locking is ac~ieved. Since a~ain a plurc~ity of locking notches 19
is provided in different axial positions~ the tube portions 12', 13l
can be intercoupled in diff`erent c~xlal positions whereby a compensa-
tion in length is likewise possible in the rnanner described inrelation to li'ig~ 1.
In the l~i~s. 3 and (; embodi.~nent, -the tube portions 12', 13~
should be provided a-t their outer ends with suitable engc~ge~nent means
~or turnin~ tools. I'or ex~np].e, the;r outer erld co~d be equipped with
a slot for c~pplying~ a screwd.river. Ano-ther possi'bility would be to
make -the head at the outer end poly~oncil on the insi~e or outside.
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In the same way as for the outsole acco:rdingr to ~igs. 1 to
4, three transverse bores f, are provided in the re~ion of the contact
surf'ace 5 for the heel in the case of ~L~ . 'j, the bores 6 extending
fxom one side edgre 7 of the sole to the ot,her side e~ge. '~he trans-
verse bores 6 are disposed ln the vicinity of the depressions 9 ofthe side edges of the sole and te~inate therein.
Tubular supporting members 11' are insertea in the transverse
bores 6, one of these being shown in ~g. G~ The supportirlg member
11~ is a length of a plastics tube of corrugated longitudinal section
and thus provided over its entire length with circu~ferential grooves.
T~le length of the -tube is such that, after it has been inserted in the
transverse bore 6, both its ends 23 or 2~ still project so far from
the apertures of the transverse bores ~ that at least one circumferen--
tiaL ~rroove 22 is disposed completel,y beyond -the trc~svelse bores ~.
An elastic ring 25a or 2~b of ~ubber or the like is snapped into this
circumferentiaL groove 22 so that it is tigntly seated in the base of
the groove and is held by the groove 22. ~ig. o illustra-te~; two
different embodiments 25a and 25b for the ring cross-section. It will
be evident that any desired other fo~s oL elas-tic rings can be
selected to fulfil the sa~e purpose. The on:Ly thing that is necessary
is that even after snapping in the side f`aces of` the ring 25a, b still
project sufficiently far beyond t;he circumferen-tial sl~rface of the
tube to achieve arl abutment and thus a suppoxting ei'fect at the
lateral edges Or the sc~le.
3efore insertion in the trc~n,sverse bores 6, the tube 11l can
be provided with a / aæent such as Vaseline which accumuLates at
lubricating
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the bottom of at least a few grooves 22. In tlLis .w~y insertion of
the tube is VeLy much simplified.
Departures can be made with:in the scope of the inven-tion
fro~ the shape of the grooves as well as from -the illustrated oircu-
lar cross-section of the tube 11~. lt is also sufficient to provide
the groo~es merely in the two end portions 2~ OI` 2~ on which -the
rings 25a, b aro placed. l;~rther~ it is possible to provide one end
of the tube 11~ with a colla-r projecting beyond the exterior of the
rollers 22, for exc~nple by lateral fusion~ so tha-t an elastio ring
10 25a~ b need be snapped only onto one end 23 or 2~i-
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