Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- ' ~ 31$2~
-- 2 --
The invention relates to a sole for sports shoes,
in particular for use on hard surfaces, which has or
forms a heel wedge of an elastic relatively softly
yielding~material, whereing in the region under the
s~pport surface for the heel, the heel wedge has at least
one recess which is accessible from ~he edge of the
sole and which extends approximately parallel to the
support surface and to the tread side o~ the sole and
into which a resiliently bendable support member can be
replaceably fitted, the support member substantially
filling the recess.
:
The invention also relates to a device for fitting
a said support member into such a sole which has at least
one recess which is open towards opposite edges of the
sole.
` ::
The above-described sole, as set forth in prior
application DOS (German laid-open applica-tion)
No 29~oL~540 provides a simple way of individually
adapting the cushioning capability of the sole, without
20 detrimentally affecting the ~eel of the~track or surface
for the runner runnlng thereon. The present invention is
concerned with a further improvement and aspect of the
~invention as set forth in the main application, in
particular in regard;to influencing the cushioning
~ 25 capability of -the sole by the support member or members.
::::
:~
~:
..,,;
-- 3
For this purpose, the present invention proposes that
the recess in the heel wedge of the sole i5 narrower in
cross-section, at least in a region-wise manner, than the
support member for ~itting therein.
As the heel wedge comprises a comparatively soft
material, for example a polyurethane foam, for properly
performing its ~unction, while the support member, although
being capable of deformation in compression and/or bending,
for properly performing its function, is nonetheless of
grea-ter hardness than the material of the heel wedge, taken
generally, for the purposes of establishing the cushioning
capability, the heel wedge is subject to a compression
effect in the region around the recess, after the support
member is inserted. It will be appre~ated that this
compression ef~ect in the region around the recess results
in the material having a higher degree of resistance to
compression and bending deformation, that is to say, the
heel wedge is locally stiffened in the region around the
; recess or recesses. The extent of local compacting o~ the
heel wedge material depends on the degree of oversize by
which the outside dimensions of the support member exceed
the inside dimensions of the recess before the support
member is fitted thereinto. In this way, the stif~ening
action in respect of the heel wedge under the heel support
surface, which is the aim to be achieved in accordance with
the principle of this invention, may be achieved to a certain
extent by a deliberately produced compression effect in the
material o~ the heel wedge.
This is advantageous for the reason that the sti~fening
in the sole, which can be achieved in this way, does not
occur abruptly at the boundary surface of the recess with
the support member, but is already beginning to occur in
the heel wedge itself, and gradually increases towards the
~ 1620~4
-- 4 --
recess. In addition, this arrangement makes it possible
for the support members and the recesses to be of smaller
dimensions as the lower levels of hardness and bending
strength which result from the reduced dimensions are
compensated for by the resulting compression effect and
thus stiffening effect in the region around the recess.
; In accordance with an advantageous development of
this invention, the support member is in the form of a
plurality of solid bar members of plastics material, which
are capable of deforma-tion in compression and /or deformation
in bending and which are provided a-t one end with a collar
portion intended to bear against the edge of the sole, while
in their other end portion, the bar members have a plurality
of spaced-apart annular collar portions. As a result of
the support membe~ being oversized relative to the recess,
the wall of the recess presses forcefully against the outside
surface of the support membersO Therefore, with the above-
described advantageous configuration of the support member,
there is no need to take special steps for fixing the
support members in the recess. In particular, the wall of the
recess presses into the intermediate spaces which are formed
between the annular coIlar portions in one end section of
the support member, and thus, in addition to a considerable
frictional grip, also produces a positive or form-locking
engagement~which prevents the support members from
unintentionally coming ou-t of the recess while the wearer
of the shoe is running.
; In order to be able to fit the support members into
the recess, in spite b~ the oversize of ;the support members,
the invention proposes a simple device which is particularly
suitable for that purpose. The device is intended for
a sole design in which the recess or recesses is or are open
to the oppositely disposed edges of the sole~ According
... . ,, . . , ~ , .. ~
1 ~620~
-- 5
to the invention, -the device comprises a tube which has a
pushing and pulling handle and which can be inserted into
the recess in the sole, thereby simultaneously expanding
the recess, the internal cross-section of the tube~ in
respect of shape and dimensions, being suitable for
receiving a support member and being adapted thereto 9 and
the length of the tube at least approximately corresponding
to the length of the recess. The tube can be inserted
into the recess, thereby causing the recess to be enlarged,
in such a way that the free end of the tube lies in the
vicinity of the corresponding end of the recess, or even
projects out of that end of the recess. A support member
is now introduced into the tube so that the collar portion
provided on the support member at the end thereof bears
against the end of the tube of the device, and the tube
is pulled back again through the recess. The support member
remains with its end collar portion bearing against the
edge of the sole, around the mouth of the recess, and
is pulled out of the tube as the tube is moved backwards
out of the recess~ In this operation, the wall of the recess
progressively comes to bear against the outside surface
of the support member and embraces the outside surface
of the support member with a frictional and positive
~ engagement, in the manner described hereinbefore.
; 25 Desirably, the tube~is locally expanded outwardly
just before its free end, thereby ~orming a flat or shallow
bead, and the free end forms a readily de~ormable thin-
walled edge portion. The thin-walled edge portion permits
the tube to be easily inserted into the recess; the local
bead configuration reduces the force required for inserting
and retracting the tube.
An embodiment of the invention is described in greater
detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
,
''~ :
1 ~6204~
-- 6 --
Figures 1 and 2 show a view from below and a side view
respectively of part of a heel region o~ a sports shoe
provided with the sole according to the invention9
Figure 3 shows a device for inserting a support member
into the sole shown in Figures 1 and 2, and
Figure 4 shows a support member for fitting into the
sole shown in Figures 1 and 2.
The sports shoe of which Figures 1 and 2 show only the
heel region of the sole9 is for example a tennis shoe
with an uppers portion 1 and an outer sole in the form of
a dished-type sole which at least in the heel region ~orms
a heel wedge 2. In the usual manner, the dished-type sole
; is taken somewhat up the uppers portion 1 of the shoe and
is joined thereto by adhesive or by s-ti-tching or by being
directly injected -thereon. At least in the region forming
the heel wedge 2 9 the sole comprises a light and comparatively
soft polyurethane foam which has a Shore hardness of about
35. The tread or ground-engaging side of the sole is
provided with tread profiling (not shown herein)~
A shallow edge recess 5 is formed at each of the
~ two opposite side edges 3 and L~ of the sole. Three bores
;; 6 which extend parallel to each other open into the two
recesses 5 in the edges of the sole; the bores 6 extend
between the heel support surface and the tread side of
~ 25 the heel wedge 2, and parallel thereto. The bores 6
; are directed transversely with respect to the longitudinal
direction of the sole, and are also substantially parallel
to each other. The distances between the bores are
desirably equal, but this is not necessarily the case;
it is possible to envisage the front bore 6 being positioned
somewhat further forward.
A bar-shaped support member 7 as shown in Figure 4 is
intended for iitting into the bores 6. The suppor-t member 7
.
I 1~20~4
-- 7 --
comprises an elastomeric plastics material, for example
an elastically yielding polyure-thane, and is both capable of
deformation in compression and also resiliently bendable
transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof.
At its left-hand end, the support member 7 has a collar
portion 8 which, when the support member is fitted into the
bore 6, is lntended to bear respectively against the side
edge 3 or 4 of the sole or in the bottom of -the recess 5.
At the opposite end 9 of the support member, the diameter of
the support member 7 is no greater than in the cylindrical
shank portion 10 adjoining the collar portion 8. Provided
in the end portion 11 which is in front of the free end 9
are six spaced-apart annular collar portions 12, the outside
diameter of which is less than the outside diameter of the
collar portion 8. In a practical embodimentJ the shank diameter
in the shank portion 10 is for example 8 mm while the diameter
o~ the annular collar portions is 10 mm.
The diameter 13 of the bores 6 is smaller -than the shank
diameter of the shank portion 10. The dif~erence in diameters
may be for example up to 1 mm and more. When therefore the
support member 7 is fitted into one of the bores 6 in such a
way that it extends from one end of the bore to the other
end, then the support member compresses and compacts the
material of the heel wedge 2 in the region around the
associated bore 6, and stiffens the heel wedge 2 in respect
of further compression and bending deformation, as described
hereinbe~ore. In addition, the wall of the corresponding bore
6 presses locally into the axial intermediate spaces which
are formed be-tween the annular collar portions 12, and
fixes the support member in the bore 6 7 SO as to prevent
unintentional axial shifting thereof. There is therefore no
need to take special steps to fix the support member in -the
bore.
1 ~6204~
-- 8 --
Because of the oversize in respect of diameter of
the support member 7 relative to the bore 6, it is dif~icult
; ~ for the support member 7 to be readily inserted into the
bore 6. The device shown in Figure 3 is provided for that
purpose, and subs-tantially comprises a -tube 14 and a handle
15 which is fixedly connected thereto. The handle 15 is of
such a configuration that the -tube 14 can be pressed into
one of the bores 6, using the palm of a hand, but can
subsequently be pulled out of the bore again by gripping
the handle with fingers around round recesses 16. The length
of the tube 14 is at least equal to the length of the support
member 7; the inside diameter of the tube 14 is such that
the support member 7 can be easily introduced thereinto.
In the ~icinity of the free end of the tube 14, the wall of
the tube is bulged out to form a shallow bead 17. Disposed
adjoining the bead 17 is an edge portion 18 which is o~
thinner wall thickness and which is easily deformable, in
comparison with the rigidity o~ the wall of the tube 14.
The support member 7 is inserted by means of the device
shown in Figure 3 by the tube 11~ ~irst being pushed through
one o~ the bores 6 until it projects out of the opposite
mouth end of the bore. A support member 7 is then introduced
into the tube 14, and the tube is then pulled backO As
the tube is pulled back through the bore, the collar
portion 8 comes to bear against the respective edge 3
or 4 of thé sole or the bottom of the associated recess 5
~; - so that, as the device is pulled further back through the
; bore, the support member 7 is pulled slowly out o~ the
tube 14. The bead 17 ensures that the wall of the bore 6
comes to lie properly against the outside surface of the
support member 7, in the region of the ~ree end 18 of
the tube.
::: :
.
~ ~2~
g .
The device preferably comprises an elastically de~ormable
plastics material, ~or example polyamide.
In the above-described embodiment, the bores 6 are
smaller in cross-section, over their entire length, than
the support members 7 so that the material surrounding -the
bores 6 is compacted over the entire leng-th of the bores.
However, that is not necessarily the case. It is also
poss~ble for the oversize in respect of the support members
7 in relation to the diameter 13 of the bores 6 to be
provided only in the end regions of the support members
7, which is desirably ef~ected by a shoulder in the region
of the collar portion ô and by the annular collar portions
12. Compacting of the material which results from this
arrangement, in the end regions of the support members
7, also gives the desired effect according to the invention,
of a continuous increase in rigidity laterally of the
point of main loading by the heel, while in addition
providing the desired action of fixing the support members
7 within the bore 6, without additional holding meansO
In the above-described embodiment, the bores 6 are
straight and are arranged parallel to the support surface
or tread side of the sole, and the support mernbers 7
are correspondingly straight. In this respect also however
it is possible to achieve better adaptation to the curved
underneath surface of the human heel, if either the bores
6 are of such a configuration as to be curved downwardly
; in the heel wedge 2 so that the support;members 7,
~ ~which are then inserted with a given degree o~ prestressing,
; ~ form in their entirety a downwardly curved 'grid'l or
if the support members 7 are increased in thickness in an
`~ - upward direction in their end regions before the collar
portion 8 and in the region 11, so that, in those regionsJ
the support members cause a more accentuated compacting
2~4
- 10 -
action than in their central region, in the ma-terial
around the associated bores 6. These two arrangements
provide a kind of bed for receiving the foot, at the heel,
and this results in the foot being supported in a highly
5 advantageous manner and located in a sideways direction.
In order to avoid the support members being incorrectly
fitted into the bores 6j in the situation where the
support members 7 are additionally increased in thickness
in an upward direction in their end regions, which would
result in the opposite effect ~o that desired~ it is
desirable for the support members 7 and the associated
bores 6 not to be of circular cross-section, but o~
polygonal cross-section. For examplej the cross-section may
be of a triangular configuration, with one side of the
l5 ;triangle being disposed parallel to the support sur~ace
for the heel so that in use there is no possibillty o
an~undesirèd varlation caused by rotary mo~ement o~ the
support members 7.
In order to facilitate inserting the tube 14 into
the bores 6;when~he sole ls made of given materials,~for
example rubber9 with a correspondingly high ~rictional
` value, ~it lS~ possible to envisage either providing
hcn~ng up the tube so th t ~ r f ~ i the tube.
:
: ~ :
::
~: :
