Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Stuttgart 03.03.2015
Shoe with intervertebral disc material damping element
Background of the invention
The invention relates to a shoe, in patticular a pump, high-
heel shoe or stiletto, having an insole and a heel, wherein a
damping element is integrated in the heel and/or in the in-
sole, in particular in the region of the heel and/or the ball
of the foot.
A shoe having rubber elements arranged in the insole is known
from US 2007/0151124 Al.
Damping soles are used in particular in sports shoes in order
to damp the forces which act on the body when running and
jumping. Since sports shoes can have very thick soles, corre-
spondingly large quantities of different damping materials
can be used.
Particularly with elegant ladies' shoes (high heels), however,
this is =not possible since the design does not permit the use
of large quantities of damping material. In addition, feet
and joints are subjected to different loads when walking in
high heels from those when jogging or walking. Ladies who
like to wear high heels therefore have to live with side-
effects such as pain in the front foot ("burning of the balls
of the feet"), blisters, swollen feet, up to long-term damage
for the joints and back.
It is known to place gel inlays at the painful locations in
the shoe. However, this impairs the fit of the shoe in most
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cases. Often gel inlays are recommended as products to pre-
vent sliding or for an increase in retention in high or ex-
cessively large shoes. In addition, they are intended to help
to prevent pressure locations and also to bring relief in re-
gions which are subjected to significant loads. Current gel
inlays are in most cases silicon inlays whose damping proper-
ties are, however, rather low or not present.
US 2007/0151124 Al discloses a shoe in which there are pro-
vided in the insole recesses in which inserts of thermo-
plastic rubber material are inserted. In order to achieve a
noticeable damping effect, the thickness of the inserts is
selected to be greater than the height of the recess within
the insole. However, this results in the inserts being able
to be perceived as foreign bodies which is haptically gener-
ally perceived to be unnatural and disruptive, in particular
during walking.
Object of the invention
An object of the invention is to provide a shoe, in particu-
lar a ladies' shoe with a high heel, which is constructed in
an elegant manner and which can be provided with a high-
quality design without having to forego comfort and conven-
ience.
Statement of invention
This object is achieved according to the invention in that
the damping element has a Shore D hardness in the range from
28 to 33, preferably in the range from 28.5 to 29.5, a modu-
lus of elasticity in the range from 28 to 38 MPa, preferably
in the range from 32 to 36 MPa, and a tensile stress of from
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9 to 11; preferably from 9.5 to 10.5 MPa, at 600% extension.
Such damping elements are referred to below as BSW elastomers
(intervertebrate disc material elastomer) damping elements.
The combination of these properties results in the BSW damp-
ing element, on the one hand, feeling (in contrast to conven-
tional damping elements used in shoes) hard, with a high
pressure loading, as is the case, for example, in shoes with
high narrow heels, but absorbing a large portion of the ener-
gy which is introduced and consequently bringing about relief
of the foot joints, knee joints and the spine. As a result of
the selected hardness and the restoring and force action be-
haviour resulting from the parameters according to the inven-
tion, the BSW damping elements can also be effectively used
in elegant ladies' shoes with high heels which was only pos-
sible in a limited manner with conventional soft damping ele-
ments since these either (as a result of the limited space)
have too little damping or (as a result of the soft material)
are too unstable to ensure secure movement while wearing the
shoes.
The BSW damping elements have similar mechanical properties
to an intervertebral disc implant. As a result of the use of
such BSW damping elements in the insole of shoes, pressure
differences can be compensated for in an optimum manner and
excellent shock absorption is achieved. In particular, the
damping element according to the invention is distinguished
by a high resilience, a high stress crack resistance and a
high abrasion resistance. The shoe according to the invention
consequently allows damping of the pressure on the front foot
(balls of feet) and the heel.
Preferred embodiments of the invention
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In a special embodiment, the BSW damping element is con-
structed as an insole or as part of the insole. The BSW damp-
ing element thus not only performs the function of damping,
but also (at least partially) performs the functions of an
insole (connection between the outer sole and cover sole or
upper shoe).
Alternatively, the insole may have at least one recess,
wherein the damping element(s) is/are arranged in the at
least one recess. The insole preferably comprises a common
insole material, for example, leather, "leather fibre materi-
als, synthetic fibre fabric, etcetera.
The advantages of the invention are particularly evident in
shoes with high heels (high heels), preferably higher than 9
cm, and/or shoes with small heel surfaces (stilettos), pref-
erably 1 cm2 (spike heel), since in this instance particular-
ly large forces/pressure act(s) on the ball region or a par-
ticularly high pressure acts in the heel region.
In addition to the BSW damping elements in the insole, with
the shoe according to the invention additional BSW damping
elements may be integrated in the heel, wherein in the con-
text of the invention "integrated" is not intended to mean
that the damping element has to be arranged inside the heel,
but instead forms the heel of the shoe together with other
heel elements.
Preferably, the damping element is produced from an admixture
of at least two thermoplastic elastomers.
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Preferably, the thermoplastic elastomers differ in terms of
their Shore D hardness and/or their modulus of elasticity
and/or in terms of their tensile stress. Consequently, these
properties can be influenced in a selective manner by the
formulation of the different elastomers and consequently can
be adapted to different requirements in order to obtain simi-
lar mechanical properties to those found in a human or arti-
ficial intervertebral disc.
It is particularly advantageous for the damping element to
have a bending modulus of elasticity (Young's modulus) in the
range from 28 to 38 MPa.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the shoe according
to the invention, the thermoplastic elastomers are thermo-
plastic elastomers based on copolymers, in particular with
polyether soft segments. Particularly advantageous properties
are produced, for example, when poly(ether-ester) copolymers
with Shore D hardnesses between 25 and 33 in admixture ratios
of 70:30 to 30:70, in particular in a ratio of 60:40 to 50:50,
are used.
Alternatively, the thermoplastic elastomers may also be ther-
moplastic polyurethanes.
The BSW damping elements are preferably produced by means of
extrusion in an injection-moulding method.
Preferably, the BSW damping elements are securely fixed in
the insole, in particular adhesively bonded.
Preferably, at least one BSW damping element is integrated in
the insole, that is to say, the insole has a recess in which
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the damping element is inserted in such a manner that the
damping element ends flush with the insole. The depth of the
recess and the thickness of the damping element are thus
adapted to each other. To this end, it is advantageous for
the damping element to have a constant thickness of a few
millimetres, in particular 5.5 mm, preferably 3 mm. As a
result of the BSW damping elements according to the invention,
effective damping can be achieved even with such a small
thickness. By using BSW damping elements with a constant
thickness, the wear comfort of the shoe is not influenced in
a negative manner by the shape of the damping elements. The
wearer does not feel and see the BSW damping element since
these are an integral component of the insole and ends flush
with the surface thereof.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the shoe according
the invention, the heel is constructed partially as a damping
element which is arranged between two portions of a heel base
member.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the heel damping ele-
ment has a continuous vertical recess, through which a fixing
element can be introduced in order to fix the heel damping
element to the two portions of the heel base member 6.
The heel BSW damping element preferably has a thickness of a
few millimetres, in particular at least 5.5 mm.
It is particularly advantageous for the portion of the heel
which is constructed as a BSW damping element to be covered
in an annular manner. The damping element is consequently
protected from external influences. Furthermore, the annular
cover indicates the effect of the BSW material and indicates
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the extension of the intervertebral disc which is responsible
for the "comfort/convenience". The cover may be constructed
as a coating, for example, of leather, or as a removable clip.
In order to increase the stability of the heel, the heel of
the shoe may be at least partially produced from carbon. The
heel may thus have, for example, a frame construction of car-
bon.
The invention also relates to the use of an admixture of dif-
ferent elastomers, in particular based on copolymers, with
polyether soft segments for damping elements in shoes, in
particular in pumps, high-heel shoes or stiletto shoes. How-
ever, the BSW damping elements may also be advantageously
used in leisure shoes, shoes for men, and in flat ladies'
shoes, such as ballerina shoes, with or without a high heel.
The invention also relates to a method for producing a shoe,
in particular a pump, high-heel shoe or stiletto shoe, where-
in BSW damping elements comprising an admixture of at least
two different elastomers are first produced. An insole and/or
a heel is/are provided with at least one recess in which the
damping element is finally introduced and secured as an inte-
gral component of the insole/heel. To this end, the insole
material is first fulled and cut on the shoe tree. The mate-
rial thickness of the insoles corresponds in this instance to
that of the BSW damping elements. At the points of impact un-
der the heel and ball, the insoles are cut so that these por-
tions of the insoles can be removed. The recesses which are
thereby produced are processed in such a manner that the BSW
damping elements can be inserted in a precisely fitting man-
ner. In the ball region, the fitting damping elements are
then adhesively bonded. In the heel region, however, the cut-
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out portions of the base member of the insole are first in-
serted again (where applicable, only lightly adhesively bond-
ed to the cut faces so that they do not fall out during the
remainder of the production of the shoes but can be removed
again without being destroyed). This is very important since
the heels subsequently have to be screwed through the insole
after removal from the shoe tree without the damping element
being screwed, in order not to impair the damping properties.
After a filling has been introduced and the heels have been
assembled, soles are applied and the shoe tree is removed
from the shoes. Subsequently, in the heel region, the por-
tions which have been cut out from the insole are lifted out.
The heels are screwed through the insoles, the damping ele-
ments are inserted into the corresponding recesses and adhe-
sively bonded. The insoles are glued in.
The shoe according to the invention comprises a sole with BSW
damping elements for pressure absorption which are integrated
in the insole or are part of the insole, wherein the BSW
damping elements imitate mechanical properties of an inter-
vertebral disc implant and acting as an insole or an integral
component of the insole results in particular in high heels
being able to be worn over a longer period of time with a
high degree of wearing comfort and convenience. The biome-
chanics of the BSW material which is unique in the shoe sec-
tor brings about an effective reduction of the action of
force on specific loading locations in the foot and thus pro-
vides a remedy for the unpleasant symptoms and long-term
side-effects, such as, for example, pressure marks and the
deformation of the feet. A wearer using the invention de-
scribed here can walk longer in high heels without any pain.
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Other advantages of the invention will be appreciated from
the description and the drawings. The features which are men-
tioned above and those set out in greater detail below can
also be used according to the invention individually per se
or together in any combination. The embodiments shown and de-
scribed are not intended to be understood to be a definitive
listing but are instead of an exemplary nature to describe
the invention.
Detailed description of the invention and drawings
Figure la is an exploded view of a ladies' shoe according to
the invention, wherein the elements of the shoe are illus-
trated in a transparent manner,
Figure lb is a side view of the shoe according to the inven-
tion from Figure la,
Figures 2a, b are a perspective view and a side view of a
ball damping element for a shoe according to the invention;
Figures 3a, b are a perspective view and a side view of a
heel damping element for a shoe according to the invention;
Figures 4a, b are a perspective view, a plan view and a sec-
tioned illustration of a heel damping element for a shoe ac-
cording to the invention,
Figure 5a shows a BSW damping element which is constructed as
an insole, and
Figure 5b shows a BSW damping element which is constructed as
a part-sole.
Figure 1 shows a ladies' shoe 1 with a high heel 2. The shoe
1 has an insole 3 which is provided with recesses 4a, 4b in
the ball region and heel region. Damping elements 5a, 5b are
arranged in the recesses 4a, 4b. The recesses 4a, 4b of the
insole 3 are precisely so large that the damping elements 5a,
5b can be received in the non-loaded state. The insole 3 with
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the damping elements 5a, 5b is covered with a cover sole 9.
The heel 2 comprises a base member 6 which is interrupted in
the lower third by a further recess 4c. In the further recess
4c, there is arranged a further damping element 5c (heel
damping element) which is secured to the base member 6 of the
heel 2 and which forms the heel 2 therewith. The heel damping
element 5c is covered in the example shown in Figure lb by an
annular cover 8.
In Figures 2 to 5, a preferred embodiment of the individual
damping elements 5a, 5b, 5c' is illustrated in detail. The
damping elements 5a, 5b which are intended to be arranged in
the recesses 4a, 4b have a uniform thickness.
Figures 5a, 5b show embodiments of the BSW damping element 5,
5' according to the invention which are not arranged in re-
cesses of the insole, but instead are themselves constructed
as an insole or portion of the insole.
The heel damping element 5c' has in the example shown the
same cross-section as the base member 6 of the heel 2 in the
region of the interruption, wherein (in contrast to the heel
damping element 5c shown in Figures la, lb) there is provided
a continuous vertical recess 7 (that is to say, in the direc-
tion of the longitudinal extent of the heel 2), through which
a fixing element can be introduced for fixing the two por-
tions of the heel base member 6 to the heel damping element
5c. The insertion of the heel damping element 5c may, for ex-
ample, be carried out by the base member of the heel 2 being
separated all the way around, but without separating an in-
ternal metal sleeve (fixing element). The heel damping ele-
ment 5c is, for example, separated at the front side with a
cut and inserted into the gap between the two components of
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the base member 6 and adhesively bonded. The heel damping el-
ement 5c is consequently arranged in a sandwich-like manner
between the two components of the base member 6 of the heel 2.
=
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List of reference numerals
1 Shoe
2 Heel
3 Insole
4a, 4b Recesses in insole
4c Recess in heel (interruption of the heel base mem-
ber)
5a, 5b Damping elements for region of heel and ball of
foot
5c, 5c' Heel damping element
Damping element which is constructed as a sole
5' Damping element which is constructed as a part-sole
6 Base member of the heel
7 Recess in the heel damping element
8 Cover
9 Cover sole
=
