초록 ▼

An athletic shoe with an articulating heel which incorporates a plurality of linkage mechanisms that control heel dynamics. The linkage mechanisms couple a lower heel plate to a spaced apart upper heel plate. A resilient element is located between the upper heel plate and lower heel plate to dampen

An athletic shoe with an articulating heel which incorporates a plurality of linkage mechanisms that control heel dynamics. The linkage mechanisms couple a lower heel plate to a spaced apart upper heel plate. A resilient element is located between the upper heel plate and lower heel plate to dampen impact forces and resiliently maintain spacing between the upper and lower heel plates. The linkage mechanisms may be suitably configured alloy bars coupled to the upper and lower plates that constrain the upper and lower plates against motion along a heel transverse axis. Other embodiments of the linkage mechanisms include unitarily constructed panels having flexure joints. During running, the lower heel plate, or an outsole attached to the lower heel plate, will contact and frictionally engage the ground surface while the upper heel plate and footwear will continue forward as the heel articulates about the linkage mechanisms. The impact force will move the upper plate downward compressing the resilient element and the upper heel plate will move closer to, and forward of, the lower heel plate providing heel travel that attenuates the impact forces. The linkage mechanisms constrain the relative motion of the upper heel plate and the lower heel plate against motion transverse of the heel thus providing heel control. The heel dynamics can be further controlled by controlling the orientation of the heel relative to the footwear.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] Footwear, comprising:(a) an elongate upper having a forwardly located toe portion;(b) a forefoot sole coupled to the upper proximate the toe portion, the forefoot sole having a lowermost outsole portion;(c) a heel coupled to the upper and having a lowermost outsole portion, the heel

[ I claim:] [1.] Footwear, comprising:(a) an elongate upper having a forwardly located toe portion;(b) a forefoot sole coupled to the upper proximate the toe portion, the forefoot sole having a lowermost outsole portion;(c) a heel coupled to the upper and having a lowermost outsole portion, the heel being separated from the forefoot sole by a discontinuity in the outsole portions, the heel further including:(i) a first substantially rigid plate;(ii) a second substantially rigid plate; and(iii) a linkage mechanism that is coupled to the first plate and defining a first flexure axis proximate the first plate, and the linkage mechanism is coupled to the second plate and defining a second flexure axis proximate the second plate, wherein the first flexure axis is located forwardly of the second flexure axis so that ambulation impact forces on the heel causes the heel to flex at the flexure axes and move the second plate away from the forefoot sole.