Sports or casual shoe with shock absorbing sole

Claim 2

A sole for a shoe, or a shoe including such a sole, which comprises at least one recess extending within the thickness of the sole transversely to the general plane thereof and a resilient body of selectable hardness characteristics removably received within said recess.

Claim 3

A sports shoe or casual shoe comprised of an upper and a sole, the sole comprising an outer sole, a mid-sole and an insole, and wherein the mid-sole is configured with at least one hole so as to define at least one recess within the sole, and at least one resilient body of selectable hardness characteristics is received within said at least one recess.

Claim 4

A sports shoe or casual shoe comprised of an upper and a sole, the sole comprising an outer sole, a mid-sole and an insole, and wherein the mid-sole is configured with at least one hole so as to define at least one recess within the sole, and at least one resilient body of selectable hardness characteristics is received within said at least one recess.

Claim 5

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claim 2, in which said at least one resilient body is provided with a port or valve whereby a gas or fluid may be introduced into or extracted from the body for changing the characteristics thereof to match the requirements of the wearer.

Claim 6

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claim 3 wherein said port or valve is accessible via the insole of the shoe.

Claim 7

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claim 2 or 3 or 4, in which said at least one resilient body is adapted to be replaceable by the wearer via the insole.

Claim 8

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to any of claims 2 to 5, in which a plurality of resilient bodies selected in dependence upon the wearers requirements are adapted to be inserted into said at least one recess.

Claim 9

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to any of claims 2 to 6, wherein said at least one resilient body is generally spherical.

Claim 10

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to any of claims 2 to 6 wherein said at least one resilient body is generally cylindrical with its axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the sole.

Claim 11

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claim 8 wherein the cylindrical side wall of said at least one resilient body is concertina-pleated.

Claim 12

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claim 8 or 9 wherein said at least one resilient body has an enlarged domed head portion underlying the insole.

Claim 13

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to any of claims 2 to 10 wherein said at least one recess is provided in a heel portion of the shoe sole.

Claim 14

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to any of claims 2 to 11 wherein said at least one recess is provided in a metatarsal portion of the shoe sole.

Claim 15

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claims 11 and 12 in which at least one said recess is provided in the heel portion of the shoe and a plurality of such recesses are distributed throughout the metatarsal portion of the shoe.

Claim 16

A sports shoe or casual shoe comprising an upper, a sole, and a removable insole, said sole comprising a wear-resistant outsole layer, at least one midsole layer, and a heel wedge, at least one recess being defined in said heel wedge and midsole layer between the underlying outsole and the overlying insole, and a pneumatically resilient body of selectable hardness characteristics being received within the or each said recess and being accessible for changing the hardness characteristics thereof by removal of the insole.

Claim 17

A sports shoe or casual shoe comprising an upper, a sole, and a removable insole, said sole comprising a wear-resistant outsole layer, at least one midsole layer, and a heel wedge, at least one recess being defined in said heel wedge and midsole layer between the underlying outsole and the overlying insole, and a pneumatically resilient body of selectable hardness characteristics being received within the or each said recess and being accessible for changing the hardness characteristics thereof by removal of the insole.

Claim 18

A sports shoe or casual shoe comprising an upper, a sole, and a removable insole, said sole comprising a wear-resistant outsole layer, at least one midsole layer, and a heel wedge, a first recess being formed in said heel wedge and midsole layer at a first location corresponding to the heel of a wearer's foot, a plurality of second recesses being formed in said midsole layer at a plurality of second locations corresponding to the metatarsal region of a wearer's foot, said recesses being bounded on the underside by the outsole layer and above by the removable insole, a first resilient body of selectable hardness characteristics removably received in said first recess, and a plurality of second resilient bodies of selectable hardness characteristics removably received in said plurality of second recesses.

Claim 19

A sports shoe or casual shoe comprising an upper, a sole, and a removable insole, said sole comprising a wear-resistant outsole layer, at least one midsole layer, and a heel wedge, a first recess being formed in said heel wedge and midsole layer at a first location corresponding to the heel of a wearer's foot, a plurality of second recesses being formed in said midsole layer at a plurality of second locations corresponding to the metatarsal region of a wearer's foot, said recesses being bounded on the underside by the outsole layer and above by the removable insole, a first resilient body of selectable hardness characteristics removably received in said first recess, and a plurality of second resilient bodies of selectable hardness characteristics removably received in said plurality of second recesses.

Claim 20

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claim 13 wherein said first resilient body comprises a gas-­filled body.

Claim 21

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claim 16 wherein said gas-filled body includes valve means whereby it may be selectively inflated or deflated.

Claim 22

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claim 15 wherein said first resilient body comprises an elastomer body of selected hardness characteristics.

Claim 23

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claim 15 wherein at least some of said plurality of second resilient bodies comprise gas-filled bodies.

Claim 24

A sports shoe or casual shoe according to claim 15 wherein at least some of said plurality of second resilient bodies comprises elastomer bodies of selected hardness characteristics.

Claim 25

A sports shoe or casual shoe comprising an upper, a sole, and a removable footbed, said sole comprising a wear-resistant outsole, a midsole, and an insole, said removable footbed overlying said insole, and wherein an opening in said insole in the region thereof which corresponds to the heel of said shoe communicates with an opening in said midsole so as to define a recess extending between said outsole and said removable footbed, and a pneumatic resilient member is accommodated in said recess, said pneumatic resilient member comprising a generally cylindrical member axially received in said recess and having a first end supported by the axially innermost end of said recess and a second enlarged end defining a domed upper end surface underlying said removable footbed and peripherally supported by said insole, the cylindrical surface of said pneumatic resilient member being concertina-pleated whereby the pneumatic resilience of said member is predominantly axially directed.

Claim 26

A sports shoe or casual shoe comprising an upper, a sole, and a removable footbed, said sole comprising a wear-resistant outsole, a midsole, and an insole, said removable footbed overlying said insole, and wherein an opening in said insole in the region thereof which corresponds to the heel of said shoe communicates with an opening in said midsole so as to define a recess extending between said outsole and said removable footbed, and a pneumatic resilient member is accommodated in said recess, said pneumatic resilient member comprising a generally cylindrical member axially received in said recess and having a first end supported by the axially innermost end of said recess and a second enlarged end defining a domed upper end surface underlying said removable footbed and peripherally supported by said insole, the cylindrical surface of said pneumatic resilient member being concertina-pleated whereby the pneumatic resilience of said member is predominantly axially directed.