Shoe sole structure

Claim 2

In a shoe having an upper foot-enclosing portion and a ground-engaging sole, the improvement comprising an intermediate cushioning structure between said upper portion and said groundengaging sole, said intermediate structure having a first sheet, a plurality of spaced male protrusions extending away from a face of said first sheet, a second sheet substantially parallel to said first sheet having a plurality of openings therein aligned with said protrusions, and an elastic membrane between said first and second sheets to yieldingly resist movement of said protrusions into the aligned openings when a compressive force is applied to the shoe sole.

Claim 3

In a shoe having an upper foot-enclosing portion and a ground-engaging sole, the improvement comprising an intermediate cushioning structure between said upper portion and said ground-engaging sole, said intermediate structure having elongated upper and lower sheets, one of said sheets having a plurality of spaced male protrusions directed toward the other sheet and the other sheet having a plurality of spaced female indentations opening toward said one sheet and aligned with said protrusions, and an elastic diaphragm between said upper and lower sheets to yieldingly resist movement of said protrusions into the aligned indentations when a compressive force is applied to the shoe sole.

Claim 4

In a shoe having an upper foot-enclosing portion and a ground-engaging sole, the improvement comprising an intermediate cushioning structure between said upper portion and said ground-engaging sole, said intermediate structure having elongated upper and lower sheets, one of said sheets having a plurality of spaced male protrusions directed toward the other sheet and the other sheet having a plurality of spaced female indentations opening toward said one sheet and aligned with said protrusions, and an elastic diaphragm between said upper and lower sheets to yieldingly resist movement of said protrusions into the aligned indentations when a compressive force is applied to the shoe sole.

Claim 5

In the shoe of claim 2, wherein said one sheet overlies the diaphragm so that the male protrusions are directed downwardly and wherein said other sheet underlies the diaphragm so that the indentations open upwardly.

Claim 6

In the shoe of claim 2, further including an elastic band extending peripherally around the intermediate structure to connect the upper and lower sheets on opposite sides of the diaphragm.

Claim 7

In the shoe of claim 3, wherein said upper sheet is generally planar and wherein said male protrustions comprise elongated ribs extending transversely of the upper sheet. protrusions

Claim 8

In the shoe of claim 5, wherein said ribs define elongated channels therebetween, each of said channels opening at the sides of the upper sheet.

Claim 9

In the shoe of claim 3, wherein said lower sheet is generally planar and wherein said female indentations comprise eloNgated recesses extending transversely of the lower sheet.

Claim 10

In the shoe of claim 7, wherein said recesses terminate at spaced locations from the sides of the lower sheet so that each recess is closed at both ends.

Claim 11

In the shoe of claim 7, wherein said upper sheet is generally planar and wherein said male protrusions comprise elongated ribs extending transversely of the upper sheet, and wherein said recesses are at least as long as said ribs.

Claim 12

In the shoe of claim 9, wherein said diaphragm is generally planar and has a downturned flange along its perimeter, and wherein said flange is adapted to peripherally engage the sides of the lower sheet.

Claim 13

In the shoe of claim 10, wherein each of said upper and lower sheets are composed of flexible material.

Claim 14

In the shoe of claim 1, wherein said elastic sheet encloses said channels defining a plurality of closed compartments, and further including means for allowing air to be compressed into said closed compartments to increase the resistance to the protrusions forcing the elastic sheet into the channels.

Claim 15

In the shoe of claim 12, wherein said means for allowing air to be compressed into said closed compartments includes valve means in said second sheet providing selected fluid communication with one of said closed chambers and apertures means in said second sheet communicating with adjacent closed compartments to allow compressed air to be introduced through said valve means to flow into the respective compartments.

Claim 16

In the shoe of claim 1, wherein said elastic sheet is integral with said second sheet.

Claim 17

In a shoe having an upper foot enclosing portion, an insole defining a bottom foot engaging surface of the upper portion and a ground-engaging sole, the improvement comprising an intermediate structure having a flexible generally planar upper sheet conforming in configuration to the configuration of the insole, adhesive means bonding the upper sheet to the insole, said upper sheet having a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending ribs of substantially rectangular transverse cross-section depending therefrom and defining passages therebetween which open at each end through the sides of the upper sheet, a flexible generally planar lower sheet conforming in configuration to the upper sheet, said lower sheet having a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending upwardly opening recesses of substantially rectangular transverse cross-section, said recesses having a larger cross-sectional size than said ribs and being vertically aligned with said ribs, each of said recesses having closed ends so as to define segregated compartments, adhesive means bonding the lower sheet to the ground-engaging sole, an elastic generally planar diaphragm conforming in configuration to the upper sheet, said diaphragm having a peripheral downturned flange and being disposed between said upper sheet and said lower sheet so that said flange peripherally engages the lower sheet and so that when a compressive force is applied to the shoe sole the diaphragm will yieldingly resist movement of said ribs into said recesses, and an elastic band extending peripherally around said intermediate structure as well as said inner sole and said ground-engaging sole to operably connect said intermediate structure to the insole and ground-engaging sole.

Claim 18

In a shoe having an upper foot enclosing portion, an insole defining a bottom foot engaging surface of the upper portion and a ground-engaging sole, the improvement comprising an intermediate structure having a flexible generally planar upper sheet conforming in configuration to the configuration of the insole, adhesive means bonding the upper sheet to the insole, said upper sheet having a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending ribs of substantially rectangular transverse cross-section depending therefrom and defining passages therebetween which open at each end through the sides of the upper sheet, a flexible generally planar lower sheet conforming in configuration to the upper sheet, said lower sheet having a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending upwardly opening recesses of substantially rectangular transverse cross-section, said recesses having a larger cross-sectional size than said ribs and being vertically aligned with said ribs, each of said recesses having closed ends so as to define segregated compartments, adhesive means bonding the lower sheet to the ground-engaging sole, an elastic generally planar diaphragm conforming in configuration to the upper sheet, said diaphragm having a peripheral downturned flange and being disposed between said upper sheet and said lower sheet so that said flange peripherally engages the lower sheet and so that when a compressive force is applied to the shoe sole the diaphragm will yieldingly resist movement of said ribs into said recesses, and an elastic band extending peripherally around said intermediate structure as well as said inner sole and said ground-engaging sole to operably connect said intermediate structure to the insole and ground-engaging sole.

Claim 19

In the shoe of claim 15, further including valve means in said lower sheet communicating with one of said compartments and apertures means in said lower sheet communicating with adjacent compartments whereby air can be compressed into the compartments to increase the resistance to movement of the ribs into the compartments.