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US4316334A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Athletic shoe including stiffening means for supporting the rear portion of the first metatarsal bone

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1980-03-27
•
Granted: 1982-02-23
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Expires: 2000-03-27
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Abstract

Abstract An improved running shoe includes several means for stabilizing pronation and for promoting and maintaining favorable positioning of the foot while running or jogging. The bottom of the sole has cleats which resist inward rotation of the shoe during certain phases of weight bearing. The sole provides basic support through a wide shank, rigid longitudinal shank reinforcement and relative incompressibility in the medial arch region. The central part of the foot is contained and directly supported by a strong lateral counter and an insert which cooperates with the foregoing elements. A primary purpose of the invention is to provide stable support for the rear half of the first metatarsal bone in a practical and novel manner.

Inventors

  • 👤 Helen M. Hunt

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 09:21
CPC Classifications
A; A43; A43B; A43B7/00; A43B7/14; A43B7/1405; A43B7/1415; A43B7/142; A43B13/00; A43B13/02; A43B13/12; A43B13/14; A43B13/141; A43B7/22

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim 73 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone, said stiffening means comprising a continuous cleat attached to the bottom portion of said sole and extending from at least the base of said first metatarsal bone for at least 3 centimeters in the direction of the navicular bone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 73 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone, said stiffening means comprising a continuous cleat attached to the bottom portion of said sole and extending from at least the base of said first metatarsal bone for at least 3 centimeters in the direction of the navicular bone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 37 words
The shoe of claim 1 wherein said cleat extends no further anteriorly than the head of the first metatarsal bone and does not extend laterally to less than 2 centimeters from the outside edge of said sole.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
The shoe of claim 1 wherein said stiffener means further comprises: a vertical medial stiffening element attached to the medial outward side of said sole.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 15 words
The shoe of claim 3 wherein said cleat and said medial stiffening element are integral.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 50 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone, said stiffener means comprising a vertical stiffening element located on the medial exterior of said sole.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 50 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone, said stiffener means comprising a vertical stiffening element located on the medial exterior of said sole.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
The shoe of claim 5 wherein said stiffening element is a separate distinct element which is attachable to the medial side of said sole by a bonding agent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 51 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone, said stiffener means comprising a substantially vertical stiffening element located on the medial exterior of said sole.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 51 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone, said stiffener means comprising a substantially vertical stiffening element located on the medial exterior of said sole.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 92 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone, said stiffener means comprising a continuous cleat attached to the bottom portion of said sole and extending from at least the base of said first metatarsal bone for at least 3 centimeters in the direction of the navicular bone, said stiffener means further comprising a substantially vertical medial stiffening element attached to the medial exterior of said sole.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 92 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone, said stiffener means comprising a continuous cleat attached to the bottom portion of said sole and extending from at least the base of said first metatarsal bone for at least 3 centimeters in the direction of the navicular bone, said stiffener means further comprising a substantially vertical medial stiffening element attached to the medial exterior of said sole.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 103 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone, said stiffener means further comprising a continuous cleat attached to the bottom portion of said sole and extending from at least the base of said first metatarsal bone for at least 3 centimeters in the direction of the navicular bone, said stiffener means further including a substantially vertical medial stiffening element attached to the medial exterior of said sole, wherein said cleat and said medial stiffening element are integral.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 103 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone, said stiffener means further comprising a continuous cleat attached to the bottom portion of said sole and extending from at least the base of said first metatarsal bone for at least 3 centimeters in the direction of the navicular bone, said stiffener means further including a substantially vertical medial stiffening element attached to the medial exterior of said sole, wherein said cleat and said medial stiffening element are integral.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 85 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone; and, a lateral counter means to compensate for the tendency of a foot in said shoe to slide outwardly, said lateral counter means extending vertically from said sole to said upper and attached rigidly to the vertical side of said sole so as to provide substantial stiffness in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 85 words
An athletic shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said shoe further comprising: stiffener means for providing support to the medial portion of the base of the first metatarsal bone; and, a lateral counter means to compensate for the tendency of a foot in said shoe to slide outwardly, said lateral counter means extending vertically from said sole to said upper and attached rigidly to the vertical side of said sole so as to provide substantial stiffness in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 23 words
The shoe of claim 10 further including: a heel counter extending from said sole to said upper and attached rigidly to said sole.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 16 words
The shoe of claim 11 wherein said lateral counter means and said heel counter are continuous.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 27 words
The shoe of claim 12 further including a medial counter means which extends vertically from said sole to said upper and is rigidly attached to said sole.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 21 words
The shoe of claim 13 wherein said medial counter means, said lateral counter means and said heel counter are continuous structures.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 131 words
A shoe including an upper and a resilient sole connected to said upper, said shoe comprising: aperture means located in said sole and extending from the exterior edge of said sole towards the interior of said sole, said aperture means comprising a plurality of individual apertures; and, insert means for insertion into said aperture means for stiffening said sole, said insert means comprising a plurality of inserts receivable respectively in said plurality of apertures, said inserts comprising: a body portion which is receivable in at least one of said apertures; and, a head means attached to said body portion, said head means extending outside of an aperture when said insert is lodged in said aperture, wherein said head means may be readily grasped so that said insert can be selectively removed.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 131 words
A shoe including an upper and a resilient sole connected to said upper, said shoe comprising: aperture means located in said sole and extending from the exterior edge of said sole towards the interior of said sole, said aperture means comprising a plurality of individual apertures; and, insert means for insertion into said aperture means for stiffening said sole, said insert means comprising a plurality of inserts receivable respectively in said plurality of apertures, said inserts comprising: a body portion which is receivable in at least one of said apertures; and, a head means attached to said body portion, said head means extending outside of an aperture when said insert is lodged in said aperture, wherein said head means may be readily grasped so that said insert can be selectively removed.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
The shoe of claim 15 wherein said head means comprises a loop which may be engaged by a tool so that said insert can be readily removed.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 95 words
A shoe including an upper and a resilient sole connected to said upper, said shoe comprising: cavity means located in said sole and extending from the exterior edge of the sole towards the interior of said sole, said cavity means comprising a plurality of individual cavities; and, insert means for insertion into said cavity means for stiffening said sole, said insert means comprising a plurality of inserts receivable respectively in said plurality of cavities, said inserts including a body portion which is receivable in at least one of said apertures and substantially completely surroundable thereby.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 95 words
A shoe including an upper and a resilient sole connected to said upper, said shoe comprising: cavity means located in said sole and extending from the exterior edge of the sole towards the interior of said sole, said cavity means comprising a plurality of individual cavities; and, insert means for insertion into said cavity means for stiffening said sole, said insert means comprising a plurality of inserts receivable respectively in said plurality of cavities, said inserts including a body portion which is receivable in at least one of said apertures and substantially completely surroundable thereby.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 96 words
An add-on stiffening apparatus for use on a shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said apparatus comprising: a relatively rigid elongated element attachable to said sole on the medial side thereof with a long axis of said element running substantially parallel to the long axis of said sole, said element extending at least from the shaft of the first metatarsal bone to the navicular bone, said element being at least 0.3 centimeters wide at the base of the first metatarsal bone; and, bonding means for attaching said element to said sole.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 96 words
An add-on stiffening apparatus for use on a shoe including an upper and a sole connected to said upper, said apparatus comprising: a relatively rigid elongated element attachable to said sole on the medial side thereof with a long axis of said element running substantially parallel to the long axis of said sole, said element extending at least from the shaft of the first metatarsal bone to the navicular bone, said element being at least 0.3 centimeters wide at the base of the first metatarsal bone; and, bonding means for attaching said element to said sole.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 15 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said element includes an upper and a lower region.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 22 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said upper region comprises a resilient material and said lower region comprises a stiff plastic material.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2810215A Cited
US3068872A Cited
US3244177A Cited
US4050168A Cited
US4130947A Cited
US4166328A Cited
US4166328B1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-02-22 1985-08-24 1986-02-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-02-22 1989-08-24 1990-02-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-02-22 1993-08-24 1994-02-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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