Patent US4697361A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4697361A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Base for an article of footwear
Assignee: GANTER SCHUHFABRIK IL GmbH
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Filing: 1986-02-03
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Granted: 1987-10-06
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Expires: 2006-02-03
Abstract
Abstract The elastically deformable base of an article of footwear has a substantially plane lower surface which is formed with a deep recess below the heel, with an elongated shallow recess below the outer portion of the instep, with a two-part recess below the ball and with a two-part recess below the toes of the foot resting on the upper surface of the base. The depth of the recesses is reduced to zero or close to zero when the corresponding sections of the base are stressed by the adjacent portions of the foot during walking, jogging or running. The depth of the recesses is proportional to the magnitude of shocks or stresses which are transmitted to the corresponding sections of the base in actual use of the article of footwear. The upper surface of the base is deformed in response to a reduction of the depth of recesses in the plane lower surface so that the profile of the foot is imprinted into successive portions of the upper surface when the article of footwear is in use.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Ganter
- 👤 Max Ganter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:13
CPC Classifications
A; A43; A43B; A43B13/00; A43B13/14; A43B13/18; A43B13/181; A43B13/186
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
234 words
A footwear base containing an elastically deformable cushioning amterial and having an upper surface for supporting the weight of the foot and a substantially plane lower surface arranged to contact the ground, said base including a first part which absorbs more pronounced shocks and a second part which absorbs less pronounced shocks when the article of footwear embodying the base is in use, said lower surface having recessed portions on said first part, and said first part comprising a first section for the ball of the foot having at least one first recess, a second section for the toes having at least one second recess, a third section for the heel having at least one third recess, and a fourth section for the outer part of the instep having at least one fourth recess, each of said recesses having a depth which is related to the loading of the respective section such that the recess in a more heavily loaded section has a greater depth that the recess in a less heavily loaded section, and said base further including a marginal part, said lower surface having a substantially circumferentially complete non-recessed border portion which circumscribes all recesses in said lower surface and spaces all recesses in said lower surface from said marginal part, said lower surface further having additional portions which, together with said border portion, completely surround at least three of said recesses.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
234 words
A footwear base containing an elastically deformable cushioning amterial and having an upper surface for supporting the weight of the foot and a substantially plane lower surface arranged to contact the ground, said base including a first part which absorbs more pronounced shocks and a second part which absorbs less pronounced shocks when the article of footwear embodying the base is in use, said lower surface having recessed portions on said first part, and said first part comprising a first section for the ball of the foot having at least one first recess, a second section for the toes having at least one second recess, a third section for the heel having at least one third recess, and a fourth section for the outer part of the instep having at least one fourth recess, each of said recesses having a depth which is related to the loading of the respective section such that the recess in a more heavily loaded section has a greater depth that the recess in a less heavily loaded section, and said base further including a marginal part, said lower surface having a substantially circumferentially complete non-recessed border portion which circumscribes all recesses in said lower surface and spaces all recesses in said lower surface from said marginal part, said lower surface further having additional portions which, together with said border portion, completely surround at least three of said recesses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said second part includes a bridge between said third and fourth recesses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said first and fourth recesses are in communication with each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said second part includes a bridge between said first and second recesses.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said second section has several discrete recesses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The base of claim 5, wherein said discrete recesses include a recess below the big toe and an additional recess below the small toes of the foot which is adjacent to said upper surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said third recess is deeper than at least one other recess.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said first portion is deeper than at least one other recess.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said first section has a plurality of recesses and one of said plurality of recesses is deeper than at least one other recess.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said second which recess is disposed below the big toe of the foot adjacent to said upper surface and is deeper than at least one other recess.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The base of claim 1, wherein the depths of said recesses in unstressed condition of the respective sections are such that the depth of at least a predetermined portion of each recess is reduced substantially to zero in response to the application of a shock to the respective section of said first part.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The base of claim 11, wherein each of said recesses has a substantially central portion which constitutes the respective predetermined portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said lower surface includes a serrated non-recessed portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said lower surface further includes additional portions which merge substantially gradually into said recessed and non-recessed portions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said lower surface further includes stepped additional portions between said recessed and non-recessed portions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The base of claim 15, wherein said additional portions define steps of identical or similar height and the number of steps adjacent to deeper recesses exceeds the number of steps adjacent to shallower recesses.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The base of claim 16, wherein said deeper recesses include said third recess.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The base of claim 17, wherein said deeper recesses further include said first and second recesses.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The base of claim 18, wherein said additional portions have pairs of steps surrounding said deeper recesses and single steps surrounding said shallower recesses.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The base of claim 16, wherein the height of each of said steps is between about 0.5 and 1.5 mm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The base of claim 16, wherein the height of each of said steps is between about 0.75 and 1 mm.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The base of claim 16, wherein the height of each of said steps is between about 0.8 and 1 mm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The base of claim 16, wherein said steps merge substantially gradually into said non-recessed portion and establish abrupt transitions between said additional portions and said recessed portions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The base of claim 1, wherein the maximum depth of said recesses is approximately 3 mm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said second part includes a bridge between said first and fourth recesses.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said first recess extends transversely toward but short of said fourth recess.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
11 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said recessed portions are serrated.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The base of claim 1, wherein said fourth recess is shallower than the other recesses.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
45 words
The base of claim 1, said first recess being disposed at the inner part of the ball, and said second recess being disposed at the big toe; and wherein said fourth recess is shallower than at least one of said first, second and third recesses.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The base of claim 29, wherein said fourth recess is shallower than each of said first, second and third recesses.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
41 words
The base of claim 29, said second section having an additional recess in the region of at least some of the small toes; and wherein said additional recess is shallower than at least one of said first, second and third recesses.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
24 words
The base of claim 3, wherein each of said fourth and additional recesses is shallower than each of said first, second and third recesses.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-10-05 | 1991-04-06 | 1991-10-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-10-05 | 1995-04-06 | 1995-10-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-10-05 | 1999-04-06 | 1999-10-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |