Spring shoe

Claim 2

A spring shoe apparatus comprising: a bottom plate having opposite first and second end portions spaced apart along a longitudinal direction; a top plate lying over said bottom plate and spaced therefrom, said top plate having a foot engaging device that holds to a wearer's foot, said top plate having opposite first and second end portions lying respectively over and spaced from said first and second end portions of said bottom plate; spring means coupling said top and bottom plates and resiliently biasing apart both their first end portions and their second end portions; a cross bar having a first end coupled to said first end portion of said top plate to pivot about a first axis on said top plate, and having a second end coupled to said second end portion of said bottom plate to pivot about a second axis on said bottom plate, said first and second axes extending substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal direction and parallel to each other, said cross bar being rigid to resist twisting and sideward bending.

Claim 3

The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: said top and bottom plates each have opposite sides spaced apart along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to said longitudinal direction; said spring means includes a pair of first coil springs lying on opposite sides of said first end of said cross bar and with each extending between said top and bottom plates, and a pair of second coil springs lying on opposite sides of said second end of said cross bar and with each extending between said top and bottom plates.

Claim 4

The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: said bar has a length great enough that it extends at an angle of less than 30° from the horizontal when said top and bottom plates lie in substantially horizontal planes and there is no weight on said top plate, whereby to minimize longitudinal movement of the top plate.

Claim 5

The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: said cross bar has a width of more than 10% of the maximum width of said top plate.

Claim 6

A spring shoe apparatus comprising: a bottom plate having first and second opposite end portions spaced apart in a longitudinal direction and first and second opposite side portions spaced apart in a lateral direction extending perpendicular to said longitudinal direction; a top plate vertically spaced from said bottom plate, said top plate having means for holding to a foot of a wearer, said top plate having first and second opposite end portions lying respectively over said top plate first and second end portions and having first and second opposite sides lying respectively over said top plate first and second sides; a cross bar with first and second ends, and extending between said top and bottom plates; first and second hinge joints, said first hinge joint connecting said first end of said cross bar to said first end portion of said top plate in a joint that allows relative pivoting substantially only about a first axis extending in said lateral direction, said second hinge joint connecting said second end of said cross bar to said second end portion of said bottom plate in a joint that allows relative pivoting substantially only about a second axis extending parallel to said first axis; a plurality of coil springs, each extending substantially vertically between corresponding end portions of said top and bottom plates and each coil spring being laterally spaced from an adjacent end of said cross bar.

Claim 7

A spring shoe apparatus comprising: a bottom plate having first and second opposite end portions spaced apart in a longitudinal direction and first and second opposite side portions spaced apart in a lateral direction extending perpendicular to said longitudinal direction; a top plate vertically spaced from said bottom plate, said top plate having means for holding to a foot of a wearer, said top plate having first and second opposite end portions lying respectively over said top plate first and second end portions and having first and second opposite sides lying respectively over said top plate first and second sides; a cross bar with first and second ends, and extending between said top and bottom plates; first and second hinge joints, said first hinge joint connecting said first end of said cross bar to said first end portion of said top plate in a joint that allows relative pivoting substantially only about a first axis extending in said lateral direction, said second hinge joint connecting said second end of said cross bar to said second end portion of said bottom plate in a joint that allows relative pivoting substantially only about a second axis extending parallel to said first axis; a plurality of coil springs, each extending substantially vertically between corresponding end portions of said top and bottom plates and each coil spring being laterally spaced from an adjacent end of said cross bar.

Claim 8

The apparatus described in claim 4 wherein: said cross bar has a length greater than three-quarters the length of said top plate and extends at an angle of no more than about 30° from the horizontal when said bottom plate rests on a horizontal surface and there is no weight on said top plate.