US20050102859A1 - Shoe sole having cushioning heel portion - Google Patents

Abstract

A shoe sole includes a resilient cushioning device engaged in the heel portion for cushioning heel portions of users, the resilient cushioning device includes two frame members cross to each other to form an X-shape structure as seen from side portion and each having an inclined structure and each having a front portion and a rear portion. One of the frame members includes a rear portion located above the rear portion of the other frame member, and a front portion located below the front portion of the other frame member. Each of the frame members has a portion suspended in the shoe sole, to provide a resilience to cushion and support the heel portions of the users.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates to a shoe sole, and more particularly to a shoe sole having a resilient cushioning device for the heel portion thereof.
• 2. Description of the Prior Art
• Typical shoe soles may comprise one or more bladders or air chambers formed in the shoe soles, to increase the resilience of the shoe soles, and to resiliently support the heel portions of the users.
• However, the bladders or the air chambers formed in the shoe soles may not be used to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users.
• The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional shoe soles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a shoe sole including a resilient cushioning device for attaching to the heel portion thereof to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users, and thus to comfortably support the heel portions of the users.
• In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a shoe sole comprising a heel portion and a front portion, and a resilient cushioning device engaged in the heel portion of the shoe sole for cushioning heel portions of users. The resilient cushioning device includes a first and a second frame members cross to each other to form an X-shape structure as seen from side portion of the resilient cushioning device, the first frame member and the second frame member each includes an inclined structure having a front portion and a rear portion, the rear portion of the first frame member is located above the rear portion of the second frame member, and the front portion of the first frame member is located below the front portion of the second frame member. The rear portion of the first frame member and the front portion of the second frame member are suspended in the shoe sole, and thus may include a resilience to cushion and support the heel portions of the users.
• The first frame member includes a U-shaped structure, as seen from upper portion thereof, and having a space formed between two legs. The front portion of the second frame member is extended upwardly into the space of the first frame member.
• A bladder may further be provided and engaged between the rear portions of the first frame member and the second frame member, to cushion the rear portion of the first frame member.
• The front portion of the second frame member includes one or more reinforcing ribs extended therefrom to reinforce the second frame.
• Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a side schematic view of a shoe sole in accordance with the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a resilient cushioning device for the shoe sole;
• FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the resilient cushioning device for the shoe sole;
• FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the resilient cushioning device for the shoe sole; and
• FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along lines5-5 ofFIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• Referring to the drawings, and initially toFIG. 1, ashoe sole10 in accordance with the present invention comprises a rear orheel portion11 for supporting heel portions of users, afront portion12 for supporting front foot portions of the users, and aresilient cushioning device20 attached or engaged in theheel portion11 of the shoe sole10 to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users.
• Theresilient cushioning device20 may be engaged into theheel portion11 of theshoe sole10 while molding theshoe sole10, and includes twoframe members30,40 arranged cross to each other, in order to form an X-shape structure (FIGS. 1, 5) as seen from the side portion of theresilient cushioning device20.
• Thefirst frame member30 includes an inclined structure having arear portion31 located above thesecond frame member40, and afront portion32 located below thesecond frame member40; and includes a U-shaped or horseshoe-shaped structure, as seen from the upper portion thereof (FIG. 2), having aspace33 formed or defined between twolegs34.
• Thesecond frame member40 also includes an inclined structure having arear portion41 located below therear portion31 of thefirst frame member30, and afront portion42 located above thefront portion32 of thefirst frame member30. Thefront portion42 of thesecond frame member40 is extended upwardly through or into thespace33 of thefirst frame member30, best shown inFIGS. 2-5.
• As also best shown inFIGS. 2-4, thefront portion42 of thesecond frame member40 is preferably slightly shorter than thefront portion32 of thefirst frame member30, and preferably includes one or more reinforcingribs43 extended upwardly therefrom, for reinforcing thefront portion42 of thesecond frame member40. Theframe members30,40 may be engaged into theheel portion11 of theshoe sole10 while molding theshoe sole10.
• In operation, as shown inFIG. 1, due to the engagement or the molding of theframe members30,40 within theheel portion11 of theshoe sole10, and due to the inclined structure of theframe members30,40, therear portion31 of thefirst frame member30 and thefront portion42 of thesecond frame member40 are suspended in theshoe sole10 and may thus include a suspending structure, and may thus include a suitable resilience to cushion and to comfortably support the heel portions of the users.
• Theresilient cushioning device20 may further include a bladder or aresilient member50 engaged between therear portions31,41 of the twoframe members30,40 (FIGS.1-5); and/or another bladder or aresilient member60 engaged between thefront portions32,42 of the twoframe members30,40 (FIGS. 1, 5), to further provide a cushioning force between the twoframe members30,40, and thus to further cushion and comfortably support the heel portions of the users.
• Accordingly, the shoe sole in accordance with the present invention includes a resilient cushioning device for attaching to the heel portion thereof to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users, and thus to comfortably support the heel portions of the users.
• Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims (6)

1. A shoe sole comprising:

a heel portion and a front portion, and

a resilient cushioning device engaged in said heel portion of said shoe sole for cushioning heel portions of users,

said resilient cushioning device including a first and a second frame members cross to each other to form an X-shape structure as seen from side portion of said resilient cushioning device, said first frame member and said second frame member each including an inclined structure having a front portion and a rear portion, said rear portion of said first frame member being located above said rear portion of said second frame member, and said front portion of said first frame member being located below said front portion of said second frame member, and

said rear portion of said first frame member and said front portion of said second frame member being suspended in said shoe sole, and including a resilience to cushion and support the heel portions of the users.

2. The shoe sole as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said first frame member includes a U-shaped structure, as seen from upper portion thereof, and having a space formed between two legs.

3. The shoe sole as claimed inclaim 2, wherein said front portion of said second frame member is extended upwardly into said space of said first frame member.

4. The shoe sole as claimed inclaim 1 further comprising a resilient member engaged between said rear portions of said first frame member and said second frame member, to cushion said rear portion of said first frame member.

5. The shoe sole as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said front portion of said second frame member includes at least one reinforcing rib extended therefrom to reinforce said second frame.

6. The shoe sole as claimed inclaim 1 further comprising a resilient member engaged between said front portions of said first frame member and said second frame member, to cushion said front portion of said second frame member.

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