CA1062457A

CA1062457A - Sports shoe

Info

Publication number: CA1062457A
Application number: CA285,113A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Adolf Dassler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-11-29
Filing date: 1977-08-19
Publication date: 1979-09-18
Also published as: DE2706645A1; GB1566623A; DE2706645C3; US4314413A; DE2706645B2

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A sports shoe has an extension to the sole of the shoe projecting rearwardly at the heel end, which extension is springily resilient or can be supported by resilient means on the shoe. A stiffener, for example, a metal plate can be provided to enable the resilience of the extension to be controlled. Also a separate, interchangeable spring member can be provided to control the resilience of the projection.

Description

f The invention relates to a sports shoe, particularly but not exclusively for use in lon~-distance running.
For many years it has been usual to provide running shoes, and also training shoes for running competitions, with a curved portion on the heel and extending into the sole, in order to ensure a unifonn rolling movement for the foot, and consequently to improve the performance of the runner. This curved~portion has i achieved success in competitions held Oll plastics tracks.
in particular~in~short and middle distance races, since - !
~; `` in these disc1plines,in order to increase performance, t~e ~ -runners set down thelr feet relatively far forward on the sole surface by stretching the foot. so that during the 1 .
rolling movement of the feet the heel is not ~ully stressed.
It has been found, however, that in long-distance running.
i in which. as a rule, the strength of the runner does not last over the whole diqitance sufficiently for him to be able to se~t do~ his heel without ~ully stressiing it. In those ~;
20~ circumstances the curved portion mentioned can have a disadvan~eous effect. resulting in the extre~e case, ~ n an overstrecising of the heel. Such disadvantageous `
¦ ~effqcts are particularly found in long-distan~e running, e.g. marathon running, which leads over relatively long ;~ ~25 distances and hence have stretches along ordinary roads.
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Because of the hard road surface encountered when setting down the foot at thP end of the heel with the curved portion of the sole, the resilience of the outsole is not fully utilised and the runner suffers jarring sensations -in the region of the heel bone, leading to prematurefatigue and to a pronounced drop in performanceO

A sports shoe suitable for long distance running on hard surfaces, comprising a flexible outsole of resilient plastic material ha~ing a substantially flat profiled tread side, and a low cut shoe upper having a heel end and a lower rim, said outsole having a resilient upwardly bendable extension projecting rearwardly beyond the lower ~.
; rim of the shoe upper at the heel end of the outsole, said extension being resiliently upwardly bendable to a curved configuration to form a curved rolling surface when the heel of the shoe engages a running surfac~.
The invention thus abandons completely the provision of a curved portion in the heel region of the . .
outsole and, in contrast, proposes to extend the sole at the heel end beyond the lower rim of the shoe upper or to provide it with an extension. The resilience of the material of this extension reliably absorbs the jarrings which .
otherwise would occur when the foot is set down at the heel end, especially on hard ground. Because of the ,`
elastic deformation the projection undergoes on setting down the foot it forms, however, a transitory curved portion .
which achieves the same success as was aimed for with the hitherto known curved portlon at the heel end of sports shoes. ~;
In addition, however, this projection or extension produces ~:
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an improv~ment in performance in that it effects a resilient reaction on the foot of the runner which is co~parable to the so-called "catapult effect" which can be achieved on a plastic track. Shoes embodying the invention can thus combine the advantages of the hitherto known sole design with a performance-improving effect not achieved hitherto.
The pro]ection or extension of the sole also has a damping effect when the heel is~set down too hard. especially on hard ground. However, it lS the catapult effect in ~10 particular which contributes to~an improvement in pex~ormance in other fields of sport as well as long-distance running.
When~shoes embodying the invention are used by discus throwers, the thrower's technique can be improved in that the discus thrower is prevented from leaning back too ~ar ; 15 when throwing, and this leaning back can adversely affect the flight curve of the discus. A ~ports shoe embodying the '~
invention develops a~sists the jump in~high ~umping using the ~ f' so-~called flop technique. in whlch the~]ump commence~ f'rom the heel. and also in the triple jump. In thetriple jump ~;~ L
20 ~ ~ the~damping~effect~of the sole extension on impact is.
however, also noticeable to a significant degree becau~e the : :: ::
; ~ second and third jump is preceded by a pronounced rolling ; I movement o~ the foot ~rom the heel ~orwards~

There are numerous technical posslbilities for the construction of the sole projection or extension anq the ~, .

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~06Z~57 control of the catapult effect resulting therefrom. In a sportis shoe f or example wi t~ a shoe bot tom comprising a heel wedye and an outsole, the sole extends with its full thickness beyond the rim of the heel wedge at the heel end and thus forms the extension. It is, however, also possible to form the extenision by a special spring ¦' - mernber that is fastened at the heel end between the shoe ' ' upper and the outsole, optionally between the heel wedge ~; and the outsole. A combination of these two features i~
also possible . that is to say an extension of the Qutsole ~ ;
itself can be addi tionally stiffened by a spring mernber, -in order to give the necessary springy resilience to the j ~ extension in this way. The spring member can, for example, ~;
be a flat spring made of steel, bu't can also'be made o~
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springily resilient plastic, for exarnple hardlpolyamide. ~he spring should be ~ well anchored in the shoe bottom and suitably it extends right under the heel . ~ If required, ~he spring member can have~ a recess in the region lying under the~heel, to avold a hardening~ of the~ shoe bottom at thi~
20 ~ ~ ~ place. ;~
In'~ combination with such a spring member an -' l ' ' : extension formed by the sole can also be provided with at ' S
least one springily resilient suppor t mernber. When the '~
extension i9 stressed and ~onsequently deformed,' the'support nem~or presbe~ against the' ou~sid~ of the shoe upper, thaE ' ' ' - 5 -~-\
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is to say, therefore, on the rear side of the shoe, and on the top side of the extension. Whereas a spring member in the form of a flat ~prin~ develops its spring effect through the bending occurring on stressing, the support member has a springy action because of its compression. Such support me~bers can, for example, be fastened, in the form of ribs~ to the outside o~ the shoe upper and/or to the ~ l~
top side of~the extension, and can be com~osed of rubber or the like. In a different em~odiment the heel wèdge can have a recess on the side of the rim which forms a holder for a springy support member. Metal angle springs can additionally or alternatively be~provided, in the angle between the extensio~
and the outside of the shoe upper,~which hold the extension in the extended position.
The invention permits a relatively simple adaption o~ the springy resilience needed for the catapult effect to the individual wi~hes, and especially to the i.
weight, of a runner. For if a stronger catapult effect is Il desired, and/or the sports shoe is intended for a relatively~
;20 he~avy~ Lunner. ~;lt is possible to provide stLffer spring members or suppor~ members. For this purpose it is advantageous to arrange the spring members or support members 90 that they can be interchanged. The abovementioned construction having a recess provided in the rim of the ~ heel wedge at the heel end is particularly suitable for this ~ purpose. This is because spring members, madç of rubber or ! , the like. of the same size but with differing spring stif~nesses, il can be arranged in such a recess.

- ~ 6 ` 106;2457 A further variant resides in the extension sloping ¦~
upwards from its rear end to the lower rim of the shoe upper. ! ' '' By means of this design. with an appropriate choice of material -for the outsole, it is possible for the spring action of the S rear sole extension to draw not only on its bending stiffness but also to a certain extent on its compressive springiness.
since the slope increasing towards the front behaves similarly to ~he support ~embers described, which press against the heel end of the shoe upper. No speciaI
support members are therefore required since the outsole With the construotion described here is itself in a~position to transmit the compression forces arising into the shoe upper.
By an appropriate choice of the slope, and/or of the sole thickness remaining at the end of the extension, the intensity of the sprin~iness can be set depending on the particular requirements. It is. however, appropriate to keep the sole extension at its rear end approximately at a thickness such that it corresponds to half the thickness under the rear Xim ¦
of the shoe upper at the heel end. This dimensioning on t~e one hand permits the use of customary polyurethane soling r. :. .
materials, which provide a softness which is still accept~ble i when the foot is put down, and on the other hand produce~ ~he desired degree o~ catapult effect, without additional u~e o~
spring members or qupport members. Investi~ations have shown that, compared with conventional sports ~hoes, a `; ~ resilient rebo~nd of 300jo and mo~e can be achieved in - this way. ~ -': . I

- ~IL06Z457 '~ ' The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference ta the accompanying drawings, in which~
Fiyure 1 shows a si~e view of a sports shoe according to the invention;
Figures 2 and 3 show, on an enlarged scale, a ~i~de r view and a plan view of the heel region of the ~ports shoe shown in Figure l;
Figures ~ and 5 show, on an enlarged scale, a ~ide .
view and a plan view of the heel region of a further embodiment of the invention; ~ , FigUre 6 shows a side view of the heel region, ` 1 1 which is of interest herej of a further embodiment of sport~
shoe according to the invention,`in which a heel wedge ig provided, .
Figures 7 and 8 show a side view and a rear view of : ~ the heel region of a further embodiment of sports shoe f according to the invention;and Figure 9 shows a bottom view viewed in ths directio~
20 ~ of the arrow IX in Flgure 6, of the profile sale in the heel : region of the sports shoe according to Figure 60 ~.
: The sports shoe shown in Figure 1 posse9ses a shoe upper 1 and a relatively soft ou~sole 2 made o~ resilient 1`
plastics. Between the insole, which is not visible, on the : ; 25 bottom side of *he shoe upper 1 and the outsole 2, a heel ' - 8 ~
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wedge 3 is fastened by gluing, which heel wedge is likewise composed of springily resilient, optionally foamed, plastics .
and thereby serves to absorb impacts from the track. The ;
outsole 2 does not terminate at the heel end at the point which forms a downwards extension of the lower rim of the shoe upper, and which is indicated in Figure 1 by a broken il.
line and designated 4 but projects backwards beyond thi~
point by an amount of, for example, 1.5 cm, and thus formis :
an extension 5. An approximately 3 mm thick plate 6, ~aperin~ in thickness towards it~ front end and made of springily resilient, hard polyamlde,.is glued, or otherwise connected to the top side of the outside 2 in the re~ian of the extension 5. The plate 6 extends between the outsole 2 ., .
and the heel wedge 3 into the shoe bottom, advantageously s~`
over a length corresponding to the whole heel region of the . . .
~ outsole 2, in order to secure in this way a strong hald. To i~. :
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avoid a stiffening of the shoe bottom 2, 3 in the heel region, the plate 6 has a reces3, which is not shown at a position below the point where the runner:sets down his heel. ~ ,:
~:~ 20 : ~ . ~ The rim of the heel wedge 3 at the heel end i~ li ~;~; : strengthened with a shell 7 made of polyamide or the like, js . which serves as a support surface and a w~ar surface fo~ ~r three rib-shaped.support members 8 which.are triangulqr in cross-section. The support members 8 are composed of rubber or the like and are fastened, or ex~mple stuck, to the top ' .

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The shoe upper 1 can have a stiffening heel cap 10 - which assists the supporting action of the shell 7.
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In the embodiment according to Figures 4 and 5 the ~; 10 heel wedge 3 ha3, on its rear side, a recess 12 which runs in ~ j a slight curve and is approximately semi~circular in cross- I
section.~ E`or thls purpose the heel region of the heel wedge j~;
is~somewhat less curved than i8 usually the case, cf. Figure 30 ~ ~ A moulded part 14, composed of, for example, polyamidè, is ; ~ 15 fastened above the recess 12, between the bottom of the shoe upper 1 (insole) and the heel wedge 3, which moulded part extends over at least part of the length of the recess 1~ and ~
projects backwards. This shell-shaped moulded part 14 serve~ Z;
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to hold ~ spring~memher 15 clamped in the recess 12, whlch ;~ -~
20~ spring member is~formed, for example, of a thick~round cord ~ E
of rubber. ~A reliable holding and clamping action i~ e~ure~ ~
by appropriate~roughening o~ the recess 12, the bottom ~ide c~ !
the moulded part 1~ and the outside of the spring member 15.
l The spring member 15 is so arranged in the reces~ 12 that it `~ 25 can be interchanged. ~ Interchanging is carr~ed out by bending '4','''' '''"'' '; ''" '" ''I' ;; ;`' ';' ~;; " ' I

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the extension 5 downwards ~o that it releases the spring member, enabling the latter to be pulled out.
The sports shoe shown in Figure 6 has a shoe upper 1, a heel wedge 3, made of hard polyurethane foam, ~ixed to the bottom side (insole) of the shoe upper, and an outsole 2 made of a springily resllient plastic, for example ~;~
a polyurethane differing from that of the heel wed~e 3.
A profile sole 20, having~profile members 21 which are shown ; in Figure 9, is stuck onto the bottom side of the outqole 2.
The profile members 2I have a height of about 4-5 mm. The , .
thickness of the supporting~layer of profile sole 20 carrying ` these profile members is, however, relatively small compared with that of the outsole 2 and amounts, for example,~to only

2 to 2.5 mm compared with a thickness of about 12 mm ~or the :
outsole 2 in the region shown in Figure 6. The pro~ile sole 20 and the profile membérs 21, which are advantageausly moulded~
in a single piece with the profile 901e~. are composed o~ a rubber material which is very resistant to wear.
;The~outsole 2 extends about 1.5 cm beyond the lowe~
; 20 ~ rim of the shoe upper at the heel end, designated by 30, and forms an extension 5. ~he heel wedge 3 iq also con~inued ~ 1 the end of the extension 5 but steadily deareasès in thic~n~
; from the lower rim 30 of the shoe upper to the remote end ~ !
the extension. The extenslon 5 thus has a top surface which~
~slopes down towards thè back, and a rearward continua~ion 22 ~ . , ~' . . . ' . ~ '~

, ~ . , - , : ~, ~: ~ ` ' i '' 1~6Z~57 which is formed a~ a single piece wlth the profile sole 20, is folded round the end of the extension 5, is stuck to the said top side. The continuation extends upwards by a further amount, above the lower rim 30 of the shoe upper, along the heel end of the shoe upper.
As can be seen from Figures 6 and 9 the rear heel region o~ the profile sole 20, which consist~ e3sentially o~ f the sole extension 5, is formed by an lnsertion 23 which, '~
compared with the remaining material of the profile~sole 20, is composed of part1cularly wear-resistant material, for example rubber. Th~s insertion 23 also has a transvexse groove profiling which differs from the profiling of the profile sole 20 (see Figure 9). The insertion 23 can be of j~
such shape that it is inserted, for example welded, ketween the profile sole 20 and the continuation 22 or that the profile sole 20 is free of profile members 21 at this positian and is stuck to the insertion 23.
In the embodiment of Figure 7 no separata heel wedge is provided, and the outsole 2 extend~ up to the bottom ; 20 ~insole) of the shoe upper 1~ The extension 5 at the heel end is formed by the outsole 2 alone, this having a ~loping surface 25 at its rear end running upwards towards the back and meeting the sloping surface 26 ri~ing to the lower rim 30 of t~e shoe upper. The said 310ping surface 26 correspQnd~ ;
to the slope formed by the heel wedge 3 in the embodiment f r l`' : . ~ . f~ ::
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according to Figure 6. The thickness of the outsole 2 at the rear end of the extension 5, measured approximately at the lower rim of the sloping surface 25, is equal to about half of its thickness measured below the rear rim 30 of the shoe upper.
In this embodiment also, the outside of the outsole 2 is formed by a profile sole 20 the rear continuation 22 of ij which is laid round the extension 5 and firmly fastened, for ~i . .
example stuck, flatly to it. In the region of the qloping ~ ;
surface 26, that is to say on the top side af the extension 5, are provided stiffening ribs 28 running rearwardly and ~adiaing , 1, .
from the heel, these ribs are advantageously formed as a ~`
single piece with the continuation Oe the profile sole 20.
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The thickness of the sti~fening ribs 28 is advantageously ;
suited to the type and si~e of the profiling of the pr~ile sole 20! so that, for example, a sole pxofile suitable for high jumping is combined with a certain stiffness o~ the stiffening ribs 28 which impart to the extension 5, and hence to the sports shoe as a whole, adequate springiness fiQr high ]umping~ ~
20 ~ As can be seen in Figure 8 the side rim of the i90le n~the heel region iis sloped, in such a manner tha~ the`sole widens downwards. By this meanis account is taken o~ the .: .
indlvidually dif~erent positioning of the ~oot on being set down, that is to ~ay even with an extremely oblique settin~--25 ~ down of the foot a damping and a springing ef~ect i9 obtained. -:
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106;~457 ~1 On the sid~ rim of the sole, a recess formed in the shape of a longitudinal groove 29, extends on both sides from the extension 5 to the waist of the sports shoe, the depth of the groove permitting the hardness of the rim of the ~ole to be regulated in a manner which is in itself known.
The profile, represented in Fi~ure 9, of the -outsole 20 is formed by the profile members w,hich are L~shaped in plan view and have i~mooth rims. They each have a fine recess 31 in the shape of a groove which corre3ponds to the basic shape o~ the pxofile members 21 and increa~e~ 5, the grip of the bottom side of the profile members 21. ~iach -outermost row of profile members i9 located immediately at the rim 32 of the profile sole, and advantageously even merges directly with the rim. The next row~ of profile It members 21 up to the centre line 33 of the sole are i~ each I , case arranged contrary to the previous row with respect to the l,' position o~ the outer corner of the profile members 21, and ;~ Ij ,, their pro~ile members are each opposite a gap in the previou~
row.~ In detail reference is made to the representation in ''~ l , ~ Figure 9 whlch shows~the profile me~bers in approximately ~ ;
actual sise.
' The length of the sole extension 5 depends to a .: ~ ;
, ' certsin extent on the shoe siæe. The length mentioned o~ l , about' 1.5 cm applie~,,for example, to the shoe siæe~7. The '1, length can, however, be chsnged, aacording to the matexial j'' , - 14 -~ ::

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properties of the outsole 2 and the springy properties of the optionally provided spring men~ers and support men~ers, and in particular the length can be chosen ~o be somewhat ;
longer than 15 cm. -In use of the sports shoe represented in the drawing, when the heel is set down the extension 5 undergoes a deforma-tion upwards which is opposed by the extension 5 because of the resilience within the outsole 2, by the plate 6 because of its bending resilience (in the embodiment of Figures 1 to ~) and~by the support members 8 and/or the spring member 15 1:
because of their compressive re~ilience. The extension 5 therefore forms a transitory curved portion, the extent of ; which depends on the spring stiffness of the components involved, so that a near perfect rolling movement with the j;~
foot is possible. Because of the rolling movement of the foot, the full stress of the foot is immediately transferred from the extension 5 forwards, the extension 5 is pressed back to its original position because of the available resilience,~and the sportsman,again depending on the 5trength ~ of the springy resilience, experiences a lifting force, that~ ii is to say a catapuIt effect.
It is to be understood that the chosen ~hape o~ l, the extension 5 in the shown illustrative en~od~ment, which, viewed from above, is approximateLy that of a rectangle, is not essential. Rather, it is also possible to allow the -^` 106Z457 extension 5 to extend with its rear rim at a constant distance from the lower rim of the shoe upper. Every design of the heel of a sports shoe which merges into an extension for the purpose of effecting an elastic deformation on setting down the foot at the heel end to produce a catapult effect is included within the scope of the invention. This catapult effect is, for example, also achieved when the heel wedge is constructed throughout of a springily resilient material which, compared with the materials hitherto used, is relatively soft, whllst the outsole 2 consists of a relatively stiff material. In order to prevent a possible undesired floating resulting from this when using the spor~s shoe, it is sufficient to provide the shell 7, on the heel end, and the plate 6, the latter extending advantageously up to below the waist of the sports shoe. Moreover, it is also possible to provide the shell 7 with a spiked edge 18 ~ ;
(Figure 2) or with separate spikes on its bottom side. The teeth 18 prevent the runner from experiencing a shock on a "breaking through" of the support members 8, for example because of a certain fatigue, by the coming together of , plate 6 and the rim of the shell 7. The teeth 18 can in addition also themselves have a spring function. In place of the teeth 18, the shell 7 can also have a lower rim curved 1: . .
(or rolled) backwards which has a spring action in the same manner.
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~inally a stiffener, for example the plate 6, present on the top side of the extension 5 does not necessarily have to be connected e.g. istuck flat onto the extension 5. In many cases it can even be found advantageous if the stiffening only covers the extension.
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Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A sports shoe suitable for long distance running on hard surfaces, comprising a flexible outsole of resilient plastic material having a substantially flat profiled tread side, and a low cut shoe upper having a heel end and a lower rim, said outsole having a resilient upwardly bendable extension projecting rearwardly beyond the lower rim of the shoe upper at the heel end of the outsole, said extension being resiliently upwardly bendable to a curved configuration to form a curved rolling surface when the heel of the shoe engages a running surface.

2. A sports shoe according to claim 1, further comprising a heel wedge, the outsole extending throughout its whole thickness beyond the heel wedge at the heel end and forming the extension.

3. A sports shoe according to claim 1, further comprising a spring member joined to the outsole and forming said extension.

4. A sports shoe according to claim 1, further comprising a shoe bottom and a flat spring member, the flat spring member stiffening the extension and extending into the shoe bottom.

5. A sports shoe according to claim 1, further comprising at least one springily resilient support member located in the angle between the extension and the outside of the shoe upper which support member, on stressing and consequent deformation of the extension, presses against the shoe upper and the extension.

6. A sports shoe according to claim 5, wherein the support member is formed by a thickening, increasing in the forward direction, of the flat spring member.
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7. A sports shoe according to claim 3, wherein the spring member is fastened so that it can be interchanged.

8. A sports shoe according to claim 2, wherein the heel wedge is composed of a relatively soft plastic material, and the outsole is composed of a relatively hard plastic material, further comprising a stiffening shell bordering the rear of the heel wedge and a plate for stiffening the extension and the outsole.

9. A sports shoe according to claim 1, wherein the extension comprises a rear end and the upper comprises a lower rim, the extension sloping upwards from said rear end thereof to the lower rim of the shoe upper.

10. A sports shoe according to claim 1, further comprising a sloping top side of the extension and a relatively thin profile sole provided with profile members the profile sole forming the outside of the outsole and having a rearward continuation leading around the extension and being firmly joined to said sloping top side of the extension.

11. A sports shoe according to claim 10, wherein the continuation extends over the sloping top side of the extension and over part of the shoe upper.

12. A sports shoe according to claim 10, wherein the continuation comprises stiffening ribs running in the longitudinal direction of the sole.

13. A sports shoe according to claim 1, wherein the outsole at the rear of the shoe, widens downwardly.

14. A sports shoe according to claim 1, further comprising side walls of the outsole and means defining a respective longitudinally extending groove in each of said side walls.