EP0032084B1 - Shoes, particularly sports shoes - Google Patents

Description

It has already been proposed, for example in patents FR-A-317,846 AND FR-A-341,490, to produce shoes whose sole has one or more air chambers which can be inflated by means of a valve. The purpose of these soles is essentially to absorb, by a pneumatic effect, the impact of the heel against the ground during walking or running. However, a problem arises with regard to the volume of said chambers and their deformability which must be limited in order to maintain sufficient stability in support of the foot. This means that, for the pneumatic chamber to play its role of energy absorber, the air pressure inside the chamber must be high and it increases very quickly for a small deformation of the chamber while the comfort would require that the energy be absorbed by a greater deformation with an almost constant pressure.

It has also been proposed in patent FR-A-1,406,610 to provide the internal walls of ski boots with one or more inflatable chambers. The purpose of these inflatable chambers is to obtain a tightening of the foot with a uniform distribution of the pressure between the foot and the shoe. Such chambers are essentially useful in shoes with high uppers in which the tightening of the laces to firmly hold the ankle is important in order to avoid any risk of accidents at this level.

It has also already been proposed in FR-A-2,026,062 to produce a ski boot comprising pneumatic chambers in the whole of the sole and the upper, these chambers being able to be pressurized and being able to communicate with each other to support the foot and insulate it thermally. This patent, which relates to a ski boot and not a walking or sports boot, does not suggest absorbing the shock of the heel and using the increased local pressure when the heel is applied to increase the lateral nesting pressure. heel. US-A-3,469,576 above all aims to distribute the pressure under the entire sole of the feet by transferring the liquid filling a chamber occupying the entire surface of the sole from the front part to the rear part, and vice versa, of this room which extends to fit the heel. The chamber being filled with a liquid there is no damping effect.

It has also been proposed, to ensure good interlocking of the calcaneus, to provide an elastic band surrounding the ankle and passing behind the Achilles tendon. The elasticity of the rear part of the upper thus produced is intended to allow the shoe to be put on while avoiding a yawning of this part when the ankle bends. However, this permanent pressure can be annoying in use and increases when the foot is extended.

Finally, it has been in common use for many years to cut the upper rear part of the rod growing above the calcaneus and replace it with an insert made of a more flexible material intended to avoid injury to the tendon. 'Achille.

Extensive studies have shown that all of these means have shortcomings or drawbacks and that in particular it is desirable to be able to combine their principles of action to achieve good foot support in the shoe. In addition, it has been found necessary to ensure a better fitting of the foot in the rear part of the shoe when the pneumatic chambers are crushed while reducing the pressure exerted on the Achilles tendon by the elastic strap or the rear part of the upper during the foot extension period. The problem to be solved was, in a way, to increase the volume of the pneumatic support chambers for the foot made in the sole to allow greater volume deformation for a small variation in unit pressure, to make the surface follow interlocking of the flexible crescent the movement of the Achilles tendon to maintain an elastic support distributed over a large surface above the calcaneus and which varies only slightly in intensity between the folded up or extended positions of the ankle for which the tendon Achilles deviates or approaches respectively the crescent and nesting the heel laterally on either side and over a significant height, approximately to the right of the arch of the foot with increased pressure at the time of setting support so that this compression fit overcomes the deformability of the pneumatic chambers of the sole.

These results are achieved with the shoe according to the invention which comprises a sole with one or more chambers and a rod provided with air chambers, these chambers being deformable at least towards the interior of the shoe and being able to communicate with each other, this shoe being characterized in that the inner tubes of the upper are provided in the parts fitting the rear part of the foot and are in communication only with the pneumatic chamber or chambers of the sole, which are located under the bearing surface of the heel of the foot.

According to another characteristic, the deformable air chambers are produced in the sides of the rod laterally fitting the heel.

According to an additional characteristic, the deformable air chambers of the rod are formed by a clearance provided between at least part of the sides of the rod and its lining, both made of an air-impermeable material.

According to another characteristic, the part constituting the flexible crescent of protection of the Achilles tendon also comprises an air chamber of which at least the wall facing the inside of the shoe is deformable, this chamber also being in communication with the one or more pneumatic sole chambers.

Preferably, the system of pneumatic chambers can be inflated or deflated by means of a valve of known type, preferably a valve of the ball type.

The present invention ess mainly applicable to so-called low sports shoes for walking, running, tennis, basketball and the like.

• La figure 1 est un schéma avec la tige développée à plat d'une chaussure conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de la partie arrière de la chaussure et
• la figure 3 en est en vue en coupe par III-III de figure 2.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description of an embodiment made below with reference to the attached drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a diagram with the upper developed flat of a shoe according to the invention;
• FIG. 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the rear part of the shoe and
• Figure 3 is a sectional view through III-III of Figure 2.

In the drawings, the reference 1 designates the front part of the shoe with its toe reinforcement 2 and its eyelet bands 3. In FIG. 1, the sides 4 of the upper 5 are presented in an air-impermeable material and the rear part 6 of the upper in the cut and folded state in the upper plane of the sole. The reference 7 designates the mass of the sole which can be made of polyurethane foam.

According to the embodiment illustrated by way of example, the upper surface of the sole in the vicinity of the heel has a shallow cavity 8 which is extended by a channel 9 rising in the axis of the heel reinforcement 10. Along the channel 9 is provided a ball valve 11 of known type. In the embodiment described by way of example and shown, it is assumed that the sole 7 and the heel reinforcement 10 are molded and that the edges of the rod 5 are embedded in the molding according to the known mounting method. The cavity 8 leaves a rim 12 inside with respect to the sides 4 of the rod, these rims being interrupted by a notch 13.

A lining 14 made of an air-impermeable material is then engaged in the rear part of the shoe and glued and vulcanized according to the hatched surfaces 16 in FIG. 1, these surfaces corresponding to the interior surfaces of the sides 4, of the reinforcement. heel outside the channel 9, on the flanges 12 and on the sole in front of the cavity 8. The lining 14 is turned over at the rear at 17 and glued and vulcanized on the edge of the outer surface of the heel reinforcement to constitute the protective crescent of the Achilles tendon.

Thus are made a chamber 18 under the heel to the right of the cavity 8, two chambers 19 on the sides 4 and a balloon 20 to the right of the protector of the Achilles tendon. During inflation under moderate pressure, these chambers deform inward without however opposing the introduction of the foot, the engagement between the chambers 19 and 20 taking place without compression exerted on the chamber 18. When the foot is engaged it is slightly compressed by the balloons formed by the chambers 19 and 20 in the inflated state. If a pressure is exerted at the level of the cavity 8, the reduction in volume of the chamber 18 results in an increase in the pressure in the chambers 19 and 20 but this variation in pressure is much smaller than it would would have been in chamber 18 isolated and it acts in chambers 19 and 20 to better lock the rod on the foot.

Claims (3)

1. A shoe, notably a sports shoe, comprising a sole with one or several air chambers (18) and a upper (5) provided with air chambers (19, 20), whereby said air chambers are deformable at least inwardly with respect to the shoe and can communicate with each other, characterized in that the air chambers (19, 20) of the upper (5) are provided in the portions fitting around the rear portion of the foot and are only in communication with the air chamber or chambers (18) of the sole which are located below the support surface of the foot heel.

2. A shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformable air chambers (19) are provided in the flanks (4) of the upper (5) which fit laterally around the heel.

3. A shoe according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the portion which forms the Achilles tendon protection flexible crescent comprises an air chamber (20), at least the wall (14) of which which is facing the inner portion of the shoe being deformable, said chamber being in communication with the pneumatic chamber or chambers (18) of the sole situated under the support surface of the heel.

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