The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 22, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 05, 1997
Edith Michele Harmon-Weiss, Swampscott, MA (US);
Sean Michael McDowell, Beaverton, OR (US);
New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc., Boston, MA (US);
Abstract
A cushion for use in a shoe sole with resilient, arcuate, load-bearing first and second and central walls. The first and second walls are tubular and are configured for supporting and cushioning edges of a foot. They respectively form first and second tubular portions of the cushion extending generally along a lateral and medial sides of a foot shape. The central wall is configured for supporting and cushioning a laterally central part of the foot and forms a hollow central portion. The central portion is disposed between and joined with the first and second tubular portions. The central wall and first tubular wall are coupled at a coupled section such that vertical deformation of one of the central and first walls is transmitted to the other. The coupling portion has vertically spaced walls that join vertically spaced sections of the central and tubular walls. A recessed portion of the cushion isolates vertical deformation of adjacent sections of the central and tubular walls. Ribs extend across the walls to increase their vertical compressive stiffness. The preferred cushion is shaped for cushioning a heel, with the coupled portion positioned off-center, towards the rear of the heel.