公开(公告)号：US11622596B2

公开(公告)日：2023-04-11

申请号：US16592868

申请日：2019-10-04

Applicant: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Inventor： Christopher A. Brown ,  Winton Parker ,  James J. Muller ,  Abigale McAdams ,  Pedro D. Oporto ,  Josephine Bowen ,  Sarah Duquette ,  Eric Motler ,  Tristin J. Carlton ,  Nicholas Workman ,  Michael Doyle ,  Jessica Shelsky ,  Jessica K. Y. Cheu ,  Lorenzo M. Dube ,  Olivia G. Steen ,  Andrew R. Vickery

IPC: A43B13/18 ,  A43B7/148 ,  A43B13/12 ,  A43B7/1445 ,  A43B7/144

Abstract: A force absorbing device for a footwear appliance includes a shoe upper and a shoe sole having a planar sole surface, such that forces between the shoe upper and planar sole surface in ground contact are absorbed by force mitigation assemblies disposed in the shoe sole. A force mitigation assembly adapted for an athletic shoe includes a linkage to a wearer interface responsive to movement based on activity of the wearer. An attachment to a sole surface receives ground forces transmitted from frictional contact between the sole surface and a surface against which the sole is disposed, such as for running, turning, etc. A force mitigation assembly absorbs these forces received from the sole surface for directing the received force in a controlled manner. An elastic field in the force mitigation assembly is defined by a resilient material adapted to deform in response to the received force.

公开(公告)号：US11445784B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-20

申请号：US16592883

申请日：2019-10-04

Applicant: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Inventor： Christopher A. Brown ,  James J. Muller ,  Winton Parker ,  Allysa Grant ,  Tristin J. Carlton ,  Nicholas Workman ,  Michael Doyle ,  Jessica Shelsky ,  Jessica K. Y. Cheu ,  Lorenzo Dube ,  Pedro D. Oporto ,  Olivia G. Steen ,  Andrew R. Vickery

IPC: A43B13/18 ,  A43B13/12 ,  A43B13/04

Abstract: A force absorbing device for a footwear appliance includes a shoe upper and a shoe sole having a planar sole surface, such that forces between the shoe upper and planar sole surface in ground contact are absorbed by force mitigation structures disposed in the shoe sole. A footwear article includes a split-sole system that redefines a shoe sole as coplanar surfaces having a force mitigating interface for receiving sudden forces and effectively mitigating these forces by storing kinetic energy and releasing it over time. An elastic field in the force mitigation structure is defined by a resilient material adapted to deform in response to the received force. Frictional engagement between the upper and lower sole may also be augmented by surface characteristics such as dimples, voids and lubricants, in addition to interference engagement with an elastic field.