Skateboard shoe

[0001] The devices and methods described below relate to skateboarding shoes and particularly to the design of the sole of skateboarding shoes.

[0002] A skateboard is controlled primarily through the rider's feet. Greater control of a skateboard may be provided by appropriate footwear and allow the rider to perform more skateboard tricks, such as ollies, kickflips, and crooks, with a greater degree of mastery. Any shoe designed for use during skateboarding should be designed to allow flexibility of the rider's feet while appropriately gripping the skateboard. In other words, the shoe should be designed to account for the required flexibility used by a skateboard rider to control the skateboard. In addition, the shoe should be designed to provide the rider with comfort and a better grip of the skateboard.

[0003] Presently, the outsoles of skateboard shoes have a unitary design that allows little flexibility and movement. Outsoles are manufactured as a single unitary component from a single material such as a polymer. Outsoles may also be manufactured from several different materials bonded together to from a unitary structure. What is needed is a skateboard shoe with a segmented midsole and outsole that provides greater flexibility to the rider. The skateboard shoes described below have a structure that provides appropriate flexibility and grip between the shoe and a skateboard to allow a rider to perform skateboard tricks.

[0004] The shoes described below provide for improved flexibility in shoe with an air cushion bladder in the sole or mid-sole. The sole of the shoe comprises a longitudinally and transversely segmented midsole and a longitudinally segmented outsole wherein the inner sole and outsole are segmented longitudinally at substantially the same locations. The segmentation of the midsole and outsole allows the individual segments of the outsole to move and grip the skateboard independently from the other segments.

[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates a lateral view of a right foot skateboard shoe 1. The skateboard shoe comprises an upper 2, a midsole 3 and an outsole 4. The upper 2 is bonded to the midsole 3 and the midsole 3 is bonded to the outsole 4. FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom view of the midsole 3. As illustrated in FIG. 2 and in sectional views FIG. 2B, FIG. 2C and FIG. 2D, the midsole 3 has an upper wall 5, a bottom wall 6 and an outer wall 7.

[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates the midsole 3 with the upper wall removed for clarity. A plurality of truncated conical-shaped supports 8 extend from the upper wall (not shown) and the bottom wall provide columnar support to the users foot. The midsole 3 comprises a plurality of barrier ribs 9 extending from the bottom wall 6 segmenting the midsole in a longitudinal and a transverse direction. The midsole 3 is segmented into a plurality of fluid chambers or cells 10 by the ribs. The ribs 9 are hollow and characterize sidewalls 11 of the chambers. A fluid chamber or cell 10 is characterized by the upper wall 5, the bottom wall 6 and sidewalls 11. Because the ribs 9 are hollow, a plurality of troughs 12 or spaces are provided between the fluid chambers at the bottom portion of the midsole. Pathways 13 between the ribs are provided to place the fluid chambers in fluid communication with one another. The fluid chambers contain any suitable gas, liquid or gel to provide an air-cushion effect. The troughs 12 between the fluid chambers 10 allow the chambers to move and flex independently from one another along the bottom portion of the midsole.

[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a lateral view of the midsole 3. The ribs 9 divide the midsole into several longitudinally spaced rows of chambers 10. The fluid filled chambers 10 provide impact protection to the wearer. The upper wall of the midsole 3 is joined to upper surfaces of the rib and the outer wall to complete the fluid chambers. Troughs separate the sidewalls of the chambers at the bottom portion 19 of the midsole. Thus, the chambers 10 are not connected to one another at the bottom potion 19. This configuration connects the chambers to one another at the top portion 20 of the midsole while allowing the chambers 3 to flex or separate relative to one another at the bottom portion 19 of the midsole.

[0019] The longitudinally spaced rows of fluid chambers 10 can flex along with the natural motion of the rider's foot while providing impact cushioning. Furthermore, the longitudinally spaced rows of fluid chambers 10 stabilize the rider's foot when the foot is in motion. Thus, the midsole 3 acts as both a stabilizing midsole 3 and an impact cushioning midsole 3 while improving the fit of the shoe so it moves with the foot.

[0020] The ribs 9 are integrally formed with the bottom wall and the outer wall of the midsole. Alternatively, ribs 9 may be bonded to the bottom wall and the outer wall surface by an adhesive or thermal bonding. Suitable materials for the midsole include thermoplastics such as thermoplastic urethane.

[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of the outsole 4. The outsole of the shoe is provided with lateral partitions or gaps of material 25 segmenting the outsole longitudinally. The gaps 25 in the outsole substantially coincide with the troughs 12 of the midsole. The outsole segments 26 formed in the outsole are disposed below the longitudinally spaced fluid chambers 10 and bonded to the outer bottom surface of midsole 3 by an adhesive or through other means. Bridges 27 or webs material disposed between the individual segments connect the upper portion 28 of the segments 26 of the outsole to one another. FIG. 6 illustrates a lateral view of the outsole 4. Because the segments are only connected to one another through the bridge of material at the top portion 28 of the outsole 4, the segments are able to move and flex independent of one another at the bottom portion of the outsole 29.

[0022] The longitudinally spaced segments 26 in the outsole along with the longitudinally spaced rows of fluid chambers can flex along with the natural motion of the rider's foot while providing impact cushioning. Thus, the midsole 3 and the outsole 4 act to improve the fit of the shoe so it moves with the foot. The outsole may be manufactured from natural rubber, synthetic rubber, thermoplastic rubber or other elastomers. The bottom surface of the outsole is provided with a tread pattern 30 adapted to increase the amount of friction or grip between the shoe 1 and a skateboard. (Although our trademark tread pattern is shown, any tread pattern may used.)

[0023] FIG. 7 illustrates an outsole for use with the segmented midsole of FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein the outsole comprises several segments which are attached by webs of substantially the same width as the outsole segments. As shown in FIG. 7, the partitions may comprise a thin web 31 of elastomeric material at the upper portion of the outsole connecting longitudinally spaced segments of the outsole without gaps of material. The webs in FIG. 7 are essentially co-extensive in width with the immediately outsole segments. For example, web 31a extended laterally across the sole, is almost as wide as neighboring outsole segments 26a and 26b.

[0024] FIG. 8 illustrates an outsole for use with the segmented midsole of FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein the outsole comprises several segments which are discrete and unattached to each other. The partitions 25 between adjacent outsole segments comprise complete gaps of material between the outsole segments 26. In this embodiment, the outsole segments are separate and unattached to adjacent outsole segments (except indirectly through the mutual attachment to the midsole).

[0025] According the description above, the shoes incorporate a midsole which comprises a plurality of fluid chambers, with each of the chambers being longitudinally fixed to adjacent chambers near the top of the chambers, while being detached and longitudinally displaceable near the bottom of the chambers. The outsole comprises a plurality of outsole segments, and each outsole segment is sized and dimensioned to cover the bottom surface of a corresponding fluid chambers. One or more elastomeric bridge members are used to connect adjacent outsole segments. The bridge members are preferably more flexible than the outsole segments (which are preferably tough enough to withstand extended street wear). The flexibility of the bridge members may be achieved by making them of a material of low modulus of elasticity relative to the outsole segments, or by reducing the width or thickness of the bridge members to achieve a low spring strength relative to the outsole segments.

[0026] In addition to skateboarding shoes, the flexible midsole 3 and outsole 4 may be used in hiking boots, snowboarding boots, running shoes, basketball shoes, BMX shoes and sandals. The components of the shoe have been described with reference to the common construction of athletic shoes, with common terms such as the sole and mid-sole. However, the various components may be made separately and assembled thereafter (as illustrated), or manufactured integrally with one another, such that, for example, the outsole and midsole components are formed together and do not have discrete boundaries. Thus, while the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims.