Boot with anti-vibration bottom assembly

Abstract

A boot having a structure for the treatment of the micro-vibrations that can occur between the bottom assembly and the upper of the latter by resonance effect on impact with the ground. A thin elastic membrane with a Shore A hardness of about 20-30 is positioned between the core layer of the bottom assembly and the upper to serve as a dynamic screen with respect to the micro-vibrations. The invention is particularly adapted to the design of sports boot, such as walking shoes and/or running shoes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A boot comprising: 
 an upper mounted on a multi-layered bottom assembly;    a wearable layer and a core layer directly fixed on said wearable layer;    a shock-absorbing layer in the form of a thin elastic membrane, having a thickness of less than about two millimeters, is fixed on said core layer to treat the micro-vibrations that can occur by resonance effect during impact shocks.    
     
     
         2 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastic membrane is made out of a visco-elastic material having a Shore A hardness of about 20-30.  
     
     
         3 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the core layer and the elastic membrane extend over the zone of the bottom assembly corresponding substantially to a zone of the forefoot.  
     
     
         4 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the core layer and the elastic membrane extend over a zone of the bottom assembly corresponding substantially to a zone of the heel.  
     
     
         5 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the core layer and the elastic membrane extend over a zone of the bottom assembly corresponding substantially to an entire zone of the plantar surface.  
     
     
         6 . A boot according to  claim 4 , wherein the core layer comprises, in a zone of the heel, a vertical extension which rises at least along a portion of the upper of the boot, said extension constituting the stiffener of the boot.  
     
     
         7 . A boot according to  claim 6 , wherein the elastic membrane extends over the entire internal surface of the stiffener.  
     
     
         8 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the core layer of the bottom assembly extends over the entirety of a zone of the plantar surface, said elastic membrane only extending over a zone corresponding to the forefoot.  
     
     
         9 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the core layer of the bottom assembly extends over the entirety of a zone of the plantar surface, said elastic membrane only extending over a zone corresponding to the heel.  
     
     
         10 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the core layer of the bottom assembly comprises one lateral and vertical extension which rises along a side of the upper of the boot, in the direction of the instep girth where said extension is connected to a tightening device, thus constituting the equivalent of a tightening flap.  
     
     
         11 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the core layer of the bottom assembly comprises two lateral and vertical extensions which each rise along a side of the upper of the boot, in the direction of the instep girth where said extensions are connected, between them, to a tightening device, said extensions thus constituting the equivalent of two tightening flaps.  
     
     
         12 . A boot according to  claim 4 , wherein the core layer is divided, along the thickness of the bottom assembly and in the zone of the heel, starting from a common attachment point located in the vicinity of a zone of the forefoot, into two elastic blades which are spaced apart by a certain value.  
     
     
         13 . A boot according to  claim 12 , wherein a shock-absorbing structure made of an elastically deformable material is positioned between the two elastic blades of the core layer.  
     
     
         14 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein a shock-absorbing comfort layer, made of an elastically compressible material with a Shore A hardness at least equal to about 35 and having a thickness of multiple millimeters, is fixed on the elastic membrane, said comfort layer adapted to provide a certain braking distance used to reduce the foot positioning speed down to a zero value, simultaneously with a maximum dampening of the intensity of the shock from the impact, due to its characteristics of compressibility and elastic resistance.  
     
     
         15 . A boot according to  claim 8 , wherein a shock-absorbing comfort layer, made of an elastically compressible material with a Shore A hardness at least equal to about 35 and having a thickness of multiple millimeters, is fixed directly on the core layer, outside of a zone covered by the elastic membrane.  
     
     
         16 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the core layer is a composite made, partially, of a material of mineral origin in the form of unidirectional fibers.  
     
     
         17 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the core layer is a composite made, partially, of a material of mineral origin in the form of woven fibers.  
     
     
         18 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastic membrane has, on the side directed toward the core layer, a discontinued surface constituted by a multitude of contact points that are determined by the intersecting points of a multitude of cavities open on said side.