Dynamic canting and cushioning system for footwear

Abstract

A sole unit for footwear having, comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one collapsible profile on a portion of its bottom surface, the collapsible profile being capable of selectively, resiliently canting a side of a user's foot upwardly on the side opposite an applied lateral force during use, the collapsible profile having a canting means for facilitating the selective canting of the user's foot. The invention is also directed to methods of constructing footwear in accordance with the foregoing.

What I claim:  
     
         1 . A sole unit for footwear having, comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one collapsible profile on a portion of its bottom surface, the collapsible profile being capable of selectively, resiliently canting a side of a user's foot upwardly on the side opposite an applied lateral force during use, the collapsible profile having a canting means for facilitating the selective canting of the user's foot.  
     
     
         2 . The sole unit of  claim 1  having collapsible profiles opposing each other such that when a lateral force is applied to the sole unit, the collapsible profile at the side to which the force is applied selectively collapses at the canting means and the canting means in the opposing collapsible profile resists collapsing in the same direction.  
     
     
         3 . The sole unit of  claim 1  wherein at least one collapsible profile is disposed along at least each of a forefoot or heel portion of a medial side of the sole unit.  
     
     
         4 . The sole unit of  claim 3  wherein collapsible profiles are disposed along a forefoot or heel portion of medial and lateral sides of the sole unit.  
     
     
         5 . The sole unit of  claim 1  wherein the collapsible profile includes a canting means comprising a flexure axis oriented generally parallel to the midline of the sole unit.  
     
     
         6 . The sole unit of  claim 5  having collapsible profiles opposing each other such that when a lateral force is applied to the sole unit, the collapsible profile at the side to which the force is applied selectively collapses at the canting means and the opposing collapsible profile resists collapsing in the same direction.  
     
     
         7 . The sole unit of  claim 6  wherein the collapsible profile has an outside edge at an outside medial edge of the sole unit and a canting means that allows the collapsible profile to splay away from the outside edge under a lateral force to the medial side of the shoe.  
     
     
         8 . The sole unit of  claim 1  wherein the collapsible profile includes an outsole for ground contact.  
     
     
         9 . The sole unit of  claim 8  wherein the collapsible profile also comprises a resilient element.  
     
     
         10 . The sole unit of  claim 9  wherein the collapsible profile includes an outsole for ground contact.  
     
     
         11 . The sole unit of  claim 4  wherein midsole and/or outsole structure, not comprising a collapsible profile, is disposed closely adjacent at least about 10% the perimeter of one or more collapsible profiles.  
     
     
         12 . The sole unit of  claim 11  wherein the midsole and/or outsole is closely disposed adjacent at least about 25% of the perimeter of one or more collapsible profiles.  
     
     
         13 . The sole unit of  claim 1  wherein the collapsible profile substantially comprises a non-amorphous material.  
     
     
         14 . The sole unit of  claim 1  wherein the collapsible profile is removably disposed on the sole unit.  
     
     
         15 . The sole unit of  claim 3  wherein the collapsible profile comprises an element having a generally vertical side wall facing outwardly and an angled sidewall facing inwardly, the collapsible profile facilitating selective collapse of the collapsible profile due to the angled differences of the walls to cant the shoe.  
     
     
         16 . The sole unit of  claim 3  wherein the collapsible profile extends downwardly from the bottom surface in a-direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bottom surface.  
     
     
         17 . The sole unit of 1 wherein a plurality of collapsible profiles comprising a resiliently compressible material are disposed in a plurality of parallel arrays, at least two arrays on opposite sides of a midline extending at least 25% the length of the sole unit.  
     
     
         18 . The sole unit of 1 wherein a plurality of collapsible profiles comprising a resiliently compressible material are disposed in a plurality of parallel segments, at least two segments on opposite sides of a midline extending at least 25% the length of the sole unit.  
     
     
         19 . The sole unit of  claim 16  wherein the collapsible profile has a curvilinear shape that generally corresponds to an adjacent side contour of the sole unit.  
     
     
         20 . The sole unit of  claim 1  wherein the top surface is fore-aft translatable relative to the bottom surface under a force applied generally perpendicular to the surface of the top or bottom surface.  
     
     
         21 . The sole unit of  claim 15  wherein, under a lateral force the bottom surface of the collapsible profile at the initial side of the lateral force may maintain substantial contact with the ground, and the top surface may laterally displace in the direction of the applied force, with the side of the sole unit canting towards the side at which the force is initially applied.  
     
     
         22 . The sole unit of  claim 21  wherein the ground contacting collapsible profile is disposed on a heel portion of a sole unit and spans the heel portion from a medial side, across a midline, to the lateral side of the heel portion.  
     
     
         23 . The sole unit of  claim 21  wherein the ground contacting collapsible profile is disposed on a forefoot portion of a sole unit and spans the forefoot portion from a medial side, across a midline, to the lateral side of the forefoot portion.  
     
     
         24 . The sole unit of  claim 1  wherein there are a plurality of the canting means on the sole unit, each allowing resilient fore-aft displacement of the top surface relative to the bottom surface.  
     
     
         25 . The sole unit of  claim 1  wherein the collapsible profile comprises a torsion element coupled to a canting means disposed on the bottom surface of the sole unit, the torsion element having opposing force transfer means at each end.  
     
     
         26 . The sole unit of  claim 25  wherein the canting means comprises a sleeve for receiving the torsion element and the torsion element comprises a rigid bar that may rotationally move in the sleeve.  
     
     
         27 . The sole unit of  claim 25  wherein the force transfer means comprise substantially rigid pads.  
     
     
         28 . The sole unit of  claim 25  wherein the canting means comprises a sleeve for receiving the torsion element and the force transfer means comprise substantially rigid pads.  
     
     
         29 . The sole unit of  claim 25  wherein the canting means is disposed at about a midline of the sole unit and force transfer means for a torsion element are located on opposite sides of the midline.  
     
     
         30 . The sole unit of  claim 29  wherein the torsion element is nonlinear and adapted to dispose one force transfer means forward of the canting means and the other rearward.  
     
     
         31 . The sole unit of  claim 30  wherein there are a plurality collapsible profiles comprising a torsion element, canting means and force transfer means on the sole unit.  
     
     
         32 . The sole unit of  claim 25  wherein the collapsible profile also comprises a resilient element.  
     
     
         33 . A sole unit for footwear having, comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one collapsible profile on a portion of its bottom surface, the collapsible profile comprises a torsion element coupled to a canting means disposed on the bottom surface of the sole unit, the torsion element having opposing force transfer means at each end wherein the canting means is disposed at about a midline of the sole unit and force transfer means for a torsion element are located on opposite sides of the midline.  
     
     
         34 . The sole unit of  claim 33  wherein the collapsible profile comprises a resilient element.  
     
     
         35 . The sole unit of  claim 34  wherein the torsion element is nonlinear and adapted to dispose one force transfer means forward of the canting means and the other rearward.  
     
     
         36 . A sole unit for footwear having, comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one canting means on a portion of the bottom surface for laterally displacing the top surface from the bottom surface and canting the top surface relative to the bottom surface, according to the direction of an applied lateral force, the top surface forming an acute angle on the side of the sole unit to which the lateral force is generally applied and an obtuse angle on the opposite side.  
     
     
         37 . A sole unit, comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one collapsible profile on a portion of its bottom surface, the collapsible profile being capable of selectively, resiliently canting a side of a user's foot upwardly on the side opposite an applied lateral force during use, the collapsible profile comprising opposing vertical displacement elements with an upper or lower horizontal displacement element disposed therebetween and, the vertical elements having upward and downward ends that interface with the upper and/or lower horizontal displacement elements via canting means, the canting means facilitating the deformation of the collapsible profile to provide selective canting of the user's foot.  
     
     
         38 . The sole unit of  claim 37  wherein the vertical displacement elements form an acute angle with the lower portion under static use conditions.  
     
     
         39 . The sole unit of  claim 37  wherein the collapsible profile has one displacement element on one side of a midline of the sole unit and the other displacement element on the opposing side, the upper and lower portions and vertical displacements disposed therebetween generally having a rhomboid-like shape.  
     
     
         40 . The sole unit of 39 wherein there are a plurality of the rhomboid-like collapsible profiles disposed along a length of the sole unit.  
     
     
         41 . The sole unit of  claim 37  wherein the upper and/or lower horizontal displacement elements comprise elements integrated or attached to the sole unit.  
     
     
         42 . A shoe having a sole unit comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one collapsible profile on a portion of its bottom surface, the collapsible profile being capable of selectively, resiliently canting a side of a user's foot upwardly on the side opposite an applied lateral force during use, the collapsible profile having a canting means for facilitating the selective canting of the user's foot.  
     
     
         43 . A shoe having a sole unit comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one collapsible profile on a portion of its bottom surface, the collapsible profile comprises a torsion element coupled to a canting means disposed on the bottom surface of the sole unit, the torsion element having opposing force transfer means at each end wherein the canting means is disposed at about a midline of the sole unit and force transfer means for a torsion element are located on opposite sides of the midline.  
     
     
         44 . A shoe having a sole unit comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one collapsible profile on a portion of its bottom surface, the collapsible profile being capable of selectively, resiliently canting a side of a user's foot upwardly on the side opposite an applied lateral force during use, the collapsible profile comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being connected together by vertically disposed displacement elements therebetween, the vertical elements having upward and downward ends that interface with the upper and lower portion via canting means, the canting means facilitating the deformation of the collapsible profile to provide selective canting of the user's foot.  
     
     
         45 . A method of constructing a shoe comprising, providing a sole unit comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one collapsible profile on a portion of its bottom surface, the collapsible profile being capable of selectively, resiliently canting a side of a user's foot upwardly on the side opposite an applied lateral force during use, the collapsible profile having a canting means for facilitating the selective canting of the user's foot, and attaching the sole unit to an upper for retaining the foot of a user.  
     
     
         46 . A method of constructing a shoe comprising, providing a sole unit comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one collapsible profile on a portion of its bottom surface, the collapsible profile comprises a torsion element coupled to a canting means disposed on the bottom surface of the sole unit, the torsion element having opposing force transfer means at each end wherein the canting means is disposed at about a midline of the sole unit and force transfer means for a torsion element are located on opposite sides of the midline, foot, and attaching the sole unit to an upper for retaining the foot of a user.  
     
     
         47 . A method of constructing a shoe comprising, providing a sole unit comprising: a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; the sole unit having at least one collapsible profile on a portion of its bottom surface, the collapsible profile being capable of selectively, resiliently canting a side of a user's foot upwardly on the side opposite an applied lateral force during use, the collapsible profile comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being connected together by vertically disposed displacement elements therebetween, the vertical elements having upward and downward ends that interface with the upper and lower portion via canting means, the canting means facilitating the deformation of the collapsible profile to provide selective canting of the user's foot, and attaching the sole unit to an upper for retaining the foot of a user.