Full energy return shoe

Abstract

This invention is a full energy return shoe. It comprises various embodiments of a “full energy return” linkage attached to upper and lower sole plates along their full lengths. This linkage constrains relative motion of the upper and lower plates by limiting or eliminating relative tilting and by controlling or eliminating relative longitudinal motion. These constraints result in foot impact energy being stored in springs irregardless of whether the force acts on the front or rear of the sole. That is, both toe and heel impact energy are used or returned during toe-off. These spring are coupled to links or vertices of the linkage and are designed to achieve an optimal ground reaction force curve of the shoe on the ground—varying from linear to constant curves. Useful features include a push-off frame to allow heel lift and a flex-rigger to prevent sprained ankles.

1 . A full energy return shoe sole for walking, running, and jumping comprising 
 a top sole plate and a bottom sole plate,    one or more full energy return linkages each comprising four or more links hingeably interconnected at vertices,    one or more springs acting between said links, and    a foot attachment means to attach said p-diamond sole to the foot of a wearer, wherein at least one of said links is rigidly attached to said top sole and at least one other of said links is rigidly attached to said bottom sole, wherein said full energy return linkage provides a full energy return constraint for said top plate to remain aligned substantially parallel to said bottom plate along their full lengths throughout the compression and expansion during the stance period, wherein said springs absorb the full impact energy imparted on the ground along the entire length and width of said foot during the impact period of stance and said springs return said full impact energy during the thrust period to impel said wearer forward and upward, wherein any compression force between any portions of said top sole plate and said bottom sole plate causes all impact energy to be stored in said springs until the toe-off period, wherein the heel impact energy is not dissipated by being released prematurely, before the toe-off period.    
     
     
         2 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  wherein said full energy return linkage can be combination linkage of said full energy return linkage with additional links, provided said full energy return constraint is provided by said combination linkage, wherein said combination linkage can be oriented in various directions including laterally and longitudinally.  
     
     
         3 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 2  wherein said combination linkage is a p-diamond linkage comprising 
 four diamond links hingeably interconnected to form a diamond shape with a top vertex, a bottom vertex, a front vertex and a rear vertex,  
 a top length link hingeably connected to said top vertex,  
 a bottom length link hingeably connected to said bottom vertex,  
 a mid length link hingeably connected at its front end to said rear vertex,  
 two end links hingeably connected to each other at the rear end of said center length link, and  
 a mid-link front vertex guide rigidly extending along and from said mid length link to make a key constraint on said front vertex to move along the continuation line extending along the length of said mid length link.  
 
     
     
         4 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 2  wherein said combination linkage is a p-linkage comprising four p-links which form a parallelogram.  
     
     
         5 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 2  wherein said combination linkage is a 2p-linkage comprising seven 2p-links which form two parallelograms with a shared link.  
     
     
         6 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  wherein said top sole plate comprises a push-off means which allows said wearer to flex his metatarsal joint, push off his toe, and lift his heel as he rocks forward onto his toe during toe-off, wherein said push-off means constrains the heel of said wearer to raise and lower directly above said top sole plate.  
     
     
         7 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  wherein the hinges which connect said links comprise necked hinges which are monolithic and which flex due to being necked down to a small width and a flexible material at said hinge.  
     
     
         8 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  wherein said springs and said full energy return linkage provide a substantially constant curve of the ground reaction force during stance.  
     
     
         9 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  wherein said bottom sole plate comprises a curved bottom.  
     
     
         10 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  wherein said space shoe further comprises elastic outer walls connecting said push-off frame and said top sole plate with said bottom sole plate.  
     
     
         11 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  wherein said bottom sole plate comprises a flex-rigger, flexibly attached to the sides of said bottom sole plate so that said flex-rigger can bend or rotate in the horizontal plane but not in the transverse-vertical plane, wherein said flex-rigger is biased to stick approximately straight out to the sides, wherein said flex-rigger is dimensioned and constructed to resist sideways roll over of said space shoe which could cause said wearer to sprain his ankle, wherein said flex-rigger can optionally be compressed inward along its length.  
     
     
         12 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  wherein said space shoe further comprises a front/back brace leg further comprising 
 a harness for coupling to a wearer's pelvis,  
 a front hip pivot,  
 a back hip pivot,  
 a front thigh link pivotly attached to the front of said harness with said front hip pivot,  
 a back thigh link pivotly attached to the front of said harness with said back hip pivot,  
 a front tibia link pivotly attached to the front of said brace foot,  
 a back tibia link pivotly attached to the back of said brace foot,  
 a front knee pivot connecting said front thigh link and said front tibia link,  
 a back knee pivot connecting said back thigh link and said back tibia link, one or more hyper-extending knee pivot locks at the locations of said front and back knee pivots to prevent pivot hyper-extension,  
 an optional back hydraulic knee lock pivotly attached to said back thigh link and said back tibia link,  
 an optional front hydraulic knee lock pivotly attached to said front thigh link and said front tibia link,  
 a front ankle pivot for the connection of said front tibia link to said upper frame,  
 a back ankle pivot for the connection of said back tibia link to said upper frame,  
 a knee cross link connecting said front knee pivot with said back knee pivot, wherein said front and back hip pivots are located approximately above the center of each leg, wherein the front and back locations of said brace leg elements prevents interference with said runner's legs.  
 
     
     
         13 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 12  wherein said harness comprises a front/back pack extension further comprising 
 a front pack-frame pivot at the front of said harness,  
 a back pack-frame pivot at the back of said harness,  
 a front pack frame attached to the front of said harness via said front pack-frame pivot,  
 a back pack frame attached to the back of said harness via said back pack-frame pivot, pack straps,  
 a front pack secured to said front pack frame be said pack straps, and back pack secured to said back pack frame be said pack straps, wherein said brace legs continuously support said front and back packs as said wearer walks or runs.  
 
     
     
         14 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  wherein said full energy return shoe sole provides energy return for a prosthetic leg, wherein said full energy return shoe sole further comprises a pylon attached to said upper frame, wherein said pylon attaches to the stump of an amputee's leg.  
     
     
         15 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  which further comprises a bow shoe for use by a runner, wherein said spring system comprises 
 a bow spring located above said upper frame and hingeably connected to said top sole plate,  
 a leg attachment means for attaching said bow spring to the leg of said runner,  
 a suspension system connecting the top of said bow spring to said lower sole plate, wherein the force of both the runner's toe and heel cause said bow spring to be loaded throughout foot-strike, wherein heel impact energy is not returned prematurely at the beginning of to push-off, but rather is returned optimally during toe-off during the latter part of push-off.  
 
     
     
         16 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 15  wherein said suspension system comprises 
 one or more ankle-pivot supports rigidly attached to said ground plate and extending around and above the level of the foot of said runner,  
 one or more ankle-pivot housings rigidly attached to said ankle-pivot support and housing an ankle pivot,  
 one or more cords attached to said shoe plate and passing around the foot of said runner and through said ankle-pivot housings, and  
 a cord guide to constrain said cords to the location of said ankle-pivot.  
 
     
     
         17 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 16  wherein said suspension system further comprises a shin-level bow spring assembly comprising 
 a bow spring pivotly attached to said ankle-pivot housing,  
 a bow guide pivotly attached to said ankle-pivot housing and to the top of said bow spring, wherein said bow guide changes length telescopically,  
 a shin slider slidingly attached to the top of said bow guide, and  
 a shin strap for attaching said shin slider to the shin of said runner, wherein said cords extend to connect to the top of said bow spring, wherein the impact force of said runner's foot on said shoe plate loads said bow spring via said cords.  
 
     
     
         18 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 1  wherein said bottom sole plate comprises a back-heel and a padded leg brace, wherein said back heel is a rigid, upwardly curving extension of said lower frame, wherein the deceleration of the runner's center of mass at heel strike is reduced by decreasing the effective angle of the line of force between the runner's center of mass and the initial point of contacts of said back-heel with the ground, wherein said padded leg brace impinges the leg of said runner above the ankle to prevent hyper plantar flexion at heel strike.  
     
     
         19 . The full energy return shoe sole of  claim 2  wherein said combination linkage is a arbitrary length 4-link linkage comprising four arbitrary length links hingeably interconnected.