Energy translating footwear mechanism for enhancing forward

Abstract

The present invention provides soles, platforms, or inserts incorporated into footwear, preferably athletic footwear, designed to promote a more efficient running technique by an energy-translating sole comprising one or more angular displacement members, balance-thrust members, and counterbalance as well as conventional features. Systems and methods of the present invention promote more efficient running technique by facilitating foot-strike to occur at a point under and behind the runner's center of gravity. This may be accomplished, for example, by a foot-strike member, angular displacement member and balance-thrust member working cooperatively to displace the runner's center of gravity and translate gravitational, inertial and ground reaction forces, as well as muscular tension forces, into linear momentum.

1 . A shoe sole unit comprising, 
 one or more displacement members located on the bottom of the shoe sole and extending downward from the lower surface of the shoe sole, and    wherein each displacement member has a displacement point located between one-quarter and one half of the distance between the front of the toe section and the back of the heel section of the shoe sole and located vertically at the lowest point on the displacement member on the perpendicular to a first imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe sole located on the medial side of the shoe sole between 25% and 40% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole and the point located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe sole located at a point 75% to 95% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of displacement points is two, one on the medial side and one on the lateral side of the shoe sole.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the displacement point on the medial side is closer to the front of the shoe sole than the displacement point on the lateral side of the shoe sole.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of displacement points is one.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the displacement member or members have a number of displacement points from the medial side to the lateral side of the shoe sole.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the displacement points move generally toward the front of the shoe sole as they move from the lateral side to the medial side of the shoe sole.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the angle between a second imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe located at a point 6% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole and the point on the of the medial side of the shoe sole located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface at a point 31% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole and a third imaginary line passing through the displacement point at the lowest point of the displacement member as measured perpendicular to the first line and a line passing through a point approximately 6% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole and perpendicular to the second line is between zero degrees and 45 degrees.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a counter rotation member that extends downward from the bottom of the shoe sole and that has a counter rotation point which is the lowest point on the counter rotation member as measured perpendicular to the first line, and wherein said counter rotation member is located along the length of the shoe sole such that the counter rotation point is farther from the front of the shoe sole than the displacement point by at least 2% of the length of the shoe sole measured along the first line.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said counter rotation point is located on or between the second and fifth lines.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a balance thrust member located closer to the front of the shoe sole than the displacement point and having a balance thrust point located at the lowest part of the balance thrust member as measured on a perpendicular to the second line.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plantar surface of the shoe sole is substantially rigid from at least as far back as the point on the of the lateral side of the shoe sole located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface at a point above the displacement member as measured along a line perpendicular to the first line and continuing to the front of the toe section and being continuously radiused upward going toward the front of the toe section.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said substantially rigid portion is comprised of material sufficiently rigid to prevent deformation of such substantially rigid portion during use.  
     
     
         13 . A shoe insert comprising, 
 one or more displacement members located on the bottom of the shoe insert and extending downward from the lower surface of the shoe insert, and    wherein each displacement member has a displacement point located between one-quarter and one half of the distance between the front of the toe section and the back of the heel section of the shoe insert and located vertically at the lowest point on the displacement member on the perpendicular to a first imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe insert located on the medial side of the shoe insert between 25% and 40% of the length of the shoe insert from the front of the shoe insert and the point located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe insert located at a point 75% to 95% of the length of the shoe insert from the front of the shoe insert.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the number of displacement points is two, one on the medial side and one on the lateral side of the shoe insert.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the displacement point on the medial side is closer to the front of the shoe insert than the displacement point on the lateral side of the shoe insert.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the number of displacement points is one.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the displacement member or members have a number of displacement points from the medial side to the lateral side of the shoe insert.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the displacement points move generally toward the front of the shoe insert as they move from the lateral side to the medial side of the shoe insert.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the angle between a second imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe insert located at a point 6% of the length of the shoe insert from the front of the shoe insert and the point on the of the medial side of the shoe insert located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface at a point 31% of the length of the shoe insert from the front of the shoe insert and a third imaginary line passing through the displacement point at the lowest point of the displacement member as measured perpendicular to the first line and a line passing through a point approximately 6% of the length of the shoe insert from the front of the shoe insert and perpendicular to the second line is between zero degrees and 45 degrees.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the angle between the second and third lines is less than the angle between the third line and a fourth imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe insert located at a point 6% of the length of the shoe insert from the front of the shoe insert and the point on the of the lateral side of the shoe insert located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface at a point 33% of the length of the shoe insert from the front of the shoe insert, and less than the angle between the third line and a fifth imaginary line parallel to the first line and passing through the displacement point.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the angle between the second and third lines is less than the angle between the fifth and third lines.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a counter rotation member that extends downward from the bottom of the shoe insert and that has a counter rotation point which is the lowest point on the counter rotation member as measured perpendicular to the first line, and wherein said counter rotation member is located along the length of the shoe insert such that the counter rotation point is farther from the front of the shoe insert than the displacement point by at least 2% of the length of the shoe insert measured along said first line.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein said counter rotation point is located between on or between the second and fifth lines.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a balance thrust member located closer to the front of the shoe insert than the displacement point and having a balance thrust point located at the lowest part of the balance thrust member as measured on a perpendicular to the second line.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the angle between the second and third lines is less than the angle between the fifth and third lines, greater than the angle between the second line and a seventh imaginary line passing through the balance thrust point and the point located at the intersection of the medial side of the shoe insert located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface and a line drawn perpendicular to the first line and running through the displacement point, and less than the angle between the seventh and third lines.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , 
 wherein the angle between the second and third lines is less than the angle between the fifth and third lines, less than the angle between the seventh and third lines, and greater than the angle between the second and seventh lines,    wherein the angle between the seventh and third lines is greater than the angle between the second and third lines, and    wherein the angle between said fourth and seventh lines must be less than the angle between said second and seventh lines.    
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the plantar surface of the shoe insert is substantially rigid from at least as far back as the point on the of the lateral side of the shoe insert located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface at a point above the displacement member as measured along a line perpendicular to the first line and continuing to the front of the toe section and being continuously radiused upward going toward the front of the toe section.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said substantially rigid portion is comprised of material sufficiently rigid to prevent deformation of such substantially rigid portion during use.  
     
     
         29 . A method of making a shoe insert comprising, 
 a generally shoe shaped surface sufficiently thin to fit inside of a shoe,    affixing or forming one or more displacement members on the bottom of the shoe shaped surface and extending downward from the lower surface of the shoe shaped surface, each displacement member having a displacement point located between one-quarter and one half of the distance between the front of the toe section and the back of the heel section of the shoe shaped surface and located vertically at the lowest point on the displacement member on the perpendicular to a first imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe shaped surface located on the medial side of the shoe shaped surface between 25% and 40% of the length of the shoe shaped surface from the front of the shoe sole and the point located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe shaped surface located at a point 75% to 95% of the length of the shoe shaped surface from the front of the shoe shaped surface,    wherein the angle between a second imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe shaped surface located at a point 6% of the length of the shoe from the front of the shoe shaped surface and the point on the of the medial side of the shoe shaped surface located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface at a point 31% of the length of the shoe shaped surface from the front of the shoe shaped surface and a third imaginary line passing through the displacement point at the lowest point of the displacement member as measured perpendicular to the first line and a line passing through a point approximately 6% of the length of the shoe sole from the front of the shoe sole and perpendicular to the second line is between zero degrees and 45 degrees,    wherein the angle between the second and third lines is less than the angle between the third line and a fourth imaginary line passing through the point on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface of the shoe located at a point 6% of the length of the shoe shaped surface from the front of the shoe shaped surface and the point on the of the lateral side of the shoe shaped surface located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface at a point 33% of the length of the shoe shaped surface from the front of the shoe shaped surface, and less than the angle between the third line and a fifth imaginary line parallel to the first line and passing through the displacement point,    adding a counter rotation member that extends downward from the bottom of the shoe shaped surface and that has a counter rotation point which is the lowest point on the counter rotation member as measured perpendicular to the first line, and wherein said counter rotation member is located along the length of the shoe shaped surface such that the counter rotation point is farther from the front of the shoe shaped surface than the displacement point and on or between said second and fifth lines, and    wherein the angle between the second and third lines is less than the angle between the fifth and third lines and less than the angle between the seventh and third lines.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising providing one or more balance thrust members located closer to the front of the toe section of the shoe shaped surface than the displacement point and each having a balance thrust point located at the lowest part of the balance thrust member as measured on a perpendicular to the third line.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising making the plantar surface of the shoe shaped surface sufficiently rigid to prevent deformation during use from at least as far back as the point on the of the lateral side of the shoe shaped surface located on the upper interior surface of the plantar surface at a point above the displacement member as measured along a line perpendicular to the first line and continuing to the front of the toe section and causing it to be continuously radiused upward going toward the front of the toe section.  
     
     
         32 . A sole unit for a shoe comprising: 
 a rigidifying element disposed between at least a sesamoidal line and a balance-thrust line;    an angular displacement member disposed at the sesamoidal line, and    a balance-thrust member disposed at a balance thrust line, the angular displacement member and balance thrust member being positioned and adapted so that when both members are in contact with ground, the sesamoid apparatus of the wearer's foot is elevated with respect to the digits, placing the wearer in a digitigrade stance during at least a substantial portion of the support-propulsive phases of the gait cycle.    
     
     
         33 . The sole member of  claim 32 , further comprising a foot strike member, an angular displacement member, and a balance-thrust member, the aforesaid members cooperating during at least a portion of the support-propulsive phases of the running cycle to facilitate linear momentum, the angular displacement member being positioned at least in the metatarsal area of a foot and substantially underlying at least an area under the sesamoid apparatus of the first metatarsal, the balance-thrust member being located forward of the angular displacement and is at least in an area underlying or ahead of the distal phalanges.  
     
     
         34 . The sole member of  claim 32  wherein the angular displacement member comprises an essentially non-deformable material.  
     
     
         35 . A shoe having an upper and a foot supporting member, the foot supporting member comprising: 
 a substantially rigid member having a dorsal surface and a plantar surface;    wherein the plantar surface has an angular displacement member comprising a convex portion and a forwardly disposed balance-thrust member comprising a concave portion, the concave portion extending forward past the tips of the digits and terminating distally at a downwardly projecting balance-thrust member, the convex portion and the concave portion cooperating to accommodate the wearer in a digitigrade stance during at least a substantial portion of the support-propulsive phases of the running cycle, and the convex portion includes a curved angular displacement surface below the sesamoid apparatus of the first metatarsal phalangeal joint and defining a first axis of rotation of the foot.    
     
     
         36 . A shoe according to  claim 35  wherein said curved angular displacement surface and said balance thrust member are positioned so that when both are in contact with ground, the sesamoid apparatus is elevated with respect to the digits.