US2008307671A1PendingUtilityA1

Movement enhancing footwear

49
Assignee: WOW CUSHION PRODUCTS LTDPriority: Jun 15, 2007Filed: Jun 15, 2007Published: Dec 18, 2008
Est. expiryJun 15, 2027(~0.9 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Adam J. Koffler
A43B 7/1455A43B 13/183A43B 13/026A43B 7/226A43B 13/12
49
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to footwear for enhanced movement, comprising a footwear component and one or more reflex layers, in contact with a portion of the footwear component. The one or more reflex layers enhance the movement of the user during normal or athletic use of the footwear.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . Footwear for enhanced movement, comprising:
 a footwear component; and   one or more reflex layers, in contact with a portion of the footwear component;   wherein the one or more reflex layer enhance the movement of the user during normal or athletic use of the footwear.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the footwear component comprises a shoe, sandal, slipper, sneaker, sole, insole or insert. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise one or more layers integrated into the sole of the footwear component. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise one or more layers integrated above the sole of the footwear. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprises steel, tempered steel, super tensile steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, sheet steels, metal laminates and titanium. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise plastic. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise a thermosetting plastic. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the thermosetting plastic comprises alkyd thermoset, diallyl phthalate (DAP, DAIP) thermoset, epoxy thermoset, melamine (MF, MPF) thermoset, urea (UF) thermoset, phenolic (phenol0-formaldehydes) thermoset, polybuatdiene (PBS, PBAN) thermoset, polyester (unsaturated, UP) thermoset, silicone (both flexible and rigid) thermoset, combinations thereof and laminates thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise a thermoplastic. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the thermoplastic comprises acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) amorphous thermoplastic, acetal (polyoxymethylene) (POM) semicrystalline thermoplastic, acrylic (polymethylmethacrylate) (PMMA) amorphous thermoplastic, cellulose acetate (CA) semicrystalline thermoplastic, cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) semicrystalline thermoplastic, cellulose acetate proprionate (CAP) semicrystalline thermoplastic, ethyl cellulose (EC) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyaryl sulfone (PASU) amorphous thermoplastic, polycarbonate (PC) amorphous thermoplastic, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyethylene terphthalate (PET) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyethersulfone (PES) amorphous thermoplastic, polyethylene (PE) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polypropylene (PP) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyallomer (PAL) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyimide (PI) amorphous thermoplastic, poly(amide-Imide) (PA-I) amorphous thermoplastic, polymethylpentene (PMP) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyphenylene oxide (PPO) amorphous thermoplastic, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polystyrene (PS) amorphous thermoplastic, polysulfone (PSU) amorphous thermoplastic, polyvinyl acetal semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyvinyl acetate (PVAC) seimcrystalline thermoplastic, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyvinyl carbazole (PVIJ) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyvinyl chloride-acetate (PVAC) semicrystalline thermoplastic, polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) semicrystalline thermoplastic, combinations thereof and laminates thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise a fluorocarbon. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the fluorocarbon comprises tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) copolymer, perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) resin, chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene (E-CTFE) copolymer, vinylidene fluoride (PVF 2 ), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), combinations thereof and laminates thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise a composite material. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise carbon fiber, graphite, fiberglass, Kevlar, combinations thereof or laminates thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise at least one of rubber and a resin, a blowing agent, a polymeric adhesion modifier, a decomposition accelerating agent, and a cross-linking agent. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise at least one of natural rubber and an ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer, azodicarbonamide (AC), maleic anhydride, dicumyl peroxide, and a combination of zinc oxide and stearic acid. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise a foam composite. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the foam composite comprises
 natural rubber present in about 5 wt. % to about 12 wt. % of the foam composite;   an ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer present in about 79 wt. % to about 83 wt. % of the foam composite;   azodicarbonamide (AC) present in about 3 wt. % to about 4.2 wt. % of the foam composite;   maleic anhydride present in about 2.8 wt. % to about 3.9 wt. % of the foam composite;   dicumyl peroxide present in about 0.5 wt. % to about 0.9 wt. % of the foam composite; and   a combination of zinc oxide and stearic acid;   wherein the zinc oxide may be present in about 1.0 wt. % to about 2.2 wt. % of the foam composite and stearic acid may be present in about 0.5 wt. % to about 1.25 wt. % of the foam composite.   
     
     
         19 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise about 1% to about 100% of the width of the footwear. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise one or more wires or wire-like reflex components. 
     
     
         21 . The footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more wires or wire-like reflex components are positioned along the length of the footwear. 
     
     
         22 . The footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more wires or wire-like reflex components are positioned along the width of the footwear. 
     
     
         23 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers are curved. 
     
     
         24 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers are non-flat in shape. 
     
     
         25 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers are unconnected from each other. 
     
     
         26 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers are overlapping. 
     
     
         27 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers are in the same plane. 
     
     
         28 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers are “V” shaped, “U” shaped or curved. 
     
     
         29 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers substantially cover the ball of a foot in contact with the footwear. 
     
     
         30 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise about 1% to about 100% of the length of the footwear. 
     
     
         31 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflex layers are removable from the footwear. 
     
     
         32 . The footwear of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise at least a portion of an insole insert. 
     
     
         33 . The footwear of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more reflex layers comprise at least a portion of a sole attachment to the footwear. 
     
     
         34 . Footwear for enhanced movement, comprising:
 a footwear component; and   a reflex layer, in contact with a portion of the footwear, the reflex layer comprising:
 at least one of rubber and a resin; 
 a blowing agent; 
 a polymeric adhesion modifier; 
 a decomposition accelerating agent; 
 a cross-linking agent; 
   wherein the reflex layer enhances the movement of the user during normal or athletic use of the footwear.   
     
     
         35 . A method of manufacturing movement enhancing footwear, the method comprising:
 forming footwear; and   contacting one or more reflex layers.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the forming and contacting are simultaneous. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the contacting occurs during the forming. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein contacting comprises adhering. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein contacting comprises attaching. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein contacting comprises clipping.

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