Resilient sports shoe

Abstract

An improved resilient shoe includes a heel having a cavity extending under the instep portion of the shoe's upper housing compression springs, a mainspring located at approximately the heelstrike point and two auxiliary springs for stability located forward of the mainspring toward the toe. The action of the springs is distributed throughout the sole by a resilient layer of softer rubber in the bottom pad of the heel portion. In an alternate embodiment, the structural walls of the heel portion are configured such that the heel flexes responsive to the forces of the wearer's weight and the captive springs. The shoe is preferably further configured such that external air enters around the wearer's foot and flows through holes in the sole and into the heel, and is controllably directed out to the exterior of the shoe through a one-air air exhaust valve thereby ventilating the wearer's foot while walking.

1 . A resilient shoe comprising:
 a conventional upper;   a sole having a midsole and an outsole;   portions of the midsole and the outsole forming a heel having a cavity;   the cavity housing at least one compression spring; and,   wherein the heel is configured such that the outsole portion substantially deflects under forces of a wearer's weight and the compression spring(s).   
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the heel comprises a bottom pad connected to a sidewall, the bottom pad substantially deflecting under the forces of the wearer's weight and the compression spring(s). 
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 2 , wherein the heel comprises a connecting portion of minimal thickness between the sidewall and bottom pad. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 2  wherein the sidewall extends around the cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 2  wherein the sidewall is substantially rigid. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the connecting portion comprises a resiliently deformable material. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the heel is configured to fold together under the forces of the wearer's weight. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 5  wherein the wherein the sidewall is an exterior surface of the shoe. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the midsole is made of a thermoplastic polyurethane material with an additive to increase dimensional stability. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the midsole comprises an ethylene-vinyl-acetate material extending substantially around the sole. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 2  wherein the outsole comprises abrasion resistant rubber. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 12  wherein the bottom pad is made of a softer rubber which substantially compresses under the forces of the wearer's weight. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the heel is interchangeably attached to the shoe depending upon the wearer. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the sole comprises a one-way passageway for air to be expelled from the shoe through the heel. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 14  wherein the sole comprises a passageway for air to enter the heel from inside the shoe. 
     
     
         16 . A resilient shoe comprising:
 a conventional upper;   a sole having a midsole and an outsole;   portions of the midsole and outsole forming a heel having a cavity;   the cavity housing at least one compression spring;   the outsole comprising a rigid sidewall extending around the cavity, a bottom pad, and a connecting portion of a resiliently deformable material of minimal thickness between the sidewall and the bottom pad;   wherein the heel folds together under forces of a wearer's weight and folds apart in part from forces from the compression spring(s).   
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 16  wherein the bottom pad is made of a softer rubber material such that it substantially compresses under the forces of the wearer's weight. 
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 16  wherein the cavity comprises a one-way exhaust valve in communication with the exterior of the shoe to expel air from the cavity. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 16  further comprising a thermo-electric cooling device in the sole to remove heat and humidity. 
     
     
         20 . The shoe of  claim 16  wherein the heel is interchangeably attached to the shoe depending upon the wearer.