Footwear sole with a midfoot lateral extension to increase lateral stability

Abstract

Footwear redesigned to include the midfoot lateral sole extension to eliminate the indention in a lateral midfoot portion of an existing design of a sole of the footwear and a revised design for an existing footwear sole that uses the midfoot lateral sole extension to eliminate the lateral midfoot indentation in the existing footwear sole. Also, a midfoot lateral sole extension for attachment to a footwear sole at an indention in a lateral midfoot portion of the footwear sole located between a lateral forefoot portion and a lateral heel portion of the footwear sole in order to fill the indentation. Also, disclosed is a method for improving lateral stability of an existing footwear sole having a lateral midfoot indentation by designing, fabricating and positioning the midfoot lateral sole extension on an existing footwear sole.

1 . Footwear that is redesigned to include a midfoot lateral sole extension that eliminates an indention in a lateral midfoot portion of an existing design of a sole of the footwear, the lateral midfoot portion being located between a lateral forefoot portion and a lateral heel portion of the existing footwear sole, the footwear comprising:
 the indentation in the lateral midfoot portion of the footwear sole,   an upper attached to the footwear sole, and   the midfoot lateral sole extension,
 the midfoot lateral sole extension comprising:
 an upper surface, 
 a lower surface, and 
 an inner edge conforming to an outer surface of the indentation in the lateral midfoot portion of the footwear sole, 
 
   
       the midfoot lateral sole extension being of sufficient width to extend to at least a straight line between a peripheral lateral extent of a lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole and a peripheral lateral extent of a lateral heel portion of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         2 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the midfoot lateral sole extension is an integral molded part of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the midfoot lateral sole extension is located outside of the upper. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexibility axis located in the footwear sole proximate to the midfoot lateral sole extension and between the lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole and the lateral heel portion of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear sole of  claim 1 , wherein the flexibility axis is provided by a sipe, slit or material softness in the footwear sole. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear sole of  claim 1 , wherein the midfoot lateral sole extension extends to, but not beyond, the straight line between the peripheral extent of the lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole and the peripheral extent of the lateral heel portion of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear sole of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the midfoot lateral sole extension forms a bulge that extends beyond the straight line between the peripheral extent of the lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole and the peripheral extent of the lateral heel portion of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         8 . A revised design for an existing footwear sole that uses a midfoot lateral sole extension to eliminate a lateral midfoot indentation in the existing footwear sole, the revised design comprising:
 the indentation in the lateral midfoot portion of the existing footwear sole,   an upper attached to the footwear sole, and   the midfoot lateral sole extension,
 the midfoot lateral sole extension comprising:
 an upper surface, 
 a lower surface, and 
 an inner edge conforming to an outer surface of the indentation in the lateral midfoot portion of the footwear sole, and 
 
   
       the midfoot lateral sole extension being of sufficient width to extend to at least a straight line between a peripheral lateral extent of a lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole and a peripheral lateral extent of a lateral heel portion of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         9 . The design of  claim 8 , wherein the design is a digital design. 
     
     
         10 . The design of  claim 8 , wherein the upper surface of the midfoot lateral sole extension of the design is located outside of the upper. 
     
     
         11 . A midfoot lateral sole extension for attachment to a footwear sole at an indention in a lateral midfoot portion of the footwear sole, the lateral midfoot portion of the footwear sole being located between a lateral forefoot portion and a lateral heel portion of the footwear sole, the midfoot lateral sole extension comprising:
 an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner edge configured for filling the indentation in the lateral midfoot portion of the footwear sole, the midfoot lateral sole extension being of sufficient width to extend to at least a straight line between a peripheral extent of the lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole and a peripheral extent of the lateral heel portion of the footwear sole when the midfoot lateral sole extension is positioned to fill the indentation in the lateral midfoot portion of the footwear sole.   
     
     
         12 . The midfoot lateral sole extension of  claim 11 , further comprising means for attaching the midfoot lateral sole extension to the footwear sole. 
     
     
         13 . The midfoot lateral sole extension of  claim 11 , wherein the midfoot lateral sole extension extends to, but not beyond, the straight line between the peripheral extent of the lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole and the peripheral extent of the lateral heel portion of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         14 . The midfoot lateral sole extension of  claim 11 , wherein a portion of the midfoot lateral sole extension forms a bulge that extends beyond the straight line between the peripheral extent of the lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole and the peripheral extent of the lateral heel portion of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         15 . The midfoot lateral sole extension as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the upper surface of the midfoot lateral sole extension is substantially flat. 
     
     
         16 . The midfoot lateral sole extension as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the lower surface of the midfoot lateral sole extension is substantially flat. 
     
     
         17 . The midfoot lateral sole extension of  claim 11 , having a length extending from a rearward extent of the lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole to a forward extent of the lateral heel portion of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         18 . The midfoot lateral sole extension of  claim 11 , having a length extending from a location in the lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole to a forward extent of the lateral heel portion of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         19 . The midfoot lateral sole extension of  claim 11 , wherein the width of the midfoot lateral sole extension is sufficient to extend the midfoot lateral sole extension beyond the straight line between the peripheral extent of the lateral forefoot portion of the footwear sole and the peripheral extent of the lateral heel portion of the footwear sole. 
     
     
         20 . The midfoot lateral sole extension of  claim 11 , is configured as a separate component that is not an integral or molded part of the footwear sole.