US2002050077A1PendingUtilityA1

Footwear with visible, replaceable cushioning cassette

30
Priority: Jun 18, 1999Filed: Jun 18, 1999Published: May 2, 2002
Est. expiryJun 18, 2019(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jack WangJoseph J. SkajaThomas M. Adams
A43B 7/1463A43B 5/06A43B 13/36A43B 21/42A43B 13/20A43B 1/0072A43B 7/1445A43B 7/144A43B 7/148A43B 21/32
30
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

Footwear, particularly an athletic or sport shoe, having a sole with a visible, replaceable cushioning cassette, and method for modifying impact response capacity or color pattern by removing and replacing the cushioning cassette. The invention also provides footwear, comprising a sole; and an upper connected to the sole, the sole comprising an outsole; and a midsole, the midsole comprising a midsole section wherein walls of a periphery of cells form in the midsole section at least one cavity for receiving a cushioning cassette, which, when within the cavity, is visible through clear material of the sole when viewed from outside of the footwear.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Footwear, comprising: 
 a sole; and    an upper connected to said sole, said sole having at least one cavity therein for receiving a cushioning cassette, said cavity being accessible to permit removal and replacement of said cassette, which, when within said cavity, is visible through clear material of said sole when viewed from outside of said footwear.    
     
     
         2 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom of said cavity in said sole comprises a reticulated wall structure.  
     
     
         3 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said sole contains a cassette in said cavity.  
     
     
         4 . The footwear of  claim 3 , wherein said cassette is colored.  
     
     
         5 . The footwear of  claim 3 , wherein said cassette contains at least one chamber that is filled with a gaseous medium in sealed containment within said cassette.  
     
     
         6 . The footwear of  claim 5 , wherein said gaseous medium comprises one or more elements of ambient air.  
     
     
         7 . The footwear of  claim 5 , wherein said gaseous medium comprises a halogenated alkane, a halogenated alkene, or sulfur hexafluoride.  
     
     
         8 . Footwear, comprising: 
 a sole; and    an upper connected to said sole, 
 said sole comprising: 
 an outsole; and  
 a midsole, 
 said midsole comprising a midsole section having at least one cavity therein for receiving a cushioning cassette, said cavity being accessible to permit removal and replacement of said cassette, which, when within said cavity, is visible through clear material of said sole when viewed from outside of said footwear.  
 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The footwear of  claim 8 , wherein said midsole section is made largely of clear material.  
     
     
         10 . The footwear of  claim 8 , wherein in said midsole section is a heel midsole section.  
     
     
         11 . The footwear of  claim 8 , wherein said midsole section is a front midsole section.  
     
     
         12 . The footwear of  claim 8 , wherein said midsole section is a toe-to-heel midsole section.  
     
     
         13 . The footwear of  claim 8 , wherein said midsole section contains a cassette in said cavity.  
     
     
         14 . The footwear of  claim 13 , wherein said cassette is colored.  
     
     
         15 . The footwear of  claim 13 , wherein said cassette contains at least one chamber that is filled with a gaseous medium in sealed containment within said cassette.  
     
     
         16 . The footwear of  claim 15 , wherein said gaseous medium comprises one or more elements of ambient air.  
     
     
         17 . The footwear of  claim 15 , wherein said gaseous medium comprises a halogenated alkane, a halogenated alkene, or sulfur hexafluoride.  
     
     
         18 . Footwear, comprising: 
 a sole; and    an upper connected to said sole, 
 said sole comprising: 
 an outsole;  
 a midsole, 
 said midsole comprising a midsole section having at least one cavity therein for receiving a cushioning cassette, said cavity being accessible to permit removal and replacement of said cassette, which, when within said cavity, is visible through clear material of said sole when viewed from outside of said footwear; and  
 
 an insole.  
 
   
     
     
         19 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said midsole section is made largely of clear material.  
     
     
         20 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein in said midsole section is a heel midsole section.  
     
     
         21 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said midsole section is a front midsole section.  
     
     
         22 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said midsole section is a toe-to-heel midsole section.  
     
     
         23 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said midsole section contains a cassette in said cavity.  
     
     
         24 . The footwear of  claim 23 , wherein said cassette is colored.  
     
     
         25 . The footwear of  claim 23 , wherein said cassette contains at least one chamber that is filled with a gaseous medium in sealed containment within said cassette.  
     
     
         26 . The footwear of  claim 25 , wherein said gaseous medium comprises one or more elements of ambient air.  
     
     
         27 . The footwear of  claim 25 , wherein said gaseous medium comprises a halogenated alkane, a halogenated alkene, or sulfur hexafluoride.  
     
     
         28 . Footwear, comprising: 
 a sole; and    an upper connected to said sole, 
 said sole comprising: 
 an outsole; and  
 a midsole, 
 said midsole comprising a midsole section, wherein walls of a periphery of cells form in said midsole section at least one cavity for receiving a cushioning cassette, said cavity being accessible to permit removal and replacement of said cassette, which, when within said cavity, is visible through clear material of said sole when viewed from outside of said footwear.  
 
 
   
     
     
         29 . The footwear of  claim 28 , wherein said midsole section is made largely of clear material.  
     
     
         30 . The footwear of  claim 28 , wherein in said midsole section is a heel midsole section.  
     
     
         31 . The footwear of  claim 28 , wherein said midsole section is a front midsole section.  
     
     
         32 . The footwear of  claim 28 , wherein said midsole section is a toe-to-heel midsole section.  
     
     
         33 . The footwear of  claim 28 , wherein said midsole section contains a cassette in said cavity.  
     
     
         34 . The footwear of  claim 33 , wherein said cassette is colored.  
     
     
         35 . The footwear of  claim 33 , wherein said cassette contains at least one chamber that is filled with a gaseous medium in sealed containment within said cassette.  
     
     
         36 . The footwear of  claim 35 , wherein said gaseous medium comprises one or more elements of ambient air.  
     
     
         37 . The footwear of  claim 35 , wherein said gaseous medium comprises a halogenated alkane, a halogenated alkene, or sulfur hexafluoride.  
     
     
         38 . Footwear, comprising: 
 a sole; and    an upper connected to said sole, 
 said sole comprising: 
 an outsole;  
 a midsole, 
 said midsole comprising a midsole section, wherein walls of a periphery of cells form in said midsole section at least one cavity for receiving a cushioning cassette, said cavity being accessible to permit removal and replacement of said cassette, which, when within said cavity, is visible through clear material of said sole when viewed from outside of said footwear; and  
 
 an insole.  
 
   
     
     
         39 . The footwear of  claim 38 , wherein said midsole section is made largely of clear material.  
     
     
         40 . The footwear of  claim 38 , wherein in said midsole section is a heel midsole section.  
     
     
         41 . The footwear of  claim 38 , wherein said midsole section is a front midsole section.  
     
     
         42 . The footwear of  claim 38 , wherein said midsole section is a toe-to-heel midsole section.  
     
     
         43 . The footwear of  claim 38 , wherein said midsole section contains a cassette in said cavity.  
     
     
         44 . The footwear of  claim 43 , wherein said cassette is colored.  
     
     
         45 . The footwear of  claim 43 , wherein said cassette contains at least one chamber that is filled with a gaseous medium in sealed containment within said cassette.  
     
     
         46 . The footwear of  claim 45 , wherein said gaseous medium comprises one or more elements of ambient air.  
     
     
         47 . The footwear of  claim 45 , wherein said gaseous medium comprises a halogenated alkane, a halogenated alkene, or sulfur hexafluoride.  
     
     
         48 . A method for modifying impact response capacity in footwear of  claim 3 , comprising 
 removing said cassette from said cavity; and    replacing in said cavity a cassette having a different cushioning capacity.    
     
     
         49 . A method for modifying color pattern in footwear of  claim 4 , comprising 
 removing said cassette from said cavity; and    replacing in said cavity a cassette having a different color.    
     
     
         50 . A method for modifying impact response capacity in footwear of  claim 13 , comprising 
 removing said cassette from said cavity; and    replacing in said cavity a cassette having a different cushioning capacity.    
     
     
         51 . A method for modifying color pattern in footwear of  claim 14 , comprising 
 removing said colored cassette from said cavity; and    replacing in said cavity a cassette having a different color.    
     
     
         52 . A method for modifying impact response capacity in footwear of  claim 23 , comprising 
 lifting said insole;    removing said cassette from said cavity; and    replacing in said cavity a cassette having a different cushioning capacity.    
     
     
         53 . A method for modifying color pattern in footwear of  claim 24 , comprising 
 lifting said insole;    removing said colored cassette from said cavity; and    replacing in said cavity a cassette having a different color.    
     
     
         54 . A method for modifying impact response capacity in footwear of  claim 33 , comprising 
 removing said cassette from said cavity; and    replacing in said cavity a cassette having a different cushioning capacity.    
     
     
         55 . A method for modifying color pattern in footwear of  claim 34 , comprising 
 removing said colored cassette from said cavity; and    replacing in said cavity a cassette having a different color.    
     
     
         56 . A method for modifying impact response capacity in footwear of  claim 43 , comprising 
 lifting said insole;    removing said cassette from said cavity; and    replacing in said cavity a cassette having a different cushioning capacity.    
     
     
         57 . A method for modifying color pattern in footwear of  claim 44 , comprising 
 lifting said insole;    removing said colored cassette from said cavity; and    replacing in said cavity a cassette having a different color.

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