Shoe sole with compressible protruding element

Abstract

A footwear sole assembly with at least one compressible protruding element extending downwardly beyond the bottom surface of the outsole, the at least one protruding element providing a natural instability to a wearer when the sole assembly initially contacts a supporting surface. The at least one protruding element is a three-dimensional structure formed of a substantially solid elastomeric material. In another embodiment, the at least one protruding element may also protrude upwardly beyond the sole assembly in such a manner that the wearer's foot can apply pressure to the top portion of said at least one protruding element.

1 . A shoe construction comprising:
 an upper shaped and sized to receive a foot portion of a wearer; and   a sole assembly attached to said upper, the sole assembly including:
 an outsole; and 
 at least one protrusion extending outwardly from a bottom surface of said outsole, said at least one protrusion being comprised of an elastomeric compressible material, said at least one protrusion having at least partially an arcuate surface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein the sole assembly comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion, said first protrusion being disposed at a location corresponding to a location where a forefoot of a wearer's foot would sit on said outsole; and said second protrusion being disposed at a location corresponding to a location where a heel of a wearer's foot would sit on said outsole. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said at least one protrusion includes a top component, a bottom component and means for securing said at least one protrusion within the sole assembly, a portion of said top component protruding upwardly beyond said sole assembly, a portion of said bottom component protruding downwardly beyond the bottom surface of said outsole, both said top component and said bottom component having at least partially an arcuate surface. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein at least one opening is formed in said outsole, said at least one protrusion protruding through said at least one opening outwardly beyond the bottom surface of said outsole. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said at least one protrusion includes a peripheral flange for securing said at least one protrusion to said sole assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said at least one protrusion includes one or more substantially solid pieces of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said at least one protrusion has a curved upper surface. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  further comprising a sock liner, said sock liner including an opening disposed at a location in registration with the location of said at least one protrusion in such a manner that the wearer's foot can apply pressure on said at least one protrusion through said opening. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe construction of  claim 8  wherein said sock liner further includes a thin layer covering said opening. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said outsole includes a recess on the bottom surface thereof along an outer peripheral edge of said at least one protrusion. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein the sole assembly further comprises a midsole disposed between the upper and said outsole, said at least one protrusion including means for securing said at least one protrusion between said midsole and said outsole. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said elastomeric compressible material exhibits a cushion effect that is characterized by a generally linear force versus deflection curve up to about 50% deflection. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said at least one protrusion is removably attachable to and removably detachable from said sole assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe construction of  claim 13  further comprising a cord affixed to said at least one protrusion in such a manner that said at least one protrusion can be removably detachable from said sole assembly by pulling said cord. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe construction of  claim 13  further comprising an adhesive strip attached to said at least one protrusion in such a manner that said at least one protrusion can be removably attachable to said sole assembly with said adhesive strip. 
     
     
         16 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said at least one protrusion is disposed at a location corresponding to a location where a forefoot of a wearer would sit on said outsole. 
     
     
         17 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said at least one protrusion is disposed at a location corresponding to a location where a heel of a wearer would sit on said outsole. 
     
     
         18 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said sole assembly further includes a skin layer positioned beneath said protrusion, said skin layer covering substantially an entire bottom surface of said protrusion. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein the bottom surface of said outsole includes a curved surface extending beneath said protrusion, said curved surface covering substantially an entire bottom surface of said protrusion. 
     
     
         20 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said at least one protrusion extends a distance in the range of about 4 mm to about 2 inches between the bottom surface of said outsole and a bottom edge of said protrusion. 
     
     
         21 . The shoe construction of  claim 1  wherein said sole assembly includes a midsole disposed above said outsole and said at least one protrusion includes a top component, the top component extending a distance in the range of about 1 mm to about 1 inch between a top surface of said midsole and a top edge of the top component. 
     
     
         22 . A shoe construction comprising:
 an upper shaped and sized to receive a foot portion of a wearer; and   a sole assembly attached to said upper, the sole assembly having a forefoot portion and a heel portion, the sole assembly including:
 a midsole; 
 an outsole disposed below said midsole; and 
 a first protrusion and a second protrusion, said first protrusion being disposed in the heel portion, said second protrusion being disposed in the forefoot portion, both said first and second protrusions projecting downward from a bottom surface of said outsole, each of said first and second protrusions being comprised of an elastomeric compressible material. 
   
     
     
         23 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein at least one of said first and second protrusions includes a top component, a bottom component and means for securing said protrusion within said sole assembly, a portion of said top component protruding upwardly beyond the sole assembly, a portion of said bottom component protruding downwardly beyond said outsole, both said top component and said bottom component having at least partially an arcuate surface. 
     
     
         24 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein said outsole includes a first opening and a second opening, said first protrusion protruding through said first opening outwardly beyond said outsole and said second protrusion protruding through said second opening outwardly beyond said outsole. 
     
     
         25 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein at least one of said first and second protrusions includes a peripheral flange for securing said protrusion between said midsole and said outsole. 
     
     
         26 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein at least one of said first and second protrusions includes one or more substantially solid pieces of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         27 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein at least one of said first and second protrusions has a curved upper surface. 
     
     
         28 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  further comprising a sock liner, said sock liner including at least one opening disposed at a location in registration with at least one of said first and second protrusions in such a manner that the wearer's foot can apply pressure on at least one of said first and second protrusions through said at least one opening. 
     
     
         29 . The shoe construction of  claim 28  wherein said sock liner further includes a thin layer covering said at least one opening. 
     
     
         30 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein said outsole includes a recess on the bottom surface thereof along an outer peripheral edge of at least one of said first and second protrusions. 
     
     
         31 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein said elastomeric compressible material exhibits a cushion effect that is characterized by a generally linear force versus deflection curve up to about 50% deflection. 
     
     
         32 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein at least one of said first and second protrusions is removably attachable to and removably detachable from said sole assembly. 
     
     
         33 . The shoe construction of  claim 32  further comprising a cord affixed to at least one of said first and second protrusions in such a manner that said protrusion can be removably detachable from said sole assembly by pulling said cord. 
     
     
         34 . The shoe construction of  claim 33  further comprising an adhesive strip attached to at least one of said first and second protrusions in such a manner that said protrusion can be removably attachable to said sole assembly with said adhesive strip. 
     
     
         35 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein said sole assembly further includes at least one skin layer positioned beneath at least one of said first and second protrusions, said at least one skin layer covering substantially an entire bottom surface of said at least one protrusion. 
     
     
         36 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein a bottom surface of said outsole includes a curved surface extending beneath at least one of said first and second protrusions, said curved surface covering substantially an entire bottom surface of said at least one protrusion. 
     
     
         37 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein at least one of said first and second protrusions extends a distance in the range of about 4 mm to about 2 inches between a bottom surface of said outsole and a bottom edge of said at least one protrusion. 
     
     
         38 . The shoe construction of  claim 22  wherein at least one of said first and second protrusions includes a top component, the top component extending a distance in the range of about 1 mm to about 1 inch between a top surface of said midsole and a top edge of the top component. 
     
     
         39 . A shoe construction comprising:
 an upper shaped and sized to receive a foot portion of a wearer; and   a sole assembly attached to said upper, the sole assembly including:
 an outsole including at least one opening; and 
 at least one substantially solid protruding element extending outwardly from a bottom surface of said outsole through said opening, said at least one protruding element being formed of at least one elastomeric compressible material, said at least one protruding element including a ground engaging surface having at least partially an arcuate shape. 
   
     
     
         40 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein the sole assembly comprises a first protruding element and a second protruding element, said first protruding element being disposed at a location corresponding to a location where a heel of a wearer's foot would sit on said outsole, and said second protruding element being disposed at a location corresponding to a location where a forefoot of a wearer's foot would sit on said outsole. 
     
     
         41 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein said at least one protruding element comprises a top component, a bottom component and means for securing said at least one protruding element within the sole assembly, a portion of said top component protruding upwardly beyond the sole assembly, a portion of said bottom component protruding downwardly beyond the bottom surface of said outsole, both said top component and said bottom component having at least partially an arcuate surface. 
     
     
         42 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein said at least one protruding element includes a peripheral flange for securing said at least one protruding element to said sole assembly. 
     
     
         43 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein said at least one protruding element has a curved upper surface. 
     
     
         44 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  further comprising a sock liner, said sock liner including at least one opening disposed at a location in registration with said at least one protruding element in such a manner that the wearer's foot can apply pressure on said at least one protruding element through said at least one opening. 
     
     
         45 . The shoe construction of  claim 44  wherein said sock liner further includes a thin layer covering said at least one opening thereof. 
     
     
         46 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein said outsole includes a recess on the bottom surface thereof along an outer peripheral edge of said at least one protruding element. 
     
     
         47 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein the sole assembly further includes a midsole disposed between the upper and said outsole, said at least one protruding element including means for securing said at least one protruding element between said midsole and said outsole. 
     
     
         48 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein said elastomeric compressible material exhibits a cushion effect that is characterized by a generally linear force versus deflection curve up to about 50% deflection. 
     
     
         49 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein said at least one protruding element is removably attachable to and removably detachable from said sole assembly. 
     
     
         50 . The shoe construction of  claim 49  further including a cord affixed to said at least one protruding element in such a manner that said protruding element can be removably detachable from said sole assembly by pulling said cord. 
     
     
         51 . The shoe construction of  claim 49  further including an adhesive strip attached to said at least one protruding element in such a manner that said at least one protruding element can be removably attachable to said sole assembly with said adhesive strip. 
     
     
         52 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein said sole assembly further includes a skin layer positioned beneath said at least one protruding element, said skin layer covering said ground engaging surface. 
     
     
         53 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein a bottom surface of said outsole includes a curved surface extending beneath said at least one protruding element, said curved surface covering said ground engaging surface. 
     
     
         54 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein said at least one substantially solid protruding element extends a distance in the range of about 4 mm to about 2 inches between a bottom surface of said outsole and a bottom edge of said at least one protruding element. 
     
     
         55 . The shoe construction of  claim 39  wherein said sole assembly includes a midsole disposed above said outsole and said at least one substantially solid protruding element includes a top component, the top component extending a distance in the range of about 1 mm to about 1 inch between a top surface of said midsole and a top edge of the top component. 
     
     
         56 . A shoe construction comprising:
 an upper shaped and sized to receive a foot portion of a wearer; and   a sole assembly attached to said upper, the sole assembly including an outsole having an opening disposed at a location corresponding to a location where a heel of a wearer's foot would sit on the outsole; and   a resilient ball-shaped element extending downwardly from a bottom surface of said outsole through said opening, said ball-shaped element being formed of at least one elastomeric compressible material and including a ground engaging surface having at least partially an arcuate shape so as to create a temporary instability to the wearer of the shoe construction when said ball-shaped element initially contacts a supporting surface, and securing means to secure the ball-shaped element within said sole assembly.   
     
     
         57 . A shoe construction comprising:
 a sole assembly having a heel portion and a forefoot portion wherein said sole assembly including an outsole; and   a substantially solid protruding element disposed in the heel portion, the protruding element projecting downwardly from a bottom surface of said outsole, the protruding element being formed of at least one elastomeric compressible material and including a curved ground engaging surface, said protruding element including securing means to secure the protruding element to said sole assembly.