Shoe sole structure and assembly

Abstract

The present invention is a shoe sole comprising an array of elliptical cells, wherein each cell has a wall, and wherein each cell wall is conjoined to or contiguous with at least one other cell wall. The cell wall may be conjoined to another cell wall by a conjoining element. At least some of the cell walls buckle when compressive or shear force is applied during use. The sole is made from any material with elastic properties for this application. The shoe sole can further comprise a substrate, also made of elastomeric material, integrated with the cell walls at their upper level, lower level, or their periphery, forming a unitary piece. Variations can be made as to the dimensions and arrangement of these cell walls. This sole can be incorporated into a shoe sole assembly as a shoe midsole.

1 . A shoe sole comprising:
 an array of elliptical cells,   wherein each cell has a wall;   wherein each cell wall is conjoined to or contiguous with at least one other cell wall; and   wherein at least some of the cell walls buckle when compressive or shear force is applied during use.   
     
     
         2 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the cell wall further comprises:
 a major axis and a minor axis, the major axis having opposing vertices and the minor axis having opposing co-vertices;   wherein the co-vertices are located at an intersection of the minor axis and the elliptical cell wall;   wherein the vertices are located at an intersection of the major axis and the elliptical cell wall; and   wherein the cell wall is conjoined to or contiguous with another cell wall at the vertices or co-vertices.   
     
     
         3 . The sole of  claim 1  wherein a cell wall is conjoined to another cell wall by a conjoining element. 
     
     
         4 . The sole of  claim 1  wherein the sole is made of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         5 . The sole of  claim 1  further comprising a substrate affixed to an upper level, lower level, or periphery of the array. 
     
     
         6 . The sole of  claim 5  wherein the substrate is made of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         7 . The sole of  claim 5  wherein the substrate and the array form a unitary piece. 
     
     
         8 . The sole of  claim 1  wherein the cell walls are of varying dimensions. 
     
     
         9 . The sole of  claim 1  wherein the cells are staggered. 
     
     
         10 . A shoe sole assembly comprising:
 an outsole, a midsole seated above the outsole, and a support structure seated about the periphery of the midsole;   wherein the outsole has an outer sole surface, the outer sole surface comprising a heel portion at a location substantially corresponding to the calcaneus region of the intended wearer's foot and a forefoot portion at a location substantially corresponding to the forefoot region of the intended wearer's foot;   the heel portion having an elliptical heel region with a plurality of projections;   the forefoot portion having an elliptical forefoot region with a plurality of projections;   wherein the midsole comprises:
 an array of elliptical cells, 
 wherein each cell has a wall; 
 wherein each cell wall is conjoined to or contiguous with at least one other cell wall; 
 wherein at least some of the cell walls buckle when compressive or shear force is applied during use; and 
   wherein the support structure further accommodates the fixation of additional shoe components.