Shoe sole

Abstract

A shoe sole is coupled with an upper to define a foot compartment characterized by a fore-foot portion associable with metatarsals and phalanges, a mid-foot portion associable with the arch, and a hind-foot portion associable with the heel. A flexure plate, underlying the 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th metatarsal-phalangeal joints of a foot when enclosed within the foot compartment, is disposed within the fore-foot portion between the foot compartment and the outer surface of the sole. During bipedal locomotion, the flexure plate deforms in response to the transfer of a wearer's weight from the mid-foot portion through the fore-foot portion, and rebounds in response to the transfer of the wearer's weight off the fore-foot portion. The deforming and rebounding of the flexure plate enables controlled transfer of the wearer's weight from the mid-foot portion sequentially to the little toe, the big toe, and the three middle toes.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A shoe comprising:
 a sole, including an outer surface communicable with a supporting surface upon which the shoe and a wearer of the shoe are supportable;   an upper coupled with the sole to cooperatively define a foot compartment characterized by a fore-foot portion, a mid-foot portion, and a hind-foot portion, the fore-foot portion associable with the metatarsals and phalanges of a foot; and   a flexure plat disposed within the fore-foot portion between the foot compartment and the outer surface of the sole to underlie the 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th  metatarsal-phalangeal joints of a foot when enclosed within the foot compartment; whereby during bipedal locomotion, the flexure plate is deformable in response to the transfer of a weight of a wearer of the shoe from the mid-foot portion through the fore-foot portion, and is reboundable in response to the transfer of a weight of a wearer of the shoe off the fore-foot portion; and   whereby during bipedal locomotion, a weight of a wearer of the shoe is transferable from the mid-foot portion sequentially to the little toe, the big toe, and the three middle toe by the deforming and rebounding of the flexure plate.   
     
     
         25 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the deforming and rebounding of the flexure plate varies as a weight of a wearer of the shoe is transferred from the mid-foot portion through and off the fore-foot portion. 
     
     
         26 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein the deforming and rebounding of the flexure plate is a function of at least one of a weight of a wearer of the shoe, the width of the fore-foot portion of the shoe, the modulus of elasticity of the flexure plate, the rebound length and width of the flexure plate, the curvature of the flexure plate, and the flexibility of the sole. 
     
     
         27 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 24 , and further comprising an inner sole wherein the flexure plate is disposed between the inner sole and the outer surface of the sole. 
     
     
         28 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the flexure plate is curved in the direction of the outer surface of the sole. 
     
     
         29 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the flexure plate is curved in the direction of the outer surface of the sole. 
     
     
         30 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein a portion of the sole underlies the fore-foot portion, and comprises a medial fore-foot bed and a lateral fore-foot bed. 
     
     
         31 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 30 , wherein the medial fore-foot bed underlies the phalanges of the big toe and at least a portion of the 1 st  metatarsal of a foot when enclosed within the foot compartment. 
     
     
         32 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein the lateral fore-foot bed underlies the 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th , and 5 th  phalanges and at least a portion of the 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th , and 5 th  metatarsals of a foot when enclosed within the foot compartment. 
     
     
         33 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 30 , wherein a hardness of the medial fore-foot bed is greater than a hardness of the lateral fore-foot bed. 
     
     
         34 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 33 , wherein the hardness of the medial fore-foot bed differs from the hardness of the lateral fore-foot bed by between 5 and 20 durometer. 
     
     
         35 . A shoe comprising:
 a sole, including an outer surface communicable with a supporting surface upon which the shoe and a wearer of the shoe are supportable; and   an upper coupled with the sole to cooperatively define a foot compartment characterized by a fore-foot portion, a mid-foot portion, and a hind-foot portion, the fore-foot portion associable with metatarsals and phalanges of a foot;   wherein the sole is characterized by a flexure plate disposed within the fore-foot portion between the foot compartment and the outer surface of the sole to   underlie the 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th  metatarsal-phalangeal joints of a foot when enclosed within the foot compartment; and   whereby, during bipedal locomotion, the flexure plate facilitates flexing of the sole and splaying of the 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th  metatarsals and phalanges of a foot when enclosed within the foot compartment.   
     
     
         36 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 35 , wherein the flexure plate is intersected by the outer surface of the sole. 
     
     
         37 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 35 , wherein the flexure of the sole facilitated by the deforming of the plate varies as the weight of a wearer of the shoe is transferred from the mid-foot portion through and off the fore-foot portion. 
     
     
         38 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 37 , wherein the flexure of the sole is a function of at least one of a weight of a wearer of the shoe, a width of the flexure plate, a depth of the flexure plate in the sole, and the flexibility of the sole. 
     
     
         39 . A shoe in accordance with claim  12 , and further comprising an inner sole wherein the flexure plate is disposed between the inner sole and the outer surface of the sole. 
     
     
         40 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 37 , wherein the flexure plate is concave in the direction of the outer surface of the sole. 
     
     
         41 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 35 , wherein the flexure plate is concave in the direction of the outer surface of the sole. 
     
     
         42 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 35 , wherein a portion of the sole underlies the fore-foot portion, and comprises a medial fore-foot bed and a lateral fore-foot bed. 
     
     
         43 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 42 , wherein the medial fore-foot bed underlies the phalanges of the big toe and at least a portion of the 1 st  metatarsal of a foot when enclosed within the foot compartment. 
     
     
         44 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 43 , wherein the lateral fore-foot bed underlies the 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th , and 5 th  phalanges and at least a portion of the 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th , and 5 th  metatarsals of a foot when enclosed within the foot compartment. 
     
     
         45 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 43 , wherein a hardness of the medial fore-foot bed is greater than a hardness of the lateral fore-foot bed. 
     
     
         46 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 45 , wherein the hardness of the medial fore-foot bed differs from the hardness of the lateral fore-foot bed by between 5 and 20 durometer.