Spring mechanism in a shoe

Abstract

A shoe can include a sole, a cavity defined in the sole, and a spring plate disposed within the cavity. The spring plate can include an elongated shape with a central axis where the central axis is aligned with length of the sole and a flat profile in the midfoot region of the sole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe, comprising:
 a sole;   a cavity defined in the sole;   a spring plate disposed within the cavity, the spring plate including:
 an elongated shape with a central axis; 
 the central axis being aligned with length of the sole; and 
 a flat profile in a midfoot region of the sole. 
   
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes an outsole, wherein the cavity is defined in the outsole. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 2 , wherein the cavity is open to an exterior of the outsole. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 3 , wherein the spring plate is adhered to the cavity with an adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 3 , wherein a covered portion of the spring plate is covered with the outsole and an exposed portion of the spring plate is exposed through the outsole. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the spring plate includes a characteristic of flexing into a bended orientation under a load when worn by a user during an ambulatory foot movement and returning to the flat profile in an absence of the load. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is defined in the midfoot region of the sole. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the spring plate includes a plate width that is transverse the central axis;   the sole includes a sole width in the midfoot region of the sole; and   the plate width is a less than a third of the sole width.   
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the spring plate includes a plate length aligned with the central axis;   the sole includes a sole length; and   the plate length is less than half of the sole length.   
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 9 , wherein the plate length is less than a third of the sole length. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the spring plate has an overall profile that is flat. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the spring plate comprises a pre-pregnated composite material. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the spring plate is isolated to the midfoot region of the sole. 
     
     
         14 . A running shoe, comprising:
 a sole including an outsole;   an upper connected to the sole;   an inside surface of the upper defining a foot cavity with the sole;   a cavity defined in the outsole;   a spring plate disposed within the cavity, the spring plate including:
 an elongated shape with a central axis; and 
 the central axis being aligned with length of the sole; 
   wherein the cavity is open to an exterior of the outsole.   
     
     
         15 . The running shoe of  claim 14 , wherein the spring plate has a flat profile in a midfoot region of the sole. 
     
     
         16 . The running shoe of  claim 14 , wherein the spring plate includes a characteristic of flexing into a bended orientation under a load when worn by a user during an ambulatory foot movement and returning to a flat profile in an absence of the load. 
     
     
         17 . The running shoe of  claim 14 , wherein the spring plate is flat and has a uniform thickness. 
     
     
         18 . The running shoe of  claim 14 , wherein the spring plate includes a plate width that is transverse the central axis;
 wherein the sole includes a sole width in a midfoot region of the sole; and   wherein the plate width is a less than a third of the sole width.   
     
     
         19 . The running shoe of  claim 14 , wherein
 the spring plate includes a plate length aligned with the central axis;   the sole includes a sole length; and   the plate length is less than half of the sole length.   
     
     
         20 . A running shoe, comprising:
 a sole including an outsole;   an upper connected to the sole;   an inside surface of the upper defining a foot cavity with the sole;   a cavity defined in the outsole;   a spring plate disposed within the cavity, the spring plate including:
 an elongated shape with a central axis; 
 a flat profile in a midfoot region of the sole; 
 the central axis being aligned with length of the sole; 
 a characteristic of flexing into a bended orientation under a load when worn by a user during an ambulatory foot movement and returning to the flat profile in an absence of the load; 
 a uniform thickness; 
 a plate width that is transverse the central axis; 
   wherein the sole includes a sole width in the midfoot region of the sole;   wherein the plate width is a less than a third of the sole width;   a plate length aligned with the central axis;   wherein the sole includes a sole length;   wherein the plate length is less than half of the sole length; and   wherein the cavity is open to an exterior of the outsole.