Running shoe sole having channel damping

Abstract

A sole for a running shoe having a soft-elastic midsole includes an underside coming at least partially into contact with the ground during running. The midsole includes a plurality of channels extending in the transverse direction (Q) arranged in a lateral area (LB) of the midsole in a horizontal plane. At least a portion of the channels is arranged in the forefoot area (VFB) and/or at least a portion of the channels is arranged in the midfoot area (MFB) and/or at least a portion of the channels is arranged in the heel area (FB) of the midsole. The channels are each delimited in the longitudinal direction (L) by a front wall and a rear wall and have an elongated shape in cross-section along the running direction. The channels are deformable vertically and/or horizontally in the longitudinal direction (L) until their closure under the action of forces occurring during running acting vertically and/or in the longitudinal direction (L).

1 . A sole for a running shoe with a midsole, wherein the midsole comprises a plurality of channels running in the transverse direction and each having a channel height along a vertical direction being perpendicular to the transverse direction, wherein the channels are arranged in a lateral area of the midsole in a horizontal plane, and wherein the channels are each delimited in the longitudinal direction by a front wall and a rear wall, wherein the channels are at least in the lateral area completely delimited by the midsole, and wherein in the lateral area the midsole extends continuously in a region between the front wall of a first channel and the rear wall of an adjacent second channel, the region being delimited by the channel height of at least one of the first and second channel, the front wall of the first channel and the rear wall of the second channel, wherein the channels have an elongated shape in cross-section along the running direction and have at least one of a substantially hexagonal and pentagonal cross-section. 
     
     
         2 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein the channels comprise lateral openings in the lateral area of the midsole, and wherein the channels are deformable vertically and/or horizontally in the longitudinal direction under the action of forces occurring during running acting vertically and/or in the longitudinal direction until the lateral openings are closed. 
     
     
         3 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein channels in the heel area have a greater channel height than channels in the forefoot area. 
     
     
         4 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein the channels are arranged in a single horizontal plane. 
     
     
         5 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein the front wall and the rear wall of at least one channel each comprise a front folding edge and a rear folding edge. 
     
     
         6 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the channel height to a channel width of each channel is in the range of 0.15 to 0.6. 
     
     
         7 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein the sole comprises an incompressible elastic plate. 
     
     
         8 . The sole according to  claim 7 , wherein the incompressible elastic plate extends over the entire midsole. 
     
     
         9 . The sole according to  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the channels is delimited on one side by the elastic incompressible plate. 
     
     
         10 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein the midsole comprises a groove extending in the longitudinal direction from the heel area to at least the midfoot area. 
     
     
         11 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the channels comprise two sides forming a top and bottom channel wall, the two sides being in cross-section essentially parallel to each other and an underside of the midsole. 
     
     
         12 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein the midsole has a total lateral closed surface area on at least one lateral side of the midsole, the total lateral closed surface area being devoid of channel openings, wherein the total lateral closed surface area is larger than a total lateral open area defined by channel openings of the channels on the at least one lateral side. 
     
     
         13 . A running shoe comprising a sole according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A sole for a running shoe with a midsole, wherein the midsole comprises a plurality of channels running in the transverse direction and each having a channel height along a vertical direction being perpendicular to the transverse direction, wherein the channels are arranged in a lateral area of the midsole in a horizontal plane, and wherein the channels are each delimited in the longitudinal direction by a front wall and a rear wall, wherein the channels are at least in the lateral area completely delimited by the midsole, and wherein in the lateral area the midsole extends continuously in a region between the front wall of a first channel and the rear wall of an adjacent second channel, the region being delimited by the channel height of at least one of the first and second channel, the front wall of the first channel and the rear wall of the second channel, wherein the channels have an elongated shape in cross-section along the running direction. 
     
     
         15 . The sole according to  claim 14 , wherein the channels are deformable vertically and/or horizontally in the longitudinal direction until closure under the action of forces occurring during running, acting vertically and/or in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         16 . The sole according to  claim 14 , wherein at least some of the channels comprise two sides forming a top and bottom channel wall, the two sides being in cross-section essentially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         17 . The sole according to  claim 14 , wherein the midsole has a total lateral closed surface area on at least one lateral side of the midsole, the total lateral closed surface area being devoid of channel openings, wherein the total lateral closed surface area is larger than a total lateral open area defined by channel openings of the channels on the at least one lateral side.