Footwear with interchangeable midsole

Abstract

The invention relates to footwear with an interchangeable midsole, characterised in that it comprises a sole (1) comprising a lateral flange (2) that projects along the entire perimeter thereof with a convex arcuate shape; an upper lining (3) attached along the outer perimeter of the upper part of the flange (2) of the sole in an overlap area (4) between the two elements; and a midsole (5) comprising an outer face with a convex arcuate projection or counterform (A) along the entire perimeter thereof, wherein the midsole (5) and the sole (1) are press fitted together.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] FOOTWEAR WITH INTERCHANGEABLE MIDSOLE

[0003] Field of the invention

[0004] The present invention consists of a shoe that has an internal construction that allows the midsole to be interchangeable and where said midsole is protected by the sole, which allows the shoe to be adapted to each of the sports practices that the user wishes to perform, as well as each of the different morphologies of the different users, or the cushioning preference desired by each of the different users.This invention allows the development of a new type of modular or adaptive footwear where the sole can be completely flexible because it is fixed in a non-permanent manner and where the sole can be sewn directly to the upper lining of the shoe, which allows the midsole not to be in direct contact with the exterior, to be housed and protected within the shoe assembly and can be removed manually while remaining firmly held, therefore, it can be interchangeable, and, in addition, it has other advantages such as avoiding the use of glues.

[0005] This invention falls within the scope of different types of footwear and shoe structures, and more specifically, within systems that comprise interchangeable structural parts and are primarily used for sports.

[0006] State of the art

[0007] As is well known within this industrial sector, when designing a shoe, there is at least one sole and one lining, which are joined together, either by gluing, stitching, or both. As a general rule, the midsole is a structural part of a shoe that is attached and / or fixed to the sole; that is, the midsole is the upper part of the sole or the part that is not in direct contact with the surface or ground, and the lining is fixed to the midsole.

[0008] To improve user customization, experience, and comfort, an insole may be provided on the sole or midsole. This insole may be fixed or interchangeable, so that the insole is housed and protected within the shoe assembly. The present invention, based on this general typology of shoe structures, arises from the technical problem that exists in sports competitions, where it is known that footwear wears down and degrades when used repeatedly and / or that, depending on the type of sport practiced, the cushioning preference, and morphology of each of the different users, an athlete needs to have several types of specific shoes for each use they wish to perform, or during the same race depending on the conditions of the terrain or the weather, which may vary.

[0009] Therefore, the problem of sole and midsole degradation in athletic shoes is often addressed, prior to a complete footwear replacement, by using insoles. These are thin layers placed over the midsole. Depending on the material and / or the runner's use of the shoe, they can temporarily resolve the problem. However, it is well known that any type of insole is intended to correct the position of the foot to improve stride, but they are neither designed nor intended for continuous or athletic use, with continuous repetitions and exertion.

[0010] Therefore, there is a need to develop footwear that can have an interchangeable midsole, so that in case of wear of said midsole due to continued use by the user, it is not necessary to change either the sole or the lining, simply change the midsole for a new one, or to have a shoe structure that allows the midsole to be exchanged depending on the terrain on which a user will be running, being able to adapt a specific type of midsole according to the terrain on which the competition will take place. Therefore, it is required to be able to very quickly change and adapt the midsole of a shoe, which is generally glued to the upper and rubber sole, and that allows it to adapt according to: the sport practice, that is, road running, trail running, muddy conditions, dry conditions or others, given that today's runners, with the traditional monoblock construction of glued footwear,They are forced to use different shoes, each with its own specificity linked to each of their specific sports practice needs; the morphology of the user, that is, whether a user is male, female, with a heavy or light tread, pronator or supinator, and therefore, today's runners are forced to use different brands of specific footwear models, as adapted as possible to their own personality, but never totally adapted to their own specific morphology; and their own cushioning preference, generally related to a high thickness for a very cushioned shoe, thickness under a shoe stuck to the ground with a lot of proprioception, different "drops", therefore, today's runner is forced to use different shoes from different brands, for training, recovery, competition, long and short distances.

[0011] It is worth noting that a common interchangeable insole cannot be structurally similar to a midsole, given that neither the materials, nor the functionalities, nor the features are comparable. In fact, in the present invention, a conventional interchangeable insole can be placed on the midsole, if the user so desires. In this sense, the midsole is known in the state of the art and is commonly referred to as a "recessed midsole." Furthermore, the applicant is not aware that this type of recessed midsole is a non-permanent fastening element.

[0012] In order to solve the aforementioned problem, the present invention proposes a solution where the midsole is protected along the perimeter and fitted into the sole, and where said protective configuration also allows the lining of the upper part of the shoe to be sewn to the sole, without this union affecting the fixation of the sole and midsole, and without requiring the use of different shoes, but rather allowing the use of a single sole and being able to interchange the midsole depending on the conditions required by the user. This, in turn, allows the improved technical effect of being able to make a more flexible and comfortable shoe structure, and where the midsole is interchangeable.

[0013] The Applicant is not aware of any shoe structure where the midsole is fully protected by the sole, nor is there any known shoe structure that does not have some fixed connection element between the sole and midsole, whether glued or with point-shaped fastening / clipping elements. In this regard, the Applicant is not aware of a solution as effective as the one claimed in the present invention using non-permanent fastening elements.

[0014] Explanation of the invention

[0015] The present invention aims to define a footwear or shoe structure that has an interchangeable midsole, either due to deterioration thereof or because the shoe is to be adapted to a specific surface or morphology, and where this shoe allows the sole to completely protect and house a midsole, where the sole can be fixed in a non-permanent manner without the need to glue it to the lining and / or sole, and where the midsole itself can be interchangeable without this maneuver affecting either the sole or the lining, or the fixation of both, or the overall performance of the footwear.

[0016] In order to solve the above problems, the footwear with interchangeable midsole object of the present invention is based on the embedding or anchoring by manual pressure of all or part of the perimeter of the union between the sole and the midsole, the upper lining being totally or partially sewn to the sole, and in this sense, the footwear comprises the following essential elements: a sole, which comprises a lateral wing projecting along the entire perimeter of the same with a convex arched shape, specifically with a shape curved outwards; a lining, which is sewn, totally or partially, along the outer perimeter of the upper part of the wing of the sole in an overlap between both elements;a midsole, comprising an outer face with a convex arched projection or counter-shape along all or part of the perimeter thereof that allows the midsole and the sole to be anchored by pressure or self-embedded together, which allows achieving all the benefits of a traditional glued shoe.

[0017] Compared to a standard glued assembly, the present invention presents a solution that is not a monobloc, with the advantage of being flexible and having a manually interchangeable midsole to adapt the entire shoe assembly to the user's requirements.

[0018] Additionally, the footwear may comprise lateral reinforcements, where these lateral reinforcements are preferably arranged on the lateral wings of the sole and therefore may vary in stiffness or thickness, or also in the part of the upper or lining.

[0019] Additionally, the midsole may have mechanical engagement means on its underside to prevent any movement between the midsole and the sole that could affect performance. These mechanical engagement means may take various forms and, in turn, require the upper side of the sole base to have separate elements that allow engagement. In this sense, in one possible embodiment of the invention, the upper side of the sole may comprise a plurality of ribs that face each other and are fixed in respective grooves made in the underside of the midsole; or, in another possible embodiment of the invention, the upper side of the sole may comprise a plurality of studs that face each other and are fixed in respective cavities made in the underside of the midsole.This improves and completes the mechanical grip between the sole and midsole, thus preventing movement between these two parts while the entire shoe is subjected to stress.

[0020] As for the fastening of the laces, these can be fixed to the lining, but in a possible embodiment of the invention, loop-shaped eyelets can be provided that are fixed between the lining and the upper part of the midsole, and which, being in contact with the lining, protrude from it, which allows, depending on the level of performance and physical effort, to improve lateral stability but also the wrapping of the foot.

[0021] It should be noted that this configuration, which is designed for all types of runners, has a highly efficient cushioning structure. The deformation of the heel upon impact with the ground is therefore essential for providing excellent cushioning. In this sense, the shape of the sole and midsole, with this fixation of the arched area and the countershape, allows for greater deformation of the midsole and the sole, compared to known models where this rear part is simply rounded under the heel and deforms more easily after multiple steps. The fixation of the present invention provides a larger contact area and is therefore more difficult to deform, given that, compared to known models, for example, the present invention can be deformed from within the rear part of the shoe.

[0022] Finally, the present invention also has the advantage of being able to use different materials for the midsole such as thermoplastic polymers of the ethylene vinyl acetate or EVA type, traditionally used in sports footwear, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or thermoplastic elastomers such as TPEE or others such as Tebax®, and / or of different thicknesses, all depending on the particularities required by the user, but all without the need to change the sole and lining.

[0023] Taking these aspects into account, thanks to the midsole's interchangeability, the shoe can be adapted through the use of midsoles specifically tailored to the runner's practice, morphology, and cushioning preferences. This allows for solving the problems of disassembling a midsole without damaging the other components. This allows for the technological advantages of the modern materials described above, in terms of comfort, cushioning, and rebound, and for assembling them in such a way that each of the three parts can be easily disassembled for interchangeability and possible repairs. Furthermore, since the shoe is not a single piece with glue, this also represents an advantage in terms of the possible recycling and subsequent reuse of each of the shoe's parts.

[0024] It should be noted that throughout the description and claims, the term “comprises” and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical features or additional elements.

[0025] Brief description of the figures

[0026] In order to complete the description and to help better understand the characteristics of the invention, a set of figures and drawings is presented in which the following is represented for illustrative and non-limiting purposes:

[0027] Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view of a cross-section of the footwear object of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2.- Shows a detailed view of the essential element of the present invention, which is the embedding or pressure anchoring of the entire perimeter of the union between the sole and the midsole, with the lining also fixed to the sole, for which, the midsole comprises an outer face with a convex arched projection or counter-shape to the convex arched shape of the wing of the sole along the entire perimeter, which allows the midsole and the sole to be pressure anchored or self-embedded between each other.

[0029] Figure 3.- Shows an elevation view of a longitudinal section of an embodiment of the footwear object of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4.- Shows a perspective view of a cross-section of the shoe sole, with its smooth upper surface.

[0031] Figure 5.- Shows a perspective view of a cross-section of the footwear where the attachment between the sole and the upper lining can be seen.

[0032] Figure 6.- Shows a perspective view of a cross-section of the sole of the shoe, with ribs on the upper surface of the sole, and the fixing with a lining.

[0033] Figure 7.- Shows a perspective view of a cross-section of the sole of the shoe, with a plurality of studs on the upper surface thereof.

[0034] Figure 8.- Shows a perspective view of the section of a possible embodiment of the invention where the lacing is fixed in eyelets that are fixed between the midsole and the lining.

[0035] Figure 9.- Shows, schematically, a sequence in which it is observed that the perimeter fit of the footwear of the present invention allows for a larger support surface of the rear area of ​​the footwear in the footstep of a user, and improves the deformation of said part compared to known embodiments of common shoes where that part is rounded.

[0036] Detailed explanation of some embodiments of the invention

[0037] As can be seen in the previous set of figures, in the embodiments of the invention, the footwear with interchangeable sole comprising: a sole (1), comprising a lateral wing (2) protruding along the entire perimeter thereof with a convex arched shape, specifically with a shape curved outwards; an upper lining (3), which is sewn, totally or partially, along the outer perimeter of the upper part of the wing of the sole in an overlapping area (4) between both elements; a midsole (5), comprising an outer face with a convex arched projection or counter-shape (A) along the entire perimeter thereof that allows the midsole and the sole to be snap-fitted or self-embedded together.

[0038] In one possible embodiment of the invention, the midsole may have mechanical engagement means on its underside to prevent any movement between the midsole and the sole that may affect performance, where these mechanical engagement means may take various forms and require, in turn, that the upper side of the base of the sole may have separate elements that allow the engagement. In this sense, in one possible embodiment of the invention, the upper side of the sole may comprise a plurality of ribs (6) that face each other and are fixed in separate grooves (not shown) made in the underside of the midsole; or, in another possible embodiment of the invention, the upper side of the sole may comprise a plurality of studs (7) that face each other and are fixed in separate cavities (not shown) made in the underside of the midsole.

[0039] In a possible embodiment of the invention, the footwear comprises lateral reinforcements (8), where these lateral reinforcements are preferably arranged on the side wings of the sole.

[0040] As for the fastening of the laces (9), in one embodiment of the invention these can be fixed to the lining with fixed eyelets (10), but in another possible embodiment of the invention there can be loop-shaped eyelets (11) that are fixed between the lining (3) and the upper part of the midsole (5), and which, being in contact with the lining, protrude from it, which allows, depending on the level of performance and physical effort, to improve lateral stability but also the wrapping of the foot.

[0041] It's important to note that this configuration, which is designed for all types of runners, has a very efficient cushioning structure. As can be seen in the sequence in Fig. 9, the heel deformation (T) provides a larger contact area compared to the rounded ends of conventional running shoes, making it more difficult to deform and more durable.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Footwear with an interchangeable midsole, characterized in that it comprises a sole (1) comprising a lateral wing (2) protruding along all or part of its perimeter with a convex arched shape; an upper lining (3) that is fixed along the outer perimeter of the upper part of the wing (2) of the sole in an overlapping area (4) between both elements; a midsole (5) comprising an outer face with a convex arched projection or countershape (A) along its entire perimeter; and where the midsole (5) and the sole (1) are snap-fitted together in a non-permanent manner. 2.- A shoe, according to claim 1, wherein the lower face of the midsole (5) and the upper face of the sole (1) comprise mechanical fitting means. 3.- A shoe, according to claim 2, wherein the upper face of the sole comprises a plurality of ribs (6) that face each other and are fixed in respective grooves made in the lower face of the midsole. 4.- A shoe, according to claim 2, wherein the upper face of the sole comprises a plurality of studs (7) that face each other and are fixed in respective cavities made in the lower face of the midsole. 5.- A shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises lateral reinforcements (8) on the side wings of the sole. 6.- A shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the lining comprises fixed eyelets (10) where laces (9) are fixed. 7.- A shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that it has loop-shaped eyelets (11) that are fixed between the lining (3) and the upper part of the midsole (5), being in turn in contact with the lining (3) and protruding from it. 8.- A shoe, according to claim 1, wherein the lining (3) and sole (1) are fixed in the overlapping area by stitching.

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