US 7,464,489 B2
Footwear cushioning device
Danny Ho, Los Angeles, Calif. (US)
Assigned to ACI International, Los Angeles, Calif. (US)
Filed on Jul. 27, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/191,411.
Prior Publication US 2007/0022631 A1, Feb. 01, 2007
Int. Cl. A43B 13/18 (2006.01); A43B 13/20 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 36—28  [36/29; 36/35 B; 36/35 R] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
11. A cushioning device for location in a portion of a sole of footwear for aiding in the prevention of an over-supination effect, the device comprising:
multiple vertically directed columns for location in a sole for footwear,
at least one of the columns being spaced apart from another column and being formed so that at least some of them have a relatively different volumetric, elastometric or compression property relative to other columns;
at least one the columns being for location on a medial side and another of the columns being for location on a lateral side of the footwear, the columns being adjacent each other and being spaced apart from each other, wherein the relatively different volumetric, elastomeric or compression property aids in prevention of over-supination;
wherein the device is located between an upper support plate and a lower support plate, the support plates having more rigid characteristics than the cushioning device;
an outer sole located substantially below the bottom plate and a mid-sole located substantially over the upper plate; and
an upwardly directed lip extending at least partly about an outer periphery of the cushioning device and wherein the upper plate includes an upwardly extending skirt extending at least partly about a periphery of the upper plate, and wherein the skirt of the cushioning device mates with an outer surface of a skirt of the upper plate and wherein the skirt of the upper plates mates with an outer periphery of the mid-sole.