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  Variable friction sole for bowling and other shoesUSPTO Application #: 20070107260Title: Variable friction sole for bowling and other shoes Abstract: The effective friction of a shoe is adjusted by changing the angle of a portion of the sole, relative to the shoe centerline. In one embodiment, the heel is effectively hinged and an adjustment device is spaced from the hinge axis, whereby the wearer can hold the shoe in one hand and manually adjust an actuator connected to a drive member that increases or decreases the angle of the hinge. The hinge axis can be perpendicular to the centerline, either in the front of the heel with the drive member embedded in the back of the heel, or in the back of the heel, with the drive member embedded in the front of the heel. Angulation can be effected in the foresole, about an axis perpendicular to the shoe centerline, or about an axis that is parallel to but offset from the centerline. (end of abstract) Agent: Alix Yale & Ristas LLP - Hartford, CT, US Inventor: Stephen M. Pasternak USPTO Applicaton #: 20070107260 - Class: 036039000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Heels, Rotary The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070107260. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This is the regular application claiming the filing date under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e), of U.S. Provisional App. No. 60/735,795 filed Nov. 11, 2005. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention pertains to performance footwear, especially walking and athletic shoes, and most particularly, bowling shoes. [0003] As has been recognized for a number of years, and as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,682, experienced bowlers often desire that each of the left and right shoes exhibit different characteristics, especially with respect to sliding friction on the smooth, wooden or synthetic floors typically present in the approach region of a bowling lane. Moreover, even for one or the other of the left or right shoe, such bowler typically desires a different sliding characteristic on the foresole portion versus the heel portion of that shoe sole. In yet a further customization, the bowler may desire that the friction characteristics of each foresole and heel be adjustable depending on, for example, the surface characteristics of the bowling center in which a particular competition is staged, the day-to-day changes in temperature and humidity in the bowling center, or an increase in confidence as the bowler warms up and reaches peak performance during the course of a match. [0004] One technique for permitting a bowler to adjust the friction characteristics of one or both shoes, even during competition, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,198. The concept described therein provides for replaceable foresole and heel surface elements of different configurations and performance characteristics. Although this technique has enjoyed some commercial success, it has the disadvantages of requiring a bowler to carry a kit of varying replacement pads and, even with such a variety of pads, each adjustment increment is a step change, without continuous adjustability. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, the effective friction of the shoe is adjusted by changing the angle of a portion of the sole, relative to the shoe centerline. According to another aspect, the wearer's weight distribution on the sole can be similarly adjusted. [0006] In one embodiment, the heel portion of the sole is effectively hinged and an actuating device is spaced from the hinge axis, whereby the wearer can adjust an actuator connected to a drive member that increases or decreases the angle of the hinge. The hinge axis can be perpendicular to the centerline, either in the front of the heel with the drive member embedded in the back of the heel, or in the back of the heel, with the drive member is embedded in the front of the heel. [0007] This angulation has two significant consequences that affect sliding friction. First, the angulation affects the location on the heel, of the first contact of the heel on the floor following the initial sliding of the foot on the foresole. Secondly the hinging affects the total area of the heel that contacts the floor as the bowler shifts more weight into the heel in order to stop, or brake, the slide. Both of these effects can be adjusted without the replacement of any portion of the heel, and without manipulating any exposed region of the heel relative to another exposed region. [0008] Adjustment of the sliding friction characteristics of the foresole is also of significance in bowling shoes. The invention is not limited to adjustment of the heel by a hinging action about an axis perpendicular to the shoe centerline. The foresole can likewise be angulated to adjust the sliding friction characteristics. [0009] More generally, angulation can be effected in the foresole or in the heel, about an axis perpendicular to the shoe centerline, or about an axis that is on or parallel to but offset from the centerline. In this manner, one side of the heel, or one side of the foresole, can be raised or lowered relative to the other side. This kind of lateral adjustment can affect the time dependent friction force resulting from a particular bowler's unique weight transfer in the foot bed during the course of completing the delivery of the bowling ball. As with the heel angulated about an axis perpendicular to the centerline, the lateral adjustment can affect the location of the foresole or heel that first contacts the floor, the total area of the foresole or heel in contact with the floor during the delivery, and the weight distribution over the heel or foresole. [0010] The adjustment device is partially embedded in one or both of the heel or foresole portions of the sole and is preferably accessible as the sole faces the user's hand or tool in the user's hand. Alternatively, especially in embodiments wherein the hinge is in the heel, the adjustment device can be accessed at an upstanding exterior surface of the heel, such as at the back rim. Actuation of the device can be by any means under the control of the end-user of the shoe. [0011] The ability to adjust the angle of the heel or foresole, front to back and side to side, can also provide benefits in other performance characteristics that do not depend significantly on the user's sensitivity to sliding friction, but do depend for comfort or safety, on adjustability of the weight-bearing regions. Unlike the present invention, known comfort adjustment techniques do not rely on a hinging of the weight bearing surface of the heel or foresole in a manner that angulates the exposed weight bearing surface relative to the centerline of the shoe. [0012] In a more detailed characterization of the invention, a shoe having an adjustable weight bearing bottom surface comprises an upper supported by a sole extending generally along a longitudinal centerline, the sole having an arch, a foresole defining a first weight bearing bottom surface longitudinally forward of the arch, and a heel defining a second weight bearing bottom surface longitudinally behind the arch. Each of the first and second weight bearing surfaces has front and back regions and lateral side regions. An adjustment device angulates one of the first or second weight bearing surfaces. Preferably, the adjustment device has a drive member at least partially embedded in the sole and an actuator connected to the drive member such that adjustment of the actuator angulates one of the first or second weight bearing surfaces in relation to the centerline. It should be understood that as used herein, "region" denotes the general location of a sub-area of the outside of a heel or sole, such that, e.g., a side region of the heel can extent into the front or back of the heel. [0013] The invention can be further characterized in a preferred embodiment wherein the sole includes an exterior outsole having the bottom weight bearing surfaces and a midsole between the upper and the outsole. The drive member spans the midsole and outsole. The actuator selectively expands or contracts the drive member to push or pull the outsole away from or toward the midsole at the location where the drive member is embedded. [0014] The adjustment device can take a variety of forms. In one embodiment, one disc is embedded in a base portion of the sole, such as in the midsole, and another disc is embedded in a movable portion of the sole, with a threaded bore for receiving a worm screw or the like that has its drive end accessible at the exterior of the sole. With a screw driving device such as an Allen wrench or the like, the user can readily displace the disc in the movable portion of the sole relative to the stationary disc in the base of the sole, thereby increasing or decreasing the angulation about the hinge axis. This can be implemented for continuous adjustment, or can be ratcheted for repeatable stepwise adjustment. [0015] In another form, the adjustment device can be a disc interposed between the base portion of the sole and the movable portion of the sole, mounted for rotation with an arc of the disc accessible externally for rotation by the user. The disc has variable thickness, preferably monotonically increasing from the minimum to the maximum, whereby rotation of the disc acts a wedge which, depending on the thickness of the disc at the contact with the opposed sole surfaces, defines the hinge angle. [0016] Other adjustment techniques include an adjustable plug, jack or the like that can be pushed or extended through the footbed or mid sole, to angulate the heel or foresole. An air injection pump or other diaphragm or bladder-type member can likewise be used for this purpose. A step jack with bar analogous to one type of common car jack, or a pulled lever type device, could also be adapted for this purpose. [0017] In some embodiments, increasing the angle will produce a gap or separation between the base portion and the angulated, weight-bearing portion of the sole. Preferably, measures should be taken to compensate for this discontinuity and resulting decrease in direct weight bearing surface between the base portion and the movable portion of the sole members. This compensation can take the form of providing robust, wide components for the drive member, such as the discs mentioned above, and assuring that the discs are firmly mounted in the respective seats or other stabilizing foundation within the separable components. [0018] Another advantage uniquely achievable with the present invention is the ability to effectuate a reverse inclination on either the heel or foresole. Bowling, athletic, and other performance shoes, as well as street shoes, are universally manufactured with the main weight bearing, ground contacting surface of the heel in substantially the same plane as the weight bearing, ground contacting surface of the foresole. In other words, the center of the foresole and center of the heel lie flat on a flat surface. As an example with an adjustable heel according to the invention, the neutral adjustment position can correspond to the conventional coplanar relationship between the heel and the foresole, but with positive and negative adjustment options, whereby a back region of the heel weight bearing surface can be raised above ground level, or the front weight bearing region of the heel could be raised above ground level. Similarly, the back region of the heel could be lowered relative to the foresole, or the front region of the heel could be lowered the relative to the foresole. This added capability may be attractive to some bowlers who have unusual foot shapes, approaches, or braking tendencies. When combined with the further option of the exposed surface of the adjustable heel comprising two or more different materials, even greater customization of performance may be achieved. [0019] It should thus be understood that important an aspect of the invention is that the exposed surface of the sole, i.e., one or both of the heel or foresole, is angulated. There is no adjustment of the footbed or other shoe component that conforms to the wearer's foot. The purpose of the angle adjustment is to increase or decrease the surface area of the sole that contacts the ground or floor. The footbed remains in the same relation to the shoe centerline, but the exposed surface of the adjusted sole portion changes its angular relation to the shoe centerline. This adjustment can affect the timing of when certain portions of the sole contact the ground, which of multiple materials contact the ground and in what sequence, and how the weight of the wearer is distributed on various portions of the foresole and heel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0020] Various embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Continue reading... Full patent description for Variable friction sole for bowling and other shoes Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Variable friction sole for bowling and other shoes patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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