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  X-shaped pillar sole for footwear traction and comfortUSPTO Application #: 20070283595Title: X-shaped pillar sole for footwear traction and comfort Abstract: A sole (10) for footwear has a plurality of x-shaped pillars (30), preferably made of rubber or other elastomer. The x-shaped pillars (30) are vertical columns in the cross-sectional shape of an “X” having a wider base towards the inside of the footwear and extending, preferable in steps, to a narrower cross-section at the walking surface. The x-shaped pillars are preferably aligned longitudinally on the sole so that the arms of the x-shaped pillar face forward, rearward and to both sides of the footwear. This longitudinal orientation is preferred because it promotes gripping the engaged surface along the vertices of the x-shaped pillar, providing enhanced traction in the longitudinal and lateral directions. One embodiment has a plurality of channels (20) or cut throughs on a frame surrounding the x-shaped pillars and extending from the base of the x-shaped pillars through the frame to permit ejection of matter engaged between the x-shaped pillars. The sloped x-shaped pillars (30) compress with the weight of a person walking and inherently eject entrained matter filling the space between the arms of x-shaped pillars. (end of abstract) Agent: Louis Ventre, Jr - Oakton, VA, US Inventor: Donald Anthony Bright USPTO Applicaton #: 20070283595 - Class: 03602500R (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070283595. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional application 60/712,111 filed Aug. 29, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] In the field of soles for footwear, a sole that enhances traction in slippery conditions and is comfortable for the user. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART [0003] Prior art in footwear soles feature parallel rows of nubs, various grid designs, chambers and protuberances having pyramidal, inverted cone and stepped designs. None of the prior art teaches that improved comfort for therapeutic effect and enhanced traction can be achieved using a sole employing x-shaped pillars that resist slipping in the longitudinal and lateral directions. [0004] Representative of prior art with parallel rows of nubs is U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,641 to Arthur S. Tarlow on Apr. 5, 1983 for a boat shoe and sole. Tarlow teaches a side wall to the ribs and the ribs having a length that meets the plane of the side wall. However, this type of prior art does not teach enhanced resistance to slippage using x-shaped pillars, as in the present invention. Tarlow does not offer benefits in resisting slippage in the lateral or sideways directions, as in the present invention. The present invention does not employ the ribs disclosed in Tarlow and is distinct in its x-shaped pillars. The present invention is further distinguished in that it teaches channels through the sidewall to permit matter to be ejected to the environment surrounding the sole. [0005] Representative of the prior art grid and chamber design is U.S. Pat. No. 2,909,271 to S. A. Taylor on Sep. 24, 1956, which teaches a grid of intersecting ribs and chambers to provide gripping power and self-cleaning. The present invention does not use chambers or intersecting ribs, but rather is the opposite in that no ribs are utilized and no chambers are created because any cavity formed by x-shaped pillars is in open communication with the environment surrounding the sole. [0006] While stepped protuberances are disclosed in the prior art, for example in Taylor above, none of the prior art has been found to teach or disclose an x-shaped pillar. [0007] Accordingly, the present invention will serve to improve the prior art of footwear soles by employing a plurality of x-shaped pillars to provide improved comfort for therapeutic effect and enhanced traction by resisting slipping in both the forward and sideways directions. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] A sole for footwear has a plurality of x-shaped pillars, preferably made of rubber or other elastomer. The x-shaped pillars are vertical columns in the cross-sectional shape of an "X" having a wider base towards the inside of the footwear and extending, preferable in steps, to a narrower cross-section at the walking surface. In a framed embodiment, the x-shaped pillars are confined within a frame of elastomeric material around the outer edge of the shoe. Other embodiments are frameless and the x-shaped pillars extend to the edge of the sole. The frameless embodiments have an option to add screw-in, or press-in spikes, which may be metallic or non-metallic spikes. In the framed embodiment, the outer, or wear, surfaces of the frame and x-shaped pillars define an approximate plane constituting the walking surface of the sole. The preferred embodiment also has x-shaped pillars in a thicker heal segment, which constitute an added walking surface of the sole. The x-shaped pillars are preferably aligned longitudinally on the sole so that the arms of the x-shaped pillar face forward, rearward and to both sides of the footwear. This longitudinal orientation is preferred for traction because it promotes gripping the engaged surface along the vertices of the x-shaped pillar in both the longitudinal and lateral directions, especially on icy, wet, oily and greasy surfaces. The sloped x-shaped columns compress with the weight of a person walking and inherently shed or eject entrained matter filling the space between the arms of x-shaped pillars when in use on muddy, sandy or particulate surfaces. The framed embodiment has a plurality of channels or cut throughs on the frame extending from the base of the x-shaped pillars through the frame to permit ejection of matter engaged between the x-shaped pillars. The unique x-shape pillar arrangement provides comfortable cushioned footwear having improved traction on particulate and slippery surfaces. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] The figures depict examples of the invention and are not intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention, which are defined by the claims. [0010] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a front segment of a sole. [0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective of a sole with a heel. [0012] FIG. 3 a side view of a sole with holes and channels. [0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view a sole having a heel segment with holes. [0014] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an enlarged portion of a front segment of a sole. [0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sole having fewer x-shaped pillars extending across the wear face of the sole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0016] The invention is a sole for footwear having a plurality of x-shaped pillars. The term footwear is used intentionally to broadly include shoes, boots, sandals, slippers and anything worn on a foot that is intended to contact the ground. [0017] The x-shaped pillars are essentially columns having a cross-sectional shape of an x. These columns extend vertically from a wide base to a narrower terminus, which forms an approximate planar wear surface of the sole. In the preferred embodiment, the x-shaped pillars rise from the base in discrete steps to the terminus. This stepped configuration to the x-shaped pillars (30) is shown in perspective in two embodiments, one in FIG. 6 and one in plan view in FIG. 5. [0018] In the preferred embodiment, the x-shaped pillars are made of elastomeric material that compresses under the weight of a person wearing footwear employing the sole and quickly return to the original uncompressed shape when released. It is well known that such elastomeric materials can be made to compress to varying degrees under pressure. However, aside from the fact that some level of compressibility is preferred, it is expressly intended that invention include both incompressible and compressible x-shaped pillars. For compressible x-shaped pillars, the invention includes all levels of compressibility from almost zero compressibility to the maximum achievable compressibility. Continue reading... Full patent description for X-shaped pillar sole for footwear traction and comfort Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this X-shaped pillar sole for footwear traction and comfort 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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