Description

MASAI WALKING SPECIALIZED FOOTWEAR

Technical Field

[1] This invention relates to a midsole structure having tunnels for Masai walking specialized footwear, more particularly a midsole structure wherein spring shank comprising front shank and rear shank coupled with more than one spring is built such that three steps of rolling movement occur actively during walking three steps of landing, center moving and leaving step and an arch styled finger pressure effect occurs because the front and rear shank are compressed. Background Art

[2] The invention refers to a bottom piece used in Masai walking specialized footwear for playing Masai walking, improved the invention (Utility model KR20-0402587, Health footwear improved the heeltap) and another invention (Patent KR10-0584527, Midsole and producing method thereof for rolling health footwear having tunnels)

[3] In Fig.8 Korean Patent 10-377822, the numbers '1, 2, 3, 10, 12 and 13'indicate footwear, leather, bottom piece, insole, midsole and outsole respectively.

[4] Referring to the description of the Korean Patent 10-377822, the term 'Masai walking specialized rolling walk footwear' indicates footwear having an effect of Masai tribal walking where the bottom piece's surface has a curved shape and there is no heel, and 'Masai walking' is illustrated in Fig.9: Korea Walking Association, World Walking Association, footwear companies and common consumers name the footwear having an effect of Masai walking without the heeltap and having a curve shaped bottom piece "Masai Bearfoot Technology Footwear", and it is also called "Masai walking specialized Shoes" or "Masai tribal walking specialized shoes" in general books, newspapers, magazines, as well as internet.

[5] In general, the foot's motion on the ground carries out repeatedly typical 3 steps, namely, landing step by the heel, center moving step from the heel to the toe, and leaving step from the ground. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[6] Since conventional footwear has a heel at right angle to the ground and conventional shoes have a sharp edge on the heel, the edge touches firstly with the ground during landing step, the impact during landing step is large because of the narrow liner shape of the heel's landing surface, and as the next center moving step is carried out at a

stroke, a sudden impact is transferred to each joint of the body and legs, resulting in bad landing sensitivity and unnatural walking.

[7] In conventional midsoles for Masai walking rolling shoes such as prior inventions

KR10-2007-114634, KR10-2007-124094 and KR10-2007-120842, high elastic shank is built in the rear upper portion of the midsole, the front portion of the midsole is forked with several slits opened into the free end from a given position, and beed shaped ribs for enforcement are formed in the midle portion. Since the shank built in the conventional Masai walking rolling shoes moves forward and rearward, there are problems that the midsole is not changed soft during walking three steps and walking is unnatural due to the bounding feeling.

[8]

Technical Solution

[9] The object of the invention is to provide a midsole for Masai walking specialized rolling footwear, which is improved for solving above conventional problems, wherein spring shank comprising front shank and rear shank coupled with more than one spring is built such that three steps of rolling movement occur actively during walking three steps of landing, center moving and leaving steps and an arch styled finger pressure effect occurs because the front and rear shank are compressed.

[10] According to the invention, there is provided spring shank in the midsole for Masai walking specialized footwear, which comprise the front shank and rear shank coupled with at least one spring. Advantageous Effects

[11] According to the invention, a spring shank is built in the upper of the midsole, a rolling movement occurs against the ground because the heeltap's surface of the bottom piece is formed in the curved shape along motion trace of the heel against ankle joint during walking, and as during walking three steps of landing, center moving and leaving step three steps of rolling movement occur smoothly and press the front shank and rear shank, arch styled finger pressure effect occurs. Therefore Masai walking specialized footwear can be produced and the invention is very useful in the footwear industry.

[12]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[13] The above and other objection features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in con-

junction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [14] Fig.l is an exploded cross-sectional view of a bottom piece according to the invention,

[15] Fig.2 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled according to Fig.l,

[16] Fig.3 is a perspective view of a spring shank according to the invention,

[17] Fig.4 is a cross-sectional view of the spring shank according to Fig.3, [18] Fig.5 is a perspective view of another spring shank according to the invention,

[19] Fig.6 is a cross-sectional view of the spring shank according to the invention, and [20] Fig.7 is a perspective view of the Masai walking specialized footwear according to the invention. [21] Fig.8 and Fig.9 is a disclosed Fig. of footwear.

Mode for the Invention

[22] According to the present invention, a Masai walking specialized rolling footwear is provided which comprise a leather, bottom piece, insole, midsole and convex shaped outsole, wherein the midsole is made of polyester or polyurethane having hardness 40~60, has a convex shaped arch form from the front portion to rear portion and the inclination angle of 25~45 degrees at the heeltap, plural tunnels (22) penetrated from a side of the rear portion into the other side are formed integrally with the midsole, and plural upper projections (24) and under projections (26) are formed integrally with the midsole between the tunnels (22); a spring shank (60) having the front shank (62) and rear shank (64) coupled with at least one spring (66), is built in the midsole (20). [23] According to the midsole structure of the invention, the spring shank features that the spring (66) is coated with a cover (70).

[24] Furthermore, the spring shank features that plural slits (62a) are formed opened into free end from a given position of the front portion, plural front spring links (63) are formed in the rear portion of the front shank (62), plural rear spring links (65) are formed in the front of the rear shank (64), and plural springs (66) are coupled with the front spring links (63) and rear spring links (65).

[25] The Masai walking specialized footwear having the spring shank, according to the invention, is a typical footwear comprising a leather, bottom piece and slipsole, wherein the bottom piece comprises an insole (10), midsole (20) and outsole (30), and the surface of the bottom piece has a curved arch shape without the heel, therefore the footwear having the same effect as Masia walking has names such as Masai Bearfoot Technology Footwear, Masai Walking Specialized Shoes, Masai Walking Shoes, Masai Walking Dedicated Shoes, Patented Technological Shoes on Masai Walking

and Masai Walking Patented Shoes.

[26] In the Masai walking specialized footwear according to the invention, the midsole

(20) is shaped in the panel form which is made after the pattern of the profile and curved shape of the bottom piece, and a spring shank is built in the midsole (20), resulting in rolling movement against the ground by forming the surface of the heeltap of the bottom piece into a curved shape after the pattern of the shape of the heel and the motion trace of the heel against ankle joints during walking.

[27] As shown in Figs.1 to 7, the front shank (62) and rear shank (64) are coupled with at least one spring (66) in a spring shank (60) built in a midsole (20) such that the spring (66) has an elastic action and a rolling effect occurs thereby during walking three steps of landing, center moving and leaving step. Further, in the spring shank (60) built in the midsole (20), the rolling effect occurs smoothly in the elastic form from the heel to toe portion without the bounding feeling of the bottom piece during walking.

[28] In contrast with the footwear not having the spring shank (60), the rolling footwear of the invention reduces the hardness with increasing buffering effect. In the rolling footwear of the invention, the bottom surface of the heeltap having a curved shape plays rolling movement along the ground and absorbs the impact dispersively when the walking step passes into the center moving step. Furthermore, according to the rolling footwear of the invention, since the center of the footwear moves gradually along the curved shape, there is not occurred the rapid impact in the ankle joints, legs and any joints of the body, resulting in smooth walking.

[29] The spring shank (60) built in the midsole of the invention, preferably, has plural slits (62a) which are opened into the free end from a given portion, forked into plural portion, and has beed shaped ribs for enforcing the middle portion. In the rolling footwear of the invention, the spring shank (60) is designed such that the initial forms of the bottom piece and footwear remain, and the bottom piece frequently bent and stretched is positively restored as well as the light walking is possible by adding repulsive force during leaving step and the walking stability is improved. Although the spring shank (60) can be made with any forms and materials, preferably it is formed in the panel shape after the pattern of the profile and curved shape of the midsole (20) using polyvinylchloride (PVC), the front portion of the spring shank (60) having a large bending angle has plural slits (62a) opened into the free end from a given position in the fork shape in order that the bending action achieves easy, and preferably beed shaped ribs are formed in both directions of the forward and rearward for enforcing the midie portion of the shank, and plural tunnels (62c) are formed in

order that the moM fluid flows actively during the midsole (20) producing.

[30] As shown in Figs.1 to 7, the heeltap of the outsole (30) is formed in the arch shape such that the inclination angle of the heeltap against the ground has 25-45 degrees. In case of less than 25 degree, the rolling action does not occur, and the posture becomes unstable during putting on the footwear or standing in case of more than 45 degree.

[31] The midsole (20) of the rolling footwear according to the invention is made of polyester or polyurethane with hardness 40-60. In case of less than 40, the midsole cannot play the role of a support due to the exceed softness, and cannot play the role of an elastic member in case of more than 60.

[32] As shown in Figs.l to 2, plural tunnels (22) are formed integrally with the midsole

(20), plural upper and under projections (24, 26) are formed between the tunnels (22) integrally with midsole. Therefore the midsole producing term and cost reduces because the above tunnels and projections are formed integrally with the midsole. As shown in Figs, since plural tunnels (22) are formed integrally with the midsole, and also the upper and under projections (24, 26) are formed integrally with the midsole, the soft bottom piece is prevented from breakage due to hydrolysis reaction and the repulsive force by cushion action can be generated much.

[33] According to the shank inserted into the midsole (20) of the invention, the bottom piece and footwear's original shape remain well, the bottom piece frequently bent and stretched during walking restores actively, and light walking is achieved because the toe portion is pushed forward by the added repulsive force through restoration force during leaving step as well as the walking stability is high because the bottom piece is elastic and remains continuously.

[34] According to the invention, an insole (10) is provided on the upper of the midsole

(20), is made of non- woven fabric with hardness 25-30, and light walking is achieved because the repulsive force is added by the restoration force during leaving step as well as high walking stability, resulting in high walking efficiency. In case of less than hardness 25, the insole is incapable of playing the role of a support due to the exceed softness, and incapable of playing the role of an elastic member due to the exceed hardness in case of more than 30.

[35] According to the invention, the outsole (30) is provided in the under of the midsole (20), is made of polyester or polyurethane with hardness 70-80, has a convex arch shape from the front portion to the rear portion, and the inclination angle of the heeltap is 25-45 degrees. In case of less than hardness 70, the outsole is incapable of playing the role of a support due to the exceed softness, and incapable of playing the role of an

elastic member in case of more than 80.