The present invention relates to a sole for cycling footwear.

The invention can be applied in an industrial context, in the footwear sector.

Nowadays, the drive for technical articles that can facilitate the best competitive performances has led to the development of increasingly high- performing products.

This, for example, is the case with cycling, where the search is geared toward products made with increasingly lighter and stronger materials.

Racing bicycles are today made of composite materials, such as for example carbon fiber.

To improve the performance of the cyclist, especially at professional level, bodysuits have been developed to ensure the best comfort and the best control of temperature. At the same time these bodysuits are designed to facilitate the movements necessary for competitive sport use.

In tandem, the industry of technical articles for cycling has improved shoes that enable effective competitive sport use.

The cycling shoe usually comprises an upper made of soft material and a rigid sole provided with elements adapted to engage with bicycle pedals and to rapidly disengage.

In this manner the cyclist transmits the force of the leg from the foot to the pedal, producing a thrust with a greater yield and without the risk of the foot slipping off the pedal.

When we consider the anatomy of the foot, shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is possible to see the shape structure of the bones. The digits are indicated with the letter A, the calcaneus with the letter D, the metatarsal bones with the letter B and the bones of the tarsus with C. The tarsus C and metatarsal bones B define the plantar arch, indicated with F in Figure 2.

When the foot is pushed on the pedal, the plantar arch tends to flatten, i.e. the bones of the tarsus C and of the metatarsus B are squashed toward the sole. Owing to this phenomenon, a part of the force generated by the leg is dissipated, with a reduction of the thrust produced on the pedal.

To improve the thrust generated and to reduce the loss of power of the pedaling, shoes have been developed which have a sole with a support for the plantar arch. This support follows the shape of the plantar arch in the rest configuration, and in this manner obstructs its tendency to flatten during pedaling.

In Figure 1, which shows the bones of the foot, it is possible to see that the first cuneiform of the metatarsal bone B, indicated with the letter E, protrudes from the outline of the foot and follows a different direction from the other cuneiforms of the metatarsal bone B.

The portion H of attachment between the first cuneiform E of the metatarsal bone B and the first phalanx G, of the big toe, is the most outward-protruding part of the entire outline of the foot.

During pedaling, the first cuneiform E tends to be flattened toward the sole and at the same time to rotate laterally toward the outside of the foot and, as a consequence, the first phalanx G and the attachment section H between the two tend to move outward as well. This phenomenon also results in a loss of pedaling power, owing to this partial torsion of the foot, because part of the force is discharged to the side and not on the pedal.

To oppose this phenomenon and contain the torsion, a sole has been devised which comprises an anti-torsion support of the plantar arch.

This support consists of a portion of the sole, corresponding to the region of the first cuneiform E of the metatarsal bone B, which presents a raised edge, on which the plantar arch rests, in the cross-section of the first cuneiform E. During pedaling, the plantar arch discharges the force of the foot onto this support, which transmits the force to the pedal and contrasts the flattening of the plantar arch during the thrust.

Initially, such anti-torsion plantar arch supports were made of rigid material, the same material as the sole, and in a single piece therewith. Because of the anatomy of the bones of the foot, however, squashing the first cuneiform E on the support, especially in the portion H, during pedaling in the long run causes pain in the foot of the cyclist.

Subsequently, to overcome this problem, inserts were developed which were made of flexible material and glued in the region of side contact between the portion H and the sole.

This known art also exhibits drawbacks, however.

The flexibility of the support means it is impossible to apply force laterally on the pedal. When the foot is flexed during pedaling, the plantar arch moves downward, flattening out, and presses on the flexible support, which cannot stop the flattening and, as a consequence, cannot transmit the force of the foot to the pedal.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a sole for a cycling shoe that is capable of improving the known art in the aspects indicated above.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a sole for a cycling shoe that makes it possible to transmit the force from the foot to the pedal in the region of the first cuneiform of the metatarsus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sole for a cycling shoe that is capable of opposing the torsion of the foot during pedaling and the flattening of the plantar arch during the thrust phase of the foot on the pedal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sole for a cycling shoe that does not cause pain to the user.

Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the known art in an alternative manner to any existing solutions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sole for a cycling shoe that is highly reliable, easy to implement and low cost.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a sole for a cycling shoe, constituted by a forefoot, a plantar arch and a heel, which comprises a plantar arch support, characterized in that said plantar arch support is provided with a slight concavity adapted to limit the resting area for supporting the foot mainly to the external perimeter of said support.

Further characteristics and advantages of the sole for a cycling shoe according to the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the sole according to the invention, which is illustrated for the purposes of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

- Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the anatomy of the foot;

- Figure 3 is a view of a sole for a cycling shoe according to the invention;

- Figure 4 is a side view of the sole in Figure 3;

- Figure 5 shows two schematic views of the sole according to the invention;

- Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the sole taken along the line VI- VI of Figure 5;

- Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the sole taken along the line

VII- VII of Figure 5;

- Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the sole taken along the line

VIII- VIII of Figure 5.

Figures 3 and 4 show a sole for a cycling shoe according to the invention, generally designated with the reference numeral 10.

The sole is constituted by three zones, which are provided in a single piece: a forefoot 15, a plantar arch 17, and a heel 16.

The sole 10 has a shape that follows the anatomy of the sole of the foot and is complementary to it in the contact surface.

The sole 10 has ventilation openings 14, arranged for example in the portions joining the heel region 16 and the plantar arch 17, in the region joining the plantar arch 17 and the forefoot 15, and in the toe region 20. In the forefoot region 15 there is a seat 21 for the positioning of an element, not shown in the figures, for supporting the system for engaging the shoe on the pedal, also not shown in the figures.

Inside the seat 21 there is a plurality of openings 13 which are adapted for the insertion of elements for connection between the element for supporting the engagement system and the sole 10. Also inside the seat there is a plurality of openings and/or holes 22 which are adapted for the insertion of elements for connection between the system for engaging the shoe on the pedal and the element for supporting the engagement system.

A peculiarity of the invention consists in the anatomical and anti- torsional support 11 of the plantar arch.

This support 11 of the plantar arch is defined by the raised edge of the sole 10 in the region of the first cuneiform of the metatarsus, and is adapted to adhere to the plantar arch of the foot.

The support 11 of the plantar arch is provided with a concavity 12 in the surface for contact with the foot, which is such as to limit the resting area for supporting the foot mainly to the external perimeter 23 of the support 11 and not over all of the support, as was the case previously. In this manner, when the foot transfers the force to the pedal, it pushes laterally, mainly, on the rim 23 and not in the concave region.

Figure 5 schematically shows two orthographic projection views of a sole according to the invention, a side view A and a plan view B, and some characteristic dimensions of such sole are defined.

In particular, taking the heel as a reference, the width of the sole is indicated: with the letter M, in the region where the plantar arch begins, in Figure 6, with the letter N, in the region of maximum height of the plantar arch, in Figure 7 and with the letter O, in the region where the plantar arch finishes, in Figure 8. The total width of the sole is indicated with Y.

Again with reference to the heel, the lengths of the sole are defined in relation to the plantar arch references given above for the widths. The letter S identifies the length of the sole from the heel to the start of the plantar arch, the letter T indicates the length of the sole from the heel to the region of maximum height of the plantar arch, and the letter U indicates the length of the sole from the heel to the end of the plantar arch. The total length of the sole is indicated with the letter X.

To define the heights, consider the contact surface with the pedal as a reference, in relation to the plantar arch references given above for the widths.

The height of the sole at the start of the plantar arch is indicated with the letter R, and the height of the sole at the region of maximum height of the plantar arch is indicated with the letter Q. The letter Ql indicates the height of the edge 23 in the region of maximum height of the plantar arch, with respect to the lower surface of the assembled upper with which the sole is rendered integral in order to obtain the shoe. The letter P indicates the height of the sole at the end of the plantar arch.

With reference to the characteristic dimensions just described, and considering European shoe sizes, the sole according to the invention has, for example, for a range of sizes comprised between a size thirty-six and a size forty-two, the following dimensions in millimeters:

- length S: from 26.398 to 31 ;

- length T: from 91.966 to 108;

- length U: from 157.534 to 185;

- total length X: from 227.360 to 267;

- height R: from 7.395 to 8.85;

- height Q: from 18.992 to 22.730;

- height Ql : from 11.255 to 13.470;

- height P: from 9.208 to 11.02;

- total height Z: from 23.705 to 28.370;

- width M: from 50.031 to 56.120;

- width N: from 62.342 to 69.930; - width O: from 80.288 to 90.06;

- total width Y: from 82.749 to 92.820.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 show sections of the sole according to the invention at a plane passing respectively through: the start region of the plantar arch, indicated with M, the region of maximum height of the plantar arch, indicated with N, and the end region of the plantar arch, indicated with O.

With reference to these figures it can be seen that the outer edge 23 of the element for supporting the plantar arch rises and increases its slope as one approaches its region of maximum height.

The sole 10 is provided in a single piece with a rigid material, such as a carbon-based composite. For example the sole according to the invention is made of composite material based on sheets of carbon fiber and resin. However, the sole according to the invention can advantageously be made using another technique, for example by way of injection molding, and of another material, such as, for example, plastic material.

After manufacture, processing is resumed in order to improve the surface finish.

In practice it has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.

In particular, with the invention a sole has been provided that enables the user to discharge the pedaling force originating from the plantar arch to the pedal without causing pain.

Furthermore, with the invention a sole has been provided that comprises a support for the plantar arch that is capable of opposing its tendency to flatten during pedaling, thus reducing the losses of thrust caused by such phenomenon.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In practice the contingent dimensions and shapes may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102017000100645 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.