IP Library Granted Patent US 11,324,280
Granted Patent B2
US 11,324,280 · App. 16/656,540 · Granted May 10, 2022

Rotatable midsole ambulatory footwear apparatus

Inventor: Gordon G. Hay (Stowe, VT)
Assignee: bIVAb LLC
A43B13/12A43B13/122A43B13/125A43B13/181A43B13/141B29D35/148B29L2031/504
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,324,280
App. No.
16/656,540
Granted
May 10, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A footwear apparatus includes a primary outsole having a primary cavity, a secondary outsole connected to the primary outsole and having a secondary cavity, a midsole movably disposed over the primary outsole and secondary outsole including a primary protrusion extending at least partially within the primary cavity, and a tertiary outsole disposed about the primary protrusion. The footwear apparatus defines a z-axis through the secondary cavity and substantially normal to a ground surface, a y-axis extending substantially from the secondary cavity to the primary cavity, and an x-axis substantially normal to a plane created by the z-axis and the y-axis. The midsole is configured to rotate substantially about the x-axis, rotate substantially about the y-axis, to resist rotation substantially about the z-axis. The footwear apparatus is adaptive to a ground surface orientation on which the wearer walks and to rotational movements of the wearers body.

Claims (12)

1. A footwear apparatus, comprising:

a primary outsole with a top side, a bottom side, a front end, and a back end, the primary outsole comprising a primary cavity at the top side and proximate to the front end of the primary outsole;

a secondary outsole with a top end and a bottom end, the back end of the primary outsole connected to the secondary outsole between the top end and the bottom end of the secondary outsole, the secondary outsole comprising a secondary cavity at the top end of the secondary outsole;

a midsole with a top side, a bottom side, a front end, and a back end, the midsole movably disposed over the top side of the primary outsole and the top end of the secondary outsole, the midsole comprising a primary protrusion proximate to the front end of the midsole, the primary protrusion protruding away from the bottom side of the midsole and extending at least partially within the primary cavity when the midsole engages the primary outsole; and

a tertiary outsole disposed at the front end of the midsole and about the primary protrusion,

wherein the footwear apparatus defines a z-axis through the secondary cavity and substantially normal to a ground surface, a y-axis extending substantially from the secondary cavity to the primary cavity, and an x-axis substantially normal to a plane created by the z-axis and the y-axis,

wherein the midsole is configured to rotate substantially about the x-axis and the y-axis when the midsole engages the primary outsole and wherein the midsole is configured to resist rotation substantially about the z-axis,

wherein the midsole further comprises: a secondary protrusion proximate to the back end of the midsole, the secondary protrusion protruding away from the bottom side of the midsole and extending at least partially within the secondary cavity when the midsole engages the secondary outsole,

wherein the secondary outsole further comprises a plurality of outsole ribs disposed on the top end of the secondary outsole, the plurality of outsole ribs extending radially outward from the secondary cavity and increase in height as the plurality of outsole ribs extend radially outward from the secondary cavity,

wherein the midsole further comprises a plurality of midsole ribs disposed on the bottom side and the back end of the midsole, the plurality of midsole ribs extending radially outward from the secondary protrusion,

wherein central midsole ribs of the plurality of midsole ribs are disposed adjacent to and between two or more of the plurality of outsole ribs when the bottom side of the midsole engages the top end of the secondary outsole.

2. The footwear apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an interaction between the plurality of outsole ribs and the plurality of midsole ribs substantially prevents rotation of the midsole about the z-axis.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 3, 2025
From: HAY, GORDON G.
To: ALINEMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 072152/0205 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2023
From: BIVAB, LLC
To: ALINE SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 063791/0035 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2019
From: HAY, GORDON G.
To: BIVAB LLC
Reel/Frame 050763/0659 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62749807 · Oct 24, 2018
Related Publication 20200128909A1 · Apr 30, 2020