ENERGY STORAGE AND RETURN SPRING

摘要

A spring shoe, and also in particular a spring, as well as a method of returning energy to a user, are provided. In one embodiment, a method and apparatus stores foot strike energy and releases it after a slight delay, when it will exert a force on the user which includes a forward component. This is accomplished in an embodiment by a spring in the sole which has a decreasing spring force, such that the force required to compress the sole decreases for all or part of the compression displacement as the spring is compressed.

主权项

1. A spring shoe, comprising:
a sole having a heel and a forefoot; an upper secured to the sole; a spring set at least partly in the sole, the spring having a spring range of travel under compression of the sole and spring by a foot supported by the spring shoe; the spring having a spring rate that varies with the compression of the spring to provide a reducing force resisting compression over at least a portion of the spring range of travel as the spring compresses; and a biased damper in the sole, the biased damper being oriented to oppose compression of the sole as the spring compresses towards maximum compression.