The present embodiments relate generally to articles of footwear and in particular to components for improving the adaptability of articles of footwear.
Articles of footwear generally include two primary elements: an upper and a sole. The upper is often formed from a plurality of material elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheet layers, foam layers, leather, and synthetic leather) that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to form a void on the interior of the footwear for comfortably and securely receiving a foot. More particularly, the upper forms a structure that extends over instep and toe areas of the foot, along medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of the foot. The upper may also incorporate a lacing system to adjust the fit of the footwear, as well as permitting entry and removal of the foot from the void within the upper. Likewise, some articles of apparel may include various kinds of closure systems for adjusting the fit of the apparel.
The sole may be constructed to provide stability and cushioning. The sole may include an outsole, a midsole and an insole. The midsole provides support and cushioning while the outsole provides improved traction with the ground. The insole may provide increased comfort for the foot.
The embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose articles of footwear. Concepts associated with the footwear disclosed herein may be applied to a variety of athletic footwear types, including running shoes, basketball shoes, soccer shoes, baseball shoes, football shoes, and golf shoes, for example. Accordingly, the concepts disclosed herein apply to a wide variety of footwear types.
To assist and clarify the subsequent description of various embodiments, various terms are defined herein. Unless otherwise indicated, the following definitions apply throughout this specification (including the claims). For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives are employed throughout this detailed description corresponding to the illustrated embodiments.
The term “longitudinal,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a direction extending a length of a component. For example, a longitudinal direction of an article of footwear extends between a forefoot region and a heel region of the article of footwear. The term “forward” is used to refer to the general direction in which the toes of a foot point, and the term “rearward” is used to refer to the opposite direction, i.e., the direction in which the heel of the foot is facing. In some cases, a component may be identified with a longitudinal axis as well as a forward and rearward longitudinal direction along that axis.
The term “lateral direction,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a side-to-side direction extending a width of a component. In other words, the lateral direction may extend between a medial side and a lateral side of an article of footwear, with the lateral side of the article of footwear being the surface that faces away from the other foot, and the medial side being the surface that faces toward the other foot. In some cases, a component may be identified with a lateral axis, which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis. Opposing directions along the lateral axis may be directed towards the lateral and medial sides of the component.
The term “side,” as used in this specification and in the claims, refers to any portion of a component facing generally in a lateral, medial, forward, or rearward direction, as opposed to an upward or downward direction.
The term “vertical,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a direction generally perpendicular to both the lateral and longitudinal directions. For example, in cases where a sole is planted flat on a ground surface, the vertical direction may extend from the ground surface upward. It will be understood that each of these directional adjectives may be applied to individual components of a sole. The term “upwards” refers to the vertical direction pointing towards a top of the article, which may include an instep, a fastening region and/or a throat of an upper. The term “downwards” refers to the vertical direction pointing opposite the upwards direction, and may generally point towards the sole, or towards the outermost components of the sole.
The “interior” of a shoe refers to space that is occupied by a wearer's foot when the shoe is worn. The “inner side” of a panel or other shoe element refers to the face of that panel or element that is (or will be) oriented toward the shoe's interior in a completed shoe. The “outer side” or “exterior” of an element refers to the face of that element that is (or will be) oriented away from the shoe's interior in the completed shoe. In some cases, the inner side of an element may have other elements between that inner side and the interior in the completed shoe. Similarly, an outer side of an element may have other elements between that outer side and the space external to the completed shoe. Further, the terms “inward” and “inwardly” shall refer to the direction toward the interior of the shoe, and the terms “outward” and “outwardly” shall refer to the direction toward the exterior of the shoe. In addition, the term “proximal” refers to a direction that is nearer a center of a footwear component, or is closer toward a foot when the foot is inserted in the article as it is worn by a user. Likewise, the term “distal” refers to a relative position that is further away from a center of the footwear component or upper. Thus, the terms proximal and distal may be understood to provide generally opposing terms to describe the relative spatial position of a footwear layer.
In addition, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “fixedly attached” shall refer to two components joined in a manner such that the components may not be readily separated (for example, without destroying one or both of the components). Exemplary modalities of fixed attachment may include joining with permanent adhesive, rivets, stitches, nails, staples, welding or other thermal bonding, or other joining techniques. In addition, two components may be “fixedly attached” by virtue of being integrally formed, for example, in a molding process.
The present disclosure describes articles of footwear. In certain embodiments, the article of footwear includes an upper including an attachment region and a bottom portion that is bounded by the attachment region. The article of footwear also includes a sole defining a concave inner surface while in an unloaded state. The concave inner surface includes a peripheral surface region and a central surface region. The attachment region of the upper is attached to the peripheral surface region of the sole. The bottom portion of the upper is held in tension apart from the central surface region of the sole when the article of footwear is in the unloaded state. The sole may have a convex outer surface opposite the concave inner surface. The bottom portion of the upper may be flat in the unloaded state. The width of the sole expands as the sole is transitioned from the unloaded state to a loaded state. The sole may further include an outer sole assembly defining a plurality of outer sole members spaced apart from each other by a plurality of gaps, a middle sole assembly defining a plurality of grooves, and an intermediate layer disposed between the outer sole assembly and the middle sole assembly. The middle sole assembly may define at least a portion of the concave inner surface. The intermediate layer may be more elastic than each of the outer sole members. The middle sole assembly may include a plurality of middle sole members. The intermediate layer may be more elastic than each of the middle sole members. One of the gaps may be vertically aligned with one of the grooves. The outer sole assembly may extend upward to opposing sides of a foot receiving volume. The bottom portion of the upper may be unattached to the central surface region of the sole. The sole may include at least one sole component having an auxetic configuration, and the auxetic configuration is configured such that when the sole component is tensioned in a first direction, the sole component expands in both the first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The sole may include an outer auxetic component and an inner auxetic component, and the sole may further include an intermediate layer disposed between the outer auxetic component and the inner auxetic component. The bottom portion of the upper may not be in contact with the central surface region of the sole while the sole is in the unloaded state. Upon transitioning from an unloaded state to a dynamically loaded state (i.e., an impact load or push-off), the sole flattens and expands. The concavity of the inner concave surface is along a lateral plane.
The present disclosure also describes a sole. In some embodiments, the sole includes a lateral side and a medial side. The sole also includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface has a peripheral surface region and a central region bounded by the peripheral surface region. The outer surface having a convex shape in an unloaded state. The inner surface having a concave shape in the unloaded state. In response to applying a load sufficient to deform the sole against the inner surface: (1) a curvature of the inner surface is reduced; and (2) a curvature of the outer surface is reduced. The peripheral surface region may include a first peripheral location on the lateral side and a second peripheral location located opposite the first peripheral location on the medial side. In response to applying the load sufficient to deform the sole against the inner surface: (1) the distance between the first peripheral location and the second peripheral location may increase; and the distance between the first peripheral location and the second peripheral location may decrease as the load is released and the sole returns to the unloaded state. The sole may further include an outer sole assembly defining a plurality of outer sole members spaced apart from each other by a plurality of gaps, a middle sole assembly defining a plurality of grooves, and an intermediate layer disposed between the outer sole assembly and the middle sole assembly. The middle sole assembly defines at least a portion of the inner surface. The intermediate layer may be more elastic than each of the outer sole members. The middle sole assembly may include a plurality of middle sole members. The intermediate layer may be more elastic than each of the middle sole members. One of the gaps may be vertically aligned with one of the grooves. The outer sole assembly may extend upward to opposing sides of a foot receiving volume. The sole may include at least one sole component having an auxetic configuration, and the auxetic configuration is configured such that when the sole component is tensioned in a first direction, the sole component expands in both the first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The sole may include an outer auxetic component and an inner auxetic component, and the sole further includes an intermediate layer disposed between the outer auxetic component and the inner auxetic component. The attachment region defines a sidewall of the upper. The upper includes an outer portion attached to the attachment region. The intermediate layer is disposed between the outer sole assembly and the middle sole assembly to serve as a barrier between the plurality of grooves of the middle sole assembly and the plurality of gaps of the outer sole assembly. The inner surface has an upstanding peripheral surface region. The plurality of gaps includes a forward central gap at the central region, and the forward central gap has a waveform shape.
The present disclosure also describes a method of manufacture an article of footwear. In some embodiments, the method includes attaching an upper to a sole system, which in turn includes: (a) placing a bottom portion of the upper in tension; and (b) bonding the upper to the sole system while the bottom portion of the upper remains tensed. Attaching the upper to the sole system may include attaching an attachment region of the upper to a peripheral surface region of the sole system. Placing the bottom portion in tension may include elastically stretching the bottom portion of the upper.
As noted above, for consistency and convenience, directional adjectives are employed throughout this detailed description. Article 100 may be divided into three general regions along a longitudinal direction: a forefoot region 105, a midfoot region 125, and a heel region 145. Forefoot region 105 generally includes portions of article 100 corresponding with the toes and the joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. Midfoot region 125 generally includes portions of article 100 corresponding with an arch area of the foot. Heel region 145 generally corresponds with rear portions of the foot, including the calcaneus bone. Forefoot region 105, midfoot region 125, and heel region 145 are not intended to demarcate precise areas of article 100. Rather, forefoot region 105, midfoot region 125, and heel region 145 are intended to represent general relative areas of article 100 to aid in the following discussion. Article 100 may also include a medial side 165 and a lateral side 185 of the foot. Since various features of article 100 extend beyond one region of article 100, the terms forefoot region 105, midfoot region 125, and heel region 145, medial side 165 and lateral side 185 apply not only to article 100, but also to the various components (e.g., the upper or sole) of article 100.
Article 100 may include upper 102 and sole structure 104, which may also be referred to simply as sole 104. Generally, upper 102 may be any type of upper. In particular, upper 102 may have any design, shape, size, and/or color. For example, in embodiments where article 100 is a basketball shoe, upper 102 could be a high-top upper that is shaped to provide high support on an ankle. In embodiments where article 100 is a running shoe, upper 102 could be a low-top upper.
In different embodiments, the properties of upper 102 could vary. In some embodiments, upper 102 may be configured as a bootie-like, or sock-like, upper that provides full coverage of a foot, including coverage on the sole or bottom of the foot. In other embodiments, however, upper 102 could be open on a bottom portion. In the exemplary embodiment, upper 102 has a closed or bootie-like configuration, and includes a closed bottom portion 103, which is best seen in
An upper can include provisions to reduce any tendency of the foot to be pulled away from the upper during use. In some embodiments, an upper may be ‘tension fit’. As used herein, the term tension fit refers to a fit that ensures the upper is pulled against the foot at all times including on a lower side where the sole of the foot contacts a bottom portion of the upper. In some cases, a tension fit upper may be configured so that when no foot is present within an interior cavity of the upper, the interior cavity has a volume that is smaller than the volume after a foot has been inserted. In other words, the upper may be configured to stretch or expand as a foot is inserted. As discussed in further detail below, such a configuration may provide an upper that ‘stays with’ the foot, and especially the sole of the foot, at all times during any activities (e.g., running, jumping, walking, etc.). A tension fit may or may not require stretching in the upper. In some cases, the upper can be configured to stretch significantly when a foot is inserted. In other cases, however, the upper may simply fit the foot very snugly without significant expansion.
In different embodiments, a tension fit for an upper could be achieved in various ways. In some embodiments, an upper may be manufactured from various stretchy or elastic materials, such as nylon, so that the upper can be stretched to accommodate a foot larger than the neutral interior cavity size. In other embodiments, however, the upper could be formed with a structure that provides the desired tension. For example, in one embodiment, an upper may be a knit upper that is constructed (knitted) to have a desired degree of tension, or to be pre-tensioned.
At least a portion of sole system 104 may be fixedly attached to portions of upper 102 (for example, with adhesive, stitching, welding, or other suitable techniques) and may have a configuration that extends between upper 102 and the ground. Sole system 104 may include provisions for attenuating ground reaction forces (that is, cushioning and stabilizing the foot during vertical and horizontal loading). In addition, sole system 104 may be configured to provide traction, impart stability, and control or limit various foot motions, such as pronation, supination, or other motions. For example, the disclosed concepts may be applicable to footwear configured for use on any of a variety of surfaces, including indoor surfaces or outdoor surfaces. In some embodiments, sole system 104 may be configured to provide traction and stability on hard indoor surfaces (such as hardwood), soft, natural turf surfaces, or on hard, artificial turf surfaces.
As will be discussed further below, in different embodiments, a sole system may include different components, which may, individually or collectively, provide an article with a number of attributes, such as support, rigidity, flexibility, stability, cushioning, comfort, reduced weight, or other attributes. For example, a sole system may include an outsole, a midsole, a cushioning layer, and/or an insole. It may be appreciated however that sole system 104 is not limited to incorporating traditional sole components and may incorporate various different kinds of elements arranged at the outermost, inner most and intermediate ‘layers’, or locations, of the sole. Thus, a sole system can include an outer sole member or element, which may or may not coincide with a conventional ‘outsole’. Likewise, a sole system may include an inner sole member or element, which may or may not coincide with a conventional ‘insole’. Further, a sole system can include any number of intermediate and/or middle sole members or elements, which may or may not coincide with a conventional ‘midsole’.
Outer sole assembly 202 may generally comprise the outermost component of sole system 104. As shown in
Outer sole assembly 202 may be shaped to receive and fit both intermediate layer 206 and middle sole assembly 204. For purposes of clarity, the interior of outer sole assembly 202 is shown as substantially smooth; however, in some embodiments, outer sole assembly 202 may include recessed regions for receiving intermediate layer 206 and middle sole assembly 204, as seen, for example, in
Sole system 104 is seen to be comprised of two sole assemblies. Each assembly is further comprised of multiple sole members. In some cases, two or more sole members of the same sole assembly may be completely disconnected (e.g., via gaps as discussed below), but when arranged within sole system 104 they may still comprise a common layer or feature of sole system 104. Alternatively, some sole members could be spaced apart by grooves that don't extend through the entire thickness of the assembly, or by gaps that don't fully separate members in the horizontal plane.
Each member of a sole assembly may have a unique size and geometry that is determined by a pattern of gaps or grooves formed in each sole assembly. Because the embodiments may include materials that are fully or partially separated from one another, reference is made to ‘gaps’, which act to space apart members, elements or pieces of material through their entire thickness, and ‘grooves’, which extend into the surface of a component, but may not extend through the entire thickness of the component. In some cases, a gap could also be a cut which extends through the entire thickness of a component. Thus, for example, the gaps referred to below with respect to outer sole assembly 202 could also be referred to as cuts. Similarly, the grooves discussed in the context of middle sole assembly 204, for example, could also be referred to as cuts or sipes that do not extend through the full thickness of a component (or assembly).
In the embodiment of
As best seen in
Although the embodiment of
Alternatively, in other embodiments, only some sole members from an outer sole assembly may be in correspondence with sole members from a middle sole assembly. In other words, in other embodiments, not every sole member of one assembly may be in correspondence with a unique sole member of another assembly.
In different embodiments, the particular pattern or arrangement of gaps and grooves in a sole assembly could vary. Generally, a pattern may be selected to achieve a desired type of flexibility, comfort, fit, dynamic response or other desirable characteristic for an article of footwear. The embodiments shown in
An exemplary pattern of grooves in middle sole assembly 204 is depicted most clearly in
Each central groove (e.g., forward central groove 380 and rearward central groove 382) generally extends through a central, or middle, region of middle sole assembly 204 while also winding in lateral directions to form a tooth-like or finger-like set of opposing projections on the lateral and medial sides. Moreover, at various intervals along the length of middle sole assembly 204, set of grooves 280 includes several grooves that extend inwards from peripheral edge 360 of middle sole assembly 204. Some of these grooves extend from peripheral edge 360 and join forward central groove 380, such as groove 383. Others, however, may not extend to central groove 380, such as groove 384. Similarly, grooves may extend from peripheral edge 360 and may or may not join with rearward central groove 382.
Referring to
Each central gap (e.g., forward central gap 370 and rearward central gap 372) generally extends through a central, or middle, region of outer sole assembly 202 while also winding in lateral directions to form a tooth-like or finger-like set of opposing projections on the lateral and medial sides. Moreover, at various intervals along the length of outer sole assembly 202, set of gaps 270 includes several gaps that extend inwards from peripheral edge 365 of outer sole assembly 202. Some of these gaps extend from peripheral edge 365 to forward central gap 370, such as second gap segment 274. Other gaps (or gap segments), however, may not extend to a central gap, such as gap 386.
Generally, the pattern of gaps and/or grooves can be selected in any manner. In one embodiment, the pattern can be selected according to measurements of the center of pressure from during a motion from heel to toe off of the foot. Based on this center of pressure information, the pattern is determined so as to optimize the ability of the sole system to stay with the foot during use.
Referring back to
In the embodiment shown in
Referring to
In some embodiments, one or more of outer sole members 440 can include provisions to improve traction. In some embodiments, a forwardly disposed outer sole member 440 can also include a first tread pad 446 and a second tread pad 448. The use of first tread pad 446 and second tread pad 448 may enhance grip during motions where the foot leads off from the toes. And the positioning of a peripheral gap 449 partially between first tread pad 446 and second tread pad 448, along with positioning second tread pad 448 adjacent a segment of a forward central gap 451 may increase flexibility and allow the medial forward edge 403 of sole system 400 to better adapt to bending of a big toe.
In some embodiments, the geometry of the peripheral portions of each outer sole member can vary to achieve desired support on the sides, as well as front and back, of a foot. In the exemplary embodiment, as best seen in
As best seen in
The use of gaps and grooves within the outsole assemblies may help facilitate improved adaptation of a sole system to a foot. Specifically, the individual sole members (in both the outer sole assembly and the middle sole assembly) can be individually articulated because of their separation by flex gaps or grooves. These provisions further facilitate an adaptive fit during use, as the separate sole members can adaptively flex to new configurations of the foot as it is bent, flexed or otherwise moved during use.
Embodiments can include further provisions for adapting to a foot, especially for adapting to the change in the dimensions and shape of the foot during impact with the ground. Some embodiments can include provisions that help increase the dimensions of a sole system, including the length and/or width, in a dynamic manner to accommodate dynamic changes in the foot.
As clearly shown in
In different embodiments, different components of a sole system may be fixedly attached or decoupled. In some embodiments, intermediate layer 406 may be fixedly attached (e.g., bonded) to both middle sole assembly 404 and outer sole assembly 402. In other embodiments, however, intermediate layer 406 may only be bonded to outer sole assembly 402, and intermediate layer 406 could ‘float’ or otherwise remain unattached to either intermediate layer 406 or outer sole assembly 402. In some cases, intermediate layer 406 could be strongly bonded with outer sole assembly 402 while being lightly bonded (lightly tacked) to middle sole assembly 404.
As previously discussed, in some embodiments outer sole members of an outer sole assembly can include recessed portions that receive an intermediate layer and/or middle sole members. Referring to
In different embodiments, the material properties of one or more components of a sole system could vary. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to have outer sole members comprising materials that are durable. Also, it may be desirable to have the middle sole members comprising materials that facilitate cushioning, and are therefore sufficiently compressible. To this end, some embodiments may use various kinds of foams for the middle and outer sole members. Exemplary foams that could be used for middle and/or outer sole members include, but are not limited to, ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA foam), Phylon (or other compression molded foams), polyurethane, rubber, as well as various combinations of these foams. In one embodiment, middle sole members could be made of a material including soft dampened polyurethane. In one embodiment, outer sole members could be made of a material including injected unit (IU) foam.
In some embodiments, intermediate layer 206 may be configured as an elastic layer. In particular, intermediate layer 206 may be more elastic than the sole members of either middle sole assembly 204 or outer sole assembly 202. Exemplary materials for intermediate layer 206 can include, but are not limited to, various elastic films, plastics, textile layers or other materials. In one embodiment, intermediate layer 206 comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) membrane. In some cases, intermediate layer 206 could be molded. In other cases, intermediate layer 206 could be flat sheet die-cut. Using an elastic layer between outer sole assembly 202 and middle sole assembly 204 may facilitate stretching and flexibility along the gaps and grooves between adjacent sole members. Using an elastic, or stretchy, material for intermediate layer 206 allows intermediate layer 206 to provide stretch and recovery in a similar manner to a tendon in the body. Thus, intermediate layer 206 is more elastic than the middle sole assembly 204 and the outer sole assembly 202 to facilitate stretching and flexibility along the gaps and grooves between adjacent sole members, while allows intermediate layer 206 to provide stretch and recovery in a similar manner to a tendon in the body.
Referring now to
As seen by comparing
Although the embodiment shown in
In some embodiments, a webbed portion may stretch significantly more than adjacent portions of a sole assembly because the webbed portion may be significantly thinner than adjacent portions. In one embodiment, for example, a webbed portion could have a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, webbed portions could be formed from distinct materials than adjacent portions, including materials with higher degrees of elasticity.
It may be appreciated that in some embodiments a sole system may not stretch much in a widthwise direction due to expansion at the gaps/grooves. For example, depending upon the degree of elasticity selected for the intermediate layer, in some cases, the present structure may function more to facilitate flexing and bending at the gaps/grooves, rather than pure stretching at these locations.
As previously discussed, sole system 400 includes a concave inner surface 930. Concave inner surface 930 may be comprised of portions of inner surface 412 of outer sole assembly 402 as well as portions of inner surface 422 of middle sole assembly 404. Concave inner surface 930 may further be characterized by a central surface region 932 and a peripheral surface region 934. In the exemplary embodiment, central surface region 932 may approximately correspond with inner surface 422 of middle sole assembly 404 and peripheral surface region 934 may approximately correspond with inner surface 412 of outer sole assembly 402. However, in other embodiments, the central and peripheral surface regions need not correspond with the surfaces of an outer and middle sole assembly.
Attachment region 910 may be attached directly to peripheral surface region 934 of sole system 400. Embodiments may utilize any methods known in the art for attaching an upper and a sole structure. Exemplary methods include using adhesives, fasteners, stitching, welding or any other methods. In one embodiment, an adhesive is used to fixedly attach attachment region 910 of upper 902 with peripheral surface region 934 of sole system 400.
As best seen in
In some embodiments, the geometry of bottom portion 920 in an unloaded state (with no foot in the upper) may be generally flat, as in the embodiment shown in
Prior to insertion of a foot 1040, as shown in
In different embodiments, the material properties of upper 1002 and especially of bottom portion 1030 could vary. In some embodiments, bottom portion 1030 could have elastic properties and may be capable of stretching under loads. Moreover, the degree of elasticity could vary from one embodiment to another. Suitable materials for at least the bottom portion of an upper may be any materials that are generally elastic and capable of stretching or deforming when a sufficient load (e.g., a tensile load) is applied, including, but not limited to a load applied when a user inserts their foot into the void in the interior of the footwear, and/or when the user wearing the footwear places their foot on a ground surface and shifts some of their body weight onto the foot.
While the present embodiments of
As foot 1120 is lifted off away from ground surface in
As shown in
The dynamics of sole system 400 as shown in
It may be appreciated that in other embodiments, an article may include a sole with a bowed shape (with a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface) and may not include a layer of material (upper, etc.) that is stretched across the inner concave surface. In other such embodiments, the concave inner surface of the sole may be sufficient to conform to the bottom of the foot during use and provide response upon stretching or flattening of the sole. In some cases, configuring the upper with sufficient tension from the top of the foot to the attached region at the sole periphery would help keep the sole curved around the bottom of the foot prior to loading.
As shown in
It may be appreciated that any of the provisions described above for sole system 104 and sole system 400, shown in
As shown in
In operation, sole system 1404 may function similarly to sole systems of the previous embodiments, with sole system 1404 tending to flatten out during loading as the auxetic layers provide sufficient flexibility for such deformation.
Embodiments can use any of the features, structures, components, systems and/or methods related to auxetic soles as disclosed in Cross, U.S. Patent Publication Number 2015/0075033, published Mar. 19, 2015 (previously U.S. application Ser. No. 14/030,002, filed Sep. 18, 2013).
Embodiments may include provisions for manufacturing a sole system. In some embodiments, a sole system can be manufactured to achieve a contoured sole with an inner concave surface and an outer convex surface. In a first step of manufacturing a middle sole assembly could be molded and then bonded with an intermediate layer. In one or more embodiments, the intermediate layer may be a polymeric membrane, a thermoplastic polymeric membrane, or an elastomeric thermoplastic polymeric membrane. Further, in one or more embodiments, the intermediate layer may include a polyurethane polymer material and/or a polyamide material. For example, according to one or more embodiments, the intermediate layer may be a TPU membrane. Generally, the intermediate layer can be selected with a geometry and material composition that facilitates increased elasticity in the intermediate layer relative to adjacent sole members (in the outer sole assembly or middle sole assembly). In some embodiments, the intermediate layer could be significantly thinner than the adjacent sole members to facilitate this increased elasticity. Moreover, the intermediate layer may have a thickness that is much thinner than either its width or length.
Next, the unit comprised of the middle sole assembly and the TPU membrane may be inserted into, and bonded with, components of an outer sole assembly that have also been molded in a previous step to form a sole system. In some other embodiments, the outer sole assembly and the middle sole assembly could be co-molded.
An upper with a tension fit, or a stretch fit, may be fit over a first last (a ‘fitting’ last) with a first size. Once the upper is properly fitted, the upper is removed and placed onto a second last (an ‘assembly’ last) that has a second size that is larger than the first size of the first last (e.g., the first size is a size 6 and the second size is a size 8). The second last may also be provided with a convex bottom corresponding to the concave inner surface of the sole system. The periphery of the outer sole assembly may then be wrapped up around the lower sides of the upper and bonded to the upper (e.g., cemented) to form the article. Upon removing the second last (the assembly last) from the upper of the article the sole system may be de-lasted or decoupled from the bottom of the upper, which is stretched in tension over the concave inner sole surface.
Referring to
Although the exemplary embodiment discussed with respect to
Next, in step 1504 the knitted structure could be placed onto a first, or ‘intermediate’, last. An exemplary intermediate last 1610 is shown in
In step 1506, the knitted structure can be formed into an upper on the intermediate last. The upper may be associated with an initial interior volume, which is determined by the volume or geometry of the intermediate last. In some embodiments, the upper could be formed by shaping a knitted structure on the intermediate last without cutting, sewing or other bonding methods. In some cases, the knitted structure could be ‘shaped’ over the last by stretching, or using heat and/or pressure to set the knitted structure into a particular shape. In other embodiments, various portions of the knitted structure could be cut and reattached, or different segments could be pulled and attached together without cutting, to form a structure with the desired volume and shape of the intermediate last.
In step 1508 the formed upper with the initial interior volume can be removed from the intermediate last. Next, in step 1510, the upper can be placed onto an assembly last for attaching the tooling (i.e., the sole system) to the upper to form an article of footwear.
In some embodiments, the assembly last could have a convex lower surface. For example, assembly last 1620 of
In step 1512 the sole system is placed into position relative to, and into contact with, the bottom of the upper (with the upper still on the assembly last). In step 1514 the inner periphery, or inner peripheral surface region, of the sole system is bonded to the lower region of the upper (forming an attachment region of the upper). The bottom portion of the upper is not bonded with the central portion of the inner sole surface, which leaves the bottom portion of the upper free to be held in tension across the inner sole surface. Once the upper and sole system (now an assembled article of footwear) have been removed from the assembly last, the elastic stretching in the bottom portion of the upper may decrease, and the bottom portion of the upper may help induce the curvature along a transverse axis of the sole structure.
While various embodiments have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the embodiments. Any feature of any embodiment may be used in combination with or substituted for any other feature or element in any other embodiment unless specifically restricted. Accordingly, the embodiments are not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the attached claims.
This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/316,926, filed on Apr. 1, 2016.
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1446058 | Oct 2003 | CN |
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1894484 | Mar 2008 | EP |
171549 | Oct 1991 | TW |
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0054616 | Sep 2000 | WO |
0057740 | Oct 2000 | WO |
0187106 | Nov 2001 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20170280823 A1 | Oct 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62316926 | Apr 2016 | US |