Patent Grant
10238169
The present disclosure relates to an article of footwear that has a rod with a sling that supports and lifts a foot above the sole.
Footwear typically includes a sole configured to be located under a wearer's foot to space the foot away from the ground or floor surface. Soles can be designed to provide a desired level of cushioning. Athletic footwear in particular sometimes utilizes polyurethane foam, rubber, or other resilient materials in the sole to provide cushioning and support for the foot below the foot.
An article of footwear includes a sole having a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion. The sole has a ground-facing side and a foot-facing side opposite the ground-facing side. The article of footwear includes a support system that supports the foot from above the sole. The support system has a rod spaced from the sole that extends longitudinally from the forefoot portion to the heel portion on the foot-facing side. The rod is operatively connected to the sole at the forefoot portion and at the heel portion. A sling is suspended from the rod over the midfoot portion. The rod bends when the sole is flexed to thereby lift the sling away from the sole.
The rod is in a first configuration when the sole is in an unflexed state, and elastically deforms to a second configuration bent relative to the first configuration when the sole is in a flexed state. In the flexed state, the heel portion is closer to the forefoot portion on the foot-facing side than in the unflexed state. The rod is biased to return to the first configuration, thereby releasing stored spring energy when the sole moves from the flexed state to the unflexed state.
For example, the sole moves from the flexed state to the unflexed state when the sole makes contact with a ground plane (e.g., a heel strike position) at the heel portion and then increases contact with the ground plane toward the forefoot portion (e.g., a stance position). Unbending of the rod thereby urges the sling and the foot supported therein in a forward direction. The sole may then move from the unflexed state to the flexed state when the heel portion is lifted away from the ground plane toward the forefoot portion and the forefoot portion remains in contact with the ground plane, such as in a toe-off position. Subsequently, the sole may move from the flexed state to the unflexed state when the heel portion is lifted further from the ground plane and the forefoot portion decreases contact with the ground plane, such as by lifting the article of footwear out of contact with the ground plane. Unbending of the rod when moving from the toe-off position to a position completely out of contact with the ground plane urges the sling in a forward direction.
In one embodiment, the article of footwear includes a heel support that extends away from the sole at the heel portion, such as upward from the sole to act as a heel counter. The rod is a first rod that has a first end fixed relative to the heel portion on a medial side of the heel portion, and that extends forward to a second end. The second end pivots relative to the sole when the sole is flexed. The support system further includes a second rod that has a respective first end fixed relative to a lateral side of the heel portion. The first and second rods are in respective first configurations when the sole is in an unflexed state, and elastically deform to respective second configurations bent relative to the first configurations when the sole is in a flexed state.
In this same embodiment, the first and the second rods extend to respective second ends operatively connected to move about a pivot axis that extends laterally at the ground-facing side of the forefoot portion. The sling is further suspended from the second rod at the midfoot portion such that the sling is suspended from the first and second rods on the foot-facing side. The second ends move relative to the pivot axis when the sole moves from the unflexed state to the flexed state.
The support system may include a band that extends from the medial side to the lateral side of the forefoot portion, and that is pivotably connected to the sole at the forefoot portion to pivot at the pivot axis. The second ends of the first and second rods are connected to the band on the foot-facing side of the sole, so that the first and the second rods push the band to pivot about the pivot axis when the sole is moved from the unflexed state to the flexed state. Optionally, the second ends of the first and the second rods can be connected to the band adjacent one another, and can be generally centered over the forefoot region.
The article of footwear may include a plate that extends from the band toward a foremost extent of the sole on the ground-facing side of the sole. The plate pivots with the band about the pivot axis and is thereby urged against a ground plane under the sole when the band pivots forward about the pivot axis.
In one embodiment, the support system has only one rod, the first end of which is fixed on a medial side of the heel support. The support system may further include a pivotable anchor fixed to the medial side of the forefoot portion. The second end of the rod is secured to the pivotable anchor to pivot toward a foremost extent of the sole with the pivotable anchor when the sole is flexed. The article of footwear may further include a shoe upper secured to the heel support and secured to the sole at the forefoot portion. The support system includes a fastening component secured to the lateral side of the shoe upper. The sling is securable to the fastening component such that the sling extends from the rod to the fastening component between the sole and the shoe upper. The fastening component and the sling are configured such that securement of the sling to the fastening component is adjustable, enabling the support provided by the sling at the arch area of a foot to be adjusted. For example, the fastening component may be a first component of a hook-and-loop fastener and a second component of the hook-and-loop fastener can be secured on the sling. The fastening component is secured to the second component when the sling is secured to the fastener. The fastening component is one of hooks and loops, and the second component is the other of hooks and loops. Other suitable fasteners can be used in lieu of a hook-and-loop fastener, such as snaps.
“A,” “an,” “the,” “at least one,” and “one or more” are used interchangeably to indicate that at least one of the item is present; a plurality of such items may be present unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. All numerical values of parameters (e.g., of quantities or conditions) in this specification, including the appended claims, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about” whether or not “about” actually appears before the numerical value. “About” indicates that the stated numerical value allows some slight imprecision (with some approach to exactness in the value; approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If the imprecision provided by “about” is not otherwise understood in the art with this ordinary meaning, then “about” as used herein indicates at least variations that may arise from ordinary methods of measuring and using such parameters. In addition, a disclosure of a range is to be understood as specifically disclosing all values and further divided ranges within the range.
The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, or components. Orders of steps, processes, and operations may be altered when possible, and additional or alternative steps may be employed. As used in this specification, the term “or” includes any one and all combinations of the associated listed items. The term “any of” is understood to include any possible combination of referenced items, including “any one of” the referenced items. The term “any of” is understood to include any possible combination of referenced claims of the appended claims, including “any one of” the referenced claims.
Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., are used descriptively relative to the figures, and do not represent limitations on the scope of the invention, as defined by the claims.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present disclosure are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the concepts of the disclosure when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components throughout the several views,
More specifically, the article of footwear 10 includes a sole 14 that has a forefoot portion 16, a midfoot portion 18, and a heel portion 20. Although the sole 14 is shown as a unitary component, in alternative embodiments, the sole 14 could be multiple interconnected components, and may include midsole layers and outsole elements. The midfoot portion 18 is between the heel portion 20 and the forefoot portion 16. For purposes of discussion, the heel portion 20, the midfoot portion 18, and the forefoot portion 16 are respectively defined as the rearmost third, the middle third, and the foremost third of the sole 14. Accordingly, the forefoot portion 16 extends from a foremost extent A of the sole 14 to lateral marker B, which is spaced one-third of the way from the foremost extent A to the rearmost extent D of the sole 14 along a longitudinal axis L. The foremost extent A is the forward-most portion of the article of footwear 10 when the article of footwear 10 is in an upright position, as shown in
The heel portion 20 generally includes a region of the sole 14 corresponding with rear portions of a human foot 22, shown in phantom in
The sole 14 has a ground-facing side 24, indicated in
The sole 14 has a lateral side 28 and a medial side 29. As used herein, a lateral side of a component for an article of footwear, such as a lateral side 28, is a side that corresponds with the side of the foot of the wearer of the article of footwear 10 that is generally further from the other foot of the wearer (i.e., the side closer to the fifth toe of the wearer). The fifth toe is commonly referred to as the little toe. A medial side 29 of an article of footwear, such as a medial side 29 of the article of footwear 10, is the side that corresponds with an inside area of the foot of the wearer and is generally closer to the other foot of the wearer (i.e., the side closer to the hallux of the foot of the wearer). The hallux is commonly referred to as the big toe. The lateral side 28 and the medial side 29 both extend from the foremost extent A of the sole 14 to the rearmost extent D of the sole 14.
In the embodiment of
The support system 12 also includes a sling 36 suspended from the rods 30A, 30B over the midfoot portion 18 on the foot-facing side 26. The sling 36 can also be referred to as a fascia. The sling 36 fits against the arch area of the foot 22 shown in
The support system 12 also includes a band 37 that extends from the medial side 29 to the lateral side 28 of the forefoot portion 16. The band 37 may be a loop that is pivotably connected to the sole 14 at the forefoot portion 16 to pivot at the pivot axis P indicated in
Referring again to
The rods 30A, 30B are a generally rigid but elastically deformable material such as a relatively hard plastic or a carbon fiber material. The rods 30A, 30B are formed as substantially straight, elongated rods. The rods 30A, 30B are thus each internally biased toward a straight orientation. Accordingly, when the rods 30A, 30B are bent as the sole 14 is flexed, the kinetic energy required to bend the rods 30A, 30B is stored as potential energy, i.e., spring energy, which is released as the rods 30A, 30B move to a relatively unbent state as the sole 14 is unflexed.
In
When the sole 14 moves from the first, unflexed state of
As the rods 30A, 30B bend, they move further from the flexed sole 14 at the midfoot portion 18. For example,
Moreover, as the foot 22 completes toe-off and moves forward from the toe-off position of
Following toe-off and movement of the foot 22 forward through the position of
As an athlete tires, typically, the arch 50 of the foot 22 tends to drop toward the ground plane G relative to the forefoot 46 and the heel 48. With the support system 12, however, the sling 36 prevents or limits such dropping. Moreover, increased loading on the sling 36 also loads the rods 30A, 30B, which can provide even greater bending of the rods 30A, 30B as the sole 14 flexes. Accordingly, any such dropping of the arch 50 contributes to the stored spring energy when the rods 30A, 30B are in the second configuration C2.
As best illustrated in
A shoe upper 170 is secured to the heel support 131 and to the sole 114 at the forefoot portion 116. The upper 170 can be comprised of multiple separate pieces and materials such as fabric, textiles, leather, plastics, etc. An adjustable strap 171 can be pulled transversely and secured to an anchor 173 to adjust the tightness of the upper 170 at the forefoot portion 116 of the sole 114. A hook and loop fastener, a snap, or other fastener can be secured to and positioned between the strap 171 and anchor 173 to secure the strap 171 to the anchor 172.
The support system 112 includes a rod 130A spaced from the sole 114 and extending longitudinally from the forefoot portion 116 to the heel portion 120 on the foot-facing side 126 as shown in
The rod 130A is operatively connected to the sole 114 at the forefoot portion 116 and at the heel portion 120. More specifically, a first end 132A of the rod 130A is captured in an anchor 133A of the heel support 131. A pivotable anchor 142 is fixed to the medial side 129 of the forefoot portion 116 and is pivotable relative to the sole 114 about pivot axis P1. A second end 144A of the rod 130A is secured to the pivotable anchor 142 to pivot relative to the sole 114 toward a foremost extent AA of the sole 114 with the pivotable anchor 142 when the sole 114 is flexed. In other words, the rod 130A is in a first configuration C1A when the sole 114 is in a first state shown in
The support system 112 includes a sling 136 suspended from the rod 130A over the midfoot portion 118. In lieu of a second rod, the support system 112 includes a fastening component 172 secured to the lateral side 128 of the shoe upper 170 as shown in
In the embodiment shown, the fastening component 172 is a first component of a hook-and-loop fastener, and includes loops 174 of polyester or other suitable material, as shown in
Use of the fastening component 172 and the second component 176 allows the transverse length of the sling 136 to be adjusted, such as by pulling the sling 136 further upward on the lateral side 128, as shown by the edge 180 of the sling 136 moved to an adjusted position 180A shown in phantom.
The rod 130A elastically deforms by bending from the first configuration C1A of
While several modes for carrying out the many aspects of the present teachings have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which these teachings relate will recognize various alternative aspects for practicing the present teachings that are within the scope of the appended claims. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not as limiting.
This a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/551,194, filed on Nov. 24, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2097958 | Uger | Nov 1937 | A |
| 2746174 | Patterson, Jr. | May 1956 | A |
| 2746178 | Miller | May 1956 | A |
| 3039207 | Lincors | Jun 1962 | A |
| 3133544 | Coplans | May 1964 | A |
| 3323232 | Danowsky | Jun 1967 | A |
| 3928927 | Brown | Dec 1975 | A |
| 4887833 | Bailey | Dec 1989 | A |
| 5291671 | Caberlotto | Mar 1994 | A |
| 6082768 | Johnson | Jul 2000 | A |
| 8857077 | Kahatsu | Oct 2014 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20170127752 A1 | May 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14551194 | Nov 2014 | US |
| Child | 15414657 | US |
