Patent Grant
11311076
The present application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/822,322, filed 22 Mar. 2019, and which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to an article of footwear and more particularly to a sole structure for an article of footwear.
Conventional articles of athletic footwear include two primary elements, an upper and a sole structure. The upper provides a covering for the foot that securely receives and positions the foot with respect to the sole structure. In addition, the upper may have a configuration that protects the foot and provides ventilation, thereby cooling the foot and removing perspiration. The sole structure is secured to a lower surface of the upper and is generally positioned between the foot and the ground. In addition to attenuating ground reaction forces and absorbing energy (i.e., imparting cushioning), the sole structure may provide traction and control potentially harmful foot motion, such as over pronation. Accordingly, the upper and the sole structure operate cooperatively to provide a comfortable structure that is suited for a wide variety of ambulatory activities, such as walking and running.
The sole structure generally incorporates multiple layers that are conventionally referred to as an insole, a midsole, and an outsole. The insole is a thin, cushioning member located within the upper and adjacent the plantar (lower) surface of the foot to enhance footwear comfort. The midsole, which is traditionally attached to the upper along the entire length of the upper, forms the middle layer of the sole structure and serves a variety of purposes that include controlling foot motions and providing cushioning. The outsole forms the ground-contacting element of footwear and is usually fashioned from a durable, wear-resistant material that includes texturing to improve traction.
The primary element of a conventional midsole is a resilient, polymer foam material, such as polyurethane or ethylvinylacetate, that extends throughout the length of the footwear. The properties of the polymer foam material in the midsole are primarily dependent upon factors that include the dimensional configuration of the midsole and the specific characteristics of the material selected for the polymer foam, including the density of the polymer foam material. By varying these factors throughout the midsole, the relative stiffness, degree of ground reaction force attenuation, and energy absorption properties may be altered to meet the specific demands of the activity for which the footwear is intended to be used.
A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a midsole formed of a foamed polymer, a ground contacting outsole surface, and a cushioning system disposed between the midsole and the ground contacting outsole surface. The cushioning system includes a polymeric plate defining an upper plate and a lower plate provided in a spaced relationship. The upper plate and lower plate are integrally connected at a posterior portion of the sole structure. At least two vertically stacked fluid-filled chambers are provided between the upper plate and the lower plate within the midfoot region of the cushioning system. The at least two vertically stacked fluid-filled chambers include a first midfoot fluid-filled chamber coupled to the upper plate, and a second midfoot fluid-filled chamber coupled to and between the first midfoot fluid-filled chamber and the lower plate.
The cushioning system further includes at least two laterally arranged fluid-filled chambers provided between the upper plate and the lower plate within the midfoot region of the cushioning system. The at least two laterally arranged fluid-filled chambers include a lateral forefoot fluid-filled chamber and a medial forefoot fluid-filled chamber. The lateral forefoot fluid-filled chamber is positioned between a lateral edge of the sole structure and the medial forefoot fluid-filled chamber, and the medial forefoot fluid-filled chamber is positioned between a medial edge of the sole structure and the lateral forefoot fluid-filled chamber.
The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose an article of footwear 10 (also referred to as the article 10) in accordance with the present invention. The article 10 is depicted in the figures and discussed below as having a configuration that is suitable for athletic activities, particularly running. The concepts disclosed with respect to the article 10 may, however, be applied to footwear styles that are specifically designed for a wide range of other athletic activities, including basketball, baseball, football, soccer, walking, and hiking, for example, and may also be applied to various non-athletic footwear styles. Accordingly, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the concepts disclosed herein may be applied to a wide range of footwear styles and are not limited to the specific embodiments discussed below and depicted in the figures.
With reference to
The upper 12 includes interior surfaces that defines an interior void 26 that receives and secures a foot for support on the sole structure 14. An ankle opening 28 in the heel region 20 may provide access to the interior void 26. For example, the ankle opening 28 may receive a foot to secure the foot within the void 26 and facilitate entry and removal of the foot from and to the interior void 26.
In some examples, one or more fasteners or other closure systems 30 extend across the upper 12 to adjust a fit of the interior void 26 around the foot while concurrently accommodating entry and removal of the foot therefrom. The fasteners or other closure systems 30 may include laces, straps, cords, latching mechanisms, clasps, snaps, hook-and-loop, or any other suitable type of fastener.
The upper 12 may be formed from one or more materials that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to form the interior void 26. Suitable materials of the upper 12 may include, textiles, foam, leather, and synthetic leather. The materials may be selected and located to impart properties of durability, air-permeability, wear-resistance, flexibility, and comfort to the foot while disposed within the interior void 26
The sole structure 14 is attached to an underside of the upper 12 and provides the article of footwear 10 with support and cushioning during use. Namely, the sole structure 14 attenuates ground reaction forces caused by the article of footwear 10 striking the ground during use. Accordingly, and as set forth below, the sole structure 14 may incorporate one or more materials having energy absorbing characteristics to allow the sole structure 14 to minimize the impact experienced by a user when wearing the article of footwear 10.
The sole structure 14 may include a midsole 36, an outsole 38, and one or more cushioning systems 40 disposed generally between the midsole 36 and the outsole 38. The cushioning system 40 may include a plate 42 that extends generally between an anterior end 44 of the article of footwear 10 and a posterior end 46, and one or more fluid-filled chambers 48. As will be described in greater detail below, the plate 42 and one or more fluid-filled chambers 48 may work in conjunction to further attenuate ground reaction forces.
With continued reference to
An outsole 38 or outsole surface is provided on a lower, ground-facing surface of the cushioning system 40, and on an opposite side of the cushioning system 40 from the midsole 36 and upper 12. The outsole 38 may define a ground-engaging surface 50 that is operative to provide wear-resistance and to enhance traction between the article of footwear 12 and the ground. The outsole 38 may be formed from a resilient material such as, for example, rubber, which can improve traction and durability. The ground-engaging surface 50 may include one or more traction elements 52 that extend outward to provide the article of footwear 10 with increased traction during use.
As best shown in
While the cushioning system 40 is described and shown as being attached to an underside of the midsole 36 (i.e., on an opposite side of the midsole from the upper 12), a portion of the cushioning system 40 could alternatively be embedded within the material of the midsole 36. For example, a portion of the plate 42 may be encapsulated by the midsole 36 such that a portion of the midsole 36 extends through or to opposing sides of a portion of the plate 42. Further yet, the plate 42 could be disposed within the midsole 36 but not be fully encapsulated. For example, the plate 42 could be visible around a perimeter of the midsole 36 while a portion of the midsole 36 extends between the plate 42 and the upper 12 and another portion of the midsole 36 extends between the plate 42 and the outsole 38.
As illustrated, the plate 42 may include an upper plate 60 that is integrally coupled with a lower plate 62 (i.e., at a joint/joint region 64) to form a spring-like shock absorber. In a general sense, the upper plate 60 and lower plate 62 are both cantilevered from the joint region 64 and are configured to deflect toward each other in response to a static or dynamic load applied by the wearer. The cushioning system 40 may further include one or more fluid-filled chambers 48 provided between the upper plate 60 and the lower plate 62 to aid in controlling the deflection magnitude and rate apart from the joint 64.
In one configuration, the upper and lower plates 60, 62 may each extend along a longitudinal dimension of the sole structure 14, and in some embodiments one or both may fully extend from the anterior end 44 of the sole structure 14 to the posterior end 46 of the sole structure 14. In some configurations, the upper plate 60 may extend along at least a portion of the heel region 20 and midfoot region 18. In others, the upper plate 60 may extend across at least a portion of the heel region 20, midfoot region 18, and forefoot region 16. Additionally, in some configurations, the lower plate 62 may extend across at least a portion of the heel region 20, midfoot region 18, and forefoot region 16
In one configuration, the plate 42 may be formed from a single sheet of a relatively rigid material that is folded/wrapped back on itself. For example, the plate 42 may be formed from a non-foamed polymer material or, alternatively, from a composite material containing fibers such as carbon fibers. Suitable materials may include thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polyamides (e.g., PA6 or PA66), or other engineering polymers. The material may include a fiber fill, such as short or long fiber glass, aramid, bamboo, or carbon fibers, or may include similar continuous fabrics. Forming the plate 42 from a relatively rigid material allows the plate 42 to distribute forces associated with use of the article 10 while maintaining the upper plate 60 and lower plate 62 in a spaced relationship. In some embodiments, this spaced relationship is desirably greater than about 5 mm, or greater than about 8 mm, or even greater than about 10 mm.
In one configuration, the joint region 64 of the plate 42 may be provided within, or posterior to the heel region 20 of the sole structure 14, and may be formed with a suitable thickness and stiffness to withstand expected static and impact loads without permitting the upper and lower plates 60, 62 to overly deflect and/or come into contact with each other. In such an embodiment, an intermediate recess/void 66 may exist between the upper and lower plates 60, 62 within the heel region 20. In an unloaded/relaxed state, this recess/void 66 may have a first height 68, measured normal to the ground. When worn, static and impact loads from the wearer may urge the upper and lower plates 60, 62 into a more closely spaced relationship. Said another way, the recess/void 66 may be compressed to have a second height that is less than the first height 68.
In one configuration, the degree to which the plates 60, 62 are flex toward each other in the heel region 20 is largely controlled by the stiffness and location of the plate 42 within the joint region 64. While some elastic flexure/movement of the upper and lower plates 60, 62 is desirable to provide cushioning/force attenuation, if the joint region 64 is not sufficiently stiff, the deflection could be larger than desired, which could cause the shoe to feel unstable.
In some embodiments, so that the entire heel region 20 experiences similar reaction forces from the cushioning system, the joint region 64 of the plate 42 may be provided rearward of the posterior end 70 of the upper 12 and/or rearward of a posterior end 72 of the midsole 36.
While the cushioning response within the heel region 20 may largely be attributable to the elasticity/stiffness of the joint region 64 of the plate 42, the cushioning system 40 may rely on one or more fluid-filled chambers 48 to provide the cushioning response within the midfoot region 18 and/or within the forefoot region 16. In the embodiment shown in
As illustrated in
Similar to the first and second fluid-filled chambers 80, 82, the forefoot fluid-filled chamber 84 may be provided between the upper plate 60 and the lower plate 62. In one embodiment, the forefoot fluid-filled chamber 84 is attached to a lower surface of the upper plate 60 at a first side and is attached to the upper surface of the lower plate 62 at a second side. The fluid-filled chambers 80, 82, 84 may be attached to one another and/or to the upper and lower plates 60, 62, respectively, via a suitable adhesive.
In one configuration, such as best shown in
Referring again to
The interior void 94 of the fluid-filled chambers 80, 82, 84, 86, 88 may receive a tensile element 98 therein. Each tensile element 98 may include a series of tensile strands 100 extending between an upper tensile sheet 102 and a lower tensile sheet 104. The upper tensile sheet 102 may be attached to the first barrier element 90 while the lower tensile sheet 104 may be attached to the second barrier element 92. In this manner, when each chamber 80, 82, 84, 86, 88 receives a pressurized fluid, the tensile strands 100 of the tensile elements 98 are placed in tension. Because the upper tensile sheet 102 is attached to the first barrier element 90 and the lower tensile sheet 104 is attached to the second barrier element 92, the tensile strands 100 retain a desired shape of the respective chambers 80, 82, 84, 86, 88 when the pressurized fluid is injected into the interior void 94.
During operation, when the ground-engaging surface 50 of the outsole 38 contacts the ground, a force is transmitted via the lower plate 62 to the fluid-filled chambers 80, 82, 84, 86, 88. The applied force causes the individual fluid-filled chambers 80, 82, 84, 86, 88 to compress, thereby absorbing the forces associated with the outsole 38 contacting the ground. The force is transmitted to the upper plate 60 and midsole 36 but is not experienced by the user as a point or localized load. Instead, the forces applied through the outsole 38 are dissipated along a length of the plates 60, 62 due to the rigidity of the plates 60, 62.
Referring to
As generally illustrated in
In some configurations, the lower plate 62 may include one or more up-turned sole portions 140 that extend, for example, on a medial side of the medial forefoot fluid-filled chamber 86, on a lateral side of the lateral forefoot fluid-filled chamber 88, and on one or both of the medial side or lateral side of the second midfoot fluid-filled chamber 82. Such a configuration may provide some measure of impact protection to the fluid-filled chambers. Likewise, if the outsole 38 extends upward onto an outer surface of this up-turned sole portion 140, then the feature may further provide traction capabilities to the sidewall of the sole structure 14.
While the lower plate 62 may extend from an extreme anterior end to an extreme posterior end of the sole structure, in one configuration, the upper plate 60 may terminate immediately forward/anterior of the forefoot fluid-filled chambers 84. In this embodiment, the midsole 36 may be affixed to both an upper surface of the upper plate 60 and an upper surface of the lower plate 62.
Referring to
Looking at the arrangement of the forefoot fluid-filled chambers 86, 88 themselves, in one configuration, the medial fluid-filled chamber 86 may be slightly forward of the lateral fluid-filled chamber 88, such that a line 168 drawn between their respective centers is provided at a slight angle relative to the longitudinal axis 124.
Referring again to
In some embodiments, the heel region 20 may further include a bumper 178 disposed between the upper and lower plates 60, 62. In one configuration, the bumper 178 may be adhered to a lower surface of the upper plate 60, and may have a height that permits a spaced relationship between the bumper 178 and the lower plate 62. In another embodiment, the bumper 178 may be a portion of the midsole 36 that extends through a hole in the upper plate 60. In still another embodiment, the bumper 178 may be a molded-in contour of the upper plate 60. The purpose of the bumper 178 may be to stage the allowable deflection response of the heel region 20, while also preventing larger objects from becoming trapped within the cushioning system 40.
In one configuration, the closure system 30 of the upper 12 may include one or more over-arch straps 180 that extend from the medial side 22 of the shoe, such as shown in
The closure system 30 may further include a wrap-over tongue 190, such as shown in
To manufacture the cushioning system, in one configuration, the plate 42 may begin as a die-cut or injection-molded sheet. If the base resin of the plate 42 is a thermoplastic polymer, the sheet may be heated and bent around a mold that has the contours of the upper plate 60, lower plate 62, and joint 64. Once the plate 42 is formed about this tool the up-turned sole portions 140 may then be formed via localized heating and forming. In an alternative embodiment, the plate may be injection molded into its finished form. In some embodiments, the outsole 38 may be integral to the lower plate 62, such as by being insert molded or co-molded with the plate 42. In another embodiment, the outsole 38 may be adhered to the lower plate 62, for example, via a suitable adhesive.
The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages, of the present teachings are readily apparent from the following detailed description of some of the best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the present teachings, as defined in the appended claims, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
“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; about 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, disclosure of ranges includes disclosure of all values and further divided ranges within the entire range. Each value within a range and the endpoints of a range are hereby all disclosed as separate embodiment. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated items, but do not preclude the presence of other items. As used in this specification, the term “or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed items. When the terms first, second, third, etc. are used to differentiate various items from each other, these designations are merely for convenience and do not limit the items.
Any directional references used herein presume that the article of footwear is positioned in an upright posture on a flat, horizonal ground plane, such that the outsole is in contact with the ground plane (i.e., as if worn by a user standing in an upright manner).
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2437227 | Hall | Mar 1948 | A |
| 4439936 | Clarke | Apr 1984 | A |
| 4918838 | Chang | Apr 1990 | A |
| 5003709 | Okayasu | Apr 1991 | A |
| 5138776 | Levin | Aug 1992 | A |
| 5343639 | Kilgore | Sep 1994 | A |
| D382690 | Hirahata | Aug 1997 | S |
| 6453577 | Litchfield | Sep 2002 | B1 |
| 6487796 | Avar | Dec 2002 | B1 |
| 6898870 | Rohde | May 2005 | B1 |
| 7493708 | Crowley, Jr. | Feb 2009 | B2 |
| 7707747 | Nawachi | May 2010 | B2 |
| 7886461 | Sato | Feb 2011 | B2 |
| 7980006 | Aveni | Jul 2011 | B2 |
| 7997011 | Smith | Aug 2011 | B2 |
| 8943709 | Aveni | Feb 2015 | B2 |
| 9320313 | Craig | Apr 2016 | B2 |
| 9668540 | Scofield | Jun 2017 | B2 |
| 9687042 | Berend | Jun 2017 | B2 |
| 20010042321 | Tawney | Nov 2001 | A1 |
| 20040261292 | Aveni | Dec 2004 | A1 |
| 20050108897 | Aveni | May 2005 | A1 |
| 20060010715 | Tseng | Jan 2006 | A1 |
| 20060137227 | Kita | Jun 2006 | A1 |
| 20070101617 | Brewer | May 2007 | A1 |
| 20080263893 | Hernandez | Oct 2008 | A1 |
| 20090100705 | Cook | Apr 2009 | A1 |
| 20090126224 | Greene | May 2009 | A1 |
| 20090133288 | Gallegos | May 2009 | A1 |
| 20090178303 | Hurd | Jul 2009 | A1 |
| 20100107444 | Aveni | May 2010 | A1 |
| 20110203133 | Peyton | Aug 2011 | A1 |
| 20110239489 | Iuchi | Oct 2011 | A1 |
| 20120246969 | Baum | Oct 2012 | A1 |
| 20130160329 | Petyton et al. | Jun 2013 | A1 |
| 20160058124 | Lucas | Mar 2016 | A1 |
| 20160338446 | Merlo | Nov 2016 | A1 |
| 20170042286 | Meschter | Feb 2017 | A1 |
| 20180213886 | Connell | Aug 2018 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2016144538 | Sep 2016 | WO |
| WO-2016144538 | Sep 2016 | WO |
| 2017079256 | May 2017 | WO |
| WO-2017079256 | May 2017 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200297071 A1 | Sep 2020 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62822322 | Mar 2019 | US |
