BACKGROUND
Footwear (e.g., shoes, sandals, boots, etc.) have long been used to cover users' feet. Often, footwear are formed of an upper, an outsole, and an insole. These components frequently include insulative, strengthening, and/or cushioning features. Thus, footwear protects, supports, and pads a users' feet. Further, footwear aligns the user's feet with the user's ankles and wider skeletal system.
While footwear provide many benefits, they are also subject to various drawbacks. Traditional sole structures, particularly for athletic shoes, are often relatively stiff. While these structures may be beneficial to support the weight of a user and provide protection to the feet of a wearer, the sole is overly stiff for the user's toes to comfortably flex. Further, traditional sole structures limit attachment strategies for additional cushioning features. Accordingly, more sophisticated and versatile soles would be useful.
SUMMARY
Some embodiments provide a sole assembly that includes an upper midsole layer, a lower midsole layer, and an outsole layer. The upper midsole layer defines a cavity in an aft region. The cavity extends substantially transversely relative to a longitudinal axis. The lower midsole layer connects to the upper midsole layer. The lower midsole layer transversely covers the cavity. The outsole layer connects to the lower midsole layer.
In some embodiments, the cavity is a first cavity, and the upper midsole defines a second cavity in the aft region extending substantially transversely relative to the longitudinal axis.
In some embodiments, the first cavity is aligned with the second cavity.
In some embodiments, the first cavity is in communication with second cavity.
In some embodiments, the outsole layer is grooved.
In some embodiments, the lower midsole layer and the outsole layer form one or more pods.
In some embodiments, the upper midsole layer defines at least one of a medial longitudinal concavity and a lateral longitudinal concavity.
In some embodiments, the lower midsole layer is exposed through at least one of a window and a cut-out defined in the outsole layer.
In some embodiments, the cut-out is a first cut-out, the upper midsole layer is exposed through the first cut-out, and the upper midsole layer is exposed through a second cut-out defined in the lower midsole layer.
In some embodiments, a side of the upper midsole layer defines a plurality of grooves.
In some embodiments, the outsole layer is connected to the upper midsole layer at a toe end and forms a toe wrap.
In some embodiments, the lower midsole layer includes a forward portion and a rear portion.
In some embodiments, the outsole layer includes a forward portion and a rear portion.
In some embodiments, the upper midsole layer is exposed along a midfoot region.
In some embodiments, the upper midsole layer includes a rear arch along the aft region.
Some embodiments provide a sole assembly that includes an outsole layer, a lower midsole later, an upper midsole layer, and a drop-in layer. The lower midsole layer connects to the outsole layer. The upper midsole layer connects to the lower midsole layer. The upper midsole layer defines a well, a first cavity, a second cavity, and a transverse passageway. The lower midsole layer transversely covers the first cavity and the second cavity. The transverse passageway is in communication with the first cavity and the second cavity. The drop-in layer nests in the well.
In some embodiments, the drop-in layer extends beyond a footbed of the upper midsole layer.
In some embodiments, the drop-in layer defines a plurality of cuts along a forward region.
Some embodiments provide a sole assembly that includes an upper midsole layer, a lower midsole layer, and an outsole layer. The upper midsole layer has a post located along a medial centerline, defines a valley connected to the post, and defines a transverse cavity in an aft region. The lower midsole layer connects to the upper midsole layer. The lower midsole layer transversely covers the transverse cavity. The outsole layer connects to the lower midsole layer.
In some embodiments, the valley is defined along the medial centerline.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of embodiments of the invention:
FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a shoe assembly, according to an embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a first side view of the sole assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a second side view of the sole assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the sole assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a first cross-sectional view of the sole assembly of FIG. 1 along line A-A of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a second cross-sectional view of the sole assembly of FIG. 1 along line B-B of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a third cross-sectional view of the sole assembly of FIG. 1 along line C-C of FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a fourth cross-sectional view of the sole assembly of FIG. 1 along line D-D of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a bottom layer of the sole assembly of FIG. 1 taken along line A-A of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use embodiments of the invention. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from embodiments of the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to embodiments shown, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description is to be read with reference to the figures, in which like elements in different figures have like reference numerals. The figures, which are not necessarily to scale, depict selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of embodiments of the invention. Skilled artisans will recognize the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall within the scope of embodiments of the invention.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the attached drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. For example, the use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
As used herein, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, unless otherwise specified or limited, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
As used herein, unless otherwise specified or limited, “at least one of A, B, and C,” and similar other phrases, are meant to indicate A, or B, or C, or any combination of A, B, and/or C. As such, this phrase, and similar other phrases can include single or multiple instances of A, B, and/or C, and, in the case that any of A, B, and/or C indicates a category of elements, single or multiple instances of any of the elements of the categories A, B, and/or C.
As explained above, it would be useful to provide more sophisticated and versatile footwear soles.
FIG. 1 illustrates a sole assembly 100 according to an embodiment. The sole assembly 100 includes a lower midsole layer 102 between an upper midsole layer 104 and an outsole layer 106. More specifically, a first forward portion 108 of the lower midsole layer 102 is between a second forward portion 110 of the outsole layer 106 and the upper midsole layer 104. Similarly, a first rear portion 112 of the lower midsole layer 102 is between a second rear portion 114 of the outsole layer 106 and the upper midsole layer 104. In some embodiments, the outsole layer 106 is grooved to aid a wearer in gripping a ground surface (not shown). The outsole layer 106 defines one or more windows 116 and a plurality of first cut-outs 118 through which the lower midsole layer 102 is exposed. Further, the lower midsole layer 102 defines a plurality of second cut-outs 120, which align with a subset of the plurality of first cut-outs 118 to expose the upper midsole layer 104. Thus, the one or more windows 116, the plurality of first cut-outs 118, and the plurality of second cut-outs 120 form a plurality of lines of weakness 122 across the sole assembly 100. In some embodiments, these lines of weakness 122 are strategically placed to aid in making the sole assembly 100 more flexible and thus more comfortable for a wearer.
Remaining with FIG. 1, overall, the sole assembly 100 has a toc end 130, a heel end 132, a medial side 134 (e.g., instep side, big toe side, inboard side, etc.), and a lateral side 136 (e.g., little toe side, blade side, outboard side, etc.). The sole assembly 100 further includes a forward region 138 and an aft region 140. More specifically, first forward portion 108 and the second forward portion 110 extend along the forward region 138. Similarly, the first rear portion 112 and the second rear portion 114 extend along the aft region 140. It should be appreciated that the outsole layer 106 strategically extends along the forward region 138 and the aft region 140 to provide traction to a wearer and improve durability of the sole assembly 100. Further, the upper midsole layer 104 defines a valley 142, which is transitionally connected to a post 144. The post 144 is located on a medial centerline M of the sole assembly 100. The valley 142 is defined along the medial centerline M. In some embodiments, the post 144 aids in providing medial support to a wearer's foot and thus aids in aligning the foot with the wearer's wider skeletal system. Additionally, the upper midsole layer 104 is exposed along a midfoot region 146 between forward region 138 and the aft region 140.
Turning to FIG. 2, the sole assembly 100 features a toe spring 150 at the toe end 130 and a heel bevel 152 at the heel end 132. Further, the medial side 134 extends from the valley 142 to an upper edge 154 of the upper midsole layer 104. The lower midsole layer 102 and the outsole layer 106 form a plurality of pods 156 that protrude outwardly along the forward region 138 and the aft region 140. In some instances, the pods 156 also extend transversely beyond the upper midsole layer 104, as shown in FIG. 1.
With reference to FIG. 2, the upper midsole layer 104 is selectively recessed along the medial side 134 and the aft region 140 to define medial cavities 158. The lower midsole layer 102 transversely covers and thus further defines the medial cavities 158. The medial cavities 158 extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis X (shown in FIG. 1) across the aft region 140. In some embodiments, medial cavities 158 are defined across the forward region 138 (not shown). In some embodiments, the medial side 134 defines a first plurality of grooves 160 that aid in reducing overall weight of the sole assembly 100 and improve flexibility of the upper midsole layer 104. Further, the outsole layer 106 is connected to the upper midsole layer 104 at the toe end 130 to form a toe wrap 162.
Referring to FIG. 3, the lateral side 136 extends from the post 144 (not visible in FIG. 3) to the upper edge 154. Additionally, the upper midsole layer 104 is selectively recessed along the lateral side 136 and the aft region 140 to define lateral cavities 170. The lower midsole layer 102 transversely covers and thus further defines the lateral cavities 170. The lateral cavities 170 extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis X (shown in FIG. 1) across the aft region 140. In some embodiments, lateral cavities 170 are defined in the forward region 138 (not shown). In some embodiments, one or more of the lateral cavities 170 are in communication with the medial cavities 158 (shown in FIG. 2), thus forming passageways 174 from the lateral side 136 to the medial side 134. In some embodiments, one or more of the lateral cavities 170 are separate from the medial cavities 158. In some embodiments, the lateral side 136 defines a second plurality of grooves 172 that aid in reducing overall weight of the sole assembly 100 and improve flexibility of the upper midsole layer 104.
Looking at FIG. 4, the sole assembly 100 further includes a drop-in layer 180 and, in some embodiments, a sock liner layer 182. The upper midsole layer 104 is shaped to receive the drop-in layer 180. Thus, when the sole assembly 100 is assembled, the drop-in layer 180 nests in the upper midsole layer 104. Further, the sock liner layer 182 engages the upper midsole layer 104 and the drop-in layer 180. The lower midsole layer 102 engages the upper midsole layer 104 and the outsole layer 106. The lower midsole layer 102, the upper midsole layer 104, the outsole layer 106, the drop-in layer 180, and the sock liner layer 182 are respectively joined to one another via any suitable method (e.g., adhesive, welding, multi-shot molding, etc.).
Remaining with FIG. 4, the lower midsole layer 102, the upper midsole layer 104, the outsole layer 106, and the drop-in layer 180 are elastomeric and differ in hardness from one another. In some embodiments, the lower midsole layer 102 and/or the drop-in layer 180 are formed of polyurethane foam. In some embodiments, the upper midsole layer 104 is formed of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam. In some embodiments, the outsole layer 106 is formed of natural and/or synthetic rubber. More specifically, the lower midsole layer 102 is harder than the drop-in layer 180. The upper midsole layer 104 is harder than the lower midsole layer 102. Additionally, the outsole layer 106 is harder than the upper midsole layer 104. In some embodiments, the drop-in layer 180 has a hardness in an approximate range from 13 to 17 Asker C. In some embodiments, the lower midsole layer 102 has a hardness in an approximate range from 35 to 40 Asker C. In some embodiments, the upper midsole layer 104 has a hardness in an approximate range from 47 to 52 Asker C. In some embodiments, the outsole layer 106 has a hardness in an approximate range from 60 to 65 Shore A.
Referring again to FIG. 4, the lower midsole layer 102, the upper midsole layer 104, the outsole layer 106, the drop-in layer 180, and the sock liner layer 182 work together as a cushioning system to mitigate forces applied during walking or light running. More specifically, the drop-in layer 180 and the sock liner layer 182 create a soft impact surface for a wearer's foot side while the lower midsole layer 102 and the outsole layer 106 engage with ground contact forces. Meanwhile, the upper midsole layer 104 acts as an intermediary to stabilize both of these compressive foot and ground interactions.
With reference to FIG. 5, the drop-in layer 180 extends in the upper midsole layer 104 along the forward region 138 and the aft region 140. The drop-in layer 180 defines a plurality of cuts 190 along the forward region 138. In some embodiments, the plurality of cuts 190 aids in improving flexibility of the sole assembly 100.
Referring to FIG. 6, a lower medial surface 192 extends beyond a lower lateral surface 194 to define a crown distance C. In some embodiments, the crown distance C is approximately 2 millimeters. As illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the upper midsole layer 104 defines a well 200 in which the drop-in layer 180 is located. The drop-in layer 180 protrudes upwardly beyond a footbed 202 of the upper midsole layer 104. The medial side 134 and the lateral side 136 extend upwardly beyond the drop-in layer 180. More specifically, a platform 204 of the upper midsole layer 104 extends between the medial side 134 and the lateral side 136 to define the well 200. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the upper midsole layer 104 defines a longitudinal medial concavity 206 and a longitudinal lateral concavity 208 along the medial side 134 and the lateral side 136, respectively. Additionally, the outsole layer 106 is radiused along a lower edge 210. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a rear arch 212 of the upper midsole layer 104 connects to the lower midsole layer 102 and further defines the medial cavity 158 and the lateral cavity 170. In some embodiments, the medial cavity 158 and the lateral cavity 170 are aligned. Additionally, in some embodiments, the medial cavity 158 and the lateral cavity 170 are in communication with one another to form the passageway 174 between the platform 204 and the rear arch 212.
Turning to FIG. 9, the outsole layer 106 defines a plurality of grooves 220. In some embodiments, the grooves 220 are approximately 1 millimeter wide and 1 millimeter deep.
In other embodiments, other configurations are possible. For example, those of skill in the art will recognize, according to the principles and concepts disclosed herein, that various combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions of the components discussed above can provide improved sole assemblies.
The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Patent Application
20240398063
