Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a sole board for an article of footwear; and more specifically to a sole board with a channel.
Individuals can be concerned with the amount of cushioning, support, or flexibility an article of footwear provides. This is true for articles of footwear worn for non-performance activities, such as a leisurely stroll, and for performance activities, such as running, because throughout the course of an average day, the feet and legs of an individual are subjected to substantial impact forces. When an article of footwear contacts a surface, considerable forces may act on the article of footwear and, correspondingly, the wearer's foot.
The human foot is a complex and remarkable piece of machinery, capable of withstanding and dissipating many impact forces. The natural padding of fat at the heel and forefoot, as well as the flexibility of the arch, help to cushion the foot. Although the human foot possesses natural cushioning and rebounding characteristics, the foot alone is incapable of effectively overcoming many of the forces encountered during every day activity. Unless an individual is wearing footwear that provides proper cushioning, support, and flexibility, the soreness and fatigue associated with every day activity is more acute, and its onset accelerated. The discomfort for the wearer that results may diminish the incentive for further activity. Also, inadequate cushioning, support, or flexibility in an article of footwear can lead to injuries such as blisters; muscle, tendon, and ligament damage; and bone stress fractures. Improper footwear can also lead to other ailments, including back pain.
Sole boards for articles of footwear are disclosed. In some embodiments, a sole board for an article of footwear includes a plate that has a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region. In some embodiments, the sole board includes a channel disposed in a top surface of the plate in the forefoot region. In some embodiments, the channel extends from a lateral edge of the plate to a medial edge of the plate. In some embodiments, a characteristic of the channel at the lateral and medial edges of the plate is different than the characteristic of the channel at a middle of the channel.
In some embodiments, the characteristic is a depth of the channel. In some embodiments, the characteristic is a width of the channel. In some embodiments, the width of the channel at the lateral and medial edges of the plate is greater than the width of the channel at the middle of the channel. In some embodiments, the width of the channel at the lateral and medial edges of the plate is at least twice the width of the channel at the middle of the channel. In some embodiments, the width of the channel at the lateral edge of the plate is equal to the width of the channel at the medial edge of the plate. In some embodiments, the width of the channel at the middle of the channel is 1.2 millimeters. In some embodiments, the width of the channel at the medial and lateral edges of the plate is 2.5 millimeters. In some embodiments, the channel extends along a metatarsal region in the forefoot region.
In some embodiments, the sole board also includes a lasting hole disposed in the midfoot region of the plate. In some embodiments, the sole board also includes a plurality of indents disposed in the top surface of the plate. In some embodiments, the plurality of indents forms a honeycomb pattern.
In some embodiments, a thickness of the plate tapers in the forefoot region. In some embodiments, a maximum thickness of the plate is five millimeters. In some embodiments, a minimum thickness of the plate is 1.5 millimeters.
In some embodiments, the plate includes a non-woven fabric. In some embodiments, the plate includes a plastic. In some embodiments, the plate includes polypropylene. In some embodiments, the plate includes a layer of a non-woven fabric and a layer of polypropylene. In some embodiments, the plate includes a layer of polypropylene disposed between two layers of a non-woven fabric.
In some embodiments, the sole board is an insole. In some embodiments, the sole board is a sock-liner. In some embodiments, the sole board is a cleat frame structure. In some embodiments, the cleat frame structure has cleats that extend from a bottom of the plate. In some embodiments, the sole board also includes a second plate disposed below the plate. In some embodiments, the sole board also includes a second channel disposed in a top surface of the second plate in the forefoot region underneath the channel in the plate.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention.
The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to indicate identical or functionally similar elements. References to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.
The term “invention” or “present invention” as used herein is a non-limiting term and is not intended to refer to any single embodiment of the particular invention but encompasses all possible embodiments as described in the application.
The following examples are illustrative, but not limiting, of the present invention. Other suitable modifications and adaptations of the variety of conditions and parameters normally encountered in the field, and which would be apparent to those skilled in the art, are within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a sole board for articles of footwear. In some embodiments, a sole board may provide desired flexibility and stiffness for an article of footwear. In some embodiments, the sole board may be designed for a particular activity or a specific movement within that activity. For example, in some embodiments, the sole board may be used in articles of footwear used for various athletic activities or sports, such as football, soccer, baseball, basketball, running, walking, etc. Because specific movements in these or other sports may require a high amount of flexion, the article of footwear should be flexible enough to accommodate this flexion. At the same time, the article of footwear should also provide appropriate stiffness to protect a wearer's foot, for example, from injuries, such as hyperextension of the toes (i.e., turf toe). In addition, while a wearer is not engaged in specific movements that require a high amount of flexion, such as when the wearer is simply walking or running, the article of footwear should be more flexible and less stiff.
In some embodiments, the sole board comprises a plate configured to be disposed within an article of footwear as an insole or sock-liner. The sole board may be disposed between the midsole of the article of footwear and the wearer's foot. In some embodiments, the sole board may be removably inserted in the article of footwear. In some embodiments, the sole board may be fixedly attached to the article of footwear. In some embodiments, the sole board may have an upper surface contoured to receive the wearer's foot, thus forming a contoured footbed. In some embodiments, the sole board comprises a plate configured to be disposed on a bottom portion of the article of footwear, for example, as a cleat frame structure.
In some embodiments, the sole board (e.g., sock-liner, insole, or cleat frame structure) may include a channel in the top surface of the plate. In some embodiments, the channel may be disposed in a forefoot region of the sole board. For example, the channel may be disposed in a metatarsal region of the sole board (i.e., the region of the sole board that lies directly underneath the metatarsal bones of the wearer's foot when the article of footwear is worn). In some embodiments, the channel extends from a medial edge of the plate to a lateral edge of the plate. In some embodiments, the channel has a characteristic, such as a width or a depth, that is different at the medial edge and the lateral edge of the plate than in a middle of the plate. For example, the width of the channel at the medial edge and the lateral edge of the plate may be greater than the width of the channel at the middle of the plate. In some embodiments, the height or thickness of the sole board tapers towards the front of the plate.
A sole board 10, as shown, for example, in
In some embodiments, plate 12 comprises a plastic. For example, plate 12 may comprise polypropylene. In some embodiments, plate 12 comprises a non-woven fabric. In some embodiments, plate 12 is made of multiple materials. In some embodiments, plate 12 comprises layers of different material. In some embodiments, plate 12 comprises a layer of non-woven fabric and a layer of polypropylene. In some embodiments, plate 12 comprises a layer of polypropylene disposed between two layers of non-woven fabric. In some embodiments, plate 12 comprises metal composites. For example, plate 12 may comprise steel composites. In some embodiments, plate 12 comprises a foam. For example, plate 12 may be made of polyurethane foam, ethyl vinyl acetate, or other foam composites. In some embodiments, plate 12 comprises thermoplastic polyurethane. In some embodiments, plate 12 comprises a nylon-based composite or other composite.
In some embodiments, plate 12 has a height or thickness that varies. In some embodiments, plate 12 has a maximum thickness of 5 millimeters. In some embodiments, plate 12 has a minimum thickness of 1.5 millimeters. In some embodiments, the thickness of plate 12 tapers in forefoot region 14, as shown, for example, in
In some embodiments, sole board 10 comprises a channel 20, which may also be referred to as a groove. In some embodiments, channel 20 is disposed on a top surface of plate 12. In some embodiments, channel 20 is disposed in forefoot region 14. In some embodiments, channel 20 is disposed within forefoot region 14 at the region of plate 12 that lies directly underneath the metatarsal bones of the wearer's foot with the article of footwear is worn (i.e., metatarsal region 15), as shown, for example in
In some embodiments, channel 20 may have a V-shaped cross section. In some embodiments, channel 20 may be curved (i.e. nonlinear). In some embodiments, channel 20 may be linear. In some embodiments, from a z-axis perspective (e.g., from a rear cross-sectional view), the end portions of channel 20 (i.e., at medial edge and/or lateral edge 24) may be higher than a middle portion of channel 20 given the contour of the footbed. Thus, in some embodiments, channel 20 may appear linear from one perspective (e.g., a top planar view, as in
In some embodiments, as shown, for example, in
In some embodiments, sole board 10 comprises a lasting hole 30 through plate 12, as shown in
In some embodiments, sole board 10 comprises a plurality of indents 40 disposed on a top surface of plate 12. In some embodiments, plurality of indents 40 forms a honeycomb pattern, as shown, for example, in
As noted above, channel 20 may allow for increased flexibility of sole board 10 during initial phases of bending, yet provide increased support during later phases of bending (i.e., after the sides of channel 20 begin to contact each other). In some embodiments, channel 20 extends from medial edge 22 to lateral edge 24. In some embodiments, channel 20 has a characteristic that may vary from medial edge 22 to lateral edge 24. In some embodiments, the characteristic is a depth of channel 20. In some embodiments, the depth of channel 20 may be different at medial edge 22 and lateral edge 24 than the depth of channel 20 at a middle of channel 20. For example, the channel 20 may be deeper at medial edge 22 and lateral edge 24 than at the middle of channel 20. In some embodiments, the depth of channel 20 may be less at medial edge 22 and lateral edge 24 than at the middle of channel 20.
In some embodiments, the characteristic is a width of channel 20. In some embodiments, the width of channel 20 at medial edge 22 and lateral edge 24 is different than the width of channel 20 at the middle of channel 20. In some embodiments, the width of channel 20 is greater at medial edge 22 and lateral edge 24 than at the middle of channel 20, as shown, for example, in
In some embodiments, the width of channel 20 at the middle of channel 20 is between 1 and 1.5 millimeters. For example, the width of channel 20 at the middle of channel 20 may be 1.2 millimeters. In some embodiments, the width of channel 20 at medial edge 22 and lateral edge 24 is between 2 and 3 millimeters. For example, the width of channel 20 at medial edge 22 and lateral edge may be 2.5 millimeters. In some embodiments, the width of channel 20 gradually increases from the middle of channel 20 to medial edge 22 and lateral edge 24.
In some embodiments, by having a greater width at medial edge 22 and lateral edge 24 than in the middle of channel 20, the sides of channel 20 at medial edge 22 and lateral edge 24 do not contact each other until later in the bending cycle of sole board 10. This arrangement, as shown, for example, in
As noted above, in some embodiments, a sole board comprises a cleat frame structure. For example, a sole board 110, as shown in
As noted above, in some embodiments, a sole board comprises a sock-liner. For example, a sole board 210, as shown in
In some embodiments, an article of footwear comprises only one of sole board 10, sole board 110, and sole board 210 (e.g., only one of an insole, cleat frame structure, and sock-liner that has a channel or groove). In some embodiments, an article of footwear comprises any combination of sole board 10, sole board 110, and sole board 210. For example, as shown in
Various embodiments described herein allow for appropriate amounts of flexibility and stiffness in an sole board at various angles of bending, thus facilitating flexion of the wearer's foot during specific movements of athletic activity (i.e., walking, running, etc.), but preventing hyperextension of the wearer's toes. Further variations of the embodiments described above may also be provided.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance.
The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/423,221, filed Feb. 2, 2017, titled “Sole Board,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15423221 | Feb 2017 | US |
Child | 16252056 | US |