Footwear soles with auxetic structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10285471-B2
Application number	US-201715419117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2017
Priority date	Sep 18, 2013
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

An article of footwear has an auxetic sole structure formed from members surrounding apertures. The members may have a trapezoidal geometry. Adjoining members are hingedly connected, so that they can rotate with respect to each other in the plane of the sole structure. The rotation allows the auxetic sole structure to expand when tension is applied.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
a sole component defining a plurality of apertures extending through a thickness of the sole component, the sole component comprising first and second groups of sole members interconnected by a group of connecting portions, each of the apertures being defined by at least four of the sole members disposed around a periphery of the aperture,
wherein the plurality of apertures and the sole members provide the sole component with an auxetic property 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 perpendicular to the first direction; and
wherein:
the first group of members includes a first exterior member connected to a first interior member at a first connecting portion, a second interior member connected to the first interior member at a second connecting portion to form a first peripheral aperture, and a second exterior member connected to the second interior member at a third connecting portion;
the second group of members includes a third exterior member connected to a third interior member at a fourth connecting portion, a fourth interior member connected to the third interior member at a fifth connecting portion to form a second peripheral aperture, and a fourth exterior member connected to the fourth interior member at a sixth connecting portion;
the group of connecting portions includes a seventh connecting portion connecting the first exterior member and the third exterior member to form a third peripheral aperture, an eighth connecting portion connecting the first interior member and the third interior member, a ninth connecting portion connecting the second interior member and the fourth interior member; and a tenth connecting portion connecting the second exterior member and the fourth exterior member to form a fourth peripheral aperture,
the first interior and exterior members and the third interior and exterior members cooperatively circumscribe a first interior aperture oriented in a first direction;
the second interior and exterior members and the fourth interior and exterior members cooperatively circumscribe a second interior aperture oriented in the first direction;
the first, second, third, and fourth interior members cooperatively circumscribe a third interior aperture oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the third interior aperture having a first aperture diagonal oriented in the first direction and a second aperture diagonal oriented in the second direction; and

wherein the sole structure has a thickness that is greater than the first aperture diagonal of the third interior aperture.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first exterior member includes a first edge adjoining a second edge smaller than the first edge, and wherein the thickness of the sole structure is greater than one-half a size of the second edge of the first exterior member.

3. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second groups of members are rotatably connected at the connecting portions such that the members are rotatable with respect to each other in a plane of the structure.

4. The sole structure of claim 3 , wherein the first interior aperture expands in response to the first exterior member, the first interior member, the third exterior member, and the third interior member being rotated.

5. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the third interior aperture is larger than the first interior aperture, and wherein the third interior aperture is larger than the second interior aperture.

6. A sole structure for an article of footwear with an upper including a first material, the sole structure comprising:
a top sole surface, a bottom sole surface, and a side sole surface between the top and bottom sole surfaces, the top sole surface being configured to attach to the upper, and the sole structure including a second material different from the first material of the upper;
a first group of members with a first exterior member connected to a first interior member at a first connecting portion, a second interior member connected to the first interior member at a second connecting portion to form a first peripheral aperture, and a second exterior member connected to the second interior member at a third connecting portion;
a second group of members with a third exterior member connected to a third interior member at a fourth connecting portion, a fourth interior member connected to the third interior member at a fifth connecting portion to form a second peripheral aperture, and a fourth exterior member connected to the fourth interior member at a sixth connecting portion;
a group of connecting portions with a seventh connecting portion connecting the first exterior member and the third exterior member to form a third peripheral aperture, an eighth connecting portion connecting the first interior member and the third interior member, a ninth connecting portion connecting the second interior member and the fourth interior member, and a tenth connecting portion connecting the second exterior member and the fourth exterior member to form a fourth peripheral aperture,
wherein the first interior and exterior members, the third interior member, and the third exterior member circumscribe a first interior aperture elongated in a first direction;
wherein the second interior and exterior members, the fourth interior member, and the fourth exterior member circumscribe a second interior aperture elongated in the first direction;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth interior members cooperatively circumscribe a third interior aperture elongated in a second direction;
wherein the first, second and third interior apertures increase in response to a tension applied across the groups of members in a third direction, the third direction being in a plane formed by the first direction and the second direction;
wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth interior members, and each of the first, second, third, and fourth exterior members has a member width elongated along the second direction and a member length elongated along the first direction; and
wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth interior members, and each of the first, second, third, and fourth exterior members has a polygonal shape where the member width is greater than the member length.

7. The sole structure of claim 6 , wherein at least one member of the first group of members has a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a first surface disposed facing towards at least one of the interior apertures, a second surface disposed facing towards at least one of the peripheral apertures, a third surface opposite the first surface, and a fourth surface opposite the second surface.

8. The sole structure of claim 7 , wherein the first surface, the second surface, the third surface, and the fourth surface are disposed between the top and bottom surfaces.

9. The sole structure of claim 8 , wherein the second connecting portion and the fifth connecting portion are spaced apart a first distance from each other in a first configuration, and wherein the eighth connecting portion and the ninth connecting portion are spaced apart a second distance from each other in the first configuration.

10. The sole structure of claim 9 , wherein members of the first and second groups of members are configured to rotate with respect to an adjoining member in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction thereby defining a second configuration.

11. The sole structure of claim

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Cross Tory M

Classifications

• A43B5/00

  Footwear for sporting purposes (non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00) · CPC title

• A43B13/02

  characterised by the material · CPC title

• A43B13/22

  Soles made slip-preventing or wear-resisting, e.g. by impregnation or spreading a wear-resisting layer · CPC title

• A43B13/188

  Differential cushioning regions · CPC title

• A43B23/021

  Leather · CPC title