Sole structure for an article of footwear with spaced recesses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10674789-B2
Application number	US-201414451468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2014
Priority date	Aug 5, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a midsole having a first side with a first surface and a second side with a second surface. The first side has recesses extending toward the second side without extending to the second surface. A thickness of the midsole between the second side and a deepest extent of each of the recesses may be substantially uniform. Spacing of the recesses may correspond to a foot pressure map. The midsole may be a foam material that has a first density in a first portion along the first surface and a second density less than the first density in a second portion adjacent the first portion. A method of forming the midsole includes providing such recesses in the midsole such as by molding the midsole, and controlling a temperature of mold tools to achieve the first density in the first portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear comprising:
a midsole that has a first side with a first surface and a second side with a second surface; wherein:
the second side is opposite from the first side; wherein the midsole has a heel portion, a midfoot portion, and a forefoot portion, the forefoot portion extending from a foremost extent of the midsole to the midfoot portion;
the first side has a plurality of recesses in at least the forefoot portion and the midfoot portion;
each of the recesses extends toward the second side without extending to the second surface;
each of the recesses is configured so that a thickness of the midsole between the second side and a deepest extent of each of the recesses is substantially uniform in dimension,
the midsole is a unitary foam material that has a first density in a first portion along the first surface and the second surface, and a second density in a second portion inward of the first portion; and
the second density is less than the first density.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the recesses include a first set of recesses in one of the forefoot portion and the midfoot portion and a second set of recesses in another one of the forefoot portion and the midfoot portion;
wherein the recesses of the first set of recesses are spaced from one another to establish a first minimum wall thickness between adjacent ones of the recesses of the first set of recesses;
wherein the recesses of the second set of recesses are spaced from one another to establish a second minimum wall thickness between adjacent ones of the recesses of the second set of recesses; and
wherein the second minimum wall thickness is different than the first minimum wall thickness.

3. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein at least some of the recesses of the first set of recesses have different depths than one another.

4. The sole structure of claim 3 , wherein at least some of the recesses of the second set of recesses have different depths than one another.

5. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein the first set of recesses is in the forefoot portion; wherein the second set of recesses is in the midfoot portion;
and wherein the first minimum wall thickness is greater than the second minimum wall thickness.

6. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein each of the recesses has a polygonal shape.

7. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the recesses are spaced from one another in correspondence with pressure zones of a foot pressure map so that adjacent recesses of a first set of recesses in a relatively high pressure region of the foot pressure map are further from one another than adjacent recesses of a second set of recesses in a relatively low pressure region of the foot pressure map; and
wherein the foot pressure map is a mapping of pressures applied to a test midsole during wear testing.

8. The sole structure of claim 7 , wherein at least some of the recesses in the relatively low pressure region have a larger effective diameter than at least some of the recesses in the relatively high pressure region.

9. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the midsole has a first weight; wherein the first weight is less than the second density multiplied by a sum of a volume of the midsole and a volume of the recesses.

10. A sole structure for an article of footwear comprising:
a unitary, one-piece foam midsole that has an outer surface with a first side and a second side opposite from the first side; wherein the midsole has a heel portion, a midfoot portion, and a forefoot portion, the forefoot portion extending from a foremost extent of the midsole to the midfoot portion; wherein:
the first side has a plurality of recesses extending toward the second side without extending to the outer surface at the second side;
the recesses are spaced from one another in correspondence with pressure zones of a foot pressure map so that a first set of recesses are in a relatively high pressure region of the foot pressure map and a second set of recesses are in a relatively low pressure region of the foot pressure map and are closer to one another than the first set of recesses;
the foot pressure map is a mapping of pressures applied to a test midsole during wear testing;
the foam has a first density at the outer surface and a second density in a remainder of the midsole; wherein the first density is greater than the second density; and
the recesses are configured with varying depths so that a thickness of the midsole between the second side and a deepest extent of each of the recesses is substantially unvarying throughout the forefoot region and the midfoot region.

11. The sole structure of claim 10 , wherein the recesses of the first set of recesses are spaced from one another to establish a first minimum wall thickness between adjacent ones of the recesses of the first set of recesses;
wherein the recesses of the second set of recesses are spaced from one another to establish a second minimum wall thickness between adjacent ones of the recesses of the second set of recesses; and wherein the second minimum wall thickness is different than the first minimum wall thickness.

12. The sole structure of claim 10 , wherein at least some of the recesses in the relatively low pressure region have a larger effective diameter than at least some of the recesses in the relatively high pressure region.

13. The sole structure of claim 10 , wherein each of the recesses has a hexagonal shape.

14. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein a distance from the first side to the second side varies in the forefoot region and the midfoot region in accordance with a variance in depth of the recesses.

15. The sole structure of claim 10 , wherein a distance from the first side to the second side varies in the forefoot region and the midfoot region in accordance with the varying depths of the recesses.

16. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is an outer surface of the midsole that extends within and defines each of the recesses.

17. The sole structure of claim 16 , wherein the outer surface is a skin integral with the second portion.

18. The sole structure of claim 10 , wherein the outer surface extends within and defines each of the recesses.

19. The sole structure of claim 18 , wherein the outer surface is a skin integral with the remainder.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Holt Scott C

Classifications

• A43B13/186 Primary

  Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot (resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32) · CPC title

• A43B13/187

  Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials · CPC title

• A43B13/125

  characterised by the midsole or middle layer · CPC title

• A43B1/0009

  made at least partially of alveolar or honeycomb material · CPC title