Article of footwear having an elevated plate sole structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10758002-B2
Application number	US-201615280317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2016
Priority date	Dec 23, 2011
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

An article of footwear is provided having an elevated plate structure incorporated in the sole structure and optionally including a fluid-filled chamber. The elevated plate structure can include an upper plate and a plurality of legs extending downward toward the outsole. End portions of the legs can engage an upper region of the outsole. The elevated plate structure can form a cage region that can optionally include a fluid-filled chamber substantially disposed therein. The elevated plate structure can further include a lower plate disposed at an upper region of the outsole, which can form a lower portion of the cage region. Portions of the legs can be integrated with impact-attenuating members in the heel region in various configurations and can provide features for the impact-attenuating members, such as support, impact-attenuation and adjustable impact-attenuation features.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear including an upper, the sole structure comprising; an upper plate formed from a substantially non-foamed material; a lower pate formed from a substantially non-foamed material and spaced apart from the upper plate; a leg extending from the upper plate toward the lower plate and including a hollow interior defined by an inner surface of the leg; a post extending from the lower plate toward the upper plate and into the hollow interior of the leg; and a resilient coating covering at east a portion of the post and disposed between the post and the inner surface of the leg; wherein the post and the lower plate are embedded in the resilient coating.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the resilient coating is a foamed polymer material.

3. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the upper plate is embedded within a foamed polymer material.

4. The sole structure of claim 3 , wherein the leg extends from the foamed polymer material and is exposed in an area between the upper plate and the lower plate.

5. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the leg includes a curved outer surface, the curved outer surface being exposed in an area between the upper plate and the lower plate.

6. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the leg includes a first end attached to the upper plate and a second end defining an opening, the second end disposed on an opposite end of the leg than the first end.

7. The sole structure of claim 6 , wherein the resilient coating covers a portion of the lower plate, the second end of the leg being in contact with the resilient coating covering the lower plate.

8. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the post includes a first end attached to the lower plate and a second end disposed on an opposite end of the post than the first end, the second end including a bulbous cap.

9. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the resilient coating is in contact with the inner surface of the leg.

10. An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of claim 1 .

11. A sole structure for an article of footwear including an upper, the sole structure comprising: an upper plate; a lower plate spaced apart from the upper plate; a leg extending from the upper plate toward the lower plate between a first end attached to the upper plate and a second end disposed at an opposite end of the leg than the first end, the leg including a hollow interior defined by an inner surface of the leg; a post extending from the lower plate toward the upper plate and into the hollow interior of the leg; and a resilient coating covering at least a portion of the lower plate and being formed from a material that is softer than a material forming the upper plate and a material forming the lower plate, the resilient coating opposing the upper plate and in contact with the second end of the leg; wherein the post and the lower plate are embedded in the resilient coating.

12. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the upper plate is formed from a substantially non-foamed polymer material and the lower plate is formed from a substantially non-foamed polymer material.

13. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the resilient coating is a foamed polymer material.

14. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the upper plate is embedded within a foamed polymer material.

15. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein the leg extends from the foamed polymer material and is exposed in an area between the upper plate and the lower plate.

16. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the leg includes a curved outer surface, the curved outer surface being exposed in an area between the upper plate and the lower plate.

17. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the second end defines an opening, the post extending into the hollow interior at the opening.

18. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the post includes a first end attached to the lower plate and a second end disposed on an opposite end of the post than the first end, the second end including a bulbous cap.

19. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the resilient coating is in contact with the inner surface of the leg.

20. An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of claim 11 .

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Devoe Devonne
• Peyton Lee D

Classifications

• A43B5/06 Primary

  Running shoes; Track shoes · CPC title

• A43B7/32

  with shock-absorbing means (resilient soles A43B13/18) · CPC title

• A43B13/188

  Differential cushioning regions · CPC title

• B29D35/142

  Soles · CPC title

• A43B13/04

  Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre · CPC title