Sole structure with integrated cleat member and methods of making

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11051584-B2
Application number	US-201916538082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2019
Priority date	Jun 4, 2012
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A sole structure with an integrated cleat member includes a plate member with a protruding portion that forms a first portion of the cleat member. A second portion of the cleat member is attached to the first portion and may be made of a less rigid material than the first portion. A supporting structure can be disposed inside the protruding portion. A method of forming the sole structure can include reshaping a portion of a plate member to form a protruding portion, molding a cleat tip portion onto the protruding portion and molding a supporting structure into a concave inner portion of the protruding portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sole structure, comprising:
a plate member comprising a first material, the plate member having an upper surface and a lower surface, and including a cleat member;
wherein the cleat member includes:
a first portion that is integrally formed with the plate member and includes a concave inner portion on the upper surface of the plate member and a convex outer portion on the lower surface of the plate member;
wherein the first portion includes a tip portion spaced from the lower surface of the plate member, and a side wall extending between the tip portion and the lower surface of the plate member;
a second portion attached to the first portion, the second portion comprising a second material, and including at least one cleat tip portion at least partially covering the convex outer portion on the lower surface of the plate member, and a connecting portion wrapping around the side wall of the first portion; and
a support structure filling at least a portion of the concave inner portion, the support structure forming a lattice structure of intersecting walls with voids between the intersecting walls, and being made of a third material;

wherein the first material is substantially more rigid than the second material and wherein the first material is substantially more rigid than the third material.

2. The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the second material and the third material are substantially similar.

3. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the second material and the third material are the same material.

4. The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the second material and the third material are substantially different.

5. The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first material is a carbon fiber composite material.

6. The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the second material is thermoplastic polyurethane.

7. The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the third material is thermoplastic polyurethane.

8. The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes a hole providing fluid communication between the convex outer portion and the concave inner portion, and wherein the second portion is attached to and integrally formed with the support structure through the hole.

9. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one cleat tip portion of the cleat member includes a first cleat tip portion and a second cleat tip portion that are spaced from each other by a gap distance, with the connecting portion of the at least one cleat tip portion extending between and connecting the first cleat tip portion and the second cleat tip portion.

10. The sole structure set forth in claim 9 wherein the first portion includes at least one hole providing fluid communication between the convex outer portion and the concave inner portion, and wherein the second portion is attached to and integrally formed with the support structure through the at least one hole.

11. The sole structure set forth in claim 10 wherein the at least one hole includes a first hole interconnecting the support structure and the first cleat tip portion, and a second hole interconnecting the support structure and the second cleat tip portion.

12. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the second portion and the support structure are connected to each other and integrally formed together through a hole in the plate member.

13. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the cleat member is a first cleat member and the plate member further includes a second cleat member, the second cleat member having a first portion integrally formed with the plate member and a second portion attached to the first portion of the second cleat member, with the connecting portion of the second portion of the first cleat member connected to and integrally formed with a connecting portion of the second portion of the second cleat member.

14. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the voids in the lattice structure of the supporting structure are filled with a fourth material.

15. The sole structure set forth in claim 14 wherein the fourth material is different than the third material.

16. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the first portion of the cleat member includes an elongated, non-circular cross-sectional shape along a plane parallel with the lower surface of the plate member.

17. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the connecting portion of the second portion extends around and covers at least a lateral edge, a forefoot edge, and a medial edge of the plate member, and leaves a central portion of the lower surface of the plate member exposed.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Foxen Thomas C

Classifications

• A43B13/026 Primary

  Composites, e.g. carbon fibre or aramid fibre; the sole, one or more sole layers or sole part being made of a composite · CPC title

• A43B13/146

  Concave end portions, e.g. with a cavity or cut-out portion · CPC title

• A43B13/12

  Soles with several layers of different materials · CPC title

• A43B13/26

  projecting beyond the sole surface · CPC title

• A43B13/14

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title