Article of footwear with dynamic edge cavity midsole

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11109643-B2
Application number	US-201816153900-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2018
Priority date	Aug 26, 2014
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

An article of footwear that offers different levels of cushioning and support depending on the direction of force applied to the midsole. An outer edge of the midsole includes an inwardly-extending elongate groove with a V-shaped cross-sectional configuration. An elongate insert having a V-shaped cross-sectional configuration is secured to the elongate groove. The insert forms a spring that dynamically alters the character of the support provided by the footwear to a foot of a wearer during “banking” or side-to-side movement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
a midsole including an outer peripheral surface that tapers in a direction toward a ground-contacting surface of the sole structure and extends from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure;
an insert having a first flange attached to the outer peripheral surface and a second flange attached to the first flange at a joined region and opposing the first flange to define a recess between a first flange surface of the first flange and a second flange surface of the second flange, the first flange and the second flange extending from the medial side of the sole structure to the lateral side of the sole structure; and
a stability fin disposed within the recess adjacent to the joined region of the insert and defining (a) a thickness measured along a first direction parallel to the first flange surface and the second flange surface and (b) a height measured along a second direction transverse to the first flange surface and the second flange surface, the height of the stability fin being greater than the thickness of the stability fin.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first flange is joined to the second flange to provide the insert with a substantially V-shape in cross-section.

3. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the outer peripheral surface extends from the medial side of the sole structure to the lateral side of the sole structure along a heel region of the sole structure.

4. The sole structure of claim 3 , wherein the insert extends from the medial side of the sole structure to the lateral side of the sole structure along the heel region.

5. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first flange is attached to the outer peripheral surface from an outer edge of the first flange to the joined region.

6. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the second flange is disposed closer to the ground-contacting surface of the sole structure than the first flange.

7. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the midsole is formed from a different material than the insert.

8. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the insert has a higher rigidity than the midsole.

9. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first flange surface and the second flange surface extend continuously from the medial side of the sole structure to the lateral side of the sole structure.

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

11. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
a midsole including an outer peripheral surface that tapers in a direction toward a ground-contacting surface of the sole structure and extends from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure;
an insert having a first flange extending along the outer peripheral surface from a first outer edge to a joined region and a second flange attached to the first flange at the joined region and extending to a second outer edge to provide the insert with a substantially V-shape in cross-section, the first flange and the second flange extending from the medial side of the sole structure to the lateral side of the sole structure; and
a stability fin including (a) a first edge defining a height of the stability fin extending from a first flange surface between the first outer edge and the joined region to a second flange surface between the second outer edge and the joined region and (b) a pair of side surfaces each extending (i) transverse to the first flange surface and the second flange surface and (ii) from the first edge towards the joined region, a distance between the side surfaces defining a thickness of the stability fin that is less than the height of the stability fin.

12. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the first flange surface opposes the second flange surface.

13. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the outer peripheral surface extends from the medial side of the sole structure to the lateral side of the sole structure along a heel region of the sole structure.

14. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the insert extends from the medial side of the sole structure to the lateral side of the sole structure along the heel region.

15. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the first flange is attached to the outer peripheral surface from an outer edge of the first flange to the joined region.

16. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the second flange is disposed closer to a ground-contacting surface of the sole structure than the first flange.

17. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the midsole is formed from a different material than the insert.

18. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the insert has a higher rigidity than the midsole.

19. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the first flange surface and the second flange surface extend continuously from the medial side of the sole structure to the lateral side of the sole structure.

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

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Foxen Thomas

Classifications

• A43B13/125

  characterised by the midsole or middle layer · CPC title

• A43B13/181 Primary

  Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole · CPC title

• A43B13/187

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

• A43B7/32

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

• A43B5/00 Primary

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