Stacked cushioning arrangement for sole structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11439200-B2
Application number	US-202016879279-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2020
Priority date	Feb 1, 2017
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear is provided. The sole structure includes an outsole having a ground-engaging surface and an upper surface formed on an opposite side of the outsole than the ground-engaging surface. A first cushion is disposed proximate to a medial side of the sole structure and includes a first fluid-filled chamber attached to the upper surface of the outsole and a second fluid-filled chamber attached to the first fluid-filled chamber and disposed between the first fluid-filled chamber and the upper. A second cushion is disposed proximate to a lateral side of the sole structure and includes a third fluid-filled chamber attached to the upper surface of the outsole and a fourth fluid-filled chamber attached to the third fluid-filled chamber and disposed between the third fluid-filled chamber and the upper. The second cushion is fluidly isolated from the first cushion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
a midsole upper portion;
a plate including a first plate surface attached to the midsole upper portion, and a second plate surface disposed on an opposite side of the plate than the first plate surface;
a first cushion including a first cushion surface attached to the second plate surface and a second cushion surface disposed on an opposite side of the first cushion than the first cushion surface; and
a midsole lower portion comprising a polymer foam disposed between the first cushion and a posterior end of the sole structure wherein a first end of the midsole lower portion includes a sidewall facing and spaced apart from the first cushion by a first gap in a midfoot region, the sidewall extending from a ground-engaging surface of the midsole lower portion to the second plate surface at an oblique angle relative to a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sole structure.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the second plate surface is exposed at a location between the midsole lower portion and the first cushion surface.

3. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first cushion comprises a fluid-filled chamber.

4. The sole structure of claim 3 , wherein the fluid-filled chamber is pressurized.

5. The sole structure of claim 1 , further comprising a second cushion disposed laterally adjacent to the first cushion across a width of the sole structure between a medial side of the sole structure and a lateral side of the sole structure, wherein the midsole lower portion is also disposed between the second cushion and the posterior end of the sole structure.

6. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein the first cushion and the second cushion have different cushioning characteristics than the midsole lower portion.

7. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first cushion and the second cushion comprises a fluid-filled chamber.

8. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein the first cushion is laterally spaced apart from the second cushion by a gap.

9. The sole structure of claim 8 , wherein the first cushion includes a first arcuate perimeter surface and the second cushion includes a second arcuate perimeter surface, and wherein the first arcuate perimeter surface opposes the second arcuate perimeter surface at the gap.

10. The sole structure of claim 1 , further comprising an outsole including a first outsole surface attached to the second cushion surface and a second outsole surface defining a ground-contacting surface and disposed on an opposite side of the outsole than the first outsole surface.

11. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
a midsole upper portion;
a plate including a first plate surface attached to the midsole upper portion and a second plate surface disposed on an opposite side of the plate than the first plate surface;
a first cushion including a first cushion surface attached to the second plate surface; and
a midsole lower portion disposed between the first cushion and a posterior end of the sole structure, wherein the midsole lower portion includes a first end disposed at the posterior end of the sole structure and a second end disposed at an opposite end of the midsole lower portion than the first end, the second end being attached to the second plate surface and including a sidewall facing and spaced apart from the first cushion by a first gap in a midfoot region, the sidewall extending from a ground-engaging surface of the midsole lower portion to the second plate surface at an oblique angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the sole structure extending from a heel region of the sole structure to a forefoot region of the sole structure.

12. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the second plate surface is exposed between the second end and a junction of the second plate surface and the first cushion surface.

13. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the first cushion comprises a fluid-filled chamber.

14. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the fluid-filled chamber is pressurized.

15. The sole structure of claim 11 , further comprising a second cushion disposed laterally adjacent to the first cushion across a width of the sole structure between a medial side of the sole structure and a lateral side of the sole structure.

16. The sole structure of claim 15 , wherein the first cushion and the second cushion have different cushioning characteristics than the midsole lower portion.

17. The sole structure of claim 15 , wherein the first cushion and the second cushion each comprise a fluid-filled chamber, and wherein the midsole lower portion comprises a polymer foam.

18. The sole structure of claim 15 , wherein the first cushion is spaced apart from the second cushion by a second gap.

19. The sole structure of claim 18 , wherein the first cushion includes a first arcuate perimeter surface and the second cushion includes a second arcuate perimeter surface, and wherein the first arcuate perimeter surface opposes the second arcuate perimeter surface at the second gap.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Connell Jeremy L
• Dimoff Karen S
• Farina Emily
• Greenspan Joël Ryp
• Guest Stefan E
• Haight Derek
• Henrichot Olivier
• Hutchinson Helene
• Luo Geng
• Yetman Krissy

Classifications

• A43B13/181 Primary

  Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole · CPC title

• A43B13/148

  Wedged end portions · CPC title

• A43B13/183

  Leaf springs · CPC title

• A43B13/32

  by adhesives · CPC title

• A43B13/12

  Soles with several layers of different materials · CPC title