Sole structure with plates and intervening fluid-filled bladder and method of manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11452335-B2
Application number	US-202117175981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2021
Priority date	Apr 20, 2018
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a first plate, a fluid-filled bladder supported on the first plate, and a second plate supported on the fluid-filled bladder with the fluid-filled bladder disposed between the first plate and the second plate. The first plate ascends rearward of the fluid-filled bladder and the second plate descends rearward of the fluid-filled bladder with a posterior portion of the first plate above a posterior portion of the second plate rearward of the fluid-filled bladder. A method of manufacturing footwear sole structures includes assembling sole structures for plural ranges of footwear sizes, each of the sole structures including a fluid-filled bladder with a predetermined inflation pressure that is different for at least two of the plural ranges.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
a first plate;
a resilient material supported on the first plate;
a second plate supported on the resilient material with the resilient material disposed between the first plate and the second plate;
wherein the first plate ascends rearward of the resilient material in a direction from a forefoot region of the sole structure toward a heel region of the sole structure and the second plate descends rearward of the resilient material in the direction from the forefoot region of the sole structure toward the heel region of the sole structure with a posterior portion of the first plate above a posterior portion of the second plate rearward of the resilient material, the posterior portion of the second plate includes one or both of a medial-side trailing arm and a lateral-side trailing arm, and the posterior portion of the first plate is disposed adjacent to and inward of the one or both of the medial-side trailing arm and the lateral-side trailing arm in a transverse direction of the sole structure.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first plate is more rigid than the second plate.

3. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein:
the first plate comprises a carbon fiber composite, a thermoplastic elastomer, wood, or steel; and
the second plate comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

4. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the one or both of the medial-side trailing arm and the lateral-side trailing arm are exposed in a midfoot region of the sole structure.

5. The sole structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third plate having a forward edge fit to the posterior portion of the first plate with the third plate extending rearward from the first plate.

6. The sole structure of claim 5 , further comprising:
a midsole unit extending from a forefoot region to the heel region of the sole structure, the midsole unit supported on and interfacing with a proximal side of the first plate in the forefoot region forward of the second plate, with a proximal side of the second plate forward of the medial-side trailing arm and the lateral-side trailing arm, and with a proximal side of the third plate.

7. The sole structure of claim 6 , wherein:
the first plate includes a medial flange at a medial side edge of the first plate and a lateral flange at a lateral side edge of the first plate; and
the medial flange and the lateral flange are disposed against a rear face of a downwardly extending portion of the midsole unit in the forefoot region forward of the resilient material.

8. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein the third plate includes an elongated tail curving upward and forward from a rear of the third plate.

9. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first plate includes a bifurcated portion forward of the resilient material.

10. The sole structure of claim 9 , wherein the bifurcated portion includes a medial projection and a lateral projection, each of the medial projection and the lateral projection having a longitudinally-extending ridge extending upward on a proximal side of the first plate.

11. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the first plate includes a bifurcated portion;
the resilient material is disposed on the bifurcated portion.

12. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the posterior portion of the first plate includes a medial rail and a lateral rail that converge forward of a terminal end of the posterior portion of the first plate.

13. The sole structure of claim 12 , wherein the medial rail and the lateral rail each have a longitudinally-extending ridge extending downward on a distal side of the first plate.

14. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the resilient material is a foam structure.

15. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
a first plate;
a resilient material supported on the first plate;
a second plate supported on the resilient material with the resilient material disposed between the first plate and the second plate;
wherein the first plate ascends rearward of the resilient material and the second plate descends rearward of the resilient material with a posterior portion of the first plate above a posterior portion of the second plate rearward of the resilient material;
a midsole unit extending in a heel region of the sole structure;
wherein the midsole unit has a through hole in the heel region, the posterior portion of the first plate extends through the through hole in the midsole unit and is seated on a foot-facing surface of the midsole unit, the posterior portion of the first plate includes a stepped rear with a relatively thick leg extending through the through hole and a relatively thin leg extending rearward from the relatively thick leg over the midsole unit, the relatively thin leg is seated in a recess on the foot-facing surface of the midsole unit, and a side surface of the relatively thick leg is bonded to the midsole unit.

16. The sole structure of claim 15 , wherein a foot-facing surface of the posterior portion at the stepped rear includes a plurality of recesses.

17. The sole structure of claim 15 , wherein the posterior portion of the second plate includes one or both of a medial-side trailing arm and a lateral-side trailing arm, the posterior portion of the first plate is disposed adjacent to and inward of the one or both of the medial-side trailing arm and the lateral-side trailing arm in a transverse direction of the sole structure, and the one or both of the medial-side trailing arm and the lateral-side trailing arm are exposed in a midfoot region of the sole structure.

18. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
a first plate;
a resilient material supported on the first plate;
a second plate supported on the resilient material with the resilient material disposed between the first plate and the second plate;
wherein the first plate ascends rearward of the resilient material and the second plate descends rearward of the resilient material with a posterior portion of the first plate above a posterior portion of the second plate rearward of the resilient material;
a third plate fit to the first plate with the third plate extending rearward from the first plate; and
a full-length midsole unit extending from a forefoot region of the sole structure to a heel region of the sole structure; wherein the full-length midsole unit is supported on and interfaces with a proximal side of the first plate in the forefoot region forward of the second plate, with the proximal side of the second plate, and with the proximal side of the third plate.

19. The sole structure of claim 18 , wherein the posterior portion of the second plate includes one or both of a medial-side trailing arm and a lateral-side trailing arm, and the posterior portion of the first plate is disposed adjacent to and inward of the one or both of the medial-side trailing arm and the lateral-side trailing arm in a transverse direction of the sole structure.

20. The sole structure of claim 19 , wherein the posterior portion of the first plate and one or both of the medial-side trailing arm and the lateral-side trailing arm are exposed in a midfoot region of the sole structure.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Conrad Bryan P
• Klein Ross
• Lindner Troy C
• Picco Bryan R
• Rasmussen Jeffrey George
• Youngs Bryan K

Classifications

• A43B13/14

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title

• A43B13/20 Primary

  Pneumatic soles {filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas (inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407)} · CPC title

• A43B13/12

  Soles with several layers of different materials · CPC title

• 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

• A43B13/183

  Leaf springs · CPC title