Plate for footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11730232-B2
Application number	US-202117231617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2021
Priority date	Oct 2, 2015
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

A plate for an article of footwear having a sole structure includes an anterior-most point disposed in a forefoot region of the sole structure, a posterior-most point disposed closer to a heel region of the sole structure than the anterior-most point, and a concave portion extending between the anterior-most point and the posterior-most point. The concave portion includes a constant radius of curvature from the anterior-most point to a metarsophalangeal (MTP) point of the sole structure. The MTP point opposes the MTP joint of a foot during use.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper, the sole structure comprising:
a plate having a Young's modulus of at least 70 gPa and including a first surface defining a concave portion and a second surface disposed on an opposite side of the plate than the first surface and defining a convex portion;
a first cushioning portion formed of a foam material and having a lower rigidity than the plate, the first cushioning portion having a first thickness extending from a bottom surface facing the first surface of the plate to a top surface facing the upper, the top surface having a surface profile contoured to match a surface profile of the first surface of the plate; and
a second cushioning portion disposed between the second surface of the plate and a ground-contacting surface of the sole structure and having a second thickness extending from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure and from a metatarsophalangeal point of the sole structure to an anterior end of the sole structure, the first thickness being at least twice the second thickness.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the concave portion and the convex portion are disposed in a forefoot region of the sole structure.

3. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first cushioning portion includes a first segment disposed between the concave portion and the upper in a forefoot region of the sole structure and a second segment disposed between the plate and the upper in one of a midfoot region of the sole structure and a heel region of the sole structure.

4. The sole structure of claim 3 , wherein the second cushioning portion includes a third segment disposed between the convex portion and the ground-contacting surface in the forefoot region and a fourth segment disposed between the plate and the ground-contacting surface in one of the midfoot region and the heel region.

5. The sole structure of claim 4 , wherein the fourth segment includes a greater thickness than the third segment.

6. The sole structure of claim 4 , wherein the fourth segment includes a greater thickness than the first segment.

7. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the plate is embedded between the first cushioning portion and the second cushioning portion.

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

9. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the plate extends from a first end disposed proximate to a forefoot region of the sole structure to a second end disposed proximate to a heel region of the sole structure.

10. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the plate includes a series of fibers that are at least one of impregnated and infused with a resin.

11. A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper, the sole structure comprising:
a plate having a Young's modulus of at least 70 gPa and including a first surface defining a concave portion and a second surface disposed on an opposite side of the plate than the first surface and defining a convex portion; and
a first cushioning portion formed of a foam material and having a lower rigidity than the plate, the first cushioning portion having a first thickness extending from a bottom surface facing the first surface of the plate to a top surface facing the upper, the top surface having a surface profile contoured to match a surface profile of the first surface of the plate; and
a second cushioning portion disposed between the second surface of the plate and a ground-contacting surface of the sole structure and having a second thickness extending from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure and from a metatarsophalangeal point of the sole structure to an anterior end of the sole structure, the first thickness being greater than half of a total thickness of the first cushioning portion and the second cushioning portion in a forefoot region of the sole structure.

12. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the concave portion and the convex portion are disposed in the forefoot region of the sole structure.

13. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the first cushioning portion includes a first segment disposed between the concave portion and the upper in the forefoot region of the sole structure and a second segment disposed between the plate and the upper in one of a midfoot region of the sole structure and a heel region of the sole structure.

14. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the second cushioning portion includes a third segment disposed between the convex portion and the ground-contacting surface in the forefoot region and a fourth segment disposed between the plate and the ground-contacting surface in one of the midfoot region and the heel region.

15. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein the fourth segment includes a greater thickness than the third segment.

16. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein the fourth segment includes a greater thickness than the first segment.

17. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the plate is embedded between the first cushioning portion and the second cushioning portion.

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

19. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the plate extends from a first end disposed proximate to a forefoot region of the sole structure to a second end disposed proximate to a heel region of the sole structure.

20. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the plate includes a series of fibers that are at least one of impregnated and infused with a resin.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Farina Emily
• Follet Lysandre
• Luo Geng
• Savage Rachel M
• Yetman Kristin

Classifications

• A43B13/02

  characterised by the material · 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

• A43B7/141

  having an anatomical or curved form · CPC title

• A43B7/145

  situated under the toes, i.e. the phalanges · CPC title

• A43B7/148

  Recesses or holes filled with supports or pads · CPC title