Footwear having micro adjustability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12268281-B2
Application number	US-202318122516-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2023
Priority date	Jan 7, 2020
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an article of footwear with a sole structure having at least one adjustability pod configured to adjust at least one of a length and a width of the sole structure.

First claim

We claim:

1. An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure coupled to an upper,
wherein the sole structure comprises an adjustability pod configured to adjust at least one of a length and a width of the sole structure,
wherein the sole structure comprises an open configuration and a closed configuration,
wherein a dimension of the sole structure is greater in the open configuration than it is in the closed configuration,
wherein the adjustability pod comprises an expandable wing configured to resiliently deform between the open configuration and the closed configuration,
wherein the adjustability pod comprises a threaded member extending along an axis that is angled relative to the dimension, and
wherein rotation of the threaded member adjusts the dimension of the sole structure.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the sole structure comprises a plurality of adjustability pods collectively forming an adjustability pod skeleton.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein a perimeter of the adjustability pod skeleton is discontinuous between the plurality of adjustability pods to permit relative movement between the plurality of adjustability pods.

4. The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the adjustability pod skeleton is embedded all or partially within the sole structure.

5. The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the sole structure is structurally or compositionally configured to permit relative movement between the plurality of adjustability pods.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the threaded member is configured to be resiliently deformable along its length.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein an end of the threaded member is accessible through a sidewall of the sole structure.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7 , further comprising a shoelace having an aglet key configured to engage with and rotate the end of the threaded member.

9. An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure coupled to an upper,
wherein the sole structure comprises an adjustability pod configured to adjust both of a length and a width of the sole structure,
wherein the sole structure comprises an open configuration and a closed configuration,
wherein a dimension of the sole structure is greater in the open configuration than it is in the closed configuration,
wherein the adjustability pod comprises a first threaded member extending through the adjustability pod and a further comprises second threaded member extending through the adjustability pod,
wherein rotation of the first threaded member adjusts the length of the sole structure and wherein rotation of the second threaded member adjusts the width of the sole structure, and
wherein the adjustability pod is embedded all or partially within the sole structure.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the sole structure comprises a plurality of adjustability pods collectively forming an adjustability pod skeleton.

11. The article of footwear of claim 10 , wherein a perimeter of the adjustability pod skeleton is discontinuous between the plurality of adjustability pods to permit relative movement between the plurality of adjustability pods.

12. The article of footwear of claim 10 , wherein the sole structure is structurally or compositionally configured to permit relative movement between the plurality of adjustability pods.

13. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the first threaded member is configured to be resiliently deformable along its length.

14. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein an end of the first threaded member for adjustment of the length of the sole structure is accessible through a lateral sidewall or a medial sidewall of the sole structure.

15. The article of footwear of claim 14 , further comprising a shoelace having an aglet key configured to engage with and rotate the end of the first threaded member.

16. The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein an end of the second threaded member for adjustment of the width of the sole structure is accessible through the lateral sidewall or the medial sidewall of the sole structure adjacent to the end of the first threaded member.

Assignees

• Fast Ip Llc

Inventors

• Pratt Michael
• Cheney Craig
• Edwards Aislynn

Classifications

• A43B13/16

  Pieced soles (with several layers of different material A43B13/12) · CPC title

• A43B13/14

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title

• A43B13/183

  Leaf springs · CPC title

• A43B13/141

  with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion · CPC title

• A43B13/184

  the structure protruding from the outsole · CPC title