Outsole pattern for an article of footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12302994-B2
Application number	US-202318505674-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2023
Priority date	Aug 9, 2021
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

An outsole includes a set of ridges concentrically aligned around and emanating outwardly from a first epicenter. Each of the ridges have an undulating height there along. A portion of the set of ridges is aligned to define a flex zone. The flex zone is configured to accommodate flexion of the outsole there along.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sole for an article of footwear having a forefoot region, a midfoot region, a heel region, a medial side, and a lateral side, the sole comprising:
a set of ridges concentrically aligned around and emanating outwardly from an epicenter, the set of ridges extending into the midfoot region; and
a set of spaces that extend concentrically between respective ridges of all ridges of the set of ridges,
wherein a first group of ridges of the set of ridges has tall portions and short portions, the short portions having a height that is smaller than a height of the tall portions,
wherein a stiffening zone in the midfoot region includes a first group of tall portions, such that the first group of tall portions is aligned to define the stiffening zone, and
wherein a flex zone includes a first group of short portions, such that the first group of short portions is aligned to define a flex zone, wherein the flex zone is configured to flex more than the stiffening zone.

2. The sole of claim 1 , wherein each ridge of the set of ridges is circular.

3. The sole of claim 1 , wherein the flex zone extends from the epicenter toward the medial side, and
wherein the flex zone is positioned to correspond with a location of a metatarsal-phalangeal joint of a wearer.

4. The sole of claim 1 , wherein each ridge of the set of ridges is continuous.

5. The sole of claim 1 , wherein an innermost ridge of the set of ridges extends completely around the epicenter.

6. The sole of claim 1 , wherein the tall portions of the first group of ridges are spaced from the lateral side.

7. The sole of claim 6 , wherein the short portions of the first group of ridges are positioned between the tall portions and the lateral side.

8. The sole of claim 6 , wherein the sole comprises an outsole and the tall portions of the first group of ridges are formed as regions of increased thickness of the outsole and are configured to increase stiffness in the midfoot region within the stiffening zone.

9. The sole of claim 8 , wherein the flex zone extends through the epicenter from a first end on the medial side to a second end on the lateral side.

10. The sole of claim 9 , wherein the flex zone extends across the sole structure so that one of the first end of the flex zone and the second end of the flex zone is positioned closer to a heel end of the sole than is the other of the first end of the flex zone and the second end of the flex zone.

11. The sole of claim 9 , wherein a width of the flex zone varies between the first end of the flex zone and the second end of the flex zone.

12. The sole of claim 1 , wherein the spaces of the set of spaces that are between adjacent ridges are equidistant.

13. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the epicenter is in the heel region; and
wherein the stiffening zone is defined by aligned tall portions of five consecutive ridges of the set of ridges and the flex zone is defined by aligned short portions of five consecutive ridges of the set of ridges.

14. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the set of ridges includes five ridges between the epicenter and a heel end of sole structure.

15. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein the set of ridges includes 11 ridges between the epicenter and a toe end of the sole structure.

16. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein a stiffening zone further includes a second group of tall portions spaced from the first group of tall portions.

17. The sole structure of claim 16 , wherein the first group of tall portions includes four tall portions; and
wherein the second group of tall portions includes four tall portions.

18. A sole for an article of footwear having a forefoot region, a midfoot region, a heel region, a medial side, and a lateral side, the sole comprising:
a set of ridges concentrically aligned around and emanating outwardly from an epicenter that is positioned in the heel region; and
a set of spaces that extend concentrically between respective ridges of the set of ridges,
wherein the set of ridges includes a plurality of tall portions having a height that is greater than heights of adjacent short portion,
wherein some of the tall portions are aligned to define a stiffening zone in the midfoot region that is spaced from the lateral side of the sole, the stiffening zone configured to flex less than a flex zone of the sole defined by some of the short portions.

19. The sole of claim 18 , wherein the tall portions are arranged to provide directional traction in a heel-to-toe direction.

20. The sole of claim 18 , wherein the sole includes an outsole that defines the tall portions to increase stiffness and traction within the stiffening zone.

21. The sole of claim 20 , wherein the outsole defines eight tall portions corresponding to the stiffening zone.

22. The sole of claim 21 , wherein the eight tall portions are positioned in the midfoot region.

23. A sole for an article of footwear that includes a forefoot region, a midfoot region, a heel region, a medial side, and a lateral side, the sole comprising:
a ground engaging surface defining a set of ridges concentrically aligned about an epicenter in the heel region; and
a set of spaces that extend between respective ridges of the set of ridges,
wherein the set of ridges includes a plurality of short portions having a height that is smaller than heights of an adjacent plurality of tall portions of the set of ridges, and
wherein a stiffening zone is defined by some of the plurality of tall portions and is configured to flex less than a flex zone of the sole.

24. The sole of claim 23 , wherein the epicenter is a first epicenter and the set of ridges is a first set of ridges,
wherein the sole further comprises a second set of ridges concentrically aligned around and emanating outwardly from a second epicenter that is disposed within the forefoot region,
wherein the second set of ridges includes a plurality of short portions having a height that is smaller than heights of adjacent tall portions of the second set of ridges, and
wherein the flex zone is defined by some of the plurality of short portions and is configured to flex more than the stiffening zone.

25. The sole of claim 23 , where the plurality of tall portions of the set of ridges are spaced from the lateral side within the midfoot region so that the plurality of short portions is positioned between the plurality of tall portions and the lateral side.

Assignees

• Puma SE

Inventors

• Redon Arnaud
• Dunning Christopher

Classifications

• A43B13/141

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

• A43B13/181

  Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole · CPC title

• A43C15/16

  Studs {or cleats} for football or like boots · CPC title

• A43C13/04

  Cleats; Simple studs; Screws; Hob-nails · CPC title

• A43C15/02 Primary

  attached to the sole · CPC title