Footwear With Flexible Auxetic Ground Engaging Members

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016157553-A1
Application number	US-201414564694-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2014
Priority date	Dec 9, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An article of footwear may include an outer member comprising a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the outer surface of an outer member. Ground engaging members, or cleats, may be auxetic structures that can increase their dimensions in a direction that is orthogonal to the direction of applied force or tension. Ground engaging member shapes may include various polygonal features. The first ground engaging member may have a substantially three-pointed star-shaped pyramidal structure. The first ground engaging member may have three arm portions, a central region, a central tip, and an apex. The outer member may have an inner surface with apertures that correspond with the ground engaging members of the outer surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
an outer member comprising a base portion and a ground engaging member extending away from the base portion; the ground engaging member comprising a plurality of faces extending from the base portion on an outer side of the outer member, wherein each of the plurality of faces are joined at an apex of the ground engaging member; the ground engaging member further comprising a hollow interior region that is bounded by the plurality of faces on the outer side and wherein the hollow interior region is open on an inner side of the outer member; wherein the base portion has a first thickness and wherein the apex portion of the ground engaging member has a second thickness; and wherein the first thickness is substantially different than the second thickness.

2 . The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.

3 . The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein at least one face of the plurality of faces has an end portion attached to the base portion, the end portion having a third thickness, and wherein the third thickness is less than the second thickness.

4 . The sole structure according to claim 3 , wherein the third thickness is substantially equal to the first thickness.

5 . The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of faces comprises six faces.

6 . The sole structure according to claim 5 , wherein the six faces include a first face, a second face, a third face, a fourth face, a fifth face and a sixth face and wherein each face has an approximately triangular shape.

7 . The sole structure according to claim 6 , wherein the first face is joined to the second face along a first hinge portion, wherein the second face is joined to the third face along a second hinge portion, wherein the third face is joined to the fourth face along a third hinge portion, wherein the fourth face is joined to the fifth face along a fourth hinge portion, wherein the fifth face is joined to the sixth face along a fifth hinge portion and wherein the sixth face is joined to the first face along a sixth hinge portion.

8 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
an outer member comprising a base portion and a ground engaging member extending away from the base portion; the ground engaging member comprising a plurality of faces extending from a base portion, wherein each of the plurality of faces are joined at an apex of the ground engaging member; the apex comprising an outer apex surface disposed on an outer surface of the outer member and the apex comprising an inner apex surface disposed on an inner surface of the outer member; the outer apex surface being associated with a first curvature and the inner apex surface being associated with a second curvature; and wherein the first curvature is substantially greater than the second curvature.

9 . The sole structure according to claim 8 , wherein the first curvature is a first radius of curvature of the outer apex surface and wherein the second curvature is a second radius of curvature of the inner apex surface.

10 . The sole structure according to claim 8 , wherein the apex is thicker than the base portion.

11 . The sole structure according to claim 8 , wherein each face of the plurality of faces is substantially flat.

12 . The sole structure according to claim 8 , wherein each face of the plurality of faces has an approximately triangular geometry.

13 . The sole structure according to claim 8 , wherein the inner apex surface is concave and wherein the outer apex surface is convex.

14 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
an outer member; a plurality of ground engaging members extending away from a base portion of the outer member, the plurality of ground engaging members including a ground engaging member; the ground engaging member comprising at least a first arm portion, the first arm portion comprising a first face and a second face, the first face and the second face joined along a first hinge portion, the first face attached to the outer member along a second hinge portion, the second face attached to the outer member along a third hinge portion; a free end of the ground engaging member being an apex, wherein the apex is rounded; wherein an end of the first face is associated with the apex, and wherein an end of the second face is associated with the apex; the first face including a first intermediate portion extending between the apex and the base portion and the second face including a second intermediate portion extending between the apex and the base portion, wherein the apex is thicker than the first intermediate portion and wherein the apex is thicker than the second intermediate portion; the ground engaging member including a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the apex has a first height with respect to the base portion in the first configuration, wherein the apex has a second height with respect to the base portion in the second configuration; wherein the first hinge portion, the second hinge portion, and the third hinge portion facilitate the transition of the ground engaging member between the first configuration and the second configuration; and and wherein the plurality of ground engaging members are arranged on the outer member to provide the sole structure with the auxetic structure.

15 . The sole structure according to claim 14 , wherein the ground engaging member includes six faces, wherein the six faces all extend from the base portion to the apex.

16 . The sole structure according to claim 15 , wherein each face of the six faces is joined to two adjacent faces.

17 . The sole structure according to claim 15 , wherein the ground engaging member has the approximate geometry of a pyramid with a tri-star base.

18 . The sole structure according to claim 14 , wherein the outer member expands in a first direction and a second direction when the outer member is tensioned in the first direction, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

19 . The sole structure according to claim 14 , wherein the first hinge portion is rounded with a convex geometry.

20 . The sole structure according to claim 14 , wherein the outer member is made of a substantially elastic material.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Cross Tory M

Classifications

• A43B13/223

  Profiled soles · CPC title

• A43B13/187

  Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials · CPC title

• A43B13/122 Primary

  characterised by the outsole or external layer · CPC title

• A43B13/184

  the structure protruding from the outsole · CPC title

• A43B13/14

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title