Groung-Engaging Structures for Articles of Footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018317591-A1
Application number	US-201615774169-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 18, 2016
Priority date	Nov 20, 2015
Publication date	Nov 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Ground-engaging components ( 240 ) for articles of footwear ( 200 ) include an upper ( 202 )-facing surface ( 222 S) and a ground-facing surface ( 248 G) opposite the upper ( 202 ) facing surface ( 222 S). At least the ground-facing surface ( 248 G) may be formed to include a matrix structure ( 250 ), and this matrix structure ( 250 ) may include a plurality of open cells ( 252 ) (e.g., in a heel region ( 252 H) and/or a midfoot region ( 252 M) ) and a forefoot region ( 252 F) including a plurality of closed forefoot support cells ( 252 ). The ground-engaging component ( 240 ) may be engaged with a midsole member ( 220 ) (e.g., including a foam midsole element ( 222 F) and/or one or more fluid-filled bladders ( 222 A, 222 F), and this combination may form a sole structure ( 204 ) that is engaged with an upper ( 202 ) to form an article of footwear ( 200 ).

First claim

1 . A ground-engaging component for an article of footwear, comprising:
an upper-facing surface; and a ground-facing surface opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein at least the ground-facing surface includes a matrix structure, and wherein the matrix structure includes: (a) a heel region including a plurality of open heel support cells, (b) a midfoot region including a plurality of open midfoot support cells, and (c) a forefoot region including a plurality of closed forefoot support cells.

2 . The ground-engaging component according to claim 1 , wherein an average area enclosed by side walls of the plurality of open heel support cells is greater than an average area enclosed by side walls of the plurality of open midfoot support cells, and/or wherein an average area enclosed by side walls of the plurality of closed forefoot support cells is greater than the average area enclosed by the side walls of the plurality of open midfoot support cells.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The ground-engaging component according to claim 1 , wherein:
(a) the heel region includes a heel region support cell size differential (ΔA H ), wherein:
Δ A H =A HL −A HS ,

wherein A HL is an area enclosed by side walls of a largest open heel support cell located fully in the heel region and A HS is an area enclosed by side walls of a smallest open heel support cell located fully in the heel region, (b) the midfoot region includes a midfoot region support cell size differential (ΔA M ), wherein:
Δ A M =A ML −A MS ,

wherein A ML is an area enclosed by side walls of a largest open midfoot support cell located fully in the midfoot region and A MS is an area enclosed by side walls of a smallest open midfoot heel support cell located fully in the midfoot region, (c) the forefoot region includes a forefoot region support cell size differential (ΔA F ), wherein:
Δ A F =A FL −A FS ,

wherein A FL is an area enclosed by side walls of a largest closed forefoot support cell located fully in the forefoot region and A FS is an area enclosed by side walls of a smallest closed forefoot heel support cell located fully in the forefoot region, (d) ΔA H ≥2×ΔA M and/or ΔA F ≥2×ΔA M .

5 . The ground-engaging component according to claim 4 , wherein:
Δ A H ≥4 ×ΔA M

and/or
Δ A F ≥4 ×ΔA M .

6 . The ground-engaging component according to claim 1 , wherein:
(a) the heel region includes a tallest sidewall T H of sidewalls in the plurality of open heel support cells located fully in the heel region, (b) the midfoot region includes a tallest sidewall T M of sidewalls in the plurality of open midfoot support cells located fully in the midfoot region, (c) the forefoot region includes a tallest sidewall T F of sidewalls in the plurality of closed forefoot support cells located fully in the forefoot region, (d) T H ≥2×T M and/or T F ≥2×T M .

7 . The ground-engaging component according to claim 6 , wherein:
T H ≥4 ×T M

and/or
T F ≥4 ×T M .

8 . A ground-engaging component for an article of footwear, comprising:
an upper-facing surface; and a ground-facing surface opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein at least the ground-facing surface includes a matrix structure, and wherein the matrix structure includes a plurality of open cells and a forefoot region including a plurality of closed forefoot support cells.

9 . The ground-engaging component according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of closed forefoot support cells are closed by a support member that spans multiple cells of the matrix structure.

10 . The ground-engaging component according to claim 9 , wherein the matrix structure is integrally formed with and extends from a bottom surface of the support member.

11 . The ground-engaging component according to claim 9 , wherein a top surface of the matrix structure is spaced from a bottom surface of the support member over at least a portion of a bottom surface area of the support member.

12 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . The ground-engaging component according to claim 8 , wherein for at least a first closed forefoot support cell of the plurality of closed forefoot support cells in the matrix structure, a bottom of the first closed forefoot support cell is open and a cover closes a top of the first closed forefoot support cell.

27 . The ground-engaging component according to claim 8 , wherein for each of at least a first plurality of closed forefoot support cells of the plurality of closed forefoot support cells in the matrix structure, a bottom of each of the first plurality of closed forefoot support cells is open and a cover closes a top of each of the first plurality of closed forefoot support cells.

28 - 29 . (canceled)

30 . An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper; and a sole structure engaged with the upper, wherein the sole structure includes a ground-engaging component that includes: (a) an upper-facing surface; and (b) a ground-facing surface opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein at least the ground-facing surface includes a matrix structure, and wherein the matrix structure includes a plurality of open cells and a forefoot region including a plurality of closed forefoot support cells.

31 - 32 . (canceled)

33 . The article of footwear according to claim 30 , wherein the sole structure includes a midsole component that includes a foam midsole element and a first fluid-filled bladder engaged with the foam midsole element, wherein the foam midsole element includes a first opening defined through it, and wherein the first fluid-filled bladder is engaged with the foam midsole element in the first opening.

34 . (canceled)

35 . The article of footwear according to claim 33 , wherein the first fluid-filled bladder is located at a first metatarsal head support area of the sole structure.

36 . The article of footwear according to claim 33 , wherein the first fluid-filled bladder is located at a fourth and/or fifth metatarsal head support area of the sole structure.

37 - 38 . (canceled)

39 . The article of footwear according to claim 30 , wherein the sole structure includes a midsole component that includes a foam midsole element, a first fluid-filled bladder engaged with the foam midsole element, and a second fluid-filled bladder engaged with the foam midsole element, wherein the foam midsole element includes a first opening and a second opening defined through it, wherein the first fluid-filled bladder is engaged with the foam midsole element in the first opening, and wherein the second fluid-filled bladder is engaged with the foam midsole element in the second opening.

40 - 48 . (canceled)

49 . The article of footwear according to claim 30 , wherein the sole structure includes a midsole component that includes a foam midsole element, a first fluid-filled bladder engaged with the foam midsole element, a second fluid-filled bladder engaged with the foam midsole element, a third fluid-filled bladder engaged with the foam midsole element, and a fourth fluid-filled bladder engaged with the foam midsole element, wherein the foam midsole element includes a first opening defined through it, wherein the first fluid-filled bladder is engaged with the foam midsole element in the second opening, wherein the foam midsole element includes a second opening defined through it, wherein the second fluid-filled bladder is engaged with the

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Hollinger Kevin
• Thornhill Cheresse

Classifications

• A43B13/184 Primary

  the structure protruding from the outsole · CPC title

• A43B13/20

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

• A43B7/1445

  situated under the midfoot, i.e. the second, third or fourth metatarsal · CPC title

• A43B13/26

  projecting beyond the sole surface · CPC title

• A43B1/0009 Primary

  made at least partially of alveolar or honeycomb material · CPC title