Modular article of footwear and method of manufacturing customized article of footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018317608-A1
Application number	US-201815967707-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 1, 2018
Priority date	May 8, 2017
Publication date	Nov 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A modular article of footwear comprises a sole structure having a foot-facing surface, a ground-engaging surface, and a peripheral side surface extending between the foot-facing surface and the ground-engaging surface. The peripheral side surface has at least one recess. The modular article of footwear includes an upper component, and a flange secured to the upper component and projecting therefrom. An inner surface of the flange fits against and is securable to the peripheral side surface of the sole structure with the flange in the at least one recess, and the upper component at least partially defining a foot-receiving cavity over the foot-facing surface. A method of manufacturing a customized article of footwear comprises receiving a request for an upper with a specified characteristic, and assembling the modular article of footwear having an upper in accordance with the request.

First claim

1 . A modular article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure having a foot-facing surface, a ground-engaging surface, and a peripheral side surface extending between the foot-facing surface and the ground-engaging surface; wherein the peripheral side surface has at least one recess; an upper component; a flange secured to the upper component and projecting therefrom; and wherein an inner surface of the flange fits against and is securable to the peripheral side surface of the sole structure with the flange in the at least one recess, and the upper component at least partially defining a foot-receiving cavity over the foot-facing surface.

2 . The modular article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the sole structure and the upper component each include a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region; the at least one recess is a single recess extending around the peripheral side surface throughout the forefoot region, the midfoot region, and the heel region of the sole structure; and the flange is a single flange extending around the forefoot region, the midfoot region, and the heel region of the upper component.

3 . The modular article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein:
the upper component has a split heel region; and the flange has a first end at a medial side of the split heel region, and a second end at a lateral side of the split heel region.

4 . The modular article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the sole structure is included in a first module having an additional upper component secured to the sole structure and partially defining the foot-receiving cavity over the foot-facing surface; the additional upper component is spaced apart from the at least one recess; and the upper component and the flange are a second module.

5 . The modular article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the upper component is a first upper component and the flange is a first flange, the modular article of footwear further comprising;
a second upper component; a second flange secured to the second upper component and projecting therefrom; and wherein an inner surface of the second flange and the peripheral side surface of the sole structure are configured to fit against one another with the second flange in the at least one recess, the second upper component further defining the foot-receiving cavity, and the second flange secured to the peripheral side surface.

6 . The modular article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein:
the at least one recess includes a first recess and a second recess separated from the first recess by a non-recessed portion of the peripheral side surface of the sole structure; the inner surface of the first flange fits against and is securable to the peripheral side surface of the sole structure with the first flange in the first recess; the inner surface of the second flange fits against and is securable to the peripheral side surface of the sole structure with the second flange in the second recess; and the first flange is separated from the second flange by the non-recessed portion of the peripheral side surface.

7 . The modular article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein, when the second flange is secured to the peripheral side surface of the sole structure in the recess, the second upper component is adjacent to the first upper component; and
the second upper component is secured to the first upper component.

8 . The modular article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the peripheral side surface of the sole structure has at least one first locating feature in the at least one recess; the flange has at least one second locating feature at the inner surface; and the at least one first locating feature interfits with the at least one second locating feature.

9 . The modular article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the at least one first locating feature is one of a protrusion of, or a recess in, the peripheral side surface of the sole structure.

10 . The modular article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein:
the at least one first locating feature is one of a ridge and a slot; the at least one second locating feature is the other of the ridge and the slot; and the ridge fits within the slot.

11 . The modular article of footwear of claim 10 , wherein:
the at least one first locating feature is the slot; the slot extends in the peripheral side surface along a rear periphery of the sole structure from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure; the second locating feature is the ridge; and the ridge protrudes at the inner surface of the flange.

12 . The modular article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the sole structure and the flange mechanically secure to one another.

13 . The modular article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the sole structure has one of a male connector and a female connector, and the flange has the other of the male connector and the female connector.

14 . The modular article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the peripheral side surface of the sole structure has a curvature at the at least one recess; the upper component and the flange secured thereto are sufficiently flexible to adopt a first state when the flange is disjoined from the sole structure, and a second state when the flange is secured to the sole structure in the at least one recess; a predetermined region of a surface of the upper component has a maximum variance in elevation of less than or equal to 10 millimeters in the first state; and the inner surface of the flange has the curvature of the peripheral side surface in the second state.

15 . The modular article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein:
the predetermined region of the surface of the upper component has a graphical image thereon; and the graphical image is comprised of ink.

16 . The modular article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper component is a first material; and the flange is a second material.

17 . The modular article of footwear of claim 16 , wherein the peripheral side surface of the sole structure is the second material.

18 . The modular article of footwear of claim 16 , further comprising:
an adhesive disposed on either or both of the inner surface of the flange and the peripheral side surface of the sole structure.

19 . The modular article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the flange is flush with an adjacent portion of the peripheral side surface when the inner surface of the flange and the peripheral side surface of the sole structure are fit against and secured to one another with the flange in the at least one recess.

20 . The modular article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the sole structure has a cavity at the peripheral side surface, and further comprising:
an insert shaped and sized to fit within the cavity; and wherein the insert has a different compressive stiffness than the sole structure.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Fenato Piero
• Langvin Elizabeth
• Wolfe Randall S
• Yetman Krissy

Classifications

• A43B13/28

  characterised by their attachment, also attachment of combined soles and heels · CPC title

• A43B23/0295 Primary

  Pieced uppers · CPC title

• A43B3/0078

  provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration (A43B23/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A43B9/02

  Footwear stitched or nailed through · CPC title

• A43B13/32

  by adhesives · CPC title