Footwear with improved sole assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9289029-B2
Application number	US-201113011375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2011
Priority date	Jan 25, 2010
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

An article of footwear including an outer sole assembly, the outer sole assembly extending lengthwise from a rear end to a front end, widthwise between a lateral side and a medial side, and heightwise between a free surface and a connection surface, the outer sole assembly including a core made of a first material. The core of the outer sole assembly includes a plate that demarcates the connection surface, as well as at least one boss that projects from the plate towards the free surface. The outer sole assembly includes an outer layer made of a second material, the outer layer at least partially demarcating the free surface, the outer layer at least partially covering the plate and at least partially covering a boss.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article of footwear comprising: an outer sole assembly having a rear end and a front end, defining a length; a lateral side and a medial side, defining a width; and a ground-contacting free surface and a connection surface, defining a height, the connection surface designed to connect the outer sole assembly to a remainder of the article of footwear; the outer sole assembly including a core, the core being made of a first material; the first material of the core of the outer sole assembly comprising: a plate demarcating the connection surface; at least one boss projecting from the plate toward the free surface; the outer sole assembly further comprising an outer layer made of a second material, the first material having a hardness greater than a hardness of the second material; the outer layer at least partially demarcating the free surface of the outer sole assembly; the outer layer at least partially covering and directly contacting the plate and at least partially covering and contacting at least one of said at least one boss; the outer layer further comprising a peripheral lip extending along and beyond respective peripheries of a lateral side, a rear end, and a medial side of the core of the outer sole assembly; the peripheral lip being a flexible lip made of the second material.

2. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first material of the core having a length ranging between 85 and 100% of the length of the sole assembly.

3. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one boss comprises nine bosses on a lateral side of the core, and eight bosses on a medial side of the core.

4. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one boss comprises rear bosses in a heel area of the outer sole assembly, the rear bosses being completely covered by the outer layer.

5. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one boss comprises a plurality of bosses of a metatarsal zone of the outer sole assembly partially covered by the outer layer.

6. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , further comprising:
open cavities that open out on the connection surface of the outer sole assembly.

7. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one boss comprises a plurality of bosses distributed in a way to demarcate a longitudinal groove of the sole assembly, said groove opening out in a direction toward the free surface.

8. An article of footwear according to claim 7 , wherein:
the plate comprises a longitudinal band extending along the sole assembly and demarcating a bottom of the longitudinal groove, the band having a length ranging between 85 and 100% of the length of the sole assembly, the band being made of the first material of the core.

9. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper having a lower surface affixed to the connection surface of the outer sole assembly;
the lower surface of the upper extending beyond the respective peripheries of the lateral side, the rear end, and the medial side of the core of the outer sole assembly and extending vertically over and being adhesively secured to the peripheral lip.

10. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one boss comprises at least a pair of transversely spaced-apart bosses projecting from the plate toward the free surface;
the outer sole assembly further comprises a first connecting member structured and arranged to be engaged by a binding for securing the article of footwear to a sports apparatus.

11. An article of footwear according to claim 10 , wherein:
the first connecting member is positioned forward of a metatarsal zone of the outer sole assembly.

12. An article of footwear according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a second connecting member positioned in the metatarsal zone of the outer sole assembly.

13. An article of footwear according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a central longitudinal groove designed for cooperation with a guiding rib of the binding, said groove opening out in the free surface of the outer sole assembly;
the at least one boss of the core comprising at least one transversely spaced-apart pair of bosses, the first connecting member being anchored in the first material of the core and spanning the longitudinal groove;
first material being the hardest substance of the core.

14. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein:
a hardest material of the core having a length between 85 and 100% of the length of the sole assembly.

15. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first material of the core has a hardness between 50 and 80 Shore D.

16. An article of footwear comprising:
an outer sole assembly having a rear end and a front end, defining a length;

a lateral side and a medial side, defining a width; and a ground-contacting free surface and a connection surface, defining a height, the connection surface designed to connect the outer sole assembly to a remainder of the article of footwear;
the outer sole assembly comprising a core, the core being made of a first substance;
the first substance of the core of the outer sole assembly comprising:
a plate demarcating the connection surface;
at least first and second pairs of transversely spaced-apart bosses projecting from the plate toward the free surface, the first pair of spaced-apart bosses being forward of the second pair of spaced-apart bosses;

the outer sole assembly further including an outer layer made of a second substance having a lesser hardness than a hardness of the first substance of the outer layer;
the outer layer at least partially demarcating the free surface;
the outer layer having been adhesively affixed to or molded onto the plate and at least partially covering the plate and at least partially covering the second pair of spaced-apart bosses;
a first connecting member structured and arranged to be engaged by a binding, the first connecting member anchored in the core and extending between the first pair of spaced-apart bosses;
the first connecting member being at a position forward of a metatarsal zone of the outer sole assembly.

17. An article of footwear according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a second connecting member positioned in the metatarsal zone of the outer sole assembly and extending between the second pair of spaced-apart bosses.

18. An article of footwear according to claim 17 , wherein:
the first pair of spaced-apart bosses are not completely covered by the outer layer;
the second pair of spaced-apart bosses are completely covered by the outer layer.

19. An article of footwear according to claim 16 , wherein:
the outer layer of the outer sole assembly does not extend forwardly as far as the position of the first connecting member.

20. An article of footwear according to claim 19 , wherein:
the outer layer of the sole assembly does not extend forwardly as far as the first pair of spaced-apart bosses so that the first pair of spaced-apart bosses comprise a first pair of ground-engaging tread blocks having surfaces of the first substance.

21. An article of footwear according to claim 20 , wherein:
the first pair of ground-engaging tread blocks are solid and have no cavities opening up to the connection surface;
the second pair of spaced-apart bosses include respective cavities opening up to the connection surface;
the second pair of sp

Assignees

• Miette Philippe
• Salomon Sas

Inventors

• Miette Philippe

Classifications

• A43B5/0482

  made from materials with different rigidities · CPC title

• A43B13/02

  characterised by the material · CPC title

• A43B5/0421

  located underneath the sole · CPC title

• A43B13/12

  Soles with several layers of different materials · CPC title

• B29D35/142

  Soles · CPC title