Sole structures and articles of footwear having plate moderated fluid-filled bladders and/or foam type impact force attenuation members

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9456658-B2
Application number	US-201213623722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2012
Priority date	Sep 20, 2012
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

Sole structures for articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include: (a) an outsole component; (b) a midsole component engaged with the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes at least one opening or receptacle; (c) at least one fluid-filled bladder system or foam system provided in the opening or receptacle; and/or (d) a rigid plate system including one or more rigid plates overlaying the fluid-filled bladder or foam system(s). The rigid plate(s) may be fixed directly to the midsole component or the rigid plate(s) may rest on the fluid-filled bladder(s) or foam somewhat above the surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition. Articles of footwear and methods of making sole structures and articles of footwear including such sole structures also are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
an outsole component including an exterior major surface and an interior major surface;
a midsole component connected with the interior major surface of the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes a through-hole receptacle defined therein, wherein an undercut region is defined by a portion of a bottom surface of the midsole component adjacent to an interior sidewall of the midsole component that defines the through-hole receptacle, wherein the portion of the bottom surface of the midsole component faces the interior major surface of the outsole component and has a concave shape, and wherein the undercut region extends at least partially around a periphery of the through-hole receptacle;
a fluid-filled bladder system located at least partially within the through-hole receptacle; and
a rigid plate portion at least partially overlaying the fluid-filled bladder system,
wherein a compressive force applied between the rigid plate portion and the exterior major surface of the outsole component causes the undercut region to reduce in height.

2. A sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the undercut region extends completely around the periphery of the through-hole receptacle.

3. A sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid-filled bladder system is engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component.

4. A sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the through-hole receptacle is provided in a forefoot portion of the midsole component.

5. A sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the undercut region has a maximum height of 1.5 to 12 mm when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition.

6. A sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the undercut region has a maximum height of 1.75 to 10 mm when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition.

7. A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
an outsole component including an exterior major surface and an interior major surface;
a midsole component connected with the interior major surface of the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes a through-hole forefoot opening defined therein, wherein a portion of a bottom surface of the midsole component adjacent the through-hole forefoot opening defines an undercut region between the portion of the bottom surface of the midsole component and the interior major surface of the outsole component, and wherein the portion of the bottom surface of the midsole component faces the interior major surface of the outsole component and has a concave shape;
a forefoot fluid-filled bladder system located at least partially within the through-hole forefoot opening and engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component; and
a first rigid plate portion at least partially overlaying the forefoot fluid-filled bladder system,
wherein a compressive force applied between the first rigid plate portion and the exterior major surface of the outsole component causes the undercut region to reduce in height.

8. A sole structure according to claim 7 , wherein the undercut region extends completely around the through-hole forefoot opening.

9. A sole structure according to claim 7 , wherein the undercut region has a maximum height of 1.5 to 12 mm when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition.

10. A sole structure according to claim 7 , wherein the undercut region has a maximum height of 1.75 to 10 mm when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition.

11. A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
an outsole component including an exterior major surface and an interior major surface;
a midsole component connected with the interior major surface of the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes a through-hole rearfoot opening defined therein, wherein a portion of a bottom surface of the midsole component adjacent the through-hole rearfoot opening defines an undercut region between the portion of the bottom surface of the midsole component and the interior major surface of the outsole component, and wherein the portion of the bottom surface of the midsole component faces the interior major surface of the outsole component and has a concave shape;
a rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system located at least partially within the through-hole rearfoot opening and engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component; and
a first rigid plate portion at least partially overlaying the rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system,
wherein a compressive force applied between the first rigid plate portion and the exterior major surface of the outsole component causes the undercut region to reduce in height.

12. A sole structure according to claim 11 , wherein the undercut region extends completely around the through-hole rearfoot opening.

13. A sole structure according to claim 11 , wherein the undercut region has a maximum height of 1.5 to 12 mm when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition.

14. A sole structure according to claim 11 , wherein the undercut region has a maximum height of 1.75 to 10 mm when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition.

15. A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
an outsole component including an exterior major surface and an interior major surface;
a midsole component including one or more midsole parts connected with the interior major surface of the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes a through-hole forefoot opening and a rearfoot opening defined therein, and wherein:
(a) a first portion of a bottom surface of the midsole component adjacent the through-hole forefoot opening defines a first undercut region between the first portion of the bottom surface of the midsole component and the interior major surface of the outsole component, and wherein the first portion of the bottom surface of the midsole component faces the interior major surface of the outsole component and has a concave shape, and
(b) a second portion of the bottom surface of the midsole component adjacent the rearfoot opening defines a second undercut region between the second portion of the bottom surface of the midsole component and the interior major surface of the outsole component;

a forefoot fluid-filled bladder system located at least partially within the through-hole forefoot opening and engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component;
a rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system located at least partially within the rearfoot opening and engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component; and
a rigid plate system including a first rigid plate portion at least partially overlaying the forefoot fluid-filled bladder system and a second rigid plate portion at least partially overlaying the rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system,
wherein a compressive force applied between the rigid plate system and the exterior major surface of the outsole component causes the first undercut region and the second undercut region to reduce in height.

16. A sole structure according to claim 15 , wherein the rigid plate system constitutes a single, continuous rigid plate member.

17. A sole structure according to claim 15 , wherein the rigid plate system includes a first rigid plate member including the first rigid plate portion and a second rigid plate member separate from the first rigid plate member and including the second rigid plate portion.

18. A sole structure according to claim 15 , wherein the forefo

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Bruce Robert M
• Heard Joshua P

Classifications

• A43B13/20 Primary

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

• A43B7/1435

  situated under the joint between the fifth phalange and the fifth metatarsal bone · CPC title

• A43B13/187

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

• A43B13/181

  Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole · CPC title

• A43B13/383

  pieced · CPC title