Article of footwear with support assembly having primary and secondary members

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9480298-B2
Application number	US-201313956711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2013
Priority date	Aug 1, 2013
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper, a midsole, and a support assembly positioned beneath the midsole. The support assembly includes a plurality of primary support members having a substantially Z-shaped cross-section extending transversely across the support assembly. The support assembly may include a plurality of secondary support members having an inverted V-shaped cross-section, extending longitudinally along the support assembly, and intersecting with the primary support members. An outsole is positioned beneath the support assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper;
a midsole positioned beneath the upper;
a support assembly positioned beneath the midsole and comprising:
a plurality of primary support members having a substantially Z-shaped cross-section extending transversely and continuously across the support assembly; and
a plurality of secondary support members having an inverted V-shaped cross-section extending longitudinally and continuously along the support assembly, and intersecting with the primary support members; and

an outsole positioned beneath the support assembly.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the primary support members and secondary support members are of unitary construction with one another.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the support assembly includes three secondary support members.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the support assembly includes nine primary support members.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the primary support members are substantially parallel to one another.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the secondary support members are substantially parallel to one another.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the support assembly is positioned beneath a heel portion of the upper.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the support assembly is formed of a polyether-block co-polyamide polymer.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the support assembly is formed of rubber.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the midsole includes a first portion extending from a heel portion of the upper to a midfoot portion of the upper, and a second portion extending from a forefoot portion of the upper to the midfoot portion of the upper, the support assembly being positioned beneath the first portion.

11. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the midsole includes a base portion and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from a periphery of the base portion.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein an interior surface of the peripheral wall is concave and an exterior surface of the peripheral wall is convex.

13. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper;
a midsole including a first midsole portion extending from beneath a heel portion of the upper to a midfoot portion of the upper, and a second midsole portion extending from beneath a forefoot portion of the upper to the midfoot portion of the upper;
a support assembly positioned beneath the first midsole portion and comprising:
a plurality of primary support members having a substantially Z-shaped cross-section extending transversely and continuously across the support assembly and substantially parallel to one another; and
a plurality of secondary support members having an inverted V-shaped cross-section extending longitudinally and continuously along the support assembly and substantially parallel to one another, and intersecting with the primary support members; and

an outsole positioned beneath the support assembly and the second midsole portion.

14. The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the support assembly includes three secondary support members.

15. The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the support assembly includes nine primary support members.

16. The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the support assembly is formed of a polyether-block co-polyamide polymer.

17. The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the support assembly is formed of rubber.

18. The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the first midsole portion includes a base portion and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from a periphery of the base portion.

19. The article of footwear of claim 18 , wherein an interior surface of the peripheral wall is concave and an exterior surface of the peripheral wall is convex.

20. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper;
a midsole including a first midsole portion extending from beneath a heel portion of the upper to a midfoot portion of the upper and including a base portion and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from a periphery of the base portion, and a second midsole portion extending from beneath a forefoot portion of the upper to the midfoot portion of the upper;
a support assembly positioned beneath the midsole and comprising:
a plurality of primary support members having a substantially Z-shaped cross-section extending transversely and continuously across the support assembly and substantially parallel to one another; and
a plurality of secondary support members having an inverted V-shaped cross-section extending longitudinally along the support assembly and substantially parallel to one another, and intersecting with the primary support members; and

an outsole having a first portion positioned beneath the support assembly and a second portion positioned beneath the second midsole portion;
wherein the primary support members are of unitary construction with the secondary support members.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Barnes Elizabeth
• Cortez Margarita
• Elder Zachary
• Fagergren Fred
• Peyton Lee

Classifications

• A43B13/188

  Differential cushioning regions · CPC title

• A43B13/125

  characterised by the midsole or middle layer · CPC title

• A43B13/186 Primary

  Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot (resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32) · CPC title

• A43B7/144 Primary

  situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone · CPC title

• A43B13/181

  Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole · CPC title