Sole system having movable protruding members

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9516918-B2
Application number	US-201414156491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2014
Priority date	Jan 16, 2014
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

An article of footwear with a sole system includes a sole member and a protruding member assembly. The sole system provides tactile sensation. Protruding members of the protruding member assembly can translate through holes in the sole member to facilitate tactile sensation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear, comprising:
a sole member having an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface disposed opposite of the outwardly facing surface, wherein the outwardly facing surface is disposed further from a foot than the inwardly facing surface when the article of footwear is worn;
the sole member including a plurality of holes extending from the outwardly facing surface to the inwardly facing surface;
a plurality of protruding members, each of the plurality of protruding members including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, wherein the distal end portion is disposed further from the foot than the proximal end portion when the article of footwear is worn;
the plurality of protruding members comprising at least a first protruding member, a second protruding member, and a third protruding member;
the first protruding member being disposed between the second protruding member and the third protruding member;
a first connecting portion including a first end portion attached to the first protruding member and a second end portion attached to the second protruding member;
a second connecting portion including a third end portion attached to the first protruding member and a fourth end portion attached to the third protruding member;
the first protruding member having a first position wherein the proximal end portion of the first protruding member is disposed a first distance from the inwardly facing surface of the sole member;
the first protruding member having a second position wherein the proximal end portion of the first protruding member is disposed a second distance from the inwardly facing surface of the sole member and wherein the first protruding member extends away from the sole member in the second position;
wherein the proximal end portion is disposed closer to the inner surface of the sole member than the distal end portion when the first protruding member is in the first position;
wherein the first connecting portion has a first length when the first protruding member is in the first position and a second length when the first protruding member is in the second position, wherein the second length is greater than the second length;
wherein the first connecting portion is substantially parallel with the inwardly facing surface when the first protruding member is in the first position, wherein the first connecting portion is angled with respect to the inwardly facing surface when the first protruding member is in the second position; and
wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , the plurality of holes of the sole member including at least a first hole, wherein the first protruding member is configured to provide tactile sensation to the foot as the first protruding member translates in a proximal direction through the first hole.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the proximal end portion of the second protruding member is disposed the first distance from the inwardly facing surface of the sole member when the first protruding member is in the second position.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear includes an inner member and wherein the inner member is disposed proximal to the proximal end portion of the first protruding member and wherein the inner member is configured to contact the foot.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the first protruding member moves from the first position to the second position in response to a force applied at the distal end portion of the first protruding member.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the first protruding member has a conical frustum shape.

7. An article of footwear, comprising:
a sole member having an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface disposed opposite of the outwardly facing surface, wherein the outwardly facing surface is disposed further from a foot than the inwardly facing surface when the article of footwear is worn;
a protruding member assembly comprising a plurality of protruding members and a plurality of connecting portions;
the protruding member assembly including a first protruding member and a second protruding member;
the protruding member assembly further including a first connecting portion including a first end portion attached to the first protruding member and a second end portion attached to the second protruding member;
the sole member including a first hole and a second hole;
the first protruding member extending through the first hole and the second protruding member extending through the second hole;
wherein the inwardly facing surface of the sole member includes a plurality of recesses that are sized and oriented to receive the plurality of connecting portions;
wherein the first connecting portion is disposed in a first recess formed in the inwardly facing surface of the sole member, the first recess having an elongated strip-like shape;
wherein the first connecting portion allows the first protruding member to move a first distance while the second protruding member moves a second distance; and
wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7 , wherein the second distance is between 0 and 75 percent of the first distance.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 7 , the sole member further including a third hole, wherein the inwardly facing surface further includes a second recess extending between the first hole and the third hole to receive a second connecting portion.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 7 , wherein the first protruding member moves in response to a force applied to an end portion of the first protruding member.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of recesses are configured to receive the plurality of connecting portions such that the plurality of connecting portions are substantially flush with the inwardly facing surface of the base member.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 7 , wherein the protruding member assembly is constructed as a monolithic portion.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 7 , wherein each of the recesses of the plurality of recesses has an elongated, strip-like shape.

14. An article of footwear, comprising:
a sole member having an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface disposed opposite of the outwardly facing surface, wherein the outwardly facing surface is disposed further from a foot than the inwardly facing surface when the article of footwear is worn;
the sole member having a vertical direction that extends between the outwardly facing surface and the inwardly facing surface;
a protruding member assembly including a plurality of protruding members connected together by a plurality of connecting portions;
the plurality of protruding members further including proximal end portions that provide an inner surface for the protruding member assembly and the plurality of protruding members including distal end portions that provide an outer surface for the protruding member assembly;
the sole member including a plurality of holes to receive the plurality of protruding members such that the distal end portions of the plurality of protruding members extend away from the outwardly facing surface;
the plurality of protruding members including a first protruding member and a second protruding member, the first protruding member being joined to the second protruding member by a first connectin

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Meschter James C
• Minami Tetsuya T
• Hoffer Kevin W

Classifications

• A43B13/141

  with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion · CPC title

• A43C15/14 Primary

  with outwardly-movable spikes · CPC title

• A43B13/184 Primary

  the structure protruding from the outsole · CPC title

• A43B13/12

  Soles with several layers of different materials · CPC title

• A43C15/167

  frusto-conical or cylindrical · CPC title