Sole structure for an article of footwear with extended plate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9532623-B2
Application number	US-201514612971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2015
Priority date	Feb 7, 2014
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

An article of footwear has a plate with an extension portion that enables traction and durability functions to be achieved while providing a greater surface area for forward propulsion. Specifically, a sole structure for an article of footwear has a plate with a heel portion, a midfoot portion, a forefoot portion, and an extension portion. The heel portion, the midfoot portion, and the forefoot portion correspond with a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region, respectively, of the article of footwear. The extension portion of the plate extends from the forefoot portion forward to a distal end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper, wherein the upper has a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region, the sole structure comprising:
a plate having a heel portion, a midfoot portion, a forefoot portion, and an extension portion; wherein:
the plate has a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side;
the top side is nearer to the upper than the bottom side;
the heel portion, the midfoot portion, and the forefoot portion correspond with the heel region, the midfoot region, and the forefoot region of the upper, respectively;
the extension portion extends forward from a forward edge of the forefoot portion forward to a distal end and is entirely forward of the upper; and
the top side of the plate is spaced apart from the upper between the forward edge of the forefoot portion and the distal end;
wherein the extension portion has a stiffness configured such that the extension portion alone establishes a ground contact surface with a level ground plane, with the forefoot portion, the midfoot portion, and the heel portion separated from the level ground plane when the heel portion is sufficiently lifted from the level ground plane during a forward stride.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the extension portion of the plate extends forward of the forefoot portion by a first distance; and
the first distance is at least 5 percent of a length from a rear end of the heel portion to a front end of the forefoot portion.

3. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the extension portion of the plate extends forward of the forefoot portion by a first distance; and
the first distance is between 5 percent and 30 percent of a length from a rear end of the heel portion to a front end of the forefoot portion.

4. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the extension portion of the plate is configured to be stiffer than the forefoot portion.

5. The sole structure of claim 4 , wherein:
the heel portion has a first stiffness, the midfoot portion has a second stiffness, the forefoot portion has a third stiffness, and the extension portion has a fourth stiffness; and
the first stiffness is less than the second stiffness, the second stiffness is less that the third stiffness, and the third stiffness is less than the fourth stiffness.

6. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the plate has a graduated stiffness that increases in magnitude from the heel portion forward to the extension portion.

7. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the plate has multiple layers each of one composite material; and
the extension portion has a greater number of said multiple layers than the heel portion.

8. The sole structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first traction element secured to the first side; wherein:
the plate has a first coefficient of friction; and
the first traction element has a second coefficient of friction greater than the first coefficient of friction.

9. The sole structure of claim 8 , wherein:
the first traction element has a first set of substantially parallel elongated strips extending generally in a first direction; and
the first traction element has a second set of substantially parallel elongated strips extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

10. The sole structure of claim 9 , wherein the first traction element is secured to the first side of the plate at the extension portion, and further comprising:
an additional traction element secured to the first side of the plate at one of the forefoot portion and the heel portion; and wherein the additional traction element is discontinuous from the first traction element.

11. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the extension portion and the forefoot portion have a substantially equal radius of curvature.

12. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein a radius of curvature of the extension portion is less than a radius of curvature of the forefoot portion.

13. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein:
a radius of curvature of the extension portion is on the first side, and a radius of curvature of the forefoot portion is on the second side.

14. A sole structure for an article of footwear, wherein the article of footwear has a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region, the sole structure comprising:
a plate having a heel portion, a midfoot portion, a forefoot portion, and an extension portion; wherein:
the heel portion, the midfoot portion, and the forefoot portion correspond with the heel region, the midfoot region, and the forefoot region, respectively;
the extension portion extends from the forefoot portion forward to a distal end by a first distance;
the first distance is between 5 percent and 30 percent of a length from a rear end of the heel portion to a front end of the forefoot portion;
the plate has multiple layers of a composite material;
each of the multiple layers extends in the extension portion to the front distal end;
a first set of said multiple layers extends in the heel portion, the midfoot portion, the forefoot portion and the extension portion;
a second set of said multiple layers extends under the first set and only in the midfoot portion, the forefoot portion and the extension portion;
a third set of said multiple layers extends under the second set and only in the forefoot portion and the extension portion;
a fourth set of said multiple layers extends under the third set and only in the extension portion; and
the plate has a graduated stiffness that increases in magnitude from the heel portion forward to the extension portion.

15. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein:
the heel portion has a first number of said multiple layers;
the midfoot portion has a second number of said multiple layers;
the forefoot portion has a third number of said multiple layers;
the extension portion has a fourth number of said multiple layers; and
the first number is less than the second number, the second number is less than the third number, and the third number is less than the fourth number.

16. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein the extension portion has a stiffness sufficient such that the extension portion alone establishes a ground contact surface with a level ground plane, with the forefoot portion, the midfoot portion, and the heel portion separated from the level ground plane when the heel portion is sufficiently lifted from the level ground plane.

17. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein the plate has a first side and a second side opposite the first side; and further comprising:
a first traction element secured to the first side; wherein:
the plate has a first coefficient of friction; and
the first traction element has a second coefficient of friction greater than the first coefficient of friction.

18. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein a radius of curvature of the extension portion is less than or equal to a radius of curvature of the forefoot portion.

19. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein:
the plate has a first side and a second side opposite the first side;
a radius of curvature of the extension portion is on the first side; and
a radius of curvature of the forefoot portion is on the second side.

20. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the plate is an outsole.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Kilgore Bruce J
• Francis Paul J
• Kohatsu Shane S
• Vinet Andrea M

Classifications

• A43B13/183

  Leaf springs · CPC title

• A43B13/14 Primary

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title

• A43B13/122

  characterised by the outsole or external layer · CPC title

• A43B5/06

  Running shoes; Track shoes · CPC title