Flexible article of footwear and related method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9894958-B2
Application number	US-201514609828-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2015
Priority date	Jan 30, 2015
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

An improved article of footwear and a related method of manufacture are provided. The article of footwear can include a sole construction including a midsole and an outsole that are configured to promote the natural motion of the wearer's foot and conformance to the ground. The sole construction can additionally include an insole construction having enhanced flexibility in the forefoot region to further accommodate dorsi-flexion and plantar-flexion of the wearer's foot. The related method of manufacture provides the assembly of an article of footwear having these and other features, which can be suitable for athletic wear, outdoor wear and casual wear by adults, adolescents and small children.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole component, the sole component comprising:
a footbed;
an insole element including a forefoot region, the forefoot region defining an open area within an interior portion of the insole element, the footbed being removably positioned over the forefoot region of the insole element;
a midsole including an upper surface and a lower surface defining a midsole thickness therebetween, the midsole upper surface defining a plurality of midsole grooves having a depth through at least a portion of the midsole thickness, the plurality of midsole grooves including four longitudinal grooves extending in a heel-to-toe direction and first and second lateral grooves extending in a direction that is transverse to the heel-to-toe direction, the four longitudinal grooves being spaced apart from each other and configured to be beneath a gap between adjacent toes of a wearer's foot, the first lateral groove intersecting the four longitudinal grooves and being configured to be beneath a junction between toes and metatarsals of the wearer's foot, the second lateral groove intersecting the four longitudinal grooves and being configured to be beneath metatarsals of the wearer's foot; and
an outsole including an upper surface and a lower surface defining an outsole thickness therebetween, the outsole lower surface defining a plurality of outsole grooves having a depth through at least a portion of the outsole thickness,
wherein the midsole is positioned between the insole element and the outsole, and wherein the open area of the insole element extends over a portion of the plurality of midsole grooves to facilitate plantar-flexion and dorsi-flexion of the sole component,
wherein the plurality of midsole grooves cooperate to define a plurality of anatomical pods in the midsole upper surface, at least two of the plurality of anatomical pods being bordered on four sides by the plurality of midsole grooves and being entirely within the open area of the insole element such that the at least two of the anatomical pods are viewable through the open area in the insole element when the footbed is removed from the article of footwear.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the depth of the plurality of midsole grooves is between 25% and 95% of the midsole thickness.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the depth of the plurality of outsole grooves is between 25% and 95% of the outsole thickness.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 further including a film interposed between the midsole and the outsole for ground protection and durability.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4 wherein the midsole includes EVA foam and wherein the film includes EVA plastic.

6. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole component, the sole component comprising:
a footbed;
an insole element including a forefoot region, the forefoot region defining an opening extending through the insole element within an interior portion of the insole element, the footbed being removably positioned over the forefoot region of the insole element;
a midsole including a plurality of midsole grooves in an upper surface thereof, the plurality of midsole grooves including four longitudinal grooves extending in a heel-to-toe direction and first and second lateral grooves extending in a direction that is transverse to the heel-to-toe direction, the four longitudinal grooves being spaced apart from each other and configured to be beneath a gap between adjacent toes of a wearer's foot, the first lateral groove intersecting the four longitudinal grooves and being configured to be beneath a junction between toes and metatarsals of the wearer's foot, the second lateral groove intersecting the four longitudinal grooves and being configured to be beneath metatarsals of the wearer's foot, the opening of the insole element extending over a portion of the plurality of midsole grooves; and
an outsole including a plurality of outsole grooves in a lower surface thereof that extend around a plurality of tread elements;
wherein the insole element is positioned above the midsole and wherein the midsole is joined to the outsole along an interface, the interface defining a flexible spine about which the sole component is flexible upwardly for dorsi-flexion of a wearer's foot and downwardly for plantar-flexion of a wearer's foot,
wherein the plurality of midsole grooves cooperate to define a plurality of anatomical pods in the midsole upper surface, at least two of the plurality of anatomical pods being bordered on four sides by the plurality of midsole grooves and being entirely within the opening in the insole element such that the at least two of the anatomical pods are viewable through the opening in the midsole when the footbed is removed from the article of footwear.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6 wherein the midsole defines a thickness and wherein each of the plurality of midsole grooves includes a depth that is less than the thickness of the midsole, such that the plurality of midsole grooves are not in communication with the outsole.

8. The article of footwear of claim 6 wherein the outsole defines a thickness and wherein each of the plurality of outsole grooves includes a depth that is less than the thickness of the outsole, such that the plurality of outsole grooves are not in communication with the midsole.

9. The article of footwear of claim 6 wherein the midsole includes a sidewall, and wherein the plurality of midsole grooves are contained within the upper surface of the midsole and do not extend through to the midsole sidewall.

10. The article of footwear of claim 6 further including a protective film interposed between the midsole and the outsole.

11. The article of footwear of claim 6 further including an elastic material extending over the opening in the insole element.

12. The article of footwear of claim 6 wherein the midsole is formed from polyurethane foam.

Assignees

• Wolverine Outdoors Inc

Inventors

• Cheney James H
• Thorpe David
• Lazell Alan

Classifications

• A43B13/12

  Soles with several layers of different materials · CPC title

• A43B13/141 Primary

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

• A43B13/26

  projecting beyond the sole surface · CPC title

• A43B13/383

  pieced · CPC title

• A43B13/38

  Built-in insoles joined to uppers during the manufacturing process, e.g. structural insoles; Insoles glued to shoes during the manufacturing process · CPC title