Article of footwear with sole projections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9955750-B2
Application number	US-201213545603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2012
Priority date	Jul 10, 2012
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a sole having a main sole body and a plurality of projections extending from the main sole body. The plurality of projections includes a central row of projections extending generally along the longitudinal axis of the sole, a lateral row of projections on the lateral side of the sole, and a medial row of projections on the medial side of the sole. In one aspect, at least one of the projections in the central row of projections extends further from the main sole body in a vertical direction than adjacent projections in the lateral row of projections and the medial row of projections.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear comprising:
a foam sole comprising a main sole body extending continuously into a plurality of foam projections, the foam sole having a medial side, a lateral side, and a longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of foam projections includes a central row of projections extending along the longitudinal axis of the foam sole, a lateral row of projections on the lateral side of the foam sole, and a medial row of projections on the medial side of the foam sole;
wherein every projection in the central row of projections is disposed on the longitudinal axis,
wherein every projection in the lateral row of projections is disposed on a lateral edge of the lateral side of the foam sole,
wherein every projection in the medial row of projections is disposed on a medial edge of the medial side of the foam sole,
wherein projections of the central row are disposed next to projections of the lateral row with no projections therebetween,
wherein projections of the central row are disposed next to projections of the medial row with no projections therebetween,
wherein, in a heel portion of the foam sole, at least one of the projections in the central row of projections extends further from a bottom surface of the main sole body in a vertical direction than a most-proximate projection in the lateral row of projections or the medial row of projections,
wherein, in the heel portion of the foam sole, at least one of the projections in the lateral row of projections extends further from the bottom surface of the main sole body in a vertical direction than an adjacent projection in the lateral row of projections, the adjacent projection disposed closer to a midfoot portion of the foam sole than the at least one of the projections in the lateral row of projections,
wherein, in a forefoot portion of the foam sole, the foam sole further comprises a hub-and-spoke arrangement extending continuously from the main sole body, the hub-and-spoke arrangement comprising a plurality of bridge elements monolithic with the main sole body and extending radially outward from a central hub foam projection of the central row of projections, wherein the plurality of bridge elements connect only to adjacent foam projections in the central row of projections, the lateral row of projections, and the medial row of projections,
wherein the central hub connects to a first adjacent foam projection in the central row of projections longitudinally forward of the central hub, a second adjacent foam projection in the central row of projections longitudinally rearward of the central hub, a third adjacent foam projection in the lateral row of projections lateral to the central hub, and a fourth adjacent foam projection in the medial row of projections medial to the central hub,
and
wherein every projection is configured to contact a surface separately when a user is moving under the user's own power.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the central row of projections includes a rear heel projection having a central axis that extends at a non-orthogonal angle from the rear of the main sole body.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein an outsole material is provided on a lower surface of one or more of the projections, the outsole material being a different material from material forming the projections.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the bridge element is formed by an overlap in adjacent projections.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein projections in the lateral row of projections have central axes that extend from the main sole body at a non-orthogonal angle.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein projections in the medial row of projections have central axes that extend from the main sole body at a non-orthogonal angle.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein every projection in the central row of projections extends further from the main sole body in a vertical direction than an adjacent projection in the lateral row of projections or the medial row of projections.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the foam sole further comprises a plate disposed above the main sole body, wherein the plate comprises a plurality of pillars extending therefrom, and wherein each pillar extends within a projection of the plurality of foam projections.

9. An article of footwear comprising:
a foam sole comprising a main sole body and a plurality of foam projections extending from a bottom surface of the main sole body, the foam sole having a medial side, a lateral side, and a longitudinal axis, wherein the foam sole includes a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion,
wherein the plurality of foam projections includes a central row of projections extending along the longitudinal axis of the foam sole, a lateral-most row of projections on the lateral side of the foam sole, and a medial-most row of projections on the medial side of the foam sole;
wherein the lateral-most row of projections comprises lateral-most projections having an edge disposed at a lateral edge of the lateral side of the foam sole,
wherein the medial-most row of projections comprises medial-most projections having an edge disposed at a medial edge of the medial side of the foam sole,
wherein, in the heel portion of the foam sole, at least one of the lateral-most projections in the lateral-most row of projections extends further from the bottom surface of the main sole body in a vertical direction than at least one of the medial-most projections in the medial-most row of projections,
wherein the at least one lateral-most projection and the at least one medial-most projection are disposed directly laterally opposite each other across the longitudinal axis,
wherein, in the forefoot portion of the foam sole, the foam sole further comprises a hub-and-spoke arrangement extending continuously from the main sole body, the hub-and-spoke arrangement comprising a plurality of bridge elements monolithic with the main sole body and extending radially outward from a central hub foam projection of the central row of projections, wherein the plurality of bridge elements connect only to adjacent foam projections in the central row of projections, the lateral-most row of projections, and the medial-most row of projections,
wherein the central hub connects to a first adjacent foam projection in the central row of projections longitudinally forward of the central hub, a second adjacent foam projection in the central row of projections longitudinally rearward of the central hub, a third adjacent foam projection in the lateral-most row of projections lateral to the central hub, and a fourth adjacent foam projection in the medial-most row of projections medial to the central hub,
and
wherein every projection is configured to contact a surface separately when a user is moving under the user's power.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the central row of projections includes a rear heel projection extending at an angle from the rear of the main sole body.

11. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein an outsole material is provided on a lower surface of one or more of the projections.

12. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the central hub provides additional stability to the article of footwear.

13. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein projections in the lateral-most row of projections extend from the main sole body at an angle.

14. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein projections in the medial-most row of projections extend from the main sole body at an angle.

Assignees

• Montross Matthew
• Vestuti Ricardo
• Reebok Int Ltd

Inventors

• Montross Matthew
• Vestuti Ricardo

Classifications

• A43B13/186

  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

• A43B13/223

  Profiled soles · CPC title

• A43B7/32 Primary

  with shock-absorbing means (resilient soles A43B13/18) · CPC title

• A43B13/184 Primary

  the structure protruding from the outsole · CPC title