Article of footwear with soil-shedding performance

• US 10,076,155 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike Innovate C.V. (Nike, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Dyer, Caleb W., Wright, Zachary C., Walker, Jeremy D., Maurer, Myron, Schiller, Denis, Baghdadi, Hossein A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HIGGINS, GERARD T
• Application Number:
  US14/814,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20160058115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/02 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/122 characterised by the outsole or external layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/16 Pieced soles with several layers of different material A43B13/12
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/22 Soles made slip-preventing or wear-resisting, e.g. by impregnation or spreading a wear-resisting layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/26 projecting beyond the sole surface
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0036 characterised by a special shape or design
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/02 attached to the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/16 Studs or cleats for football or like boots
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/142 Soles
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/075 Macromolecular gels
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

The disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof, including outsoles, which can be used in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles. In particular, the disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof including an outsole with an external hydrogel film having a water uptake capacity at 24 hours greater than 40% by weight. The outsoles can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil on the footwear during wear on unpaved surfaces such as sporting fields. When the outsoles are wetted with water, the outsoles can become more compliant and/or can rapidly uptake and/or expel water, which can prevent soil from adhering to the outsole and/or can assist in shedding soil present on the outsole.

Claims

1. An outsole for an article of footwear, the outsole comprising:

an outsole backing member, wherein one or more traction elements are operably secured to the outsole backing member; and

a film secured to the outsole backing member and defining an external surface of the outsole,

wherein the film comprises a hydrogel, and wherein the film has a water uptake capacity at 24 hours greater than 40% by weight, as characterized by the Water Uptake Capacity Test with the Footwear Sampling Procedure.

2. The outsole of claim 1, wherein the water uptake capacity of the film ranges from 100% by weight to 900% by weight.

3. The outsole of claim 2, wherein the water uptake capacity of the film ranges from 200% by weight to 500% by weight.

4. The outsole of claim 1, wherein the film has a dry-state film thickness ranging from 0.1 millimeters to 1 millimeter.

5. The outsole of claim 4, wherein the film has a saturated-state film thickness ranging from 0.25 millimeters to 2 millimeters.

6. The outsole of claim 1, wherein one or more of the traction elements is selected from the group consisting of:

a cleat, a stud, a spike, and a lug.

7. The outsole of claim 1, wherein the traction elements are integrally formed with the outsole.

8. The outsole of claim 1, wherein the traction elements are removable traction elements.

9. An article of footwear comprising:

an outsole substrate having a first side and a second side, wherein one or more traction elements are operably secured to the outsole substrate;

an upper operably secured to at least a portion of the first side of the outsole substrate; and

a ground-facing film operably secured to at least a portion of the second side of the outsole substrate,

wherein the ground-facing film comprises a hydrogel, and

wherein the film has a water uptake capacity at 24 hours ranging from 40% by weight to 900% by weight, as characterized by the Water Uptake Capacity Test with the Footwear Sampling Procedure.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the water uptake capacity of the ground facing film ranges from 200% by weight to 500% by weight.

11. The article of footwear of claim 9,

wherein each of the traction elements comprises a terminal edge, and

wherein the film does not cover the terminal edges of any of the one or more traction elements.

12. The article of claim 9, wherein one or more of the traction elements is selected from the group consisting of:

a cleat, a stud, a spike, and a lug.

13. The article of claim 9, wherein the traction elements are integrally formed with the outsole.

14. The article of claim 9, wherein the traction elements are removable traction elements.