Sole structures and articles of footwear having a lightweight midsole member with protective elements
First Claim
1. An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper;
a sole structure engaged with the upper, wherein the sole structure includes a first portion configured to support at least a heel and midfoot area of a wearer'"'"'s foot, wherein an exposed outer edge of the first portion includes a billows structure that extends continuously from a medial midfoot or forefoot area of the sole structure to a lateral midfoot or forefoot area of the sole structure, wherein the billows structure includes a plurality of billow outer ridges connected by billow interstitial areas located between adjacent billow outer ridges of the billow outer ridges, the plurality of billow outer ridges being fewer than five billow outer ridges, wherein individual billows of the billows structure have a thickness at a rear end of the first portion that is larger than a thickness at a front end of the first portion, and wherein an upper surface of the billows structure is secured to the upper; and
an outsole assembly secured to a bottom surface of the sole structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Sole structures for articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include a sole structure having a relatively soft and lightweight foam midsole component partially covered by at least one more rigid and/or dense cage (protective) component(s) and/or other protective component(s). The sole structures may include a first portion configured to support at least a heel and midfoot area of a wearer'"'"'s foot, and an exposed outer edge of this first portion may include a billows structure that extends continuously from a medical midfoot or forefoot area of the sole structure to a lateral midfoot or forefoot area. This billows structure may include fewer than five billow outer ridges connected by billow interstitial areas located between adjacent billow outer ridges. Billow thickness at a rear end of the first portion may be larger than the thickness at a front end of the first portion.
100 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An article of footwear, comprising:
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an upper; a sole structure engaged with the upper, wherein the sole structure includes a first portion configured to support at least a heel and midfoot area of a wearer'"'"'s foot, wherein an exposed outer edge of the first portion includes a billows structure that extends continuously from a medial midfoot or forefoot area of the sole structure to a lateral midfoot or forefoot area of the sole structure, wherein the billows structure includes a plurality of billow outer ridges connected by billow interstitial areas located between adjacent billow outer ridges of the billow outer ridges, the plurality of billow outer ridges being fewer than five billow outer ridges, wherein individual billows of the billows structure have a thickness at a rear end of the first portion that is larger than a thickness at a front end of the first portion, and wherein an upper surface of the billows structure is secured to the upper; and an outsole assembly secured to a bottom surface of the sole structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An article of footwear, comprising:
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an upper; a midsole structure engaged with the upper, wherein the midsole structure includes a first portion configured to support at least a heel and midfoot area of a wearer'"'"'s foot, wherein the first portion includes a foam material having a hardness between 25 and 45 Asker C, wherein an exposed outer edge of the first portion includes a billows structure that extends continuously from a medial midfoot or forefoot area of the midsole structure to a lateral midfoot or forefoot area of the midsole structure, wherein the billows structure includes a plurality of billow outer ridges connected by billow interstitial areas located between adjacent billow outer ridges of the billow outer ridges, the plurality of billow outer ridges being fewer than five billow outer ridges, and wherein individual billows of the billows structure have a thickness at a rear end of the first portion that is larger than a thickness at a front end of the first portion; and an outsole assembly secured to a bottom surface of the foam material, wherein a portion of the bottom surface of the foam material is exposed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification