Footwear including a support cage

• US 10,206,453 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wolverine Outdoors, Inc. (Wolverine World Wide Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wolverine Outdoors, Inc. (Wolverine World Wide Inc.)
• Inventors: Bohnsack, Shaun Michael, Smith, Lee Martin, Matis, Clark A., Burch, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US15/425,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20170231319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 36 501
• 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 13/125 characterised by the midsole or middle layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/22 Supports for the shank or arch of the uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/28 Adapting the inner sole or the side of the upper of the shoe to the sole of the foot

Abstract

A footwear construction including a support cage that wraps an upper to provide an adaptive fit to accommodate a variety of foot shapes and to adapt to changes in foot shape during a gait cycle, while providing exceptional stability and support. The footwear can include an upper, a support cage and a sole assembly. The upper can be joined with the sole assembly and can include an exterior. The sole assembly can define a recess extending across a width of the sole assembly from a medial side to a lateral side. The support cage can be constructed from a semi-rigid but flexible polymeric material, disposed over the exterior of the upper and free floating relative to the exterior of the upper. The support cage can include a sole bridge that extends transverse to a longitudinal axis of the footwear, through the recess defined by the sole assembly.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

an outsole;

a midsole joined with the outsole and disposed above the outsole, at least one of the outsole and the midsole defining a recess that extends laterally across a longitudinal axis of the footwear, from a medial side of the footwear to a lateral side of the footwear;

an upper having an exterior and including a midfoot section including a lateral panel disposed on the lateral side of the footwear and a medial panel disposed on the medial side of the footwear, the upper joined with at least one of the outsole and the midsole; and

a semi-rigid and flexible support cage constructed as a unitary, solid one piece polymeric unit, the support cage including a lateral element and a medial element disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, the support cage wrapping over at least a portion of the exterior of the upper, the support cage including a framework of a plurality of support elements separated from one another by frame holes that enable a viewer to view the underlying exterior of the upper,

wherein the support cage is free floating relative to the exterior of the upper so that the support cage is configured to engage but move relative to the lateral and medial panels,

wherein the support cage includes a sole bridge that is disposed within and extends through the recess defined by the midsole, the sole bridge spanning across a width of the footwear from the lateral side to the medial side, transverse to the longitudinal axis, the sole bridge element structurally joining the lateral element and the medial element of the support cage,

wherein the support cage includes a lateral cage element disposed on the lateral side of the longitudinal axis and a medial cage element disposed on the medial side of the longitudinal axis,

wherein the support cage includes a heel band that is integral with the lateral cage element and that extends rearward from the lateral cage element, and around a heel the footwear, and back toward the medial cage element with which the heel band is integrally joined,

wherein the support cage includes a lower heel support having a forward portion that is joined with the sole bridge,

wherein the lower heel support extends rearwardly from the sole bridge, and is adapted to extend under a heel of the wearer to a rearward portion,

wherein the rearward portion transitions to an upward portion that extends upwardly to the heel band,

wherein the upward portion is joined with the heel band and is adapted to extend rearward of the heel of the wearer,

whereby the footwear can adaptively fit a plurality of foot shapes and provide support to the foot of the wearer.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the plurality of support elements span across the exterior of the upper and are joined with one another at a plurality of respective intersections.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1,

wherein the sole bridge forms a protective plate having a thickness of at least 2 mm,

wherein the protective plate spans forwardly through an arch region of the footwear and toward a forefoot region of the footwear.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3,

wherein the protective plate defines a plurality of openings,

wherein the openings are located within the recess.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1,

wherein the midsole includes a midsole exterior lateral side and a midsole exterior medial side,

wherein the support cage extends downward beside the midsole exterior lateral side and the midsole exterior medial side, on the respective lateral and medial sides.

6. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper having an exterior;

a support cage constructed from a semi-rigid but flexible polymer, the support cage being disposed over at least a portion of the exterior of the upper and being free floating relative to the at least a portion of the exterior of the upper, the support cage including a sole bridge that extends transverse to a longitudinal axis of the footwear, from a medial side of the footwear to a lateral side of the footwear;

a midsole joined with the support cage, the midsole being disposed above the sole bridge;

an outsole joined with the midsole, the outsole being disposed below the sole bridge;

a heel band that is integrally formed as a unitary piece with the support cage, the heel band adapted to extend rearward and around a heel the footwear; and

a lower heel support having a forward portion that is joined with the sole bridge,

wherein the midsole includes a midsole exterior lateral side and a midsole exterior medial side,

wherein the support cage extends downward beside the midsole exterior lateral side and downward beside the midsole exterior medial side on the respective lateral and medial sides,

wherein the lower heel support extends rearwardly from the sole bridge, and is adapted to extend under a heel of the wearer to a rearward portion,

wherein the lower heel support is in the form of an elongated strip, disposed substantially inward from the lateral and medial sides of the footwear,

wherein the rearward portion transitions to an upward portion that extends upwardly to the heel band,

wherein the upward portion is integrally joined with the heel band and is adapted to extend rearward of the heel of the wearer.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6,

wherein at least one of the outsole and the midsole define a recess extending transverse to a longitudinal axis of the footwear, from a medial side of the footwear to a lateral side of the footwear,

wherein the sole bridge is disposed in and extends through the recess.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7,

wherein the sole bridge extends through a substantial portion of an arch region of the footwear, forming an underfoot protective plate having a thickness of at least 2 mm.

9. The article of footwear of claim 8,

wherein the underfoot protective plate extends forward through a substantial portion of a forefoot region of the footwear.

10. The article of footwear of claim 6,

wherein the support cage includes a lateral cage element disposed on the lateral side of the longitudinal axis and a medial cage element disposed on the medial side of the longitudinal axis,

wherein the heel band is integral with the lateral cage element and the medial cage element,

wherein the lateral cage element, medial cage element and heel band are all entirely free floating over the exterior of the upper,

whereby the support cage freely moves relative to the upper.

11. The article of footwear of claim 6,

wherein at least one of the midsole and the outsole define a recess that extends transverse to the longitudinal axis from the medial side of the footwear to the lateral side of the footwear,

wherein the sole bridge is disposed in the recess.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11,

wherein the sole bridge includes a framework of sole bridge elements separated from one another so as to form a plurality of sole bridge openings under the midsole.

15. The article of footwear of claim 6,

wherein the midsole includes a midsole lower surface that defines a recess,

wherein the outsole includes an outsole upper surface secured to the midsole lower surface,

wherein the recess is formed above the outsole upper surface,

wherein the sole bridge extends through the recess, across a width of the footwear.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15,

wherein the sole bridge forms an underfoot protective plate,

wherein the sole bridge extends within an arch region and a forefoot region of the footwear.

13. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper having an exterior;

a support cage constructed from a semi-rigid but flexible polymer, the support cage being disposed over at least a portion of the exterior of the upper and being free floating relative to the at least a portion of the exterior of the upper, the support cage including a sole bridge that extends transverse to a longitudinal axis of the footwear, from a medial side of the footwear to a lateral side of the footwear;

a midsole joined with the support cage, the midsole being disposed above the sole bridge;

an outsole joined with the midsole, the outsole being disposed below the sole bridge;

a heel band that is integral with the support cage, the heel band adapted to extend rearward and around a heel the footwear; and

a lower heel support joined with the sole bridge and adapted to extend rearward from the sole bridge, under a heel of the wearer,

wherein the midsole includes a midsole exterior lateral side and a midsole exterior medial side,

wherein the support cage extends downward beside the midsole exterior lateral side and downward beside the midsole exterior medial side on the respective lateral and medial sides,

wherein the heel support transitions upwardly to and is integrally joined with the heel band and adapted to extend adjacent the heel of the wearer,

wherein at least one of the midsole and the outsole define a recess that extends transverse to the longitudinal axis from the medial side of the footwear to the lateral side of the footwear,

wherein the sole bridge is disposed in the recess.

14. The article of footwear of claim 13,

wherein the support cage includes a framework of support elements separated from one another by frame holes that enable a viewer to view the underlying exterior of the upper.

17. An article of footwear comprising:

a longitudinal axis;

a lateral side disposed opposite a medial side across a longitudinal axis;

a sole assembly including a heel region, an arch region and a forefoot region, the sole assembly defining an recess extending across a width of the sole assembly from the medial side to the lateral side;

an upper joined with the sole assembly, the upper including an exterior;

a support cage constructed from a semi-rigid but flexible polymeric material, the support cage extending on the medial side and the lateral side, the support cage being disposed over the exterior of the upper and being free floating relative to the exterior of the upper so that an interior of the support cage can engage but move relative to the exterior of the upper, the support cage including a sole bridge that extends transverse to a longitudinal axis of the footwear, from the medial side to the lateral side of the footwear, and through the recess defined by the sole assembly;

a heel band that is integrally formed as a unitary piece with the support cage, the heel band adapted to extend rearward and around a heel the footwear; and

a lower heel support having a forward portion that is joined with the sole bridge,

wherein the lower heel support extends rearwardly from the sole bridge, and is adapted to extend under a heel of the wearer to a rearward portion,

wherein the lower heel support is in the form of an elongated strip, disposed substantially inward from the lateral and medial sides of the footwear,

wherein the rearward portion transitions to an upward portion that extends upwardly to the heel band,

wherein the upward portion is integrally joined with the heel band and is adapted to extend rearward of the heel of the wearer,

whereby the footwear can adaptively fit a plurality of foot shapes therein and is adapted to provide stability to the foot of the wearer.