Shoe with lattice structure

• US 10,470,519 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2016
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Under Armour Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Under Armour Incorporated
• Inventors: Guyan, Alan, Berns, Jason, Fallon, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mohandesi, Jila M
• Application Number:
  US15/067,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20160192740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/125 characterised by the midsole or middle layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/127 the midsole being multilayer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 2200/60 Computer aided manufacture of footwear, e.g. CAD or CAM
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/10 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole coupled to the upper. The sole includes a platform and a lattice. The platform includes an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. The lattice extends from the second surface of the platform. The lattice includes a plurality of laths forming a plurality of complete cell units and a plurality of incomplete cell units. Each lath has a longitudinal structure with a longitudinal axis and two ends. Each complete cell unit is defined by a plurality of complete laths and no incomplete laths. Each of the complete laths extends between two vertices of the complete cell unit. Each incomplete cell unit is defined by at least one incomplete lath. Each incomplete lath extends from one vertices and terminates without extending to another vertices.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper; and

a sole coupled to the upper, the sole including;

a platform having a toe portion and a heel portion, the platform having a first surface configured to face a sole of a foot and a second surface opposite the first surface; and

a lattice extending from the second surface of the platform, the lattice including a plurality of laths forming a plurality of uniform cell units and a plurality of non-uniform partial cell units, each lath of the plurality of laths having a longitudinal structure with a longitudinal axis and two ends;

wherein each cell unit of the plurality of uniform cell units is defined by a plurality of faces, each face of the plurality of faces is defined by an area within a plane formed by a plurality of adjacent vertices, each vertex of the plurality of adjacent vertices is formed by at least two ends of at least two laths of the plurality of laths joined together, and all cell units of the plurality of uniform cell units have a substantially uniform volume; and

wherein each non-uniform partial cell unit is defined by at least two partial faces, each partial face of the at least two partial faces is defined by an area within a plane formed by at least one vertex and at least a portion of one of at least two laths of the plurality of laths joined together-at the at least one vertex.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the plurality of laths are positioned in at least a first zone and a second zone, wherein each lath in the first zone has a girth that is substantially different from a girth of each lath in the second zone.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein each lath of the plurality of laths is substantially cylindrical and intersects another lath of the plurality of laths at one of the plurality of vertices, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of vertices are formed by an end of four laths joined together.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein each cell unit abuts adjacent cell units such that the lattice has a regular repeating pattern.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein each cell unit is substantially shaped as an octahedron.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the lattice extends from the toe portion to the heel portion and from a medial portion to a lateral portion of the platform.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the lattice is formed as a single unitary part.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the lattice is a monolithic lattice that is integrally formed with the platform.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first surface is contoured to match a sole of the foot.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the portion of one of the at least two laths joined together at the at least one vertex of each non-uniform partial cell unit is a truncated lath including a first end connected to the at least one vertex and a second end free of connections.

11. A midsole for an article of footwear comprising:

a platform having a toe end, a heel end, an arch side, and an outward side, the platform having a first surface configured to face a foot and a second surface opposite the first surface; and

a lattice integrally formed with the second surface of the platform, the lattice including;

a plurality of regions arranged relative to the toe end, the heel end, the arch side, and the outward side, the plurality of regions including at least a first region and a second region;

a plurality of laths, wherein each lath of the plurality of laths has a longitudinal structure with a longitudinal axis and two ends, wherein the plurality of laths are arranged in the plurality of regions such that a first portion of laths is arranged within the first region and a second portion of laths is arranged within the second region; and

a plurality of cell units formed by the plurality of laths, each cell unit of the plurality of cell units substantially shaped as a regular octahedron defined by a plurality of faces, each face of the plurality of faces defined by an area within a plane formed by at least one vertex and at least two laths of the plurality of laths joined together at the at least one vertex.

12. The midsole of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of laths has a girth centered about a longitudinal axis, wherein each lath in the first portion of laths has a first girth that is substantially different from a second girth of each lath in the second portion of laths.

13. The midsole of claim 12 wherein each cell unit of the plurality of cell units has a substantially uniform volume.

14. The midsole of claim 12, wherein:

the lattice further includes a transition area arranged between the first region and the second region, a transition portion of laths is arranged in the transition area, and girths of the laths in the transition portion of laths are gradations between the first girth and the second girth.

15. The midsole of claim 11, wherein the lattice is formed as a single unitary part.

16. The midsole of claim 11, wherein the platform and the lattice are monolithic and integrally formed without gate marks, sprue marks, parting line marks and ejector pin marks.

17. The midsole of claim 11, wherein the plurality of cell units is a plurality of uniform cell units, the lattice further including a plurality of non-uniform partial cell units, wherein each non-uniform partial cell unit is defined by at least two partial faces, each partial face of the at least two partial faces defined by an area within a plane formed by at least one vertex and at least a portion of one of at least two laths of the plurality of laths joined together at the at least one vertex.

18. The article of footwear of claim 17 wherein the portion of one of at least two laths joined together at the at least one vertex is an incomplete lath extending from the at least one vertex without extending to another vertex.

19. The midsole of claim 11, wherein a plurality of adjacent vertices are shared by at least two adjacent cell units of the plurality of cell units.

20. The midsole of claim 19 wherein at least one of the plurality of adjacent vertices is formed by an end of eight laths joined together such that two cell units substantially shaped as octahedrons are stacked on top of each other and share the at least one of the plurality of adjacent vertices.

21. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper; and

a sole coupled to the upper, the sole including;

a platform including an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface; and

a lattice extending from the lower surface of the platform, the lattice including a plurality of laths forming a plurality of complete cell units and a plurality of incomplete cell units, each lath having a longitudinal structure with a longitudinal axis and two ends;

wherein each complete cell unit is defined by a plurality of complete laths and no incomplete laths, each of the complete laths extending between two vertices of the complete cell unit; and

wherein each incomplete cell unit is defined by at least one incomplete lath, each incomplete lath extending from one vertices and terminating without extending to another vertices.

22. The article of footwear of claim 21 wherein each complete cell unit is substantially shaped as a regular octahedron defined by a plurality of faces, each face of the plurality of faces defining an equilateral triangle having three sides and three vertices, each of said three sides defined by one of the plurality of complete laths.