Shoe with lattice structure

• US 10,470,520 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2016
• 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:
  US15/095,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20160219976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 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, a midsole connected to the upper, and an outsole connected to the midsole. The midsole includes a platform extending along a perimeter portion of the midsole and a lattice structure integrally formed with the platform, the lattice structure including a network of laths.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper;

a monolithic midsole connected to the upper, the monolithic midsole including;

a platform extending along a perimeter portion of the midsole; and

a lattice structure integrally formed with the platform and extending between a toe portion and a heel portion of the midsole, the lattice structure including a network of laths forming a plurality of octahedron cell units defining eight faces, each cell unit comprising a first substantially cylindrical lath directly joined to a second substantially cylindrical lath at a vertex; and

an outsole connected to the midsole.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the platform comprises a toe portion, a heel portion, and a medial portion, the platform having a first surface configured to face a sole of a foot of a wearer and a second surface opposite the first surface.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the lattice structure extends from a surface of the platform, the network of laths forming a plurality of uniform cell units and a plurality of non-uniform partial cell units, each lath of the network of laths having a longitudinal structure with a longitudinal axis and two ends.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the network of laths include a plurality of uniform cell units and a plurality of non-uniform partial cell units, wherein each cell unit of the plurality of uniform cell units is defined by a plurality of faces, wherein each face of the plurality of faces is defined by an area within a plane formed by a plurality of adjacent vertices, wherein each vertex of the plurality of adjacent vertices is formed by an end of a number of the laths of the network of laths joined together, and wherein all cell units of the plurality of uniform cell units have a substantially uniform volume.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4 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 two laths of the network of laths joined together at the at least one vertex.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the network 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.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the network of laths include a plurality of regular octahedron cell units, and wherein each vertex is defined at an angle of said regular octahedron, and wherein each octahedron cell unit includes a third substantially cylindrical lath that intersects a fourth substantially cylindrical lath at the vertex.

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

9. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the lattice structure is integrally formed with the platform without gate marks, sprue marks, parting line marks and ejector pin marks.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the network of laths form a plurality of adjacent cell units, the platform connected to a first set of adjacent cell units positioned along an edge of the lattice structure and a second set of adjacent cell units not positioned along an edge of the lattice structure.

11. The article of footwear of claim 10 wherein the lattice structure includes a plurality of layers such that the adjacent cell units include cell units located in a same layer and cell units located in different layers, wherein the plurality of layers of the lattice structure extend from a toe portion to a heel portion of the article of footwear.

12. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper;

a midsole connected to the upper, the midsole including a monolithic lattice structure extending from a midfoot portion to a heel end of the article of footwear, the monolithic lattice structure including a network of laths forming a plurality of octahedron cell units, each lath of the network of laths having a longitudinal structure defining a longitudinal axis and two ends, each lath of the network of laths directly joined to another lath at a vertex, the plurality of cell units including complete cell units and incomplete cell units; and

an outsole connected to the midsole.

13. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein each complete cell unit is defined by a plurality of faces, wherein each face of the plurality of faces is defined by an area within a plane formed by a plurality of adjacent vertices, wherein each vertex of the plurality of adjacent vertices is formed by an end of a number of laths of the network of laths joined together, and wherein all complete cell units have a substantially uniform volume.

14. The article of footwear of claim 13 wherein each incomplete cell unit is defined by at least two partial faces, wherein 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 two laths of the network of laths joined together at the at least one vertex.

15. The article of footwear of claim 12 further comprising a platform extending along a perimeter portion of the lattice structure, the lattice structure integrally formed with the platform such that midsole is monolithic and includes both the lattice structure and the platform.

16. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the network 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.

17. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the network of laths include a plurality of regular octahedron cell units.

18. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the lattice structure is formed as a single unitary part.

19. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the incomplete cell units are arranged at an edge of the lattice structure.

20. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the incomplete cell units are arranged in a heel region of the midsole.

21. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper;

a monolithic midsole connected to the upper, the midsole including a lattice structure extending between a toe portion and a heel portion of the article of footwear, the lattice structure including a network of substantially cylindrical laths forming a plurality of octahedron cell units, each of the plurality of octahedron cell units defining eight faces with each face substantially shaped as equilateral triangle, and each of the substantially cylindrical laths directly joined to another substantially cylindrical lath at a vertex; and

an outsole connected to the midsole.

22. The article of footwear of claim 21 wherein each face of the eight faces is defined by an area within a plane formed by at least two laths of the network of laths joined together at a vertex.

23. The article of footwear of claim 21 wherein the network 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.

24. The article of footwear of claim 21, wherein the lattice structure is formed as a single unitary part.