Footwear including sole assembly

• US 10,575,587 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2018
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Under Armour Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Under Armour Incorporated
• Inventors: Guyan, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US16/027,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20180317601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 36 28, 36 29, 36 30 R, 36 68, 36 69
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/186 Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/187 Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly. The sole assembly includes a unitary, open-celled structure. Specifically, the sole assembly includes a lattice structure having an interconnected network of struts and nodes that cooperate to define voids. The struts and nodes are configured to generate predetermined support and flexure properties within the network. The lattice may be configured as a conformal lattice, being contoured to receive accessories or complementary support structures. The sole assembly may further include an insert formed of compression material (e.g., foam). In operation, the lattice and foam insert cooperate to provide stability and cushioning to the article of footwear.

Claims

1. An article of footwear defining a forefoot region, a hindfoot region, and a midfoot region disposed between the forefoot region and the hindfoot region, the article of footwear comprising:

an upper including a foot cavity;

a sole assembly oriented below the upper, the sole assembly comprising;

a non-stochastic support structure including;

a plurality of cells arranged in an ordered, repeating manner, wherein the plurality of cells are defined, at least in part, by a plurality of struts that interconnect to form a plurality of nodes disposed between and spaced apart from a top and a bottom of the non-stochastic support structure, the plurality of nodes including nodes that are each disposed at a junction of three or more struts from the plurality of struts, wherein a first strut of the three or more struts extends along a first plane and a second strut of the three or more struts extends along a second plane that is not coplanar with the first plane; and

a top plate that extends around a periphery of the non-stochastic support structure; and

a stochastic support structure including cells with random variations in location, shape, and size, wherein the stochastic support structure is manufactured separately from the non-stochastic support structure, and wherein the non-stochastic support structure defines a cavity operable to receive and support the stochastic support structure above the non-stochastic support structure.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of struts include a plurality of non-linear struts.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of non-linear struts are arcuate struts configured to flex or compress in a predetermined direction when a load is applied to the sole assembly.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes are arranged in an array.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 4, wherein the array organizes the plurality of nodes into one or more columns and one or more rows.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of struts are hollow and partially filled with microparticles.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein any struts from the plurality of struts included on a particular node of the plurality of nodes are angularly spaced around a perimeter of the particular node.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes and the plurality of struts form a plurality of voids, including one or more full voids and one or more truncated voids.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the sole assembly further comprises an outsole coupled to the non-stochastic support structure.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the stochastic support structure is a foam member.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the sole assembly spans the upper.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes in the non-stochastic support structure are interconnected to form a lattice structure with a first plurality of rows and a second plurality of rows spanning the non-stochastic support structure.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein the first plurality of rows is oriented at an angle relative to the second plurality of rows.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein the first plurality of rows is generally orthogonal to the second plurality of rows.

15. An article of footwear that defines a forefoot region, a hindfoot region, and a midfoot region disposed between the forefoot region and the hindfoot region, the article of footwear including a sole assembly comprising:

a lattice structure that is formed from a plurality of cells, wherein the lattice structure extends laterally across the sole assembly, from a medial side of the of the hindfoot region to a lateral side of the hindfoot region and from a medial side of the midfoot region to a lateral side of the midfoot region, and wherein the lattice structure includes a flange that extends inwards, from an edge of the lattice structure, over a portion of a top surface of the lattice structure;

a heel support that mates with the flange and includes a frame configured to receive a heel of a wearer, wherein the heel support and the lattice structure collectively form a cavity; and

a compression element that is disposed in the cavity and above the heel support, wherein the compression element extends from the hindfoot region of the article of footwear to the forefoot region of the article of footwear.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the frame includes:

a medial arm that extends along and mates with a medial side of the top surface of the lattice structure;

a lateral arm that extends along and mates with a lateral side of the top surface of the lattice structure; and

a header extending across the lattice structure, from the medial arm to the lateral arm.

17. The article of footwear of claim 16, wherein the lattice structure terminates at the midfoot region of the article of footwear, a bottom surface of the lattice structure extends beyond the top surface of the lattice structure, and the header engages a top of the bottom surface of the lattice structure at the midfoot region.

18. An article of footwear defining a forefoot region, a hindfoot region, and a midfoot region disposed between the forefoot region and the hindfoot region, the article of footwear comprising:

an upper including a foot cavity;

a sole assembly oriented below the upper, the sole assembly comprising;

a non-stochastic support structure including;

a plurality of cells arranged in an ordered, repeating manner, wherein the plurality of cells are defined, at least in part, by a plurality of struts that interconnect to form a plurality of nodes disposed between and spaced apart from a top and a bottom of the non-stochastic support structure, the plurality of nodes including nodes that are each disposed at a junction of three or more struts from the plurality of struts, wherein the nodes disposed at the junction of the three or more struts have a thickness that protrudes beyond a radial periphery of at least one of the three or more struts; and

a top plate that extends around a periphery of the non-stochastic support structure; and

a stochastic support structure including cells with random variations in location, shape, and size, wherein the stochastic support structure is manufactured separately from the non-stochastic support structure, and wherein the non-stochastic support structure defines a cavity operable to receive and support the stochastic support structure above the non-stochastic support structure.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of struts include a plurality of non-linear struts.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of non-linear struts are arcuate struts configured to flex or compress in a predetermined direction when a load is applied to the sole assembly.

21. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of nodes are arranged in an array.

22. The article of footwear according to claim 21, wherein the array organizes the plurality of nodes into one or more columns and one or more rows.

23. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of struts are hollow and partially filled with microparticles.

24. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein any struts from the plurality of struts included on a particular node of the plurality of nodes are angularly spaced around a perimeter of the particular node.

25. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of nodes and the plurality of struts form a plurality of voids, including one or more full voids and one or more truncated voids.

26. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein the sole assembly further comprises an outsole coupled to the non-stochastic support structure.

27. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein the stochastic support structure is a foam member.

28. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein the sole assembly spans the upper.

29. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of nodes in the non-stochastic support structure are interconnected to form a lattice structure with a first plurality of rows and a second plurality of rows spanning the non-stochastic support structure.

30. The article of footwear according to claim 29, wherein the first plurality of rows is oriented at an angle relative to the second plurality of rows.

31. The article of footwear according to claim 30, wherein the first plurality of rows is generally orthogonal to the second plurality of rows.