Flexible sole for article of footwear
First Claim
1. A midsole for an article of footwear, the midsole comprising:
- a midsole body having a first side and a second side, which face away from one another, and a medial side and a lateral side;
a plurality of sipes incised into the first side and extending at least partially through the midsole body; and
a plurality of grooves constructed into an outermost surface of the second side, such that a portion of the outermost surface is omitted at all positions that coincide with the plurality of grooves,wherein a cross-sectional reference plane extends from the medial side to the lateral side and perpendicular with the first side and the second side, andwherein, in the cross-sectional reference plane, each sipe of the plurality of sipes comprises a sipe width and each groove of the plurality of grooves comprises, the groove width being that is greater than the sipe width when the midsole is in a relaxed state, and wherein the portion of the outermost surface that is omitted comprises a percentage of the outermost surface in a range of 20 percent to 50 percent.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a midsole coupled to an outsole. The midsole includes a plurality of sipes on a first side and a plurality of sipes on a second side opposite the first side. The sipes partition portions of the midsole body into impact attenuation cells on the first and second sides of the midsole. The second side of the midsole further includes a plurality of grooves and a plurality of protruding members separated by the grooves. The protruding members extend from a midsole body towards the outsole when the midsole is coupled to the outsole, spacing the midsole body apart from the outsole. When coupled together, the midsole and the outsole form voids at the grooves. The grooves, protruding members, and sipes provide increased flexibility to the midsole even when the midsole is coupled to the outsole.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A midsole for an article of footwear, the midsole comprising:
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a midsole body having a first side and a second side, which face away from one another, and a medial side and a lateral side; a plurality of sipes incised into the first side and extending at least partially through the midsole body; and a plurality of grooves constructed into an outermost surface of the second side, such that a portion of the outermost surface is omitted at all positions that coincide with the plurality of grooves, wherein a cross-sectional reference plane extends from the medial side to the lateral side and perpendicular with the first side and the second side, and wherein, in the cross-sectional reference plane, each sipe of the plurality of sipes comprises a sipe width and each groove of the plurality of grooves comprises, the groove width being that is greater than the sipe width when the midsole is in a relaxed state, and wherein the portion of the outermost surface that is omitted comprises a percentage of the outermost surface in a range of 20 percent to 50 percent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A midsole for an article of footwear, the midsole comprising:
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a midsole body having a first side and a second side, which face away from one another, and a medial side and a lateral side; a plurality of sipes incised into the first side and extending at least partially through the midsole body; a plurality of protruding members extending outward from the second side of the midsole body, the plurality of protruding members being spaced apart by a plurality of grooves constructed into an outermost surface of the second side, wherein a cross-sectional reference plane extends from the medial side to the lateral side and perpendicular with the first side and the second side, and wherein, in the cross-sectional reference plane, a ratio of all sipes on the first side to grooves on the second side is at least two to one. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A sole assembly for an article of footwear, the sole assembly comprising:
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a midsole coupled to an outsole; the midsole comprising; a midsole body having a first side and a second side, which face away from one another, and a medial side and a lateral side, the first side facing away from the outsole and the second side facing towards the outsole; a plurality of sipes incised into the first side and extending at least partially through the midsole body, each sipe of the plurality of sipes having a sipe width; a plurality of grooves constructed into an outsole-facing surface of the second side, each groove of the plurality of grooves having a groove width that is greater than the sipe width when the midsole is in a relaxed state; and a plurality of protruding members that extend outward from the second side and towards the outsole, the plurality of grooves spacing the plurality of protruding members apart from one another; and the outsole being affixed directly to the plurality of protruding members, which space the outsole apart from the midsole body. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification