Footwear midsole with lattice structure formed between platforms

• US 10,702,012 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2018
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• 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): Bays, Marie D
• Application Number:
  US16/008,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20180289107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 36 25 R, 36 28, 36 30 R, 36 31
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0009 made at least partially of alveolar or honeycomb material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/02 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/125 characterised by the midsole or middle layer
• 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: 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 3/0052 X-shaped or cross-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 999/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a midsole, an upper disposed above the midsole, and an outsole disposed below the midsole. The midsole includes a lattice structure having an upper side and a lower side, wherein the upper side is a user-facing side and the lower side is a ground-facing side. A first platform is integrally formed into the upper side of the lattice structure. A second platform is integrally formed into the lower side of the lattice structure. The lattice structure extends from the first platform to the second platform.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

a midsole including,

a lattice structure including an upper side and a lower side, wherein the upper side is a user-facing side and the lower side is a ground-facing side,

a first platform integrally formed into the upper side of the lattice structure, wherein the first platform is an upper shelf that forms a rim extending around a perimeter of the upper side of the lattice structure, and wherein the lattice structure is exposed within the upper shelf, and

a second platform integrally formed into the lower side of the lattice structure, wherein the lattice structure extends from the first platform to the second platform;

an upper disposed above the midsole; and

an outsole disposed below the midsole.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the lattice structure is comprised of a network of interconnected laths, wherein the laths are connected via nodes.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2 wherein the laths are configured as parallel wave structures in multiple layers, and wherein the wave structures in a first layer are transverse to the wave structures in a second layer.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the second platform spans from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear in a midfoot region of the article of footwear.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the lattice structure comprises a network of wave structures arranged multiple transverse layers, wherein peaks of the wave structures in one layer are joined to valleys in the wave structures of an adjacent layer.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the lattice structure comprises a plurality of laths interconnected at a plurality of nodes with voids provided between the plurality of laths and the plurality of nodes, wherein the midsole is unitary in construction from the first platform to the second platform.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the midsole is free of gate marks, sprue marks, parting line marks and ejector pin marks.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein the midsole extends from a heel region to a forefoot region of the article of footwear.

9. An article of footwear comprising:

a midsole including,

a lattice structure including an upper side and a lower side, wherein the upper side is a user-facing side and the lower side is a ground-facing side,

a first platform integrally formed into the upper side of the lattice structure, and

a second platform integrally formed into the lower side of the lattice structure, wherein the second platform is a discontinuous lower platform comprising at least one opening, wherein the lattice structure is exposed by the lower platform through the at least one opening, and wherein the lattice structure extends from the first platform to the second platform;

an upper disposed above the midsole; and

an outsole disposed below the midsole.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9 wherein the lattice structure is comprised of a network of interconnected laths, wherein the laths are connected via nodes.

11. The article of footwear of claim 9 wherein the lattice structure comprises a network of parallel wave structures arranged multiple transverse layers, wherein peaks of the wave structures in one layer are joined to valleys in the wave structures of an adjacent layer.

12. The article of footwear of claim 9 wherein the lattice structure comprises a plurality of laths interconnected at a plurality of nodes with voids provided between the plurality of laths and the plurality of nodes, wherein the midsole is unitary in construction from the first platform to the second platform, and wherein the midsole extends from a heel region to a forefoot region of the article of footwear.

13. A method of manufacturing a midsole for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

printing a midsole including;

a lattice structure including a network of laths extending from a user-facing side to a ground-facing side,

a first platform integrally formed into the user-facing side of the lattice structure, the first platform providing an upper shelf that forms a rim extending around a perimeter of the user-facing side of the lattice structure with the lattice structure exposed within the upper shelf, and

a second platform integrally formed into the ground-facing side of the lattice structure, wherein the network of laths extend from the first platform to the second platform;

coupling an upper to the user-facing side of the midsole; and

coupling an outsole to the ground-facing side of the midsole.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the network of laths include a plurality of interconnected integrally-formed laths connected at a plurality of nodes.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the laths are configured as parallel wave structures in multiple layers, and wherein the wave structures in a first layer are transverse to the wave structures in a second layer.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the second platform spans from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear in a midfoot region of the article of footwear.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the lattice structure is configured to extend from a heel region to a forefoot region of the midsole.

18. A method of manufacturing a midsole for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

printing a midsole including;

a lattice structure including a network of laths extending from a user-facing side to a ground-facing side,

a first platform integrally formed into the user-facing side of the lattice structure, and

a second platform integrally formed into the ground-facing side of the lattice structure, wherein the network of laths extend from the first platform to the second platform, wherein the second platform is a discontinuous lower platform comprising at least one opening, with the lattice structure exposed by the lower platform through the at least one opening;

coupling an upper to the user-facing side of the midsole; and

coupling an outsole to the ground-facing side of the midsole.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the network of laths include a plurality of interconnected integrally-formed laths connected at a plurality of nodes.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the laths are configured as parallel wave structures in multiple layers, and wherein the wave structures in a first layer are transverse to the wave structures in a second layer.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the lattice structure spans from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear in a midfoot region of the article of footwear.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the lattice structure extends from a heel region to a forefoot region of the article of footwear.

23. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper;

an outsole; and

a midsole positioned between the upper and the outsole, the midsole including an upper platform, a lower platform, and a lattice structure comprising a network of laths extending between the upper platform and the lower platform, wherein the laths are configured as parallel wave structures in multiple integrally formed layers, wherein the wave structures in a first layer are transverse to the wave structures in a second layer, wherein the upper platform is an upper shelf that forms a rim extending around a perimeter of an upper side of the lattice structure, and wherein the lattice structure is exposed within the upper shelf.

24. The article of footwear of claim 23 wherein upper platform, lower platform, and lattice structure are integrally formed as a unitary structure.

25. The article of footwear of claim 23 wherein the lower platform includes at least one opening with the lattice structure exposed through the at least one opening.

26. The article of footwear of claim 23 wherein the lattice structure extends from the first platform to the second platform, and wherein the midsole extends from a heel region to a forefoot region of the article of footwear.