Ground-engaging structures for article foot footwear

• US 10,709,196 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Amos, Michael S., Dimoff, Karen S., Follet, Lysandre, Foxen, Thomas, Hurd, John, Kohatsu, Shane S., Lindner, Troy C., Roulo, David J., Thuss, Adam, Vinet, Andrea
• Primary Examiner(s): Lynch, Megan E
• Application Number:
  US15/576,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20180153264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0009 made at least partially of alveolar or honeycomb material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/122 characterised by the outsole or external layer
• 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 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0063 U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/005 Nails, pins
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/161 characterised by the attachment to the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/165 pointed or conical, e.g. calks, spikes, pins

Abstract

Ground-engaging components for articles of footwear include: (a) an outer perimeter boundary rim that at least partially defines an outer perimeter of the ground-engaging component; (b) an inner perimeter boundary rim that at least partially defines an inner perimeter of the ground-engaging component, wherein a first open space is defined between the outer perimeter boundary rim and the inner perimeter boundary rim, and wherein a second open space is defined between a lateral side portion of the inner perimeter boundary rim and a medial side portion of the inner perimeter boundary rim; and (c) a support structure extending from the outer perimeter boundary rim to the inner perimeter boundary rim and across the first open space.

Claims

1. A ground-engaging component for an article of footwear, comprising:

an outer perimeter boundary rim that at least partially defines an outer perimeter of the ground-engaging component;

an inner perimeter boundary rim that at least partially defines an inner perimeter of the ground-engaging component, wherein a first open space extending completely through the ground-engaging component is defined between the outer perimeter boundary rim and the inner perimeter boundary rim, and wherein a second open space is defined between a lateral side portion of the inner perimeter boundary rim and a medial side portion of the inner perimeter boundary rim; and

a support structure extending from the outer perimeter boundary rim to the inner perimeter boundary rim and across the first open space, wherein the support structure defines plural openings within the first open space that extend completely through the ground-engaging component.

2. The ground-engaging component according to claim 1, wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim and the inner perimeter boundary rim are formed as an unitary, one piece construction.

3. The ground-engaging component according to claim 1, wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim and the inner perimeter boundary rim form a U-shaped component that includes at least a lateral side forefoot support area, a front forefoot support area, and a medial side forefoot support area.

4. The ground-engaging component according to claim 1, wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim is connected with the inner perimeter boundary rim at a first free end boundary rim located at one of a lateral side forefoot support area or a lateral side midfoot support area;

and wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim is connected with the inner perimeter boundary rim at a second free end boundary rim located at one of a medial side forefoot support area or a medial side midfoot support area.

5. The ground-engaging component according to claim 4, wherein the second free end boundary rim is located closer to a front forefoot support area of the ground-engaging component than is the first free end boundary rim.

6. The ground-engaging component according to claim 1, wherein an outside edge of the outer perimeter boundary rim and an inside edge of the inner perimeter boundary rim are separated from one another across the first open space by a direct distance of no more than 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) around at least 80% of the outer perimeter of the ground-engaging component.

7. The ground-engaging component according to claim 1, wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim and the inner perimeter boundary rim define an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein the support structure includes a matrix structure extending across the first open space to define a cellular construction, and wherein the plural openings of the support structure define at least one of:

(a) plural open cells of the cellular construction located within the first open space or (b) plural partially open cells of the cellular construction located within the first open space.

8. The ground-engaging component according to claim 7, wherein the matrix structure further defines a first cleat support area extending between the outer perimeter boundary rim and the inner perimeter boundary rim and across the first open space.

9. The ground-engaging component according to claim 8, wherein the matrix structure further defines a plurality of secondary traction elements dispersed around the first cleat support area.

10. The ground-engaging component according to claim 7, wherein the matrix structure further defines:

a first cleat support area at or near a lateral forefoot support area or a lateral midfoot support area of the ground-engaging component;

a second cleat support area at the lateral forefoot support area and forward of the first cleat support area;

a third cleat support area at or near a medial forefoot support area or a medial midfoot support area of the ground-engaging component; and

a fourth cleat support area at the medial side forefoot support area and forward of the third cleat support area.

11. The ground-engaging component according to claim 1, wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim, the inner perimeter boundary rim, and the support structure extending across the first open space constitute an unitary, one piece construction.

12. The ground-engaging component according to claim 1, wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim, the inner perimeter boundary rim, and the support structure extending across the first open space have a combined mass of less than 20 grams.

13. The ground-engaging component according to claim 1, wherein the inner perimeter boundary rim is at least 3 mm (0.12 inches) wide and wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim is at least 3 mm (0.12 inches) wide.

14. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper; and

a sole structure engaged with the upper, the sole structure including a ground-engaging component that includes;

an outer perimeter boundary rim that at least partially defines an outer perimeter of the ground-engaging component;

an inner perimeter boundary rim that at least partially defines an inner perimeter of the ground-engaging component, wherein a first open space extending completely through the ground-engaging component is defined between the outer perimeter boundary rim and the inner perimeter boundary rim, and wherein a second open space is defined between a lateral side portion of the inner perimeter boundary rim and a medial side portion of the inner perimeter boundary rim; and

a support structure extending from the outer perimeter boundary rim to the inner perimeter boundary rim and across the first open space wherein the support structure defines plural openings within the first open space that extend completely through the ground-engaging component.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the upper includes a knitted textile component or a woven textile component.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the sole structure further includes a midsole component positioned between the ground-engaging component and a bottom of the upper.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein a bottom surface of the midsole component is exposed at an exterior of the sole structure through the plural openings of the support structure in the first open space.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 17, wherein the bottom surface of the midsole component is exposed at the exterior of the sole structure and extends from the second open space to a rear heel support area of the sole structure.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the sole structure further includes a heel reinforcement component located at least at a lateral, rear heel support area of the sole structure.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 19, wherein the heel reinforcement component includes a matrix structure with a plurality of open cells.