Footwear with longitudinally split midsole for dynamic fit adjustment

• US 20050257405A1
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Kilgore, Bruce J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/97
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/26 adjustable as to length or size

Abstract

An article of footwear is constructed to dynamically provide width adjustment by cooperative expansion and contraction of a longitudinal split midsole with an expansion element integrated with an outsole that allows the midsole to expand from a narrow width to a wider width. The upper of the shoe has a corresponding section that can expand to a similar degree as the midsole and outsole to enable the volume of the upper to increase proportionally to the width of the sole.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having lateral and medial sides, said article comprising:

an upper including an instep portion for covering at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s foot and an insole portion adapted to underlay a wearer'"'"'s foot, said insole portion comprising a non-stretch portion surrounding an expansion portion disposed longitudinally along said insole portion;

a sole unit including an expansion element disposed longitudinally along said sole unit so as to align with said expansion portion of said insole portion;

wherein said expansion portion and said expansion element have a retracted static condition to provide a narrower width to said article of footwear, and have an expanded, adjustment condition to provide a wider width and an increased internal volume to said article of footwear to cooperatively provide dynamic width adjustment.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein said sole unit comprises a cushioning midsole and a ground engaging outsole, and said midsole includes a longitudinal split to accommodate said expansion element.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein said expansion element is a separately formed pleated element integrally attached to said midsole such that said pleated element extends outward and downward through said longitudinal split.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein said expansion portion comprises a stretch panel of material attached to said non-stretch portion.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4, wherein said insole portion comprises at least one non-stretch stay extending across said expansion portion to prevent said upper from expanding or otherwise losing its shape prior to or during lasting and sole laying.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein said sole unit comprises a cushioning midsole and a ground engaging outsole, and said midsole includes an integrally formed longitudinal expansion element splitting said sole unit between lateral and medial sides.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein said expansion portion comprises a stretch panel of material attached to said non-stretch portion.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein said insole portion comprises at least one non-stretch stay extending across said expansion portion to prevent said upper from expanding or otherwise losing its shape prior to or during lasting and sole laying.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein said expansion portion comprises a stretch panel of material attached to said non-stretch portion.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein said insole portion comprises at least one non-stretch stay extending across said expansion portion to prevent said upper from expanding or otherwise losing its shape prior to lasting and sole laying.

11. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein said sole unit comprises a cushioning midsole and a ground engaging outsole, and said midsole includes a longitudinal split to accommodate said expansion element.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein said expansion element is a separately formed pleated element attached to said midsole such that said pleated element extends outward and downward through said longitudinal split.

13. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein said sole unit comprises a cushioning midsole and a ground engaging outsole, and said midsole includes an integrally formed longitudinal expansion element splitting said sole unit between lateral and medial sides.

14. An article of footwear having lateral and medial sides and providing dynamic width adjustment, said article comprising:

an upper including an elastic instep portion for covering at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s foot, and an insole portion adapted to underlay a wearer'"'"'s foot, said insole portion comprising a non-stretch portion surrounding an expansion portion disposed longitudinally along said insole portion;

a sole unit comprising a cushioning midsole and a ground engaging outsole, said sole unit including a longitudinal split and a separately formed expansion element disposed in said split and aligned with said expansion portion of said insole portion and enable lateral expansion of said sole unit;

wherein said expansion portion and said expansion element have a retracted static condition to provide a narrower width to said article of footwear, and have an expanded, adjustment condition to provide a wider width and an increased internal volume to said article of footwear to cooperatively provide dynamic width adjustment.

15. The article of footwear of claim 14, wherein said expansion element is a separately formed pleated element integrally attached to said midsole such that said pleated element extends outward and downward through said longitudinal split.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein said expansion portion comprises a stretch panel of material attached to said non-stretch portion.

17. The article of footwear of claim 16, wherein said insole portion comprises at least one non-stretch stay extending across said expansion portion to prevent said upper from expanding or otherwise losing its shape prior to or during lasting and sole laying.

18. The article of footwear of claim 16, wherein said expansion portion comprises a cut-out in said non-stretch portion and said insole portion comprises at least one non-stretch stay extending across said expansion portion to prevent said upper from expanding or otherwise losing its shape prior to or during lasting and sole laying.

19. An article of footwear having lateral and medial sides and providing dynamic width adjustment, said article comprising:

an upper including an elastic instep portion for covering at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s foot, and an insole portion adapted to underlay a wearer'"'"'s foot, said insole portion comprising a non-stretch portion surrounding an expansion portion disposed longitudinally along said insole portion;

a sole unit comprising a cushioning midsole and a ground engaging outsole, and said midsole including an integrally formed longitudinal expansion element splitting said sole unit between lateral and medial sides;

wherein said expansion portion and said expansion element have a retracted static condition to provide a narrower width to said article of footwear, and have an expanded, adjustment condition to provide a wider width and an increased internal volume to said article of footwear to cooperatively provide dynamic with adjustment.

20. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein said expansion portion comprises a stretch panel of material attached to said non-stretch portion.

21. The article of footwear of claim 20, wherein said insole portion comprises at least one non-stretch stay extending across said expansion portion to prevent said upper from expanding or otherwise losing its shape prior to or during lasting and sole laying.

22. The article of footwear of claim 20, wherein said expansion portion comprises a cut-out in said non-stretch portion and said insole portion comprises at least one non-stretch stay extending across said expansion portion to prevent said upper from expanding or otherwise losing its shape prior to or during lasting and sole laying.

23. A method of making an article of footwear with dynamic width adjustment, said method comprising the steps of:

lasting an upper with an instep portion for covering at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s foot and a non-stretchable insole portion adapted to underlay a wearer'"'"'s foot;

providing an expansion area in the insole portion to enable width adjustment by lateral expansion;

forming a sole unit with an expansion element disposed to cooperate with the expansion area of the insole portion to enable width adjustment;

aligning the expansion area of the insole portion with the expansion element in the sole unit such that they can cooperatively expand and contract when attached;

attaching the upper to the sole unit while restraining the expansion area of the upper from lateral expansion and to keep the upper dimensionally stable; and

unrestraining the expansion area of the insole portion to allow lateral expansion and dynamic width adjustment.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of providing an expansion area in the insole portion comprises the steps of forming a cut-out in the insole portion.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of providing a stretch panel in the cut-out in the insole portion.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of attaching and restraining includes the steps of providing at least one non-stretch stay across the expansion area.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of unrestraining the expansion area comprises severing the stay.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of forming a sole unit includes the steps of

splitting a portion of the midsole to form a longitudinal split;

providing a separately formed pleated expansion element in the longitudinal split, and securing the pleated expansion element therein; and

attaching outsole elements to ground contacting areas of the sole unit.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of forming a sole unit includes the steps of

integrally molding a midsole with an expansion pleat formed therein along a longitudinal;

and

attaching outsole elements to ground contacting areas of the sole unit.

30. A method of making an article of footwear with dynamic width adjustment, said method comprising the steps of:

lasting an upper with an instep portion for covering at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s foot and an insole portion having an expansion area to enable width adjustment by lateral expansion and a non-stretchable area adapted to underlay a wearer'"'"'s foot;

restraining the expansion area in the upper during lasting;

forming a sole unit with an expansion element disposed to cooperate with the expansion area of the insole portion to enable width adjustment;

aligning the expansion area of the insole portion with the expansion element in the sole unit such that they can cooperatively expand and contract when attached;

attaching the upper to the sole unit while restraining the expansion area of the upper from lateral expansion and to keep the upper dimensionally stable; and

unrestraining the expansion area of the insole portion to allow lateral expansion and dynamic width adjustment.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said step of lasting includes providing a cut-out in the insole portion as the expansion area.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said step of lasting includes providing a stretch panel in the insole portion as the expansion area.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein said step of restraining includes providing at least one non-stretch stay across the expansion area.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said step of unrestraining the expansion area comprises severing the stay.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein said step of forming a sole unit includes the steps of

splitting a portion of the midsole to form a longitudinal split;

providing a separately formed pleated expansion element in the longitudinal split, and securing the pleated expansion element therein; and

attaching outsole elements to ground contacting areas of the sole unit.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein said step of forming a sole unit includes the steps of

integrally molding a midsole with an expansion pleat formed therein along a longitudinal;

and

attaching outsole elements to ground contacting areas of the sole unit.