Article of Footwear With A Shape Correcting Member

• US 20100299961A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Morag, Erez, Baker, Brian D., Caine, Andrew, Stauffer, Morgan, Minami, Tetsuya T., Droege, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,196,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/94
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 19/00 Shoe-shaped inserts; Inserts covering the instep
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/18 Joint supports, e.g. instep supports
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/00 Shoe lacing fastenings garment fastening devices A41F

Abstract

An article of footwear with a shape correcting member is disclosed. The shape correcting member includes an inner surface associated with a portion of a foot and an outer surface disposed opposite of the inner surface. The inner surface is pre-shaped to fit the contours of a portion of the foot and the outer surface is substantially non-protruding. With this arrangement, the outer surface may facilitate accurate kicking.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a shape correcting member including an inner surface associated with a top portion of a foot and an outer surface disposed opposite the inner surface;

the inner surface including a plurality of pre-formed cavities; and

wherein at least one of the pre-formed cavities is configured to receive a metatarsal bone.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the shape correcting member includes an extended portion associated with the inner surface, wherein the extended portion is configured to insert between two adjacent metatarsal bones of the foot.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the shape correcting member comprises a first material and at least one cavity of the plurality of pre-formed cavities is at least partially filled with a second material, wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface is shaped to fit to the contours of the top portion of the foot.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface is substantially non-protruding.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein the outer surface is configured to facilitate accurate kicking.

7. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper including a shape correcting member;

the shape correcting member disposed on an inner portion of the upper, the shape correcting member including a central hole configured to receive a bony protrusion of a foot; and

wherein the shape correcting member presents a flat surface for the upper in an area adjacent to the bony protrusion.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the shape correcting member has a ring-like shape.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the shape correcting member is configured to associate with a navicular bone of the foot.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the shape correcting member is configured to associate with a calcaneus bone of the foot.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the shape correcting member is configured to associate with a metatarsal head of the foot.

12. An article of footwear, comprising:

a shape correcting member including an inner surface associated with a portion of a foot and an outer surface disposed opposite of the inner surface;

the inner surface being pre-shaped to fit to the contours of the portion of the foot; and

wherein the outer surface is a substantially non-protruding surface.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein the substantially non-protruding surface facilitates accurate kicking of a ball.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein the outer surface is substantially flat.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the shape correcting member is integrally formed with an upper of the article of footwear.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the shape correcting member may be removably attached to an upper of the article of footwear.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the shape correcting member is integrally formed with a bootie that is configured to be removably inserted into an upper of the article of footwear.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the shape correcting member is a first shape correcting member associated with a first bony protrusion of the foot and wherein the article includes a second shape correcting member associated with a second bony protrusion of the foot.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein the first shape correcting member and the second shape correcting member are embedded within a pad.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the shape correcting member comprises a plurality of pre-formed cavities and wherein the plurality of pre-formed cavities are associated with a plurality of bony protrusions of the foot.

21. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the shape correcting member is associated with a tongue of an upper of the article of footwear.

22. The article of footwear according to claim 21, wherein the shape correcting member is associated with an end portion of the tongue and wherein the shape correcting member is disposed adjacent to a toe portion of the upper.

23. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the shape correcting member is disposed on an external surface of the upper.

24. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper including a lacing region;

the lacing region including a medial lacing edge and a lateral lacing edge, the medial lacing edge and the lateral lacing edge being separated by a lacing gap;

a shape correcting portion having a shape corresponding to the lacing gap; and

wherein the shape correcting portion is disposed adjacent to the lacing gap when the upper is tightened around a foot and wherein the shape correcting member provides a substantially non-protruding surface for the upper at the lacing gap.

25. The article of footwear according to claim 24, wherein the shape correcting portion is disposed on a tongue of the upper.

26. The article of footwear according to claim 25, wherein the shape correcting portion comprises a shape correcting member disposed between an upper layer of the tongue and a lower layer of the tongue.

27. The article of footwear according to claim 24, wherein a width of the shape correcting portion is substantially similar to a width of the lacing gap.

28. The article of footwear according to claim 24, wherein a length of the shape correcting portion is substantially similar to a length of the lacing gap.