Footwear Soles With Auxetic Material

• US 20150230548A1
• Filed: 03/10/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Cross, Tory M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,554,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/122 characterised by the outsole or external layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/187 Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/188 Differential cushioning regions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/22 Soles made slip-preventing or wear-resisting, e.g. by impregnation or spreading a wear-resisting layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/32 by adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/021 Leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0073 Y-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/10 Tennis shoes

Abstract

An article of footwear has an auxetic sole structure formed from members surrounding apertures. The members may have a trapezoidal geometry. Adjoining members are hingedly connected, so that they can rotate with respect to each other in the plane of the sole structure. The rotation allows the auxetic sole structure to expand when tension is applied.

Claims

1. A structure comprising:

a group of members comprised of a first group and a second group;

the structure further includes a group of connecting portions and a group of interior apertures;

the first group comprising a first exterior member connected to a first interior member at a first connecting portion, the first interior member connected to a second interior member at a second connecting portion forming a first peripheral aperture, and the second interior member connected to a second exterior member at a third connecting portion;

the second group comprises a third exterior member connected to a third interior member at a fourth connecting portion, the third interior member connected to a fourth interior member at a fifth connecting portion forming a second peripheral aperture, and the fourth interior member connected to a fourth exterior member at sixth connecting portion;

wherein the first group is connected to the second group at a seventh connecting portion connecting the first exterior member and the third exterior member and forming a third peripheral aperture, at an eighth connecting portion connecting the first interior member and the third interior member, at a ninth connecting portion connecting the second interior member and the fourth interior member, and at a tenth connecting portion connecting the second exterior member and the fourth exterior member and forming a fourth peripheral aperture;

wherein the first exterior member, the first interior member, the third exterior member, and the third interior member circumscribe a first interior aperture oriented in a first direction;

wherein the second interior member, the second exterior member, the fourth interior member, and the fourth exterior member circumscribe a second interior aperture oriented in the first direction;

wherein the first interior member, the second interior member, the third interior member, and the fourth interior member circumscribe a third interior aperture oriented in a second direction;

wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction;

wherein the third interior aperture has a first aperture diagonal oriented in the first direction, and a second aperture diagonal oriented in the second direction; and

wherein a thickness of the structure is greater than the first aperture diagonal.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the structure is greater than one-half a size of a smaller edge of the first exterior member.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the structure is at least 5.0 mm.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the members are hingedly connected to one another at the connecting portions thereby allowing the members to rotate with respect to each other in a plane of the structure.

5. The structure according to claim 4, wherein the first interior aperture expands on a top sole surface and a bottom sole surface when the first exterior member, the first interior member, the third exterior member, and the third interior member are rotated.

6. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the third interior aperture is larger than the first interior aperture and wherein the third interior aperture is larger than the second interior aperture.

7. A sole structure for an article of footwear comprising:

a group of members comprised of a first group and a second group;

the sole structure further includes a group of connecting portions and a group of interior apertures;

the first group comprises a first exterior member connected to a first interior member at a first connecting portion, the first interior member connected to a second interior member at a second connecting portion forming a first peripheral aperture, and the second interior member connected to a second exterior member at a third connecting portion;

the second group comprises a third exterior member connected to a third interior member at a fourth connecting portion, the third interior member connected to a fourth interior member at a fifth connecting portion forming a second peripheral aperture, and the fourth interior member connected to a fourth exterior member at sixth connecting portion;

wherein the first group is connected to the second group at a seventh connecting portion connecting the first exterior member and the third exterior member and forming a third peripheral aperture, at an eighth connecting portion connecting the first interior member and the third interior member, at a ninth connecting portion connecting the second interior member and the fourth interior member, and at a tenth connecting portion connecting the second exterior member and the fourth exterior member and forming a fourth peripheral aperture;

wherein the first exterior member, the first interior member, the third exterior member, and the third interior member circumscribe a first interior aperture oriented in a first direction;

wherein the second interior member, the second exterior member, the fourth interior member, and the fourth exterior member circumscribe a second interior aperture oriented in the first direction;

wherein the first interior member, the second interior member, the third interior member, and the fourth interior member circumscribe a third interior aperture oriented in a second direction;

wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction;

wherein a first area of the first interior aperture increases when a tension is applied across the group of members in a third direction, the third direction being a direction in a plane formed by the first direction and the second direction;

wherein a second area of the second interior aperture increases when the tension is applied across the group of members in the third direction;

wherein a third area of the third interior aperture increases when the tension is applied across the group of members in the third direction.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein at least one member of the group of members comprises of a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a first surface disposed facing towards at least one interior aperture, a second surface disposed facing towards at least one peripheral aperture, a third surface opposite the first surface, and a fourth surface opposite the second surface.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 8, wherein the first surface, the second surface, the third surface, and the fourth surface are disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein the second connecting portion and the fifth connecting portion are spaced apart a first distance from each other in a first configuration;

and

wherein the eighth connecting portion and the ninth connecting portion are spaced apart a second distance from each other in the first configuration.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the group of connecting portions allow the first group and the second group to rotate with respect to an adjoining member in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction thereby defining a second configuration.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the second connecting portion and the fifth connecting portion are spaced apart a third distance from each other in the second configuration;

wherein the eighth connecting portion and the ninth connecting portion are spaced apart a fourth distance from each other in the second configuration;

wherein the first distance is less than the third distance; and

wherein the fourth distance is less than the second distance.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 12, the third interior aperture is larger than the first interior aperture, and wherein the third interior aperture is larger than the second interior aperture.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the members are hingedly connected to one another at the connecting portions thereby allowing the members to rotate with respect to each other in a plane of the sole structure.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the first interior aperture expands on a top sole surface and a bottom sole surface when the first exterior member, the first interior member, the third exterior member, and the third interior member are rotated.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 7, where a thickness of the sole structure is greater than one-half a size of a smaller edge of the first exterior member.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein a thickness of the sole structure is at least 5.0 mm.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein a thickness of the sole structure is greater than a first separation distance between the second connecting portion and the fifth connecting portion.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the third area of the third interior aperture decreases when a vertical force is applied to the sole structure.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 19, wherein a length of the first exterior member increases when the vertical force is applied to the sole structure.