Outsole With Stepped Projections For Article Of Footwear

• US 20150342298A9
• Filed: 09/12/2013
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike International Ltd. (Nike, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Farris, Bryan N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,655,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/18 Resilient soles skating boots provided with resilient means A43B5/1658
• 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 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/38 Built-in insoles joined to uppers during the manufacturing process, e.g. structural insoles; Insoles glued to shoes during the manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/146 provided with acupressure points or means for foot massage
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/162 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/168 with resilient means, e.g. shock absorbing means

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an outsole having a base with an upper surface that faces the upper and a lower surface that faces away from the upper surface. The outsole also includes a first stepped projection that projects in a plurality of first steps from the lower surface. The plurality of first steps is defined by a plurality of first tread surfaces and a plurality of first riser surfaces. The outsole additionally includes a second stepped projection that projects in a plurality of second steps from the lower surface. The plurality of second steps is defined by a plurality of second tread surfaces and a plurality of second riser surfaces. The second stepped projection is spaced away from the first stepped projection relative to the lateral axis of the article of footwear.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side, the article of footwear defining a lateral axis that extends between the medial side and the lateral side, the article of footwear comprising:

an upper; and

a sole structure that is operably coupled to the upper, the sole structure extending along the lateral axis, the sole structure including an outsole that includes;

a base with an upper surface that faces the upper and a lower surface that faces away from the upper surface, and

a first stepped projection that projects in a plurality of first steps from the lower surface, the plurality of first steps defined by a plurality of first tread surfaces and a plurality of first riser surfaces, and

a second stepped projection that projects in a plurality of second steps from the lower surface, the plurality of second steps defined by a plurality of second tread surfaces and a plurality of second riser surfaces, the second stepped projection being spaced away from the first stepped projection relative to the lateral axis of the article of footwear.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first stepped projection and second stepped projection are arranged in a row that extends generally between the medial side and the lateral side.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein the row is substantially parallel to the lateral axis.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first steps includes at least three first riser surfaces and the plurality of second steps includes at least three second riser surfaces.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first stepped projection and the second stepped projection are arranged in one of a plurality of rows of stepped projections, the plurality of rows of stepped projections each extending generally between the medial side and the lateral side, and wherein the first stepped projection and the second stepped projection are arranged in different ones of a plurality of columns of stepped projections, the plurality of columns of stepped projections each extending generally between a forefoot portion and a lateral portion of the article of footwear.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first stepped projection also includes at least one side that projects from the lower surface and that intersects the plurality of first steps at a stepped edge.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the at least one side includes a first side and a second side, wherein the first side intersects the plurality of first steps at a first stepped edge, wherein the second side intersects the plurality of first steps at a second stepped edge, and wherein the first stepped projection also includes a third side that extends between the first side and the second side.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein the first side and the second side are substantially parallel, and wherein the third side is substantially perpendicular to the first side and the second side.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the sole structure includes a forefoot portion and a heel portion, and wherein the plurality of first steps and the plurality of second steps generally face the forefoot portion and generally face away from the heel portion.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the sole structure has a ground engaging surface, wherein the sole structure has a total thickness measured between the upper surface and the ground engaging surface, and wherein the base has a base thickness measured between the upper surface and the lower surface, the base thickness being at most approximately thirty percent (30%) of the total thickness of the sole structure.

11. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first riser surfaces extends substantially normal to the lower surface, the plurality of first tread surfaces extending transverse to the plurality of first riser surfaces.

12. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the base, the first stepped projection and the second stepped projection are resiliently flexible.

13. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the first stepped projection and the second stepped projection are configured to resiliently bend about a bending axis that extends between the medial side and the lateral side.

14. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the sole structure includes a forefoot portion and a heel portion, and wherein the first stepped projection and the second stepped projection are configured to resiliently bend about a bending axis that extends between the forefoot portion and the heel portion.

15. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the base is configured to resiliently flex in concert with the first stepped projection and the second stepped projection under the influence of an input load.

16. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the sole structure further includes a plurality of secondary stepped projections, each of the plurality of secondary stepped projections projecting from the base, the plurality of secondary stepped projections being arranged in a ring, a space defined between neighboring ones of the plurality of secondary stepped projections within the ring.

17. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper having an interior surface and an exterior surface; and

a sole structure that is operably coupled to the upper, the sole structure including an outsole that includes;

a base having an upper surface that faces the upper and a lower surface that faces away from the upper surface, the upper surface being layered underneath and attached directly to the exterior surface of the upper,

a projection that projects from the lower surface of the base along a first direction, the projection having a transverse dimension measured in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction, wherein the projection decreases in the transverse dimension as the projection projects in the first direction,

the base and the projection being resiliently flexible and moveable between a neutral position and a flexed position, the interior surface moving due to the movement between the neutral position and the flexed position.

18. The article of footwear of claim 17, wherein the projection projects from the lower surface of the base in a plurality of steps along the first direction, and wherein the projection decreases in the transverse dimension as the projection projects in the plurality of steps along the first direction.

19. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the plurality of steps include a plurality of tread surfaces and at least three riser surfaces.

20. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the sole structure includes a forefoot portion and a heel portion, and wherein the at least three riser surfaces face the forefoot portion.

21. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the at least three riser surfaces each extends substantially normal to the lower surface, the plurality of tread surfaces extending transverse to the at least three riser surfaces.

22. The article of footwear of claim 17, wherein the sole structure includes a forefoot portion, a heel portion, a medial side, and a lateral side, wherein the projection is configured to flex about a longitudinal axis that extends between the forefoot portion and the heel portion, and wherein the projection is configured to flex about a lateral axis that extends between the medial side and the lateral side.

23. An article of footwear having a forefoot portion, a heel portion, a medial side, and a lateral side, the medial side and the lateral side each extending between the forefoot portion and the heel portion, the article of footwear comprising:

an upper; and

a sole structure that is operably coupled to the upper, the sole structure having a ground engaging surface, the sole structure having a total thickness, the sole structure including an outsole that includes;

a base with an upper surface that is directly attached to the upper and a lower surface that faces away from the upper, the base having a base thickness measured between the upper surface and the lower surface, the base thickness being at most approximately thirty percent (30%) of the total thickness of the sole structure, and

a plurality of stepped projections that each project from the lower surface of the base, each of the plurality of stepped projections including at least three riser surfaces, the plurality of stepped projections arranged in a plurality of rows that extend generally between the medial side and the lateral side, the plurality of stepped projections also arranged in a plurality of columns that extend generally between the forefoot portion and the lateral portion, the plurality of stepped projections being spaced apart from each other within the plurality of rows and within the plurality of columns.

24. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein at least one of the plurality of stepped projections includes a plurality of steps and at least one side, the at least one side intersecting the plurality of steps at a stepped edge.

25. The article of footwear of claim 24, wherein the at least one side includes a first side and a second side, wherein the first side intersects the plurality of steps at a first stepped edge, wherein the second side intersects the plurality of steps at a second stepped edge, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of stepped projections also includes a third side that extends between the first side and the second side.

26. The article of footwear of claim 25, wherein the first side and the second side are substantially parallel, and wherein the third side is substantially perpendicular to the first side and the second side.

27. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein the at least three riser surfaces face the forefoot portion and face generally away from the heel portion.

28. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein the plurality of stepped projections are substantially equally spaced apart from each other within the plurality of rows and within the plurality of columns.

29. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein the base thickness is at most approximately 1.5 millimeters.