BASEPLATE FOR A SHOE

• US 20160206048A1
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: Weidl, Jrgen, Zea, Antonio Jamie Jr., Wiederer, Wilfried Ernst
• Granted Patent: US 11,134,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/184 the structure protruding from the outsole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/26 projecting beyond the sole surface
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/30 by screws
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/246 characterised by the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/02 attached to the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/162 characterised by the shape

Abstract

Described are baseplates for shoes, wherein the baseplate is removably insertable into a shoe upper, and wherein the baseplate includes a substantially planar body, which is configured to provide stability to the shoe upper, and a plurality of tread elements, which are configured to protrude through a respective opening of a plurality of openings in a bottom portion of the shoe upper when the baseplate is removably inserted into the shoe upper, wherein the plurality of tread elements are unitarily formed with the body.

Claims

1. A baseplate for a shoe, wherein the baseplate is removably insertable into a shoe upper, and wherein the baseplate comprises:

(a) a substantially planar body, which is configured to provide stability to the shoe upper; and

(b) a plurality of tread elements, which are configured to protrude through a respective opening of a plurality of openings in a bottom portion of the shoe upper when the baseplate is removably inserted into the shoe upper,

wherein the plurality of tread elements are unitarily formed with the body.

2. The baseplate according to claim 1, wherein the body is stiff and rigid.

3. The baseplate according to claim 1, wherein the baseplate extends substantially throughout from a heel region of the shoe upper to a toe region of the shoe upper.

4. The baseplate according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tread elements comprises an undercut for the reception of a section of an edge of the respective opening of the plurality of openings in the bottom portion of the shoe upper to fix the at least one of the plurality of tread elements relative to the bottom portion of the shoe upper.

5. The baseplate according to claim 4, wherein the undercut comprises a circumferential groove in the at least one of the plurality of tread elements.

6. The baseplate according to claim 1, wherein the baseplate is manufactured in a 3D-printing process.

7. The baseplate according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement, the respective height, and the respective circumference of the plurality of tread elements are adapted to the ground on which the shoe is used.

8. The baseplate according to claim 1, wherein a first subset of the plurality of tread elements comprises studs and a second subset of the plurality of tread elements comprises plugs.

9. The baseplate according to claim 8, wherein the plugs are of such a height in comparison to the studs that the studs are configured to contact a flat ground while the plugs are not configured to contact the flat ground.

10. The baseplate according to claim 8, wherein the plugs are configured to close the openings in the bottom portion of the shoe upper through which they protrude.

11. The baseplate according to claim 8, wherein the studs are configured to close the openings in the bottom portion of the shoe upper through which they protrude.

12. The baseplate according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of tread elements corresponds to an opening in the bottom portion of the shoe upper, such that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the tread elements and the openings.

13. The baseplate according to claim 8, wherein at least one stud comprises at least one groove extending in a vertical direction and being suitable to interact with a corresponding lug of a stud key.

14. The baseplate according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting device to fix the baseplate to the shoe upper.

15. The baseplate according to claim 14, wherein the mounting device is at least a screw or a hook-and-loop tape.

16. The baseplate according to claim 1, wherein the baseplate is made of polyamide, polyether-block-amide, PEBA or thermoplastic polyurethane, TPU.

17. The baseplate according to claim 1, wherein the baseplate comprises at least one opening and/or a cavity.

18. A shoe upper for a shoe, wherein the shoe upper is configured for the reception of a baseplate according to claim 1, and comprises:

a bottom portion with regions, wherein

each of the regions comprises at least one opening of the plurality of openings, and

each of the regions is more elastic than other regions of the bottom portion.

19. The shoe upper according to claim 18, wherein at least some of the plurality of openings in the bottom portion of the shoe upper comprise a smaller diameter than the respective tread element, which protrudes through the respective opening when the baseplate is removably inserted into the shoe upper.

20. The shoe upper according to claim 18, wherein each region comprises one opening, such that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the tread elements and the regions.

21. A shoe comprising the shoe upper according to claim 18.

22. A set of baseplates for a shoe, wherein

(a) each baseplate is formed according to claim 1, and

(b) each baseplate in the set of baseplates is different from every other baseplate in the set of baseplates at least in the arrangement and/or the design of the tread elements.

23. A method for manufacturing a baseplate, the baseplate comprising a plate-shaped, stiff and rigid body, and a plurality of tread elements, the method comprising:

(a) forming the plate-shaped, stiff and rigid body, so that the body is configured to provide stability to the shoe upper when the baseplate is removably inserted into the shoe upper; and

(b) forming the plurality of tread elements in one piece with the body, so that the tread elements are configured to protrude through the respective opening of a plurality of openings in the bottom portion of the shoe upper when the complete baseplate is inserted into the shoe upper.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the baseplate is manufactured in a 3D-printing process.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the baseplate is manufactured in an injection molding process.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein during the method at least one spacing-element is removably inserted between the baseplate and at least one of the plurality of tread elements to create an undercut for the reception of a section of an edge of the respective opening of the plurality of openings in the bottom portion of the shoe upper.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of tread elements is produced first and the baseplate is injection molded to the plurality of tread elements.

28. A baseplate for a shoe comprising:

an upper surface for supporting the foot of a wearer;

a bottom surface comprising at least one tread element integrally formed with the baseplate;

wherein the baseplate is insertable into a shoe upper such that the at least one element protrudes through at least one opening in a bottom portion of the shoe upper.

29. The baseplate of claim 28, wherein the baseplate is removable from the shoe upper.

30. The baseplate of claim 28, wherein the baseplate is configured to cover substantially all of the bottom portion of the shoe upper.

31. A modular shoe component comprising

a baseplate comprising an upper surface for supporting the foot of a wearer and a bottom surface comprising one or more tread elements integrally formed with the baseplate;

and

a shoe upper for receiving the foot of a wearer comprising a bottom surface with one or more openings;

wherein the baseplate is insertable into the shoe upper and the baseplate and the shoe upper are configured to allow the one or more tread elements each to project through the one or more openings in the shoe upper.

32. The baseplate of claim 31, wherein the baseplate is removable from the shoe upper.

33. The baseplate of claim 31, wherein the baseplate is configured to cover substantially all of the bottom portion of the shoe upper.