FOOTWEAR HAVING A SOLE WITH A PLURALITY OF CHAMBERS

• US 20170020228A1
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chinook Asia LLC
• Original Assignee: Chinook Asia LLC
• Inventors: SCOFIELD, Robert Kent, LEE, Sangmin
• Granted Patent: US 9,974,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/122 characterised by the outsole or external layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/184 the structure protruding from the outsole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/189 filled with a non-compressible fluid, e.g. gel, water
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/20 Pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles

Abstract

Soles for footwear and footwear are disclosed. The sole may include a midsole having a first surface. The sole may additionally include an outsole having a second surface and a plurality of first recesses. The second surface may be attached to the first surface. The first surface and the plurality of first recesses may define a plurality of chambers. One or more chambers of the plurality of chambers may include trapped air. The midsole may further include first protruding portions that extend downwardly from the first surface toward one or more first recesses of the plurality of first recesses.

Claims

1. A sole for footwear, the sole comprising:

a midsole having a first surface; and

an outsole having a second surface and a plurality of first recesses, the second surface is attached to the first surface, the first surface and the plurality of first recesses define a plurality of chambers, one or more chambers of the plurality of chambers includes trapped air, the midsole further includes first protruding portions that extend downwardly from the first surface toward one or more first recesses of the plurality of first recesses.

2. The sole of claim 1, wherein the first protruding portions include one or more walls that are shaped to correspond to part of the one or more recesses of the plurality of first recesses such that the one or more walls are in contact with the part of those recesses.

3. The sole of claim 2, wherein the plurality of first recesses includes a plurality of concave-shaped walls, and the one or more walls are convex-shaped to correspond to the plurality of concave-shaped walls such that the convex-shaped walls are in contact with at least a substantial portion of the concave-shaped walls.

4. The sole of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first recesses includes a bottom and a plurality of sidewalls, the plurality of first recesses includes inclined surfaces disposed between the plurality of sidewalls and the second surface, the first surface includes second protruding portions configured to be received on and contact the inclined surfaces of two or more recesses of the plurality of first recesses.

5. The sole of claim 4, wherein the second protruding portions include a convex-shaped perimeter, and the inclined surfaces are concave-shaped to correspond to the convex-shaped perimeter.

6. The sole of claim 1, wherein the outsole includes transverse end portions and a central portion disposed between the transverse end portions, and the plurality of first recesses are distributed on the outsole such that each of the transverse end portions and the central portion includes two or more recesses of the plurality of first recesses.

7. The sole of claim 6, wherein the first protruding portions extend downwardly toward the two or more recesses in only the transverse end portions.

8. The sole of claim 1, further comprising a gasket layer disposed between the first surface of the midsole and the second surface of the outsole, and the gasket layer is configured to seal the trapped air in the one or more chambers.

9. The sole of claim 8, wherein the first surface of the midsole includes a channel sized to receive the gasket layer, and the gasket layer is received in the channel.

10. The sole of claim 1, wherein the outsole includes one or more second recesses, the first surface of the midsole and the one or more second recesses define one or more passages, and the one or more passages fluidly connects two or more chambers of the plurality of chambers.

11. The sole of claim 1, wherein the outsole includes a third surface that opposes the second surface, the third surface includes a plurality of first projections corresponding to the plurality of first recesses of the second surface, the plurality of first projections are configured to contact a support surface, the outsole is segmented and includes a forefoot portion and a heel portion defining a cavity therebetween, and the midsole includes a midfoot portion that extends through the cavity.

12. The sole of claim 11, wherein the midfoot portion includes a plurality of second projections configured to contact a support surface.

13. The sole of claim 1, wherein the outsole includes a plurality of cavities and the midsole includes one or more projections that are received in and extend through the plurality of cavities such that the one or more projections are configured to be supported on a support surface.

14. The sole of claim 1, wherein at least one chamber of the plurality of chambers includes at least one of gel, foam, or an insert.

15. Footwear, comprising:

an upper for receiving a foot of a user; and

a sole having a midsole and an outsole, the midsole has a first surface, the outsole has a second surface and a plurality of first recesses, the second surface is attached to the first surface, the first surface and the plurality of first recesses define a plurality of chambers, one or more chambers of the plurality of chambers includes trapped air, the midsole further includes first protruding portions that extend downwardly from the first surface toward one or more first recesses of the plurality of first recesses.

16. The footwear of claim 15, wherein the first protruding portions include one or more walls that are shaped to correspond to part of the one or more recesses of the plurality of first recesses such that the one or more walls are in contact with the part of the one or more recesses.

17. The footwear of claim 15, further comprising a gasket layer disposed between the first surface of the midsole and the second surface of the outsole, and the gasket layer is configured to seal the trapped air in the plurality of chambers.

18. The footwear of claim 15, wherein the outsole includes one or more second recesses, the first surface of the midsole and the one or more second recesses define one or more passages, and the one or more passages fluidly connects two or more chambers of the plurality of chambers.

19. The footwear of claim 15, wherein the outsole includes a third surface that opposes the second surface, the third surface includes a plurality of first projections corresponding to the plurality of first recesses of the second surface, the plurality of first projections are configured to contact a support surface, the outsole is segmented and includes a forefoot portion and a heel portion defining a cavity therebetween, the midsole includes a midfoot portion that extends through the cavity, and the midfoot portion includes a plurality of second projections configured to contact a support surface.

20. The footwear of claim 15, wherein the outsole includes a plurality of cavities and the midsole includes one or more projections that are received in and extend through the plurality of cavities such that the one or more projections are configured to be supported on a support surface.