OUTSOLE PLATE

• US 20190313733A1
• Filed: 04/12/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Bartel, Aaron, Lacey, Sam, Thuss, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 11,344,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/026 Composites, e.g. carbon fibre or aramid fibre; the sole, one or more sole layers or sole part being made of a composite
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/122 characterised by the outsole or external layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/26 projecting beyond the sole surface
• 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: B29D 35/142 Soles

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a component including a first bundle of fibers affixed to a substrate, a ground-engaging assembly including a first traction element, a second traction element, and a connecting member extending between and connecting the first traction element and the second traction element, and a resin consolidating the first bundle of fibers and entrapping the connecting member to fix a position of the first traction element, the second traction element, and the connecting member relative to the substrate.

Claims

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:

a component including a first bundle of fibers affixed to a substrate;

a ground-engaging assembly including a first traction element, a second traction element, and a connecting member extending between and connecting the first traction element and the second traction element; and

a resin consolidating the first bundle of fibers and entrapping the connecting member to fix a position of the first traction element, the second traction element, and the connecting member relative to the substrate.

2. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the connecting member is entangled in the first bundle of fibers.

3. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first traction element, the second traction element, and the connecting member includes a projection extending in a direction toward the substrate.

4. The sole structure of claim 3, wherein the projection is entangled in the fibers of the first bundle of fibers.

5. The sole structure of claim 3, wherein the projection includes a retention feature operable to engage the fibers of the first bundle of fibers.

6. The sole structure of claim 5, wherein the retention feature includes at least one arm extending from a shaft, the shaft being received by and extending at least partially into the fibers of the first bundle of fibers.

7. The sole structure of claim 6, wherein the at least one arm is formed substantially perpendicular to the shaft, is formed at an acute angle relative to the shaft, extends from the shaft in a direction away from the substrate, or extends through a thickness of the first bundle of fibers.

8. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the connecting member is at least partially covered by the resin.

9. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first bundle of fibers includes at least one of carbon fibers, boron fibers, glass fibers, and polymeric fibers.

10. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first bundle of fibers is stitched to the substrate via stitching.

11. The sole structure of claim 10, wherein the first bundle of fibers includes first fibers comingled with second fibers, the second fibers including at least one of a different length, thickness, melting temperature, and Young'"'"'s modulus than the first fibers.

12. An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of claim 1.

13. A method of forming a sole structure for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

attaching a first bundle of fibers to a flexible substrate;

forming a ground-engaging assembly including a first traction element, a second traction element, and a connecting member extending between and connecting the first traction element and the second traction element;

consolidating the first bundle of fibers with resin; and

entrapping the connecting member with the resin to fix a position of the first traction element, the second traction element, and the connecting member relative to the substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising entangling at least a portion of the connecting member in the first bundle of fibers.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing at least one of the first traction element, the second traction element, and the connecting member with a projection that extends in a direction toward the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising entangling the projection in the fibers of the first bundle of fibers.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein providing at least one of the first traction element, the second traction element, and the connecting member with a projection includes providing a projection having a retention feature operable to engage the fibers of the first bundle of fibers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing a projection having a retention feature includes providing a retention feature having at least one arm extending from a shaft, the shaft being received by and extending at least partially into the fibers of the first bundle of fibers.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming the at least one arm substantially perpendicular to the shaft, forming the at least one arm at an acute angle relative to the shaft, forming the at least one arm in a direction away from the substrate, or extending the shaft through a thickness of the first bundle of fibers.

20. The method of any of claim 13, further comprising at least partially covering the connecting member with the resin.