Article of footwear for use with a left foot and a right foot
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper including an interior region that is configured to fit a left foot and a right foot,wherein the article of footwear extends from a heel end to a toe end along a longitudinal axis,wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the upper from a second half of the upper, andwherein the first half of the upper is a mirror image of the second half of the upper;
an insert that is configured to fit a left foot and a right foot,wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the insert from a second half of the insert, andwherein the first half of the insert is a mirror image of the second half of the insert;
an outer member attached to the upper and configured to fit a left foot and a right foot,wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the outer member from a second half of the outer member, andwherein the first half of the outer member is a mirror image of the second half of the outer member;
wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the article of footwear from a second half of the article of footwear;
wherein there is no discernible distinction between the first half of the article of footwear and the second half of the article of footwear;
wherein the insert is made of a deformable material that temporarily deforms from an initial non-deformed state to provide lateral and medial support to one of the left foot and the right foot during use, returns to the initial non-deformed state after the use, and temporarily deforms again from the initial non-deformed state to provide lateral and medial support to the other of the left foot and the right foot during a subsequent use;
wherein, during use, the insert is configured to deform sufficiently enough such that a user'"'"'s foot sinks into the insert to such an extent that a deformed portion of the insert at least partially covers a side surface of the foot and a non-deformed upper surface of the insert is above an upper surface of the user'"'"'s foot; and
wherein the insert is configured to deform sufficiently enough to at least partially cover an upper surface of the user'"'"'s foot such that the insert embraces the user'"'"'s foot to reduce movement of the user'"'"'s foot within the article of footwear.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An article of footwear intended for use with a left foot and a right foot is disclosed. The article of footwear includes an interior space configured to fit a left for and a right foot. Additionally, the article of footwear may be associated with an insert that deforms during use.
58 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An article of footwear, comprising:
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an upper including an interior region that is configured to fit a left foot and a right foot, wherein the article of footwear extends from a heel end to a toe end along a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the upper from a second half of the upper, and wherein the first half of the upper is a mirror image of the second half of the upper; an insert that is configured to fit a left foot and a right foot, wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the insert from a second half of the insert, and wherein the first half of the insert is a mirror image of the second half of the insert; an outer member attached to the upper and configured to fit a left foot and a right foot, wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the outer member from a second half of the outer member, and wherein the first half of the outer member is a mirror image of the second half of the outer member; wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the article of footwear from a second half of the article of footwear; wherein there is no discernible distinction between the first half of the article of footwear and the second half of the article of footwear; wherein the insert is made of a deformable material that temporarily deforms from an initial non-deformed state to provide lateral and medial support to one of the left foot and the right foot during use, returns to the initial non-deformed state after the use, and temporarily deforms again from the initial non-deformed state to provide lateral and medial support to the other of the left foot and the right foot during a subsequent use; wherein, during use, the insert is configured to deform sufficiently enough such that a user'"'"'s foot sinks into the insert to such an extent that a deformed portion of the insert at least partially covers a side surface of the foot and a non-deformed upper surface of the insert is above an upper surface of the user'"'"'s foot; and wherein the insert is configured to deform sufficiently enough to at least partially cover an upper surface of the user'"'"'s foot such that the insert embraces the user'"'"'s foot to reduce movement of the user'"'"'s foot within the article of footwear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An article of footwear, comprising:
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an insert including a first layer configured to receive a user'"'"'s foot directly and a second layer configured to contact an outer member of the article of footwear; the article of footwear extending from a heel end to a toe end along a longitudinal axis; the longitudinal axis separating a first half of the insert from a second half of the insert; the first half of the insert being a mirror image of the second half of the insert; wherein there is no discernible distinction between the first half of the insert and the second half of the insert; wherein the first layer is made of a deformable material that temporarily deforms from an initial non-deformed state to provide lateral and medial support to one of a left foot and a right foot during use, returns to the initial non-deformed state after the use, and temporarily deforms again from the initial non-deformed state to provide lateral and medial support to the other of the left foot and the right foot during a subsequent use; wherein, during use, the first layer is configured to deform sufficiently enough such that the user'"'"'s foot sinks into the first layer to such an extent that a deformed portion of the first layer at least partially covers a side surface of the user'"'"'s foot and a non-deformed upper surface of the first layer is above an upper surface of the user'"'"'s foot; and wherein the deformed portion of the first layer at least partially covers an upper surface of the foot such that the first layer embraces the user'"'"'s foot to provide the lateral and medial support and reduce movement of the user'"'"'s foot within the article of footwear. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of making an article of footwear for either a left foot or a right foot comprising:
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providing an upper sized and dimensioned to fit either a left foot or a right foot, wherein the article of footwear extends from a heel end to a toe end along a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the upper from a second half of the upper, and wherein the first half of the upper is a mirror image of the second half of the upper; securing an outer member to the upper, the outer member sized and dimensioned to accommodate an upper for either a left foot or a right foot, wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the outer member from a second half of the outer member, and wherein the first half of the outer member is a mirror image of the second half of the outer member; and providing an insert positioned adjacent to the outer member, wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the insert from a second half of the insert, wherein the first half of the insert is a mirror image of the second half of the insert, wherein the insert is made from a deformable material that temporarily deforms from an initial non-deformed state to provide lateral support to, and reduces in shoe movement of, one of the left foot and the right foot during use and returns to the initial non-deformed state after the use, wherein, during use, the insert is configured to deform sufficiently enough such that a user'"'"'s foot sinks into the insert to such an extent that a deformed portion of the insert at least partially covers a side surface of the user'"'"'s foot and a non-deformed upper surface of the insert is above an upper surface of the user'"'"'s foot, wherein the insert is configured to deform sufficiently enough to at least partially cover an upper surface of the user'"'"'s foot such that the insert embraces the user'"'"'s foot to reduce movement of the user'"'"'s foot within the article of footwear, wherein the longitudinal axis separates a first half of the article of footwear from a second half of the article of footwear, and wherein there is no discernible distinction between the first half of the article of footwear and the second half of the article of footwear. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification