Article of footwear with a shape correcting member

• US 8,196,321 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Baker, Brian D., Caine, Andrew, Droege, John, Minami, Tetsuya T., Morag, Erez, Stauffer, Morgan
• Primary Examiner(s): Patterson, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/473,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20100299961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 36/88, 361/33, 36/71, 36/72.R, 36/54, 36 93- 96, 128/882, 128892-894
• US Class Current: 36/133
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 19/00 Shoe-shaped inserts; Inserts covering the instep
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/18 Joint supports, e.g. instep supports
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/00 Shoe lacing fastenings garment fastening devices A41F

Abstract

An article of footwear with a shape correcting member is disclosed. The shape correcting member includes an inner surface associated with a portion of a foot and an outer surface disposed opposite of the inner surface. The inner surface is pre-shaped to fit the contours of a portion of the foot and the outer surface is substantially non-protruding. With this arrangement, the outer surface may facilitate accurate kicking.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a shape correcting member including an inner surface disposed in a portion of the article of footwear corresponding with a top portion of a foot and an outer surface disposed opposite the inner surface;

the article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side, wherein a lateral direction extends between the medial side and lateral side;

the inner surface including a plurality of laterally-spaced, pre-formed cavities; and

wherein at least one of the pre-formed cavities is configured to receive a metatarsal bone of a foot; and

wherein the shape correcting member comprises a first material and at least one cavity of the plurality of pre-formed cavities is at least partially filled with a second material, wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the shape correcting member includes an extended portion associated with the inner surface, wherein the extended portion is configured to insert between two adjacent metatarsal bones of the foot.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the shape correcting member is disposed adjacent to an end portion of the tongue and adjacent to a toe portion of the upper.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface is shaped to fit to the contours of the top portion of the foot, the plurality of laterally-spaced, pre-formed cavities including five pre-formed cavities, each cavity being configured to receive a bony protrusion of a different metatarsal bone of the foot.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface is substantially non-protruding.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein the outer surface has an approximately constant curvature.

7. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper including a shape correcting member;

the shape correcting member disposed on an inner portion of the upper, the shape correcting member including a central hole configured to receive a bony protrusion of a foot;

the article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side wherein a lateral direction extends between the medial side and lateral side; and

a second shape correcting member disposed in a portion of the article of footwear corresponding with a top portion of a foot, the second shape correcting member having an inner surface including a plurality of laterally-spaced, pre-formed cavities, wherein at least one cavity of the plurality of cavities is configured to receive a bony protrusion of the top portion of the foot;

wherein the second shape correcting member presents a flat outer surface for the upper, opposite the inner surface, in an area adjacent to the bony protrusion; and

wherein at least two of the pre-formed cavities are differently sized.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7,

wherein the second shape correcting member is disposed adjacent to an end portion of the tongue and adjacent to a toe portion of the upper.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 7,

wherein the at least one cavity is configured to receive a bony protrusion of a navicular bone of the foot.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 7,

wherein the at least one cavity is configured to receive a bony protrusion of a metatarsal bone of the foot.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of laterally-spaced, pre-formed cavities include five pre-formed cavities, wherein each of the five pre-formed cavities is configured to receive a bony protrusion of a different metatarsal bone of the foot.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 7,

wherein the at least one cavity is configured to receive a bony protrusion of a metatarsal head of the foot.

13. An article of footwear, comprising;

a shape correcting member disposed on a top portion of the article of footwear and including an inner surface corresponding with a top portion of a foot and an outer surface disposed opposite of the inner surface;

the article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side, wherein a lateral direction extends between the medial and lateral side; and

the inner surface including a plurality of laterally spaced, pre-formed cavities, configured to fit to the contours of the top portion of the foot;

wherein the outer surface is a substantially non-protruding surface having an approximately constant curvature.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of laterally-spaced, pre-formed cavities include five pre-formed cavities, wherein each of the five pre-formed cavities is configured to receive a bony protrusion of a different metatarsal bone of the foot.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the shape correcting member includes an extended portion associated with the inner surface, wherein the extended portion is configured to insert between two adjacent metatarsal bones of the foot.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 13,

wherein the shape correcting member includes an inner surface including at least one cavity configured to receive a bony protrusion of the top portion of the foot.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 16,

wherein the at least one cavity is configured to receive a bony protrusion of a metatarsal bone of the foot.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein the shape correcting member is integrally formed with an upper of the article of footwear.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein the shape correcting member is removably attachable to an upper of the article of footwear.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein the shape correcting member is integrally formed with a bootie that is removable from an upper of the article of footwear.

21. The article of footwear according to claim 13,

wherein the shape correcting member is a first shape correcting member configured to receive a first bony protrusion of the foot and wherein the article includes a second shape correcting member configured to receive a second bony protrusion of the foot.

22. The article of footwear according to claim 21, wherein the first shape correcting member and the second shape correcting member are embedded within a pad.

23. The article of footwear according to claim 13,

wherein the upper of the article of footwear includes a tongue, and the shape correcting member is configured as a raised portion of the tongue.

24. The article of footwear according to claim 13,

wherein the upper of the article of footwear includes a tongue, and wherein the shape correcting member is disposed between an upper layer of the tongue and a lower layer of the tongue.

25. The article of footwear according to claim 13,

wherein the upper of the article of footwear includes a tongue, and wherein the shape correcting member is disposed adjacent to an end portion of the tongue and wherein the shape correcting member is disposed adjacent to a toe portion of the upper.

26. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein the shape correcting member is disposed on an external surface of the upper.

27. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper including a lacing region corresponding with a top portion of a foot;

the article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side, wherein a lateral direction extends between the medial side and lateral side;

the lacing region including a medial lacing edge and a lateral lacing edge, the medial lacing edge and the lateral lacing edge being separated by a lacing gap; and

a shape correcting portion having a shape corresponding to the lacing gap;

the shape correcting portion having an inner surface including a plurality of laterally spaced, pre-formed cavities, wherein at least one of the pre-formed cavities is configured to receive a bony protrusion of the top portion of the foot;

wherein the shape correcting portion is disposed adjacent to the lacing gap when the upper is tightened around a foot and wherein the shape correcting member provides a substantially non-protruding surface for the upper at the lacing gap.

28. The article of footwear according to claim 27, wherein the upper of the article of footwear includes a tongue, and wherein the shape correcting portion is disposed on the tongue.

29. The article of footwear according to claim 28, wherein the shape correcting portion comprises a shape correcting member disposed between an upper layer of the tongue and a lower layer of the tongue.

30. The article of footwear according to claim 27, wherein a width of the shape correcting portion is approximately equal to a width of the lacing gap.

31. The article of footwear according to claim 27, wherein a length of the shape correcting portion is approximately equal to a length of the lacing gap.

32. The article of footwear according to claim 27,

wherein at least one of the pre-formed cavities is configured to receive a bony protrusion of a metatarsal bone of the foot.

33. The article of footwear according to claim 32, wherein the laterally spaced, pre-formed cavities include five pre-formed cavities, wherein each of the five pre-formed cavities is configured to receive a bony protrusion of a different metatarsal bone of the foot.

34. The article of footwear according to claim 33, wherein the shape correcting portion includes an extended portion associated with the inner surface, wherein the extended portion is configured to insert between two adjacent metatarsal bones of the foot.