Sole and article of footwear

• US 8,707,587 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reebok International Limited (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Reebok International Limited (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Inventors: Christensen, Brian, Leblanc, Alexandre, Litchfield, Paul E., Marvin, William, Millette, Frank, Montross, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US12/980,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20120167416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 361/02, 361/03, 36/28, 36/31, 36/27
• US Class Current: 36/102
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/186 Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/188 Differential cushioning regions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/24 by use of insertions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0057 S-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18

Abstract

Articles of footwear and soles are disclosed. The article of footwear may include an upper; an outer midsole having a base coupled to the upper, and a rim portion extending from the periphery of the base, wherein the rim portion defines a plurality of spaced apart gaps; and an inner midsole disposed interiorly to the rim portion, wherein a portion of the inner midsole is disposed in at least one gap.

Claims

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

a base having a medial side, a lateral side, and a periphery;

a rim portion extending from the periphery of the base, the rim portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the rim portion undulates to define a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the top surface and a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the bottom surface; and

a core member disposed interiorly to the rim portion, the core member having a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the core member undulates to define a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the top surface and a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the bottom surface,

wherein widths of the gaps in the bottom surface of the rim portion vary along a length of the sole.

2. The sole of claim 1 wherein a portion of the core member is disposed in the rearmost of the plurality of gaps.

3. The sole of claim 1, wherein the core member has a plurality of elongated protrusions extending therefrom.

4. The sole of claim 1, wherein the core member and at least one of the base and the rim portion are comprised of different materials.

5. The sole of claim 1, wherein the rim portion is substantially sinusoidal.

6. The sole of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of voids disposed in the base.

7. The sole of claim 6, wherein a portion of the core member is disposed in at least one of the plurality of voids in the base.

8. The sole of claim 1, wherein the base extends across a width of the rim portion.

9. The sole of claim 1, wherein the base and the rim portion are integrally formed.

10. The sole of claim 1, wherein the core member is coupled to the base.

11. The sole of claim 1, wherein at least one of the base and the rim portion has a different material hardness than the core member.

12. The sole of claim 1, wherein the rim portion is coupled directly to an upper.

13. A sole for an article of footwear, comprising:

a base having a medial side, a lateral side, and a periphery;

a rim portion extending from the periphery of the base, the rim portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the rim portion undulates to define a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the top surface and a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the bottom surface;

a core member disposed interiorly to the rim portion, the core member having a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the core member undulates to define a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the top surface and a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the bottom surface; and

a plurality of voids formed in the base, wherein a portion of the core member is disposed in at least one of the plurality of voids.

14. The sole of claim 13, wherein a portion of the core member in between adjacent gaps in the top surface of the core member is disposed in one of the plurality of voids of the base.

15. The sole of claim 13, wherein a portion of the base is disposed in a gap in the bottom surface of the core member.

16. The sole of claim 13, wherein at least one of the base and the rim portion has a different material hardness than the core member.

17. The sole of claim 13, wherein widths of the gaps in the bottom surface and the top surface of the rim portion vary along a length of the sole.

18. The sole of claim 13, wherein the rim portion and the base are integral.

19. The sole of claim 13, wherein the rim portion extends from the base along the lateral side of the base.

20. The sole of claim 13, wherein the rim portion extends from the base along the lateral side and the medial side of the base.

21. A sole for an article of footwear, comprising:

a base having a medial side, a lateral side,. and a periphery;

a rim portion extending from the periphery of the base, the rim portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the rim portion undulates to define a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the top surface and a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the bottom surface; and

a core member disposed interiorly to the rim portion, the core member having a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the core member undulates to define a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the top surface and a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the bottom surface,

wherein a portion of the base is disposed in a gap in the top surface of the core member.

22. The sole of claim 21, wherein the core member is attached to at least one of the base and the rim portion.

23. The sole of claim 21, wherein a portion of the core member is disposed in at least one of the plurality of gaps.

24. The sole of claim 21, wherein a portion of the core member is disposed in the rearmost of the plurality of gaps.

25. The sole of claim 21, wherein the core member has a plurality of elongated protrusions extending therefrom.

26. The sole of claim 21, wherein the rim portion is substantially sinusoidal.

27. The sole of claim 21, wherein the base and the rim portion are integrally formed.

28. A sole for an article of footwear, comprising:

a base having a medial side, a lateral side, and a periphery;

a rim portion extending from the periphery of the base, the rim portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the rim portion undulates to define a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the top surface and a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the bottom surface; and

a core member disposed interiorly to the rim portion, the core member having a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the core member undulates to define a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the top surface and a plurality of spaced apart gaps in the bottom surface,

wherein the rim portion comprises foam.

29. The sole of claim 28, wherein at least one of the base and the rim portion is harder than the core member.

30. The sole of claim 28, wherein at least one of the base and the rim portion is denser than the core member.