Support features for footwear ground engaging members

• US 9,032,645 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Stauffer, Morgan
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYS, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US13/561,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20140026441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 36/67.R, 36/67.D, 361/34
• US Class Current: 36/67.R
• 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 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/184 the structure protruding from the outsole
• 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 13/22 Soles made slip-preventing or wear-resisting, e.g. by impregnation or spreading a wear-resisting layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/26 projecting beyond the sole surface
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/02 wedge-like or resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/14 made of sponge, rubber, or plastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/22 Supports for the shank or arch of the uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/001 Golf shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/002 Mountain boots or shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/00 Non-skid devices or attachments apparatus for climbing poles, trees, or the like A63B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/162 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/164 having a circular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/165 pointed or conical, e.g. calks, spikes, pins
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/167 : frusto-conical or cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/122 : Soles

Abstract

An article of footwear may include an upper and a sole structure fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper. The sole structure may include a sole component including a baseplate having a bottom surface and at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, the first ground engaging member having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape. In addition, the sole structure may also include a tapered support structure having a substantially pyramidal shape and extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and partially surrounding the first ground engaging member such that a portion of the first ground engaging member is exposed between edges of the tapered support structure. Also, the tapered support structure may extend downward from the baseplate less than the first ground engaging member.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, including an upper configured to receive a foot and a sole structure fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper, the sole structure including a sole component comprising:

a baseplate having a bottom surface;

at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, the first ground engaging member having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape; and

a tapered support structure having a substantially pyramidal shape and extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and partially surrounding the first ground engaging member such that a portion of the first ground engaging member is exposed between edges of the tapered support structure;

wherein the tapered support structure extends downward from the baseplate less than the first ground engaging member.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the tapered support structure has a substantially triangular pyramidal shape.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the tapered support structure extends more than half way around a circumference of first ground engaging member.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the ground engaging member has a stepped cross-sectional size with an upper portion of the ground engaging member having a larger cross-sectional size than a lower portion of the ground engaging member, the transition between the upper portion and the lower portion forming a step;

and

wherein the tapered support structure extends downward from the baseplate below the step in the cross-section of the ground engaging member.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first ground engaging member has a first sidewall and the tapered support structure has a second sidewall;

wherein the second sidewall intersects the first sidewall at a junction; and

wherein the junction between the first side wall and the second sidewall is non-horizontal.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first ground engaging member has a substantially circular base where the first ground engaging member abuts the baseplate;

wherein the tapered support structure has a substantially triangular pyramidal shape including a substantially triangular base where the tapered support structure abuts the baseplate; and

wherein the substantially triangular base has a surface area that is greater than a surface area of the base of the first ground engaging member.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the substantially triangular base of the tapered support structure has a first vertex, a second vertex, a third vertex, a first base edge extending between the first and second vertex, and a second base edge extending between the first and third vertex, wherein the first base edge and the second base edge are located radially outward from a third base edge of the substantially circular base of the first ground engaging member with respect to a center of the first ground engaging member.

8. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the substantially triangular base of the tapered support structure includes a first vertex, a second vertex, and a third vertex;

the tapered support structure further including a first side edge extending from the first vertex to a sidewall of the first ground engaging member, a second side edge extending from the second vertex to the sidewall of the first ground engaging member, and a third side edge extending from the third vertex to the sidewall of the first ground engaging member;

wherein the first side edge, the second side edge, and the third side edge of the tapered support structure are oriented along axes that intersect at an apex.

9. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein the first ground engaging member has a central axis extending substantially normal to the baseplate;

and

wherein the apex is located on the central axis of the first ground engaging member.

10. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein the first ground engaging member has a central axis extending substantially normal to the baseplate;

and

wherein the apex is located offset with respect to the central axis of the first ground engaging member.

11. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the tapered support structure has a substantially triangular pyramidal shape and includes:

a substantially triangular base where the tapered support structure abuts the baseplate, the substantially triangular base including a first vertex, a second vertex, and a third vertex;

a first side edge extending from the first vertex to a sidewall of the first ground engaging member, a second side edge extending from the second vertex to the sidewall of the first ground engaging member, and a third side edge extending from the third vertex to the sidewall of the first ground engaging member;

a first radial wall extending from the second side edge substantially radially inward to a side wall of the first ground engaging member; and

a second radial wall extending from the third side edge substantially radially inward to the side wall of the first ground engaging member;

wherein the exposed portion of the first ground engaging member is a portion of the side wall of the first ground engaging member between the first radial wall and the second radial wall.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the first ground engaging member has a central axis extending substantially normal to the baseplate;

wherein the first radial wall of the tapered support structure is aligned with a first radial axis extending through the central axis of the first ground engaging member; and

wherein the second radial wall of the tapered support structure is aligned with a second radial axis extending through the central axis of the first ground engaging member.

13. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the first ground engaging member has a central axis extending substantially normal to the baseplate;

wherein the first radial wall of the tapered support structure is aligned with a first radial axis;

wherein the second radial wall of the tapered support structure is aligned with a second radial axis; and

wherein the first radial axis intersects the second radial axis at a location displaced from the central axis of the first ground engaging member.

14. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the exposed portion of the first ground engaging member faces substantially inward from a peripheral edge of the baseplate adjacent to the first ground engaging member.

15. The article of footwear of claim 1, further including a second ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, the second ground engaging member having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape;

a second tapered support structure having a substantially pyramidal shape and extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the second ground engaging member at a side portion, and partially surrounding the second ground engaging member such that a second sidewall portion of the second ground engaging member is exposed between edges of the second tapered support structure;

wherein exposed first sidewall portion of the first ground engaging member is facing the exposed second sidewall portion of the second ground engaging member.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the first ground engaging member is located at a peripheral edge of the baseplate on a medial side of the baseplate in a forefoot region of the article of footwear, and the second ground engaging member is located at a peripheral edge of the baseplate on a lateral side of the baseplate in the forefoot region of the article of footwear.

17. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the first ground engaging member is located at a peripheral edge of the baseplate on a side of the baseplate in a heel region of the article of footwear, and the second ground engaging member is located at the peripheral edge of the baseplate in the heel region of the article of footwear on the same side of the baseplate as the first ground engaging member.

18. An article of footwear, including an upper configured to receive a foot and a sole structure fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper, the sole structure including a sole component comprising:

a baseplate having a bottom surface;

at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, the first ground engaging member having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape and a central axis extending substantially normal to the baseplate; and

a tapered support structure extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate and abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion;

the tapered support structure including;

a polygonal base where the tapered support structure abuts the baseplate, the polygonal base having at least a first vertex, a second vertex, and a third vertex;

a first side edge extending from the first vertex to a sidewall of the first ground engaging member, a second side edge extending from the second vertex to the sidewall of the first ground engaging member, and a third side edge extending from the third vertex to the sidewall of the first ground engaging member;

wherein the first side edge, the second side edge, and the third side edge of the tapered support structure are oriented along axes that intersect at an apex; and

wherein the apex is located offset with respect to the central axis of the first ground engaging member;

the tapered support structure further including;

a first radial wall extending from the second side edge substantially radially inward to the side wall of the first ground engaging member; and

a second radial wall extending from the third side edge substantially radially inward to the side wall of the first ground engaging member;

wherein a portion of the sidewall of the first ground engaging member is exposed between the first radial wall and the second radial wall.

19. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the tapered support structure is a pyramidal support structure having a substantially triangular pyramidal shape.

20. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the exposed portion of the first ground engaging member faces substantially inward from a peripheral edge of the baseplate adjacent to the first ground engaging member.

21. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the first radial wall of the pyramidal support structure is aligned with a first radial axis;

wherein the second radial wall of the pyramidal support structure is aligned with a second radial axis; and

wherein the first radial axis intersects the second radial axis at a location displaced from the central axis of the first ground engaging member.

22. An article of footwear, including an upper configured to receive a foot and a sole structure fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper, the sole structure including a sole component comprising:

a baseplate having a bottom surface;

a ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate; and

a tapered support structure extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate and abutting the ground engaging member at a side portion of the ground engaging member, the tapered support structure at least partially surrounding the ground engaging member;

wherein the ground engaging member has a stepped cross-sectional size with an upper portion of the ground engaging member having a larger cross-sectional size than a lower portion of the ground engaging member, the transition between the upper portion and the lower portion forming a step;

wherein the tapered support structure extends downward from the baseplate below the step in the cross-section of the ground engaging member;

wherein the ground engaging member has a first sidewall and the tapered support structure has a second sidewall;

wherein the second sidewall intersects the first sidewall at a junction and

where the junction between the first side wall and the second sidewall is non-horizontal.

23. The article of footwear of claim 22, wherein the tapered support structure is a pyramidal support structure including a polygonal base where the pyramidal support structure abuts the baseplate the polygonal base having at least a first vertex, a second vertex, and a third vertex.

24. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein the pyramidal support structure extends downward from the baseplate less than the first ground engaging member.

25. The article of footwear of claim 22, wherein the tapered support structure is a pyramidal support structure including a polygonal base where the pyramidal support structure abuts the baseplate the polygonal base having at least a first vertex, a second vertex, and a third vertex;

the pyramidal support structure further including a first side edge extending substantially downward from the first vertex, a second side edge extending substantially downward from the second vertex, and a third side edge extending substantially downward from the third vertex.

26. The article of footwear of claim 25,

wherein a portion of the ground engaging member is exposed between two or more of the side edges of the pyramidal support structure.

27. The article of footwear of claim 26, wherein the junction between the first side wall of the ground engaging member and the second sidewall of the support structure extends lower proximate to the exposed portion of the ground engaging member than on an opposite side of the ground engaging member.