Article of footwear incorporating a sole structure with elements having different compressibilities

• US 9,192,211 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Lafortune, Mario A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Khoa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trieu, Timothy K
• Application Number:
  US12/174,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20090178299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,687 Days
• Field of Search: 36/92, 361/03, 361/05, 36/27, 36/28, 36/29, 36/31, 36/35.R, 36/37, 36/35.B, 36/30.R, 36/36, 36/76.C, 36/76.HH
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/10 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/122 characterised by the outsole or external layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/125 characterised by the midsole or middle 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 13/186 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 13/187 Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/188 Differential cushioning regions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/20 Pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/26 Resilient heels

Abstract

A sole structure of an article of footwear includes a foam element and a non-foam element with different compressibilities. The foam element is positioned adjacent to the non-foam element. The non-foam element may define a plurality of apertures, with ends of at least a portion of the apertures being located adjacent to a lower area of the foam element. The non-foam element may also form a protrusion that may be located in a central area of the non-foam element and extends into the foam element. In addition, a portion of the non-foam element that forms a side of the sole structure may define an indentation.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:

a first midsole element formed from a foamed polymer material, the first midsole element being positioned adjacent to the upper;

a second midsole element formed from a non-foamed polymer gel material and having an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, the upper surface being positioned adjacent to a lower area of the first midsole element, the non-foamed polymer gel material contacting a lower area of the first midsole element, the second midsole element defining a plurality of apertures that extend from the upper surface to the lower surface and completely through the second midsole element, an upper portion of each of the apertures being located adjacent to the lower area of the first midsole element; and

an outsole secured to at least one of the first midsole element and the second midsole element,

wherein a protrusion extends upward from the upper surface of the second midsole element and extends into a depression in the lower area of the first midsole element, the protrusion being located at a portion of a heel region of the sole structure adapted to be positioned below a calcaneus bone of a wearer, and wherein at least one of the apertures extends through the protrusion.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the non-foamed polymer gel material contacts and is secured to a lower surface of the first midsole element.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein each of the apertures has an elongate configuration.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein each of the apertures is oriented to extend in a substantially vertical direction.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the protrusion is located in a central area of the second midsole element.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein a sidewall portion of the second midsole element extends upward from the lower surface of the second midsole element, the sidewall portion being located adjacent to a side area of the first midsole element.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 6, wherein the sidewall portion forms a portion of an exterior surface of the sole structure.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein the sidewall portion defines an elongate indentation extending into the second midsole element, the elongate indentation being located on a lateral side of the exterior surface of the sole structure.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the second midsole element is located in a heel region of the article of footwear.

10. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:

a foam element positioned adjacent to the upper, the foam element extending from a forefoot region of the footwear to a heel region of the footwear, and the foam element extending from a lateral side of the footwear to a medial side of the footwear;

a non-foam element formed from a solid gel material, the non-foam element being located in at least the heel region and positioned adjacent to a lower area of the foam element, the non-foam element having an upper surface, an opposite lower surface, and a sidewall portion extending upward from a periphery of the lower surface, a central area of the upper surface defining a protrusion that extends into the lower area of the foam element, and the non-foam element defining a plurality of apertures extending from the upper surface to the lower surface and completely through the non-foam element, at least one of the apertures extending through the protrusion, and the sidewall portion forming at least a portion of an exterior surface of the lateral side of the footwear, the sidewall portion defining an elongate indentation extending into the non-foam element and extending along at least a portion of the lateral side of the footwear; and

an outsole positioned adjacent to at least one of the lower area of the foam element and the lower surface of the non-foam element.

11. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein each of the apertures has an elongate configuration.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein each of the apertures is oriented to extend in a substantially vertical direction.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein the sidewall portion forms at least a portion of the exterior surface of the lateral side of the footwear, an exterior surface of the medial side of the footwear, and an exterior surface of a rear area of the footwear.

14. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure consisting of:

a foam element having an upper area and an opposite lower area, the upper area being positioned adjacent to the upper;

a non-foam element formed from a solid gel material, the non-foam element having an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, the upper surface being positioned adjacent to the lower area of the foam element, and the non-foam element defining a plurality of fluid-filled apertures extending from the upper surface to the lower surface; and

an outsole positioned adjacent to at least one of the lower area of the foam element and the lower surface of the non-foam element,

wherein the upper surface defines a protrusion, wherein at least one of the apertures extends from the upper surface of the non-foam element to the lower surface of the non-foam element and through the protrusion, and wherein the non-foam element includes a sidewall portion that (a) forms a portion of an exterior surface of the article of footwear and (b) defines an indentation extending into the non-foam element and exhibiting an elongate shape that extends along a lateral side of the portion of the exterior surface of the article of footwear in a generally horizontal direction.

15. The article of footwear recited in claim 14, wherein at least two of the foam element, the non-foam element, and the outsole are adhesively-joined.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 14, wherein air is located within the apertures.