Article of footwear with customizable stiffness
First Claim
1. A method of customizing a stiffness of an article of footwear, comprising:
- inserting an inner liner within an interior of an outer shell, the outer shell including an upper and a sole structure;
removing the inner liner from the interior of the outer shell, the inner liner including an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion;
inserting a first end of a stiffener element within a first retaining enclosure comprising a first securing end and a first receiving end disposed on the upper liner portion of the inner liner;
inserting an opposite second end of the stiffener element within a second retaining enclosure comprising a second securing end and a second receiving end, wherein the second retaining enclosure is disposed across at least a portion of the upper liner portion and a portion of the lower liner portion, the second retaining enclosure being disposed beneath the first retaining enclosure;
wherein the first end of the stiffener element is shaped approximately the same as the first securing end;
wherein the opposite second end is shaped approximately the same as the second securing end;
wherein the stiffener element has an oval shape with concavity on one side, and wherein the first end and the opposite second end are curved; and
the first retaining enclosure and the second retaining enclosure receiving the stiffener element that extends from the first retaining enclosure to the second retaining enclosure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An article of footwear with customizable stiffness is provided. The article of footwear in the form of a snowboard boot is provided with stiffness elements that are inserted within retaining enclosures disposed on either side of an inner liner of the snowboard boot. Depending on the level of stiffness of the stiffener element, or lack thereof, different flex profiles having varying degrees of stiffness are available to the wearer to customize the stiffness of the snowboard boot when secured within a binding. A kit of parts is also disclosed that includes a pair of boots and two sets of interchangeable stiffener inserts to allow a wearer to customize the stiffness of the boots as desired.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of customizing a stiffness of an article of footwear, comprising:
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inserting an inner liner within an interior of an outer shell, the outer shell including an upper and a sole structure; removing the inner liner from the interior of the outer shell, the inner liner including an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion; inserting a first end of a stiffener element within a first retaining enclosure comprising a first securing end and a first receiving end disposed on the upper liner portion of the inner liner; inserting an opposite second end of the stiffener element within a second retaining enclosure comprising a second securing end and a second receiving end, wherein the second retaining enclosure is disposed across at least a portion of the upper liner portion and a portion of the lower liner portion, the second retaining enclosure being disposed beneath the first retaining enclosure; wherein the first end of the stiffener element is shaped approximately the same as the first securing end; wherein the opposite second end is shaped approximately the same as the second securing end; wherein the stiffener element has an oval shape with concavity on one side, and wherein the first end and the opposite second end are curved; and the first retaining enclosure and the second retaining enclosure receiving the stiffener element that extends from the first retaining enclosure to the second retaining enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of customizing a stiffness of an article of footwear comprising:
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inserting an inner liner within an interior of an outer shell, the outer shell including an upper and a sole structure; removing the inner liner from within the interior of the outer shell, the inner liner comprises an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion; inserting a stiffener element within a stiffening arrangement disposed on at least one of a lateral side and a medial side of the inner liner, the stiffening arrangement being disposed through at least a portion of the upper liner portion and a portion of the lower liner portion; wherein the stiffening arrangement comprises a first retaining enclosure disposed on the upper liner portion of the inner liner and a second retaining enclosure disposed across at least a portion of the upper liner portion and a portion of the lower liner portion; wherein the second retaining enclosure extending in a longitudinal direction beneath the first retaining enclosure; wherein the stiffener element having a curved first end and a curved opposite end; wherein the stiffener element has a first width approximately the same as a width of the first retaining enclosure and a second width approximately the same as a width of the second retaining enclosure; and wherein the stiffening arrangement provides varying degree of flexibility for the article of footwear. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of customizing a stiffness of an article of footwear, comprising:
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inserting an inner liner within an interior of an outer shell, the outer shell including an upper and a sole structure; removing the inner liner from within the interior of the outer shell, the inner liner comprises an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion; inserting a first set of stiffener elements within a stiffening arrangement disposed on the inner liner, wherein the first set of stiffener elements has an oval shape including a first side that has a convex shape and a second side that has a concave shape; wherein the first set of stiffener elements has a first curved end and an opposite curved end; wherein the inner liner comprises an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion; wherein the inner liner includes the stiffening arrangement disposed on each of a lateral side and a medial side of the inner liner, each stiffening arrangement being disposed through at least a portion of the upper liner portion and a portion of the lower liner portion; wherein each stiffening arrangement comprises a first retaining enclosure disposed on the upper liner portion of the inner liner and a second retaining enclosure disposed across at least a portion of the upper liner portion and a portion of the lower liner portion; inserting the first curved end of the first set of stiffener elements into the first retaining enclosure; inserting the opposite curved end of the first set of stiffener elements into the second retaining enclosure; wherein the second retaining enclosure extends in a longitudinal direction beneath the first retaining enclosure; and wherein the article of footwear has a variable flex profile after insertion of the first set of stiffener elements. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification