Sole and article of footwear

• US 9,402,441 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• 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, Montross, Matthew J., Leblanc, Alexandre, Litchfield, Paul E., Marvin, William, Millette, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US14/505,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 361/03, 36/28, 36/31
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, the sole comprising:

an outer midsole comprising;

a row of medial outer protrusions;

a row of lateral outer protrusions;

a base contiguous with the medial outer protrusions and the lateral outer protrusions,

wherein the medial outer protrusions protrude downward from the base along a medial edge of the outer midsole,

wherein the lateral outer protrusions protrude downward from the base along a lateral edge of the outer midsole, and

wherein the medial outer protrusions, lateral outer protrusions, and base together define a space of the outer midsole; and

an inner midsole disposed within the space of the outer midsole, the inner midsole comprising an upward-facing surface coupled to a downward-facing surface of the base between the row of medial outer protrusions and the row of lateral outer protrusions,

wherein the base connects the medial outer protrusions and the lateral outer protrusions transversely across the sole above the inner midsole,

wherein the medial outer protrusions and the lateral outer protrusions define a portion of a ground-contacting surface of the sole, and

wherein the outer midsole is an integrally formed unitary structure.

2. The sole of claim 1, wherein the inner midsole defines a portion of a ground-contacting surface of the sole.

3. The sole of claim 1, wherein the inner midsole is coupled to the medial or lateral protrusions of the outer midsole.

4. The sole of claim 1, wherein the inner midsole comprises a bar extending between a medial protrusion of the outer midsole and a lateral protrusion of the outer midsole.

5. The sole of claim 1, wherein the outer midsole and the inner midsole define outermost bottom surfaces of the sole.

6. The sole of claim 1, wherein the inner midsole further comprises a protrusion protruding downward from a toe end of the inner midsole and extending from a medial side and a lateral side of the sole.

7. The sole of claim 1, wherein the inner midsole further comprises a protrusion protruding downward from a heel end of the inner midsole and extending from a medial side and a lateral side of the sole.

8. The sole of claim 1, wherein the outer midsole further comprises a protrusion protruding downward from a toe end of the outer midsole and extending from the medial side to the lateral side of the outer midsole.

9. The sole of claim 1, wherein the outer midsole further comprises a protrusion protruding downward from a heel end of the outer midsole and extending from the medial side to the lateral side of the outer midsole.

10. The sole of claim 1, wherein the inner midsole and the outer midsole are composed of different materials.

11. The sole of claim 10, wherein the different materials have different densities.

20. The sole of claim 1, wherein the base comprises no contiguous protrusions between the medial outer row of protrusions and the lateral outer row of protrusions.

22. The sole of claim 1, wherein the inner midsole and the outer midsole are an integrally formed unitary structure.

12. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:

an outer midsole comprising a plurality of outer protrusions extending downward from a medial side and a lateral side of the outer midsole; and

an inner midsole comprising a plurality of transverse bars,

wherein the inner midsole comprises an upward-facing surface fixed to a downward-facing surface of the outer midsole between outer protrusions extending from the medial side of the outer midsole and outer protrusions extending from the lateral side of the outer midsole,

wherein each transverse bar is disposed medially adjacent to and extends from a lateral outer protrusion to the medial side of the outer midsole.

13. The sole of claim 12, wherein at least one of the transverse bars defines a portion of an outermost side surface of the outer midsole.

14. The sole of claim 12, wherein at least one of the transverse bars extends to a medial outer protrusion.

15. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:

a base having an outer edge having a plurality of outer protrusions extending from the outer edge, and

an inner midsole having a plurality of transverse bars that extend transversely across the base,

wherein at least one of the transverse bars extends to the outer edge of the base and wherein at least one of the transverse bars does not extend to the outer edge of the base,

wherein an outermost edge of the sole is defined at least in part by the plurality of outer protrusions and at least one of the plurality of transverse bars formed on the inner midsole.

16. The sole of claim 15, wherein at least one of the transverse bars extends to the medial side of the base.

17. The sole of claim 15, wherein at least one of the transverse bars connects opposing outer protrusions.

18. The sole of claim 15, wherein the plurality of outer protrusions extend inwardly from the outer edge of the base.

19. The sole of claim 15, wherein the plurality of outer protrusions extend outwardly beyond the outer edge of the base.

21. The sole of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of transverse bars is disposed transversely adjacent to at least one of the plurality of outer protrusions.