Sole structure with integrated cleat member and methods of making

• US 9,615,621 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Foxen, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Prange, Sharon M
• Application Number:
  US13/487,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20130318831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 36107, 36128, 36 25 R, 36 30 R, 36 67 R, 36 67 A
• 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 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/122 characterised by the outsole or external layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/146 Concave end portions, e.g. with a cavity or cut-out portion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/26 projecting beyond the sole surface
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/41 combined with heel stiffener, toe stiffener, or shank stiffener
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/42 Filling materials located between the insole and outer sole; Stiffening materials
• 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: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/14 Shoes for cyclists
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/16 Studs or cleats for football or like boots
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/161 characterised by the attachment to the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/162 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/0054 by compression moulding, vulcanising or the like; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/04 having multilayered parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/122 : Soles
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/142 : Soles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 : cellular or porous

Abstract

A sole structure with an integrated cleat member includes a plate member with a protruding portion that forms a first portion of the cleat member. A second portion of the cleat member is attached to the first portion and may be made of a less rigid material than the first portion. A supporting structure can be disposed inside the protruding portion. A method of forming the sole structure can include reshaping a portion of a plate member to form a protruding portion, molding a cleat tip portion onto the protruding portion and molding a supporting structure into a concave inner portion of the protruding portion.

Claims

1. A sole structure, comprising:

a plate member comprising a first material, the plate member having a upper surface and a lower surface, and including at least one cleat member;

wherein each of the at least one cleat member includes,

a first portion that is integrally formed with the plate member and includes a concave inner portion on the upper surface of the plate member and a convex outer portion on the lower surface of the plate member;

wherein the first portion includes at least one tip portion spaced from the lower surface of the plate member, and a side wall extending between the at least one tip portion and the lower surface of the plate member;

a second portion attached to the first portion, the second portion comprising a second material, and including at least one cleat tip portion at least partially covering the convex outer portion on the lower surface of the plate member, and a connecting portion wrapping around the sidewall of the first portion; and

a support structure filling at least a portion of the concave inner portion, the support structure forming a lattice structure of intersecting walls with voids between the intersecting walls, and being made of a third material;

wherein the first material is substantially more rigid than the second material and wherein the first material is substantially more rigid than the third material.

2. The sole structure according to claim 1, wherein the second material and the third material are substantially similar.

3. The sole structure according to claim 1, wherein the second material and the third material are substantially different.

4. The sole structure according to claim 1, wherein the first material is a carbon fiber composite material.

5. The sole structure according to claim 1, wherein the second material is thermoplastic polyurethane.

6. The sole structure according to claim 1, wherein the third material is thermoplastic polyurethane.

7. The sole structure according to claim 1, wherein the first portion includes a hole providing fluid communication between the outer portion and the inner portion, and wherein the second portion is attached to and integrally formed with the support structure through the hole.

8. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one cleat tip portion of each of the at least one cleat member includes a first cleat tip portion and a second cleat tip portion that are spaced from each other by a gap distance, with the connecting portion of the at least one cleat tip portion extending between and connecting the first cleat tip portion and the second cleat tip portion.

9. The sole structure set forth in claim 8 wherein the first portion includes at least one hole providing fluid communication between the convex outer portion and the concave inner portion of the first portion, and wherein the second portion is attached to and integrally formed with the support structure through the at least one hole.

10. The sole structure set forth in claim 9 wherein the at least one hole includes a first hole interconnecting the support structure and the first cleat tip portion, and a second hole interconnecting the support structure and the second cleat tip portion.

11. The sole structure set forth in claim 10 wherein the fourth material is different than the third material.

12. The sole structure set forth in claim 11 wherein the second portion and the support structure are connected to each other and integrally formed together through a hole in the plate member.

13. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one cleat member of the plate member includes at least a first cleat member and a second cleat member, with the connecting portion of the second portion of the first cleat member connected to and integrally formed with the connecting portion of the second portion of the second cleat member.

14. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the voids in the lattice structure of the supporting structure are filled with a fourth material.

15. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the first portion of the at least one cleat member includes an elongated, non-circular cross sectional shape along a plane parallel with the lower surface of the plate member.

16. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the second material and the third material are the same material.

17. The sole structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the connecting portion of the second portion extends around and covers at least a lateral edge, a fore-foot edge, and a medial edge of the plate member, and leaves a central portion of the lower surface of the plate member exposed.

18. A sole structure comprising:

a plate member formed to have a protruding portion for a cleat member, the protruding portion including a convex outer portion on a lower surface of the plate member, and a concave inner portion on an upper surface of the plate member;

wherein the protruding portion includes a tip portion spaced from the lower surface of the plate member, and a side wall extending between the lower surface of the plate member and the tip portion;

a cleat tip portion at least partially covering the lower surface of the plate member, the side wall of the protruding portion, and at least partially covering the tip portion of the protruding portion, and molded onto and over the convex outer portion of the protruding portion; and

a supporting structure molded within the concave inner portion of the protruding portion, the supporting structure forming a lattice structure of intersecting walls with voids between the intersecting walls;

wherein the protruding portion is formed to include a hole providing fluid communication between the convex outer portion and the concave inner portion; and

wherein the cleat tip portion is connected to and integrally formed with the supporting structure through the hole.

19. The sole structure according to claim 18, wherein the plate member is a carbon composite material and the cleat tip portion and the supporting structure are a thermoplastic polyurethane, and wherein the carbon composite material of the plate member is substantially more rigid than the thermoplastic polyurethane of the cleat tip portion and the supporting structure.