Outsole with stepped projections for article of footwear
First Claim
1. An article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side, the article of footwear defining a lateral axis that extends between the medial side and the lateral side, the article of footwear configured to receive a foot, the article of footwear comprising:
- an upper defining a cavity configured to receive the foot, the upper having an underfoot portion that is configured to extend underneath the foot, the underfoot portion including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface facing the cavity, the second surface facing opposite the first surface; and
a sole structure that is operably coupled to the upper, the sole structure extending along the lateral axis, the sole structure including an outsole that includes;
a base with an upper surface that faces the upper and a lower surface that faces away from the upper surface,a first stepped projection that projects in a plurality of first steps from the lower surface, the plurality of first steps defined by a plurality of first tread surfaces and a plurality of first riser surfaces, anda second stepped projection that projects in a plurality of second steps from the lower surface, the plurality of second steps defined by a plurality of second tread surfaces and a plurality of second riser surfaces, the second stepped projection being spaced away from the first stepped projection relative to the lateral axis of the article of footwear,the base, the first stepped projection, and the second stepped projection being resiliently flexible,the first and second stepped projection configured to flex relative to the base in a lateral direction that extends between the medial side and the lateral side,the first and second stepped projection configured to flex relative to the base in a longitudinal direction that extends between a forefoot portion and a heel portion of the sole structure,the sole structure being resiliently flexible and moveable between a neutral position and a flexed position, the sole structure configured to move the first surface of the underfoot portion of the upper between a smooth position and a wavy position due to movement between the neutral position and the flexed position, the first surface being in the smooth position when the sole structure is in the neutral position, the first surface being in the wavy position when the sole structure is in the flexed position, the upper surface of the base being substantially smooth in the neutral position,the outsole having a ground engaging surface, wherein the outsole has a total thickness measured between the upper surface and the ground engaging surface, and wherein the base has a base thickness measured between the upper surface and the lower surface, the base thickness being at most 30% of the total thickness of the outsole.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An article of footwear includes an outsole having a base with an upper surface that faces the upper and a lower surface that faces away from the upper surface. The outsole also includes a first stepped projection that projects in a plurality of first steps from the lower surface. The plurality of first steps is defined by a plurality of first tread surfaces and a plurality of first riser surfaces. The outsole additionally includes a second stepped projection that projects in a plurality of second steps from the lower surface. The plurality of second steps is defined by a plurality of second tread surfaces and a plurality of second riser surfaces. The second stepped projection is spaced away from the first stepped projection relative to the lateral axis of the article of footwear.
62 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side, the article of footwear defining a lateral axis that extends between the medial side and the lateral side, the article of footwear configured to receive a foot, the article of footwear comprising:
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an upper defining a cavity configured to receive the foot, the upper having an underfoot portion that is configured to extend underneath the foot, the underfoot portion including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface facing the cavity, the second surface facing opposite the first surface; and a sole structure that is operably coupled to the upper, the sole structure extending along the lateral axis, the sole structure including an outsole that includes; a base with an upper surface that faces the upper and a lower surface that faces away from the upper surface, a first stepped projection that projects in a plurality of first steps from the lower surface, the plurality of first steps defined by a plurality of first tread surfaces and a plurality of first riser surfaces, and a second stepped projection that projects in a plurality of second steps from the lower surface, the plurality of second steps defined by a plurality of second tread surfaces and a plurality of second riser surfaces, the second stepped projection being spaced away from the first stepped projection relative to the lateral axis of the article of footwear, the base, the first stepped projection, and the second stepped projection being resiliently flexible, the first and second stepped projection configured to flex relative to the base in a lateral direction that extends between the medial side and the lateral side, the first and second stepped projection configured to flex relative to the base in a longitudinal direction that extends between a forefoot portion and a heel portion of the sole structure, the sole structure being resiliently flexible and moveable between a neutral position and a flexed position, the sole structure configured to move the first surface of the underfoot portion of the upper between a smooth position and a wavy position due to movement between the neutral position and the flexed position, the first surface being in the smooth position when the sole structure is in the neutral position, the first surface being in the wavy position when the sole structure is in the flexed position, the upper surface of the base being substantially smooth in the neutral position, the outsole having a ground engaging surface, wherein the outsole has a total thickness measured between the upper surface and the ground engaging surface, and wherein the base has a base thickness measured between the upper surface and the lower surface, the base thickness being at most 30% of the total thickness of the outsole. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An article of footwear having a medial side, a lateral side, a forefoot portion, and a heel portion, the article of footwear comprising:
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an upper having an interior surface and an exterior surface; and a sole structure that is midsole-less, the sole structure comprising an outsole that is directly attached to the upper, the outsole including; a base having an upper surface that faces the upper and a lower surface that faces away from the upper surface, the upper surface being layered underneath and attached directly to the exterior surface of the upper, a projection that projects from the lower surface of the base along a first direction, the projection having a transverse dimension measured in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction, wherein the projection decreases in the transverse dimension as the projection projects in the first direction, the base and the projection being resiliently flexible, the projection configured to flex relative to the base in a lateral direction that extends between the medial side and the lateral side, the projection configured to flex relative to the base in a longitudinal direction that extends between the forefoot portion and the heel portion, the outsole being resiliently flexible and moveable between a neutral position and a flexed position, the outsole configured to move the interior surface of the upper between a smooth position and a wavy position due to movement between the neutral position and the flexed position, the interior surface being in the smooth position when the outsole is in the neutral position, the interior surface being in the wavy position when the outsole is in the flexed position, the upper surface of the base being substantially smooth in the neutral position, wherein the outsole has a ground engaging surface, wherein the base has a base thickness measured between the upper surface and the lower surface, wherein the outsole has a total thickness measured between the upper surface and the ground engaging surface, and wherein the base thickness is at most 30% of the total thickness of the outsole. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An article of footwear having a forefoot portion, a heel portion, a medial side, and a lateral side, the medial side and the lateral side each extending between the forefoot portion and the heel portion, the article of footwear configured to receive a foot, the article of footwear comprising:
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an upper having an underfoot portion that is configured to extend underneath the foot; and a sole structure that is midsole-less, the sole structure comprising an outsole that is directly attached to the upper, the outsole having a ground engaging surface, the outsole having a total thickness, the outsole including; a base with an upper surface that is directly attached to the upper and a lower surface that faces away from the upper, the base having a base thickness measured between the upper surface and the lower surface, wherein the total thickness of the outsole is measured between the upper surface and the ground engaging surface, and wherein the base thickness is at most 30% of the total thickness of the outsole, and a plurality of stepped projections that each project from the lower surface of the base, each of the plurality of stepped projections including at least three riser surfaces, the plurality of stepped projections arranged in a plurality of rows that extend from the medial side to the lateral side, the plurality of stepped projections also arranged in a plurality of columns that extend from the forefoot portion to the heel portion, the plurality of stepped projections being spaced apart from each other within the plurality of rows and within the plurality of columns; the base and the projections being resiliently flexible, the projections configured to flex relative to the base in a lateral direction that extends between the medial side and the lateral side, the projections configured to flex relative to the base in a longitudinal direction that extends between the forefoot portion and the heel portion, the outsole being resiliently flexible and moveable between a neutral position and a flexed position, the outsole configured to move the underfoot portion of the upper between a smooth position and a wavy position due to movement between the neutral position and the flexed position, the underfoot portion being in the smooth position when the outsole is in the neutral position, the underfoot portion being in the wavy position when the outsole is in the flexed position, the upper surface of the base being substantially smooth in the neutral position. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification