Articles of footwear
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
- a fiber-reinforced polymer plate extending from a heel area of the article of footwear to a toe area of the article of footwear; and
a midsole support coupled to the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and having a plurality of peaks disposed above the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and a plurality of troughs disposed below the fiber-reinforced polymer plate,wherein there is a gap between the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and at least one of the plurality of troughs,wherein flexibility of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate varies as a function of location along a longitudinal axis of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate,wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer plate extends in the heel area from a medial edge of the article of footwear to a lateral edge of the article of footwear,wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer plate comprises a stiffening layer disposed at a midfoot area of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate,wherein a width of the stiffening layer is less than a width of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate at the midfoot area, andwherein medial and lateral edge portions of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate in the heel area are not turned up.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sole for an article of footwear includes a fiber-reinforced polymer plate extending from a heel area of the article of footwear to a toe area of the article of footwear, wherein flexibility of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate varies as a function of location along a longitudinal axis of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, and wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer plate includes a stiffening layer disposed at a midfoot area of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
-
a fiber-reinforced polymer plate extending from a heel area of the article of footwear to a toe area of the article of footwear; and a midsole support coupled to the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and having a plurality of peaks disposed above the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and a plurality of troughs disposed below the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, wherein there is a gap between the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and at least one of the plurality of troughs, wherein flexibility of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate varies as a function of location along a longitudinal axis of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer plate extends in the heel area from a medial edge of the article of footwear to a lateral edge of the article of footwear, wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer plate comprises a stiffening layer disposed at a midfoot area of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, wherein a width of the stiffening layer is less than a width of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate at the midfoot area, and wherein medial and lateral edge portions of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate in the heel area are not turned up. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
-
a fiber-reinforced polymer plate extending from a heel area of the article of footwear to a toe area of the article of footwear; and a midsole support coupled to the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and having a plurality of peaks disposed above the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and a plurality of troughs disposed below the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer plate is formed of first fibers woven with second fibers, wherein the midsole support extends around a peripheral edge of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, wherein the plurality of peaks and the plurality of troughs of the midsole support define a serpentine shape along the peripheral edge of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate that extends above and below the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, wherein there is a gap between the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and at least one of the plurality of troughs, and wherein a continuous portion of the midsole support covers two portions of the peripheral edge spaced apart by an uncovered portion of the peripheral edge. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
-
a fiber-reinforced polymer plate extending from a heel area of the article of footwear to a toe area of the article of footwear, wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer plate comprises; a plurality of first fibers, the first fibers extending parallel to each other; and a plurality of second fibers, the second fibers extending parallel to each other; and a midsole support coupled to the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and having a plurality of peaks disposed above the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and a plurality of troughs disposed below the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, wherein the plurality of first fibers is woven with the plurality of second fibers, wherein the plurality of first fibers is oriented at an oblique angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the article of footwear, wherein the plurality of second fibers is oriented perpendicularly to the plurality of first fibers, wherein the midsole support extends around a peripheral edge of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, wherein there is a gap between the fiber-reinforced polymer plate and at least one of the plurality of troughs, and wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer plate comprises a stiffening layer of unidirectional fiber tape formed of a plurality of fibers positioned only in parallel with respect to each other and disposed at a midfoot area of the article of footwear. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
-
17. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
-
a fiber-reinforced polymer plate formed of first fibers woven with second fibers; a midsole support extending around a periphery of a bottom surface of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, in a forefoot area of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate; and a thermoplastic layer disposed on the bottom surface of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, wherein a continuous interior border of the midsole support is a continuous serpentine shape and defines a serpentine-shaped exposed portion of the fiber-reinforced polymer plate, wherein the thermoplastic layer comprises a base thickness and a raised pattern having a thickness greater than the base thickness, and wherein the raised pattern defines a ridge at the continuous interior border of the midsole support. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification