Shaped support features for footwear ground-engaging members

• US 9,930,933 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2014
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Auger, Perry W., Caine, Andrew, Cavaliere, Sergio
• Primary Examiner(s): LYNCH, MEGAN E
• Application Number:
  US14/324,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20150000163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/184 the structure protruding from the outsole
• 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 13/22 Soles made slip-preventing or wear-resisting, e.g. by impregnation or spreading a wear-resisting layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/02 wedge-like or resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/14 made of sponge, rubber, or plastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• 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

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear including an upper configured to receive a foot and a sole component fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper. The sole component may include a baseplate having a bottom surface and at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, and a first elongate support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the side portion of the first ground engaging member. The first support member may have a downward facing surface with a first facet and a second facet, wherein each of the first facet and the second facet are angled at different non-horizontal orientation.

Claims

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

a baseplate having an outer surface;

a ground engaging member extending from the outer surface of the baseplate and including a sidewall surface; and

a support member extending away from the outer surface of the baseplate to a first end abutting the sidewall surface of the ground engaging member, extending away from the sidewall surface of the ground engaging member along the outer surface of the baseplate to a second end spaced apart from the first end, and including a first wall portion extending from the outer surface of the baseplate and terminating at a first edge and a second wall portion extending from the outer surface of the baseplate and terminating at a second edge, the first edge extending toward the outer surface of the baseplate from the first end of the support member to the second edge and being formed at a greater angle relative to the baseplate than the second edge.

2. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the second edge extends from the first edge to the second end of the support member.

3. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the second edge terminates at the outer surface of the baseplate.

4. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first edge extends toward the outer surface of the baseplate at a first angle, the first angle providing the first edge with a steeper slope than the second edge.

5. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first edge defines a first planar surface and the second edge defines a second planar surface.

6. The sole structure of claim 5, wherein the first planar surface extends from the sidewall surface to the second planar surface and the second planar surface extends from the first planar surface to the outer surface of the baseplate.

7. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the ground engaging member includes a distal end defining a ground contacting surface, the support member extending from the sidewall surface of the ground engaging member at a location between the distal end of the ground engaging member and the outer surface of the baseplate and tapering from the location to the second edge at a first angle.

8. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the ground engaging member includes a distal end defining a ground contacting surface, the support member extending from the sidewall surface of the ground engaging member at a location that is spaced apart from the distal end of the ground engaging member and tapering from the location to the second edge at a first angle.

9. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the support member is elongate.

10. An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of claim 1.

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

a baseplate having an outer surface;

a ground engaging member extending from the outer surface of the baseplate and including a sidewall surface; and

a support member extending away from the outer surface of the baseplate to a first end abutting the sidewall surface of the ground engaging member, extending away from the sidewall surface of the ground engaging member along the outer surface of the baseplate to a second end spaced apart from the first end, and including a first wall portion extending from the outer surface of the baseplate and terminating at a first edge and a second wall portion extending from the outer surface of the baseplate and terminating at a second edge, the first edge tapering from the first end of the support member to the second edge at a first slope relative to the baseplate and the second edge tapering from the first edge to the second end of the support member at a second slope relative to the baseplate, the first slope being steeper than the second slope.

12. The sole structure of claim 11, wherein the first edge is disposed between the sidewall surface of the ground engaging member and the second edge.

13. The sole structure of claim 11, wherein the first edge defines a first planar surface and the second edge defines a second planar surface.

14. The sole structure of claim 13, wherein the first planar surface extends from the sidewall surface to the second planar surface and the second planar surface extends from the first planar surface to the outer surface of the baseplate.

15. The sole structure of claim 11, wherein the ground engaging member includes a distal end defining a ground contacting surface, the support member extending from the sidewall surface of the ground engaging member at a location between the distal end of the ground engaging member and the outer surface of the baseplate and tapering from the location to the second edge at the first slope.

16. The sole structure of claim 11, wherein the ground engaging member includes a distal end defining a ground contacting surface, the support member extending from the sidewall surface of the ground engaging member at a location that is spaced apart from the distal end of the ground engaging member and tapering from the location to the second edge at the first slope.

17. The sole structure of claim 11, wherein the support member is elongate.

18. The sole structure of claim 11, wherein the first edge defines a first facet and the second edge defines a second facet, the first facet extending continuously from the sidewall surface to the second facet and the second facet extending continuously from the first facet to the outer surface of the baseplate.

19. An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of claim 11.