Athletics shoe

• US 8,028,442 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Hodgson, James Mathew
• Primary Examiner(s): Mohandesi; Jila
• Assistant Examiner(s): LALLI, MELISSA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/562,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20070107267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,652 Days
• Field of Search: 36/71.R, 36/74, 36/77, 36/88, 36/93, 361/02, 361/06, 361/14, 361/29, 36/115, 361/03, 36/31, 36/81, 36/83, 361/27
• US Class Current: 36/103
• 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 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/108 characterised by the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/142 Soles

Abstract

The application relates to a sole (20) for footwear (10) which has a toe part (70) being made of a substantially inflexible material, a ball part (80) being made of a flexible material, and an instep-heel part (90) being made of a substantially inflexible material. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the substantially inflexible material is carbon fiber in a thermoplastic epoxy resin and the flexible material of an aramide fiber in a thermoplastic epoxy resin. The application also teaches a shoe made with this sole and a method for the manufacture of the shoe.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a sole having a toe part, a ball part extending from the toe part, and an instep-heel part extending from the ball part, wherein;

the toe part is made of a substantially inflexible material and includes a plurality of spikes extending from a bottom surface thereof,

the ball part is made of a flexible material, and

the instep-heel part is made of a substantially inflexible material, wherein the instep-heel part includes a heel portion including a first heel side support, a second heel side support, and an end heel support at a rear heel location, wherein a first opening is defined through the heel portion by the first heel side support and the end heel support and a second opening is defined through the heel portion by the second heel side support and the end heel support;

an upper located over an instep portion of the instep-heel part and engaged with the instep-heel part of the sole by an adjustable connection, wherein the upper is located such that a foot-receiving opening for the article of footwear is defined between the upper and the heel portion of the instep-heel part, and wherein the upper does not extend over the ball part, toe part, and heel part of the sole such that an entire area of a top surface of the sole forward and aft of the upper is openly exposed; and

the instep-heel part including a third opening defined through an entire thickness of the instep-heel part, wherein the third opening extends from the heel portion to the instep portion of the instep-heel part and wherein the third opening extends between the first heel side support and an upwardly extending instep medial side support of the instep-heel part located at a medial side of the article of footwear such that the first heel side support and the upwardly extending instep medial side support are separated and spaced apart from each other by the third opening.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the toe part is made of a composite material of carbon fiber in a thermoplastic resin.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 2, wherein the instep-heel part is made of the composite material of carbon fiber in the thermoplastic resin.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein the ball part is made of a composite material of aramid fiber in a thermoplastic resin.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper is engaged with the instep portion of the instep-heel part by an adjustable tie.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the article of footwear is an athletic shoe.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the toe part has an upward curve in a direction from the ball part toward a front end of the toe part.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable connection includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a cable tie, a lace, a hook-and-loop type fastener, and a buckle and strap assembly.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the instep-heel part includes an upwardly extending instep lateral side support at a lateral side of the article of footwear, and wherein the upper is engaged with the instep medial side support and the instep lateral side support.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein the upper is made from sections of a first material and a second material arranged in an alternating manner, wherein the first material is a flexible material and the second material is a substantially inflexible material.

11. An article of footwear, consisting essentially of:

a sole having a toe part, a ball part extending from the toe part, and an instep-heel part extending from the ball part, wherein;

the sole is comprised of sections of a flexible material and a substantially inflexible material arranged in an alternating manner, the toe part includes a plurality of spikes extending from a bottom surface thereof, and

the instep-heel part includes a heel portion having a first heel side support, a second heel side support, and an end heel support at a rear heel location, wherein a first opening is defined through the heel portion by the first heel side support and the end heel support and a second opening is defined through the heel portion by the second heel side support and the end heel support;

an upper located over an instep portion of the instep-heel part and engaged with the instep-heel part of the sole by an adjustable connection, wherein the upper is located such that a foot-receiving opening for the article of footwear is defined between the upper and the heel portion of the instep-heel part, and wherein the upper does not extend over the ball part, toe part, and heel part of the sole such that an entire area of a top surface of the sole forward and aft of the upper is openly exposed; and

the instep-heel part including a third opening defined through an entire thickness of the instep-heel part, wherein the third opening extends from the heel portion to the instep portion of the instep-heel part and wherein the third opening extends between the first heel side support and an upwardly extending instep medial side support of the instep-heel part located at a medial side of the article of footwear such that the first heel side support and the upwardly extending instep medial side support are separated and spaced apart from each other by the third opening.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the toe part is made of a composite material of carbon fiber in a thermoplastic resin.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein the instep-heel part is made of the composite material of carbon fiber in the thermoplastic resin.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein the ball part is made of a composite material of aramid fiber in a thermoplastic resin.

15. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the upper is engaged with the instep portion of the instep-heel part by an adjustable tie.

16. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the article of footwear is an athletic shoe.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the toe part has an upward curve in a direction from the ball part toward a front end of the toe part.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the adjustable connection includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a cable tie, a lace, a hook-and-loop type fastener, and a buckle and strap assembly.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the instep-heel part includes an upwardly extending instep lateral side support at a lateral side of the article of footwear.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 19, wherein a first end of the upper extends directly from the instep lateral side support and a second end of the upper engages the instep medial side support by the adjustable connection.

21. The article of footwear according to claim 20, wherein the upper is made from sections of a first material and a second material arranged in an alternating manner, wherein the first material is a flexible material and the second material is a substantially inflexible material.

22. The article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the sole is made from plural sections of the flexible material and plural sections of the substantially inflexible material arranged in an alternating manner.