U.S. patent application number 17/025351 was filed with the patent office on 2021-03-25 for footwear sole structure and upper with an embedded plate.
This patent application is currently assigned to NIKE, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is NIKE, Inc.. Invention is credited to Alex Bardini.
Application Number | 20210085021 17/025351 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005093521 |
Filed Date | 2021-03-25 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210085021 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bardini; Alex |
March 25, 2021 |
FOOTWEAR SOLE STRUCTURE AND UPPER WITH AN EMBEDDED PLATE
Abstract
An article of footwear includes an upper including a first upper
portion that defines an ankle opening. The article of footwear
includes a footwear plate including a composite material. The
footwear plate includes a covered plate portion and an exposed
plate portion coupled to the exposed plate portion. The article of
footwear further includes a sole structure including a second upper
portion. The second upper portion is an extension of the first
upper portion and partially extends around the footwear plate. The
second upper portion defines a ground-facing surface and an inner
upper surface opposite the ground-facing surface. The second upper
portion defines a sole opening extending through the inner upper
surface and the ground-facing surface. The second upper portion
covers the covered plate portion, and the exposed plate portion is
aligned with the sole opening to expose the exposed plate
portion.
Inventors: |
Bardini; Alex; (Beaverton,
OR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
NIKE, Inc. |
Beaverton |
OR |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
NIKE, Inc.
Beaverton
OR
|
Family ID: |
1000005093521 |
Appl. No.: |
17/025351 |
Filed: |
September 18, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62903007 |
Sep 20, 2019 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43C 15/16 20130101;
A43B 23/025 20130101; A43B 13/026 20130101; A43B 5/02 20130101;
A43B 13/125 20130101; A43B 13/04 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/02 20060101
A43B013/02; A43C 15/16 20060101 A43C015/16; A43B 5/02 20060101
A43B005/02; A43B 13/04 20060101 A43B013/04; A43B 13/12 20060101
A43B013/12; A43B 23/02 20060101 A43B023/02 |
Claims
1. An article of footwear, comprising: an upper including a first
upper portion, wherein the first upper portion defines an ankle
opening; a footwear plate including a composite material, wherein
the footwear plate includes a covered plate portion and an exposed
plate portion coupled to the exposed plate portion; a sole
structure including a second upper portion, wherein the second
upper portion is an extension of the first upper portion, the
second upper portion partially extends around the footwear plate,
the second upper portion defines a ground-facing surface and an
inner upper surface opposite the ground-facing surface, and the
second upper portion defines a sole opening extending through the
inner upper surface and the ground-facing surface; and wherein the
covered plate portion is disposed on the inner upper surface of the
second upper portion such that the second upper portion covers the
covered plate portion, and the exposed plate portion is aligned
with the sole opening to expose the exposed plate portion.
2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first upper
portion is integrally coupled to the second upper portion to form a
one-piece structure, the footwear plate is oriented along a
longitudinal axis, the second upper portion defines a first edge
and a second edge, the first edge is coupled to the second edge
along the longitudinal axis, and the sole structure includes a
cleat structure directly coupled to the second upper portion.
3. The article of footwear according to claim 2, wherein the
covered plate portion is in direct contact with the inner upper
surface of the second upper portion, the first upper portion is
directly coupled to the second upper portion, the sole structure
has a heel region, a forefoot region, and a midfoot region between
the forefoot region and the heel region, the cleat structure is a
forward cleat structure disposed at the forefoot region, the
article of footwear further includes a rear cleat structure, and
the rear cleat structure is disposed at the heel region.
4. The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein the
forward cleat structure defines a body opening, the body opening is
aligned with the exposed plate portion to expose the footwear plate
at the forefoot region, the forward cleat structure is directly
coupled to the ground-facing surface of the second upper portion at
the forefoot region, and the rear cleat structure is directly
coupled to the ground-facing surface of the second upper portion at
the heel region.
5. The article of footwear according to claim 4, wherein each of
the forward cleat structure and the rear cleat structure includes a
main outsole body and a plurality of traction elements directly
coupled to the main outsole body.
6. The article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein each of
the first upper portion and the second upper portion includes an
upper material, the main outsole body and the plurality of traction
elements includes an outsole material, and the outsole material is
more rigid than the upper material to enhance traction.
7. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising
a midsole disposed under the footwear plate.
8. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the sole
structure includes a heel region, a forefoot region, and a midfoot
region between the forefoot region and the heel region, the sole
structure includes a forward cleat structure directly coupled to
the second upper portion, the article of footwear further includes
a rear cleat structure directly coupled to the second upper
portion, and the forward cleat structure is disposed at the
forefoot region, the rear cleat structure is disposed at the heel
region, each of the forward cleat structure and the rear cleat
structure includes a main outsole body and a plurality of traction
elements directly coupled to the main outsole body, the footwear
plate includes a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, each of the first
upper portion and the second upper portion includes an upper
material, the main outsole body and the plurality of traction
elements include an outsole material, and the outsole material is
more rigid than the upper material to enhance traction, and the
carbon fiber-reinforced polymer is more rigid than the upper
material and the outsole material to enhance stability of the sole
structure.
9. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising
a midsole disposed on top of the footwear plate.
10. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the sole
structure includes a heel region, a forefoot region, and a midfoot
region between the forefoot region and the heel region, and the
footwear plate extends through the heel region, the midfoot region,
and the forefoot region of the sole structure to enhance stability
of the article of footwear.
11. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the
footwear plate is oriented along a longitudinal axis, the second
upper portion defines a first edge and a second edge, and the first
edge is stitched to the second edge from the heel region to the
midfoot region of the sole structure.
12. The article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the sole
structure includes a forward cleat structure coupled to the second
upper portion, the article of footwear further includes a rear
cleat structure coupled to the second upper portion, the forward
cleat structure is disposed at the forefoot region, the rear cleat
structure is disposed at the heel region, the forward cleat
structure defines a first body opening and a second body opening
each sized to expose the footwear plate at the forefoot region, and
the forward cleat structure includes an outsole web separating the
first body opening from the second body opening.
13. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the sole structure
includes a heel region, a forefoot region, and a midfoot region
between the forefoot region and the heel region, the sole structure
further includes a strobel board disposed on the footwear plate at
the forefoot region.
14. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the footwear plate
defines an inner plate surface and a ground-engaging plate surface
opposite the inner plate surface, the strobel board is in direct
contact with the inner plate surface of the footwear plate, and the
strobel board is solely disposed at the forefoot region of the sole
structure.
15. A method for manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:
placing an upper on a last, wherein the upper has a first upper
portion and a second upper portion extending from the first upper
portion, the first upper portion defines an ankle opening, the
second upper portion partly defines a sole structure of the article
of footwear, the sole structure has a forefoot region, a heel
region, and a midfoot region between the forefoot region and the
heel region, and the second upper portion defines a sole opening;
and inserting a footwear plate between the last and the upper at
the heel region and continuing moving the footwear plate toward the
sole opening until a portion is inserted through the sole opening
at the forefoot region.
16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising placing a
strobel board on the last before placing the upper on the last.
17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising coupling
the strobel board to the upper before inserting the footwear plate
between the last and the upper at the heel region.
18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising coupling a
cleat structure to the second upper portion.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the upper is wholly
made of a textile, and the footwear plate is wholly made of a
carbon fiber-reinforced polymer.
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the cleat structure
is made of a polymeric material that is more rigid than the
textile.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to, and the benefit of,
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/903,007, filed on Sep.
20, 2019.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present teachings generally relate to a sole structure
for an article of footwear and, more particularly, to a footwear
sole structure with an embedded plate.
BACKGROUND
[0003] This section provides background information related to the
present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
[0004] Articles of footwear include an upper and a sole structure.
The upper may be formed from any suitable material(s) to receive,
secure, and support a foot on the sole structure. The upper may
cooperate with laces, straps, or other fasteners to adjust the fit
of the upper around the foot. A bottom portion of the upper,
proximate to a bottom surface of the foot, attaches to the sole
structure.
[0005] Sole structures include a layered arrangement extending
between a ground surface and the upper. One layer of the sole
structure includes an outsole that provides abrasion-resistance and
traction with the ground surface. The outsole may be formed from
rubber or other materials that impart durability and
wear-resistance, as well as enhancing traction with the ground
surface. Another layer of the sole structure includes a midsole
disposed between the outsole and the upper. The midsole provides
cushioning for the foot and is at least partially formed from a
polymer foam material that compresses resiliently under an applied
load to cushion the foot by attenuating ground-reaction forces. The
midsole may define a bottom surface on one side that opposes the
outsole and a footbed on the opposite side that may be contoured to
conform to a profile of the bottom surface of the foot. Sole
structures may also include a comfort-enhancing insole or a
sockliner located within a void proximate to the bottom portion of
the upper.
[0006] The metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint of the foot is known to
absorb energy as it flexes through dorsiflexion during running
movements. As the foot does not move through plantarflexion until
the foot is pushing off of a ground surface, the MTP joint returns
little of the energy it absorbs to the running movement and, thus,
is the source of an energy drain during running movements.
Embedding flat and rigid plates having longitudinal stiffness
within a sole structure increases the overall stiffness
thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration in lateral side view of
an article of footwear.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration in rear view of the
article of footwear shown in FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration in medial view of the
article of footwear of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration in front view of the
article of footwear.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration in bottom view of the
article of footwear.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration in cross-sectional view
of the article of footwear, taken along section line 6-6 of FIG.
3.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing an
article of footwear.
[0014] FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a strobel board placed
on a last.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of the upper placed on
the last while the strobel board is on the last.
[0016] FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a footwear plate
inserted through a sole opening of the upper.
[0017] FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration in cross-sectional view
of an article of footwear in accordance with an aspect of the
present disclosure, wherein a midsole is disposed on top of a
footwear plate.
[0018] FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration in cross-sectional view
of an article of footwear in accordance with an aspect of the
present disclosure, wherein a midsole disposed under the footwear
plate.
DESCRIPTION
[0019] The present disclosure describes an article of footwear,
which may be used for football (or soccer as known in the United
States). In some aspects of the present disclosure, the article of
footwear includes an upper including a first upper portion. The
first upper portion defines an ankle opening. The article of
footwear includes a footwear plate including a composite material.
The footwear plate includes a covered plate portion and an exposed
plate portion coupled to the exposed plate portion. The article of
footwear includes a sole structure including a second upper
portion. The second upper portion is an extension of the first
upper portion. The second upper portion partially extends around
the footwear plate. The second upper portion defines a
ground-facing surface and an inner upper surface opposite the
ground-facing surface. The second upper portion defines a sole
opening extending through the inner upper surface and the
ground-facing surface. The covered plate portion is disposed on the
inner upper surface of the second upper portion. As such, the
second upper portion covers the covered plate portion. The exposed
plate portion is aligned with the sole opening to expose the
exposed plate portion.
[0020] The first upper portion is integrally coupled to the second
upper portion to form a one-piece structure. The footwear plate may
be oriented along a longitudinal axis. The second upper portion
defines a first edge and a second edge. The first edge may be
coupled to the second edge along the longitudinal axis. The sole
structure includes a cleat structure directly coupled to the second
upper portion.
[0021] The covered plate portion may be in direct contact with the
inner upper surface of the second upper portion. The first upper
portion may be directly coupled to the second upper portion. The
sole structure has a heel region, a forefoot region, and a midfoot
region between the forefoot region and the heel region. The cleat
structure may be referred to as a forward cleat structure that is
disposed at the forefoot region. The article of footwear may
further include a rear cleat structure. The rear cleat structure is
disposed at the heel region.
[0022] The forward cleat structure defines a body opening. The body
opening is aligned with the exposed plate portion to expose the
footwear plate at the forefoot region. The forward cleat structure
may be directly coupled to the ground-facing surface of the second
upper portion at the forefoot region. The rear cleat structure may
be directly coupled to the ground-facing surface of the second
upper portion at the heel region.
[0023] Each of the forward cleat structure and the rear cleat
structure may include a main outsole body and a plurality of
traction elements directly coupled to the main outsole body. Each
of the first upper portion and the second upper portion includes an
upper material. The main outsole body and the plurality of traction
elements includes an outsole material, and the outsole material is
more rigid than the upper material to enhance traction.
[0024] The footwear plate may be oriented along a longitudinal
axis. The second upper portion defines a first edge and a second
edge. The first edge may be coupled to the second edge along the
longitudinal axis.
[0025] The sole structure includes a heel region, a forefoot
region, and a midfoot region between the forefoot region and the
heel region. The sole structure includes a forward cleat structure
directly coupled to the second upper portion, the article of
footwear further includes a rear cleat structure directly coupled
to the second upper portion, and the forward cleat structure is
disposed at the forefoot region, the rear cleat structure is
disposed at the heel region, each of the forward cleat structure
and the rear cleat structure includes a main outsole body and a
plurality of traction elements directly coupled to the main outsole
body, the footwear plate includes a carbon fiber-reinforced
polymer, each of the first upper portion and the second upper
portion includes an upper material, the main outsole body and the
plurality of traction elements include an outsole material, and the
outsole material is more rigid than the upper material to enhance
traction, and the carbon fiber-reinforced polymer is more rigid
than the upper material and the outsole material to enhance
stability of the sole structure. The upper material may be a
textile, and the outsole material may be rubber.
[0026] The sole structure includes a heel region, a forefoot
region, and a midfoot region between the forefoot region and the
heel region. The footwear plate may extend through the heel region,
the midfoot region, and the forefoot region of the sole structure
to enhance stability of the article of footwear.
[0027] The footwear plate may be oriented along a longitudinal
axis. The second upper portion defines a first edge and a second
edge. The first edge may be stitched to the second edge from the
heel region to the midfoot region of the sole structure.
[0028] The sole structure may include a forward cleat structure
coupled to the second upper portion. The article of footwear
further includes a rear cleat structure coupled to the second upper
portion. The forward cleat structure may be disposed at the
forefoot region. The rear cleat structure may be disposed at the
heel region. The forward cleat structure may define a first body
opening and a second body opening each sized to expose the footwear
plate at the forefoot region. The forward cleat structure may
include an outsole web separating the first body opening from the
second body opening.
[0029] The sole structure includes a heel region, a forefoot
region, and a midfoot region between the forefoot region and the
heel region. The sole structure further may include a strobel board
disposed on the footwear plate at the forefoot region.
[0030] The footwear plate defines an inner plate surface and a
ground-engaging plate surface opposite the inner plate surface. The
strobel board may be in direct contact with the inner plate surface
of the footwear plate. The strobel board may be solely disposed at
the forefoot region of the sole structure.
[0031] The present disclosure also describes a method of
manufacturing the article of footwear described above. The method
may include placing an upper on a last. The upper has a first upper
portion and a second upper portion extending from the first upper
portion. The first upper portion defines an ankle opening. The
second upper portion partly defines a sole structure of the article
of footwear. The sole structure has a forefoot region, a heel
region, and a midfoot region between the forefoot region and the
heel region, and the second upper portion defines a sole opening.
The method further includes inserting a footwear plate between the
last and the upper at the heel region and continuing moving the
footwear plate toward the sole opening until a portion is inserted
through the sole opening at the forefoot region. The sole structure
may further include a midsole disposed under the footwear plate or
on top of the footwear plate.
[0032] The method may further include placing a strobel board on
the last before placing the upper on the last. In addition, the
method may include coupling the strobel board to the upper before
inserting the footwear plate between the last and the upper at the
heel region. Also, the method may include coupling a cleat
structure to the second upper portion. The upper may be wholly made
of a textile, and the footwear plate may be wholly made of a carbon
fiber-reinforced polymer. The cleat structure may be made of a
polymeric material that is more rigid than the textile.
[0033] The above features and advantages and other features and
advantages of the present teachings are readily apparent from the
following detailed description of the modes for carrying out the
present teachings when taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
[0034] Example configurations will now be described more fully with
reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are
provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully
convey the scope of the disclosure to those of ordinary skill in
the art. Specific details are set forth such as examples of
specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough
understanding of configurations of the present disclosure. It will
be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific
details need not be employed, that example configurations may be
embodied in many different forms, and that the specific details and
the example configurations should not be construed to limit the
scope of the disclosure.
[0035] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular exemplary configurations only and is not intended to be
limiting. As used herein, the singular articles "a," "an," and
"the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises,"
"comprising," "including," and "having," are inclusive and
therefore specify the presence of features, steps, operations,
elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or
addition of one or more other features, steps, operations,
elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps,
processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed
as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order
discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an
order of performance. Additional or alternative steps may be
employed.
[0036] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on,"
"engaged to," "connected to," "attached to," or "coupled to"
another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged,
connected, attached, or coupled to the other element or layer, or
intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an
element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged
to," "directly connected to," "directly attached to," or "directly
coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening
elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the
relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like
fashion (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent"
versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term
"and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the
associated listed items.
[0037] The terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to
describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or
sections. These elements, components, regions, layers and/or
sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be
only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or
section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as
"first," "second," and other numerical terms do not imply a
sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a
first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below
could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or
section without departing from the teachings of the example
configurations.
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 1-6, an article of footwear 10 includes
an upper 100 and a sole structure 200, which is partially formed by
the upper 100. The article of footwear 10 (and its components, such
as the upper 100 and the sole structure 200) may be divided into
one or more portions. The portions may include a forefoot portion
12, a midfoot portion 14, and a heel portion 16. The forefoot
portion 12 may correspond with toes and joints connecting
metatarsal bones with phalanx bones of a foot during use of the
footwear 10. The forefoot portion 12 may correspond with the
metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint of the foot. The midfoot portion 14
may correspond with an arch area of the foot, and the heel portion
16 may correspond with rear portions of the foot, including a
calcaneus bone, during use of the article of footwear 10. The
footwear 10 may include lateral and medial sides 18, 20,
respectively, corresponding with opposite sides of the footwear 10
and extending through the portions 12, 14, 16.
[0039] The upper 100 includes interior surfaces that define an
interior void 102 that receives and secures a foot for support on
the sole structure 200, during use of the article of footwear 10.
An ankle opening 104 in the heel portion 16 may provide access to
the interior void 102. For example, the ankle opening 104 may
receive a foot to secure the foot within the interior void 102 and
facilitate entry and removal of the foot to and from the interior
void 102. In some examples, one or more fasteners 106 extend along
the upper 100 to adjust a fit of the interior void 102 around the
foot while concurrently accommodating entry and removal of the foot
therefrom. The upper 100 may include apertures such as eyelets
and/or other engagement features such as fabric or mesh loops that
receive the fasteners 106. The fasteners 106 may include laces,
straps, cords, hook-and-loop, or any other suitable type of
fastener. The upper 100 may also include a heel cup 115 at the heel
portion 16 to support the heel of the footwear user.
[0040] The upper 100 may include a tongue portion 110 (FIG. 4) that
extends between the interior void 102 and the fasteners 106. The
upper 100 may be formed from one or more materials (i.e., the upper
material) that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to form
the interior void 102. Suitable materials of the upper may include,
but are not limited, textiles, fabrics, foam, leather, and
synthetic leather. The materials may be selected and located to
impart properties of durability, air-permeability, wear-resistance,
flexibility, and comfort.
[0041] In some implementations, the sole structure 200 may include
cleat structures 210a, 210b and a strobel board 220 (FIG. 6)
disposed at the forefoot region 12. The strobel board 220 is
optional and may include a cushioning component . The sole
structure 200 is oriented along a longitudinal axis L that extends
lengthwise between a forward terminal end of the forefoot portion
12 and a rearward terminal end of the heel portion 16.
[0042] In some embodiments, the outsole members 210a, 210b may
define cleat structures that are operative to impinge into a ground
surface to provide increased ground traction for the wearer/article
of footwear 10. As such, the outsole member 210a may be referred to
as the first or forefoot outsole member, or as the forward cleat
structure 210a. Likewise, the other outsole member 210b may be
referred to as the second or heel outsole member 210b, or as the
rear cleat structure 210b.
[0043] Each of the cleat structures 210a, 210b includes a
lower/ground-engaging surface 212 and an opposite upper/inner
surface 214. The cleat structures 210a, 210b generally provide
abrasion-resistance and traction with the ground surface during use
of the article of footwear 10. The cleat structures 210a, 210b may
be formed from one or more materials that impart durability and
wear-resistance, as well as enhance traction with the ground
surface. For example, the cleat structures 210a, 210b may be formed
from a polymeric material including at least one of a rubber, a
polyurethane, an ionomer, and/or an engineering plastic. In one
particular embodiment, at least a portion of the cleat structures
210a, 210b may comprise a rubber.
[0044] Each of the cleat structures 210a and 210b includes a main
outsole body 211 and one or more traction elements 215, such as
spikes or cleats. In some examples, the forward cleat structure
210a is entirely disposed at the forefoot portion 12, whereas the
rear cleat structure 210b is entirely disposed at the heel portion
16 to enhance engagement with a ground surface during a running
motion.
[0045] In some examples, one or more traction elements 215 (e.g.,
spikes or cleats) extend directly from the main outsole body 211 in
a direction away from the upper 100 to provide traction with soft
ground surfaces, such as grass, and enhance the structural
integrity of the outsole members 210a, 210b. For instance, in some
embodiments, each traction element 215 may attach to the main
outsole body 211 of the cleat structures 210a, 210b and extend in a
direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of
the sole structure 200. In the example shown, the traction elements
215 include spikes extending from the main outsole bodies 211 at
the forefoot portion 12 and the heel portion 16.
[0046] The strobel board 220 may include a bottom/ground-facing
surface 222 and an opposite upper/footbed surface 224. The strobel
board 220 may be secured to the upper 100, at least in part through
the use of stitching and/or adhesives that attach the strobel board
220 to the upper 100. In some embodiments, at least a portion of
the upper (e.g., a fabric that is continuous with a sidewall of the
upper) may extend around the strobel board 220 such that it lies
between the strobel board 220 and at least one of the first or rear
cleat structures 210a, 210b.
[0047] In one embodiment, the article of footwear 100 further
includes a footwear plate 300. The footwear plate 300 could be
attached directly to the upper 100 and may be in direct contact
with the strobel board 220. The footwear plate 300 may be partly or
wholly made of a composite material, such as a carbon fiber
composite, to enhance the stiffness of the article of footwear 10.
For this reason, the footwear plate 300 may be referred to as the
composite plate. As used herein, the term "composite material"
means a material made from two or more constituent materials with
significantly different physical or chemical properties that, when
combined, produce a material with characteristics different from
the individual components, while the individual components remain
separate and distinct within the finished structure,
differentiating composites from mixtures and solid solutions. The
footwear plate 300 may be wholly or partly made of carbon
fiber-reinforced polymer that is more rigid than the upper material
forming the upper 100 and then the outsole material forming the
outsole members 210a, 210b to enhance the stability of the sole
structure 200. The footwear plate 300 is part of the sole structure
200 to reduce energy loss at the MTP joint while enhancing rolling
of the foot as the footwear 10 rolls for engagement with a ground
surface during a running motion. The footwear plate 300 may define
a length extending through at least a portion of the length of the
sole structure 200. In some examples, the length of the plate 300
extends through the forefoot, midfoot, and heel portions 12, 14, 16
of the sole structure 200 to enhance the structural integrity of
the sole structure 200. The footwear plate 300 is oriented along
the longitudinal axis L that extends lengthwise between a forward
terminal end of the forefoot portion 12 and a rearward terminal end
of the heel portion 16. In other examples, the length of the plate
300 extends through the forefoot portion 12 and the midfoot portion
14, and is absent from the heel portion 16. The footwear plate 300
functions as an innersole and a chassis.
[0048] The length of the footwear plate 300 may be oriented along
the longitudinal axis L between a first end 301 (FIG. 5) and a
second end 302 (FIG. 5) of the footwear plate 300. The first end
301 may be disposed proximate to the heel portion 16 of the sole
structure 200 and the second end 302 may be disposed proximate to
the forefoot portion 12 of the sole structure 200. The first end
301 may also be referred to as a "posterior-most point" of the
footwear plate 300, while the second end 302 may also be referred
to as an "anterior-most point" of the footwear plate 300. The
footwear plate 300 may have a thickness extending substantially
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the sole structure 200
and a width extending between the lateral side 18 and the medial
side 20.
[0049] The strobel board 220 may be disposed on the footwear plate
300 at the forefoot region 12 of the sole structure 200 for
cushioning when the exposed plate portion 310 directly contacts the
ground during a running motion. As such, the strobel board 220 is
in direct contact with the exposed plate portion 310 of the
footwear plate 300. In particular, the strobel board 220 may be in
direct contact with the inner plate surface 304 and may be soley
disposed at the forefoot region 12 of the sole structure 200 for
cushioning when the exposed plate portion 310 directly contacts the
ground during a running motion.
[0050] The upper 100 includes a first or superior upper portion 112
and a second or bottom upper portion 114 that extends from the
first upper portion 112 around at least a portion of the footwear
plate 300. The first upper portion 112 may be what is most
conventionally referred to as the upper 100, and is the portion
that defines the ankle opening 104 and the interior void 102. The
second upper portion 114 is an extension of the first upper portion
112 and, by wrapping around at least a portion of the footwear
plate 300, may be more appropriately regarded as part of the sole
structure 200. The second upper portion 114 may be integrally
coupled to the first upper portion 112 to form a one-piece
structure. Accordingly, each of the first upper portion 112 and the
second upper portion 114 is wholly or partly made of the same
material (i.e., an upper material). The upper material may be, for
example, a textile. In this configuration, the second upper portion
114 may include a ground-facing surface 116 and an opposite inner
upper surface 119.
[0051] In certain embodiments, each of the cleat structures 210a,
210b may be directly coupled to the second upper portion 114. The
second upper portion 114 defines a first edge 118 and a second edge
120. The first edge 118 may be stitched (or otherwise attached) to
the second edge 120 along the longitudinal axis L to maintain the
stability of the sole structure 200 during a running motion. In
other words, stitching 124 may couple the first edge 118 to the
second edge 120 along the longitudinal axis L to maintain the
stability of the sole structure 200 during a running motion. In the
depicted embodiment, the first edge 118 is directly coupled to the
second edge 120 to enhance the structural integrity of the sole
structure 200.
[0052] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the second upper
portion 114 may extend between the footwear plate 300 and at least
one of the forward cleat structure 210a or the rear cleat structure
210b. Additionally, in at least a portion of the sole structure
200, the footwear plate 300 may extend between the second upper
portion 114 and at least one of the forward cleat structure 210a
the rear cleat structure 210b. Such a configuration may enable the
footwear plate 300 to be at least partially hidden and partially
exposed by the wrapped second upper portion 114.
[0053] To accomplish this partially hidden/partially exposed
design, in one configuration, the second upper portion 114 defines
a sole opening 122, such as a slit, hole, and/or gap, through which
the footwear plate 300 may pass. In doing so, a portion of the
footwear plate 300 extends through the sole opening 122 to
partially expose the footwear plate 300, and thereby allowing the
footwear plate 300 to directly contact the ground during a running
motion. By allowing the footwear plate 300 to directly contact the
ground during a running motion, the rolling of the foot is enhanced
as the footwear 10 rolls for engagement with a ground surface
during a running motion. The sole opening 122 is mostly or entirely
disposed at the forefoot portion 12 of the sole structure 200 to
enhance rolling of the foot as the footwear 10 rolls for engagement
with a ground surface during a running motion. The outsole members
210a also defines one or more body openings 213 extending through
the main outsole body 211 to expose the footwear plate 300, thereby
allowing the footwear plate 300 to directly contact the ground
during a running motion. As discussed above, it is desirable to
expose the footwear plate 300 to allow it to directly contact a
ground surface during a running motion. The outsole member 210a may
include outsole web 217 traversing the body opening 213 to enhance
traction at the forefoot 12 of the sole structure 200. In the
depicted embodiment, the outsole member 210a defines two body
openings 213 separated by the outsole web 217. The two body
openings 213 allow exposure of the footwear plate 300. One or more
traction elements 215 extend directly from the outsole web 217 to
enhance traction at the forefoot portion 12 of the sole structure
200. As discussed above, the sole structure 200 is defined by the
second upper portion 114 of the upper 100, the footwear plate 300,
and the outsole members 210a, 210b. The stitching 124 may solely
extend from heel region 16 to the midfoot region 14 to allow the
footwear plate 300 to be exposed, thereby allowing the footwear
plate 300 to directly contact the ground during a running motion.
The footwear plate 300 defines an inner plate surface 304 and a
ground-engaging plate surface 306 opposite the inner plate surface
304.
[0054] The footwear plate 300 includes a covered plate portion 308
and an exposed plate portion 310 coupled to the covered plate
portion 308. The covered plate portion 308 may be directly coupled
to the exposed plate portion 310 to enhance the structural
integrity of the footwear plate 300. The covered plate portion 308
is disposed on the inner upper surface 119 of the second upper
portion 114. As such, the second upper portion 114 covers the
covered plate portion 308. The covered plate portion 308 may be in
direct contact with the inner upper surface 119 of the second upper
portion 114 to enhance the structural integrity of the sole
structure 200. The exposed plate portion 310 is aligned with the
sole opening 122 to expose the exposed plate portion 310. One or
more of the body openings 213 are aligned with the exposed plate
portion 310 to expose the footwear plate 300 at the forefoot region
12.
[0055] As discussed above, the upper 100 may be wholly or partly
made of one or more materials (i.e., the upper materials) that are
stitched or adhesively bonded together to form the interior void
102. Suitable materials of the upper may include, but are not
limited, textiles, foam, leather, and synthetic leather. The
materials may be selected and located to impart properties of
durability, air-permeability, wear-resistance, flexibility, and
comfort. The outsole members 210a, 210b, however, are wholly or
partly made of one or more materials (i.e., the outsole material)
than are more rigid than the material forming the upper (i.e., the
upper material) to enhance traction.
[0056] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing the
article of footwear 10. The method 400 begins at block 402, which
entails placing the strobel board 220 on a last 500 as shown in
FIG. 8. The last 500 is shaped as a human foot, and the strobel
board 220 is placed at a forefoot last region 502 of the last 500.
Then, the method 400 proceeds to block 404. At block 404, the upper
100 is placed on the last 500. When placing the upper 110 on the
last 500, the forefoot last region 502 is inserted through the sole
opening 122, thereby exposing the strobel board 220 as shown in
FIG. 9. Next, the method 400 proceeds to block 406. Block 406
entails coupling (e.g., stitching) the upper 100 to the strobel
board 220 while the upper 100 and the strobel board 220 remain on
the last 500. Then, the method 400 continues to block 408. Block
408 entails inserting the footwear plate 300 between the last 500
and the upper 100 at the heel region 16 of the upper 100 and then
continuing moving the footwear plate 300 toward the sole opening
122 until a portion (i.e., the exposed plate portion 310) of the
footwear plate 300 is inserted through the sole opening 122 at the
forefoot region 12 of the upper 100 as shown in FIG. 10. Then, the
method 400 proceeds to block 410. At block 410, one or more 210a,
210b (e.g., cleat structures) are coupled to the upper 100.
Specifically, one or more 210a, 210b (e.g., cleat structures) are
coupled to the second upper portion 114. The forward cleat
structure 210a may be coupled to the footwear plate 300 and the
second upper portion 114 to secure the footwear plate 300 to the
second upper portion 114.
[0057] With reference to FIG. 11, the sole structure 200 of the
article of footwear 10 may additionally include a midsole 202 for
providing cushioning to the footwear user. To this end, the midsole
202 may be made of a polymeric material, such as rubber or foam.
The midsole 202 may be disposed on top of the footwear plate 300 to
enhance the comfort of the footwear wearer. A sockliner may be also
disposed on top of the midsole 202 to provide comfort. The midsole
202 may continuously extend along the forefoot portion 12, the
midfoot portion 14, and the heel portion 16 to provide cushioning
to the entire foot of the footwear wearer.
[0058] With reference to FIG. 12, the midsole 202 may be disposed
under the footwear plate 300 for providing cushioning while the
footwear user plays sports on hard surfaces, such as running,
baseball, tennis etc. To this end, the midsole 202 may be made of a
polymeric material, such as rubber or foam. The midsole 202 may
continuously extend along the forefoot portion 12, the midfoot
portion 14, and the heel portion 16 to provide cushioning to the
entire foot of the footwear wearer.
[0059] In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing an article
of footwear may begin by lasting one or more layers of a textile
around a foot-shape fixture to substantially form an upper portion
of the shoe. In this embodiment, the first edge 118 and a second
edge 120 may then be joined while the textile is still on the
fixture. Following this, the footwear plate 300 may be inserted
through an opening in the textile such that a portion of the
footwear plate 300 is internal to the textile (and/or is hidden
from external view by the textile), and a portion of the footwear
plate 300 is exposed and viewable from the outside of the textile.
In one configuration the heel portion of the footwear plate 300 is
inserted through the slit/opening and is hidden from external view.
Following the insertion, the footwear plate maybe bonded to at
least a portion of the textile to form a portion of the sole
structure. Finally, cleat structures may be bonded to an external
surface of the sole structure (i.e., the textile and/or the
footwear plate 300).
[0060] To assist and clarify the description of various
embodiments, various terms are defined herein. Unless otherwise
indicated, the following definitions apply throughout this
specification (including the claims). Additionally, all references
referred to are incorporated herein in their entirety.
[0061] An "article of footwear", a "footwear article of
manufacture", and "footwear" may be considered to be both a machine
and a manufacture. Assembled, ready to wear footwear articles
(e.g., shoes, sandals, boots, etc.), as well as discrete components
of footwear articles (such as a midsole, an outsole, an upper
component, etc.) prior to final assembly into ready to wear
footwear articles, are considered and alternatively referred to
herein in either the singular or plural as "article(s) of footwear"
or "footwear".
[0062] "A", "an", "the", "at least one", and "one or more" are used
interchangeably to indicate that at least one of the items is
present. A plurality of such items may be present unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. All numerical values of
parameters (e.g., of quantities or conditions) in this
specification, unless otherwise indicated expressly or clearly in
view of the context, including the appended claims, are to be
understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about"
whether or not "about" actually appears before the numerical value.
"About" indicates that the stated numerical value allows some
slight imprecision (with some approach to exactness in the value;
approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If the
imprecision provided by "about" is not otherwise understood in the
art with this ordinary meaning, then "about" as used herein
indicates at least variations that may arise from ordinary methods
of measuring and using such parameters. As used in the description
and the accompanying claims, unless stated otherwise, a value is
considered to be "approximately" equal to a stated value if it is
neither more than 5 percent greater than nor more than 5 percent
less than the stated value. In addition, a disclosure of a range is
to be understood as specifically disclosing all values and further
divided ranges within the range.
[0063] The terms "comprising", "including", and "having" are
inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features,
steps, operations, elements, or components, but do not preclude the
presence or addition of one or more other features, steps,
operations, elements, or components. Orders of steps, processes,
and operations may be altered when possible, and additional or
alternative steps may be employed. As used in this specification,
the term "or" includes any one and all combinations of the
associated listed items. The term "any of" is understood to include
any possible combination of referenced items, including "any one
of" the referenced items. The term "any of" is understood to
include any possible combination of referenced claims of the
appended claims, including "any one of" the referenced claims.
[0064] For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives may
be employed throughout this detailed description corresponding to
the illustrated embodiments. Those having ordinary skill in the art
will recognize that terms such as "above", "below", "upward",
"downward", "top", "bottom", etc., may be used descriptively
relative to the figures, without representing limitations on the
scope of the invention, as defined by the claims.
[0065] The term "longitudinal" refers to a direction extending
along a length of a component. For example, a longitudinal
direction of an article of footwear extends between a forefoot
region and a heel region of the article of footwear. The term
"forward" or "anterior" is used to refer to the general direction
from a heel region toward a forefoot region, and the term
"rearward" or "posterior" is used to refer to the opposite
direction, i.e., the direction from the forefoot region toward the
heel region. In some cases, a component may be identified with a
longitudinal axis as well as a forward and rearward longitudinal
direction along that axis. The longitudinal direction or axis may
also be referred to as an anterior-posterior direction or axis.
[0066] The term "transverse" refers to a direction extending along
a width of a component. For example, a transverse direction of an
article of footwear extends between a lateral side and a medial
side of the article of footwear. The transverse direction or axis
may also be referred to as a lateral direction or axis or a
mediolateral direction or axis.
[0067] The term "vertical" refers to a direction generally
perpendicular to both the lateral and longitudinal directions. For
example, in cases where a sole structure is planted flat on a
ground surface, the vertical direction may extend from the ground
surface upward. It will be understood that each of these
directional adjectives may be applied to individual components of a
sole structure. The term "upward" or "upwards" refers to the
vertical direction pointing towards a top of the component, which
may include an instep, a fastening region and/or a throat of an
upper. The term "downward" or "downwards" refers to the vertical
direction pointing opposite the upwards direction, toward the
bottom of a component and may generally point towards the bottom of
a sole structure of an article of footwear.
[0068] The "interior" of an article of footwear, such as a shoe,
refers to portions at the space that is occupied by a wearer's foot
when the article of footwear is worn. The "inner side" of a
component refers to the side or surface of the component that is
(or will be) oriented toward the interior of the component or
article of footwear in an assembled article of footwear. The "outer
side" or "exterior" of a component refers to the side or surface of
the component that is (or will be) oriented away from the interior
of the article of footwear in an assembled article of footwear. In
some cases, other components may be between the inner side of a
component and the interior in the assembled article of footwear.
Similarly, other components may be between an outer side of a
component and the space external to the assembled article of
footwear. Further, the terms "inward" and "inwardly" refer to the
direction toward the interior of the component or article of
footwear, such as a shoe, and the terms "outward" and "outwardly"
refer to the direction toward the exterior of the component or
article of footwear, such as the shoe. In addition, the term
"proximal" refers to a direction that is nearer a center of a
footwear component, or is closer toward a foot when the foot is
inserted in the article of footwear as it is worn by a user.
Likewise, the term "distal" refers to a relative position that is
further away from a center of the footwear component or is further
from a foot when the foot is inserted in the article of footwear as
it is worn by a user. Thus, the terms proximal and distal may be
understood to provide generally opposing terms to describe relative
spatial positions.
[0069] While various embodiments have been described, the
description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and
it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many
more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within
the scope of the embodiments. Any feature of any embodiment may be
used in combination with or substituted for any other feature or
element in any other embodiment unless specifically restricted.
Accordingly, the embodiments are not to be restricted except in
light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various
modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the
attached claims.
[0070] While several modes for carrying out the many aspects of the
present teachings have been described in detail, those familiar
with the art to which these teachings relate will recognize various
alternative aspects for practicing the present teachings that are
within the scope of the appended claims. It is intended that all
matter contained in the above description or shown in the
accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and
exemplary of the entire range of alternative embodiments that an
ordinarily skilled artisan would recognize as implied by,
structurally and/or functionally equivalent to, or otherwise
rendered obvious based upon the included content, and not as
limited solely to those explicitly depicted and/or described
embodiments.
* * * * *