Method of customizing forefoot cushioning in articles of footwear
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsChristopher S. Cook, Shane S. Kohatsu, Bret Schoolmeester, Daniel T. Rowe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a system that modifies the forefoot cushioning of the sole member over a series of footwear purchases. The modifications can be configured to correspond to a customer's evaluation of the forefoot cushioning previously purchased. The sole member can include a set of apertures or incisions that are formed along various surfaces of the sole member to adjust the cushioning characteristics of the sole member.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing articles of footwear, comprising:
- transmitting data to a computing system for:
- (a) generating a rating system on the computing system for evaluating a first level of forefoot cushioning of a first sole member of a first article of footwear, wherein the first article of footwear has a first base sole layer, and (b) requesting input through the computing system of a customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning;
- receiving data from the computing system including the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning;
- selecting a second base sole layer;
- forming at least a first aperture in a forefoot portion of the second base sole layer to form a second sole member with a second level of forefoot cushioning, wherein the second level of forefoot cushioning is different from the first level of forefoot cushioning and is determined based on the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning of the first sole member;
- and
- providing the user with a second article of footwear including the second sole member.
A method of manufacturing articles of footwear, comprising:
- transmitting data to a computing system for:
- (a) generating a rating system on the computing system for evaluating a first level of forefoot cushioning of a first sole member of a first article of footwear, wherein the first article of footwear has a first base sole layer, and (b) requesting input through the computing system of a customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning;
- receiving data from the computing system including the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning;
- selecting a second base sole layer;
- forming at least a first incision in a forefoot portion of the second base sole layer to form a second sole member with a second level of forefoot cushioning, wherein the second level of forefoot cushioning is different from the first level of forefoot cushioning and is determined based on the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning of the first sole member;
- and
- providing the user with a second article of footwear including the second sole member.
A method of manufacturing articles of footwear, comprising:
- transmitting data to a computing system for:
- (a) generating a rating system on the computing system for evaluating a first level of forefoot cushioning provided by a first sole member, wherein the first sole member is fixedly attached to a first upper of a first article of footwear and is formed from a first base sole layer that includes a first forefoot portion, and (b) requesting input through the computing system of a customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning;
- receiving data from the computing system including the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning;
- selecting a second base sole layer with a second forefoot portion to form a second sole member with a second level of forefoot cushioning that differs from the first level of forefoot cushioning, wherein a material composition of the second forefoot portion is determined based on the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning of the first sole member;
- and
- providing the user with a second article of footwear that includes the second sole member, wherein the second sole member is fixedly attached to a second upper of the second article of footwear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.