# US 10,244,820 B2 · Reinforcing shank arrangement for footwear sole structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,244,820 B2 - Document ID: US10244820B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/383,410 - Filed: 2016-12-19 - Published: 2017-04-13 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-30 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Joseph Howley; Morgan Stauffer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10244820B2 ## CPC - A43B 13/122: {characterised by the outsole or external layer} - A43B 3/0036: {characterised by a special shape or design} - A43B 5/00: Footwear for sporting purposes (non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00) - A43B 5/002: {Mountain boots or shoes} - A43B 5/02: Football boots {or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby} - A43B 5/06: Running shoes; Track shoes - 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} - A43B 13/04: Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre - A43B 13/10: Metal - A43B 13/14: characterised by the constructive form - A43B 13/141: {with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion} - A43B 13/26: projecting beyond the sole surface - A43B 23/22: Supports for the shank or arch of the uppers - A43B 23/227: {fixed on the outside of the shoe} - A43C 15/167: {frusto-conical or cylindrical} - B29D 35/0009: {by injection moulding; Apparatus therefor} - B29D 35/122: {Soles} - B29K 2077/00: Use of {PA, i.e.} polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material - B29K 2509/08: Glass - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - A43C: FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract An article of footwear may include 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. The sole component may also include an arrangement of ground engaging members extending downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate. The baseplate may further include a reinforcing shank arrangement including a plurality of reinforcing strips formed of a different material than portions of the baseplate adjacent the reinforcing strips, wherein at least one of the reinforcing strips forms at least a portion of a base platform from which at least one of the ground engaging members extends. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sole component for an article of footwear, the sole component comprising: a baseplate including a heel region and a forefoot region; an arrangement of ground engaging members extending from the baseplate; and a reinforcing shank arrangement including a plurality of reinforcing strips formed of a different material than portions of the baseplate adjacent the reinforcing strips, the reinforcing shank arrangement including a first reinforcing strip extending in a direction from the heel region toward the forefoot region and toward a medial side of the baseplate, a second reinforcing strip extending from the heel region toward the forefoot region and toward a lateral side of the baseplate, and a third reinforcing strip disposed between the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip and extending from a junction of the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip toward the forefoot region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sole component of claim 1, wherein at least one of the ground engaging members extends from the first reinforcing strip and at least another of the ground engaging members extends from the second reinforcing strip. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sole component of claim 1, wherein the first reinforcing strip crosses the second reinforcing strip to form an X-configuration. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sole component of claim 1, further comprising a fourth reinforcing strip extending from the junction of the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sole component of claim 4, wherein one of the third reinforcing strip and the fourth reinforcing strip extends toward one of the medial side and the lateral side and the other of the third reinforcing strip and the fourth reinforcing strip extends toward the other of the medial side and the lateral side. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sole component of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip includes a base platform from which one of the ground engaging members extends. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sole component of claim 1, wherein the third reinforcing strip extends toward one of the medial side and the lateral side. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An article of footwear incorporating the sole component of claim 1. ### Claim 9 A sole component for an article of footwear, the sole component comprising: a baseplate; an arrangement of ground engaging members extending from the baseplate; and a reinforcing shank arrangement including a plurality of reinforcing strips formed of a different material than portions of the baseplate adjacent the reinforcing strips and including a first reinforcing strip, a second reinforcing strip, and a third reinforcing strip, the first reinforcing strip, the second reinforcing strip, and the third reinforcing strip radiating from a junction of the first reinforcing strip, the second reinforcing strip, and the third reinforcing strip; wherein the first reinforcing strip crosses the second reinforcing strip to form an X-configuration at the junction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The sole component of claim 9, wherein the first reinforcing strip extends toward a medial side of the baseplate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sole component of claim 10, wherein the second reinforcing strip extends toward a lateral side of the baseplate and the third reinforcing strip extends between the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The sole component of claim 11, wherein at least one of the ground engaging members extends from the first reinforcing strip and at least another of the ground engaging members extends from the second reinforcing strip. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The sole component of claim 9, wherein the third reinforcing strip extends from the intersection of the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The sole component of claim 9, further comprising a fourth reinforcing strip extending between the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip and radiating from the junction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The sole component of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip includes a base platform from which one of the ground engaging members extends. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The sole component of claim 15, wherein the base platform includes a different shape than a cross-sectional shape of the at least one of the ground engaging members. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) An article of footwear incorporating the sole component of claim 9.