Support structures for an article of footwear and methods of manufacturing support structures

A sole structure of an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:

• an upper member having a torsion element;
• wherein the torsion element has a first portion, a second portion, and a torsion loading portion in between the first portion and the second portion;
• a lower member positioned below the upper member;
• a compression element positioned between the upper member and the lower member;
• wherein the compression element includes an upper ring attached to the upper member, a lower ring attached to the lower member, and a compression loading element;
• wherein the first portion of the torsion element and the lower member are fixed relative to each other;
• wherein under vertical compression, the compression element compresses, the upper member rotationally displaces in a first direction relative to the lower member, the second portion of the torsion element rotationally displaces in the first direction relative to the first portion of the torsion element, the torsion loading portion of the torsion element deflects, and the upper member moves vertically toward the lower member;
• and
• wherein upon release of the vertical compression, the torsion loading portion of the torsion element rotationally displaces in a second direction opposite to the first direction the second portion of the torsion element relative to the first portion of the torsion element, such that the upper member rotationally displaces in the second direction relative to the lower member, the compression element decompresses, and the upper member moves vertically away from the lower member.

An article of footwear comprising:

• an upper;
• a sole structure attached to the upper and including a support structure;
• wherein the support structure includes an upper member, a lower member positioned below the upper member, and a compression element positioned between the upper member and the lower member;
• wherein the upper member includes a torsion element;
• wherein the torsion element has a first portion, a second portion, and a torsion loading portion in between the first portion and the second portion;
• wherein the compression element includes an upper ring attached to the upper member, a lower ring attached to the lower member, and a compression loading element;
• wherein the first portion of the torsion element and the lower member are fixed relative to each other and to the sole structure;
• wherein under vertical compression, the compression element compresses, the upper member rotationally displaces in a first direction relative to the lower member, the second portion of the torsion element rotationally displaces in the first direction relative to the first portion of the torsion element, the torsion loading portion of the torsion element deflects, and the upper member moves vertically toward the lower member;
• and
• wherein upon release of the vertical compression, the torsion loading portion of the torsion element rotationally displaces in a second direction opposite to the first direction the second portion of the torsion element relative to the first portion of the torsion element, such that the upper member rotationally displaces in the second direction relative to the lower member, the compression element decompresses, and the upper member moves vertically away from the lower member.

A method of manufacturing a support structure for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

• fixing an upper support element to a lower support element;
• disposing an upper member adjacent to the upper support element;
• disposing a lower member adjacent to the lower support element;
• disposing a compression element between the upper member and the lower member;
• fixing a first portion of a torsion element to the upper support element, wherein the torsion element has the first portion, a second portion, and a torsion loading portion in between the first portion and the second portion;
• fixing the second portion of the torsion element to the upper member;
• fixing the lower member to the compression element;
• and
• fixing the lower member to the lower support element
• wherein a vertical force applied to the upper support element compresses the compression element, rotationally displaces in a first direction the upper member relative to the lower member, rotationally displaces in the first direction the second portion of the torsion element relative to the first portion of the torsion element, deflects the torsion loading portion of the torsion element, and moves the upper member vertically toward the lower member;
• and
• wherein when the vertical force is released, the torsion loading portion of the torsion element rotationally displaces in a second direction opposite to the first direction the second portion of the torsion element relative to the first portion of the torsion element, such that the upper member rotationally displaces in the second direction relative to the lower member, the compression element decompresses, and the upper member moves vertically away from the lower member.