# US 10,477,916 B2 · Sole structure for an article of footwear with first and second midsole bodies > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,477,916 B2 - Document ID: US10477916B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/727,042 - Filed: 2017-10-06 - Published: 2018-04-12 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-10 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Sung Joo B. Hartenstein; Doug D. Wilken - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10477916B2 ## CPC - A43B 7/149: Pads, e.g. protruding on the foot-facing surface - A43B 3/0057: {S-shaped} - A43B 7/141: {having an anatomical or curved form} - A43B 7/142: situated under the medial arch, i.e. under the navicular or cuneiform bones - A43B 7/144: situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone - A43B 7/1445: situated under the midfoot, i.e. the second, third or fourth metatarsal - A43B 13/141: {with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion} - A43B 13/145: {Convex portions, e.g. with a bump or projection, e.g. 'Masai' type shoes} - A43B 13/16: Pieced soles (with several layers of different material A43B13/12) - A43B 13/186: {Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot (resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32)} - A43B 13/188: {Differential cushioning regions} - A43B 13/38: Built-in insoles joined to uppers during the manufacturing process, e.g. structural insoles; Insoles glued to shoes during the manufacturing process - A43B 23/0205: {characterised by the material (material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08)} - A43B 23/0295: {Pieced uppers} - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a first midsole body and a second midsole body. The first midsole body defines a ground-facing surface and a foot-facing surface opposite the ground-facing surface and includes a first midsole material, which has a first hardness. The second midsole body extends through the first midsole body. As such, the second midsole body extends beyond the ground-facing surface of the first midsole body. The second midsole body includes a second midsole material, which has a second hardness, and the first hardness is greater than the second hardness. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising: a first midsole body defining a ground-facing surface and a foot-facing surface opposite the ground-facing surface, wherein the first midsole body includes a first midsole material, and the first midsole material has a first hardness; and a second midsole body extending through the first midsole body such that the second midsole body extends beyond the ground-facing surface of the first midsole body, wherein the second midsole body includes a second midsole material, the second midsole material has a second hardness, and the first hardness is greater than the second hardness; wherein the second midsole body includes a midsole heel portion, a midsole forefoot portion, and a midsole midfoot portion between the midsole heel portion and the midsole forefoot portion; wherein the midsole heel portion has a camber; and wherein the second midsole body is tapered along the midsole midfoot portion and the midsole forefoot portion such that a width of the second midsole body decreases from the midsole midfoot portion toward the midsole forefoot portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first hardness is between ten and fifteen units greater than the second hardness on an Asker type C Durometer scale. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein: the sole structure has a sole forefoot portion, a sole heel portion, and a sole midfoot portion between the sole forefoot portion and the sole heel portion; the second midsole body has a variable height along the sole forefoot portion, the sole heel portion, and the sole midfoot portion; the second midsole body has a maximum height at the sole heel portion; and the variable height of the second midsole body is tapered toward the sole midfoot portion such that the variable height decreases from the sole heel portion toward the sole midfoot portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sole structure of claim 3, wherein: the second midsole body defines an inner midsole surface and an outer midsole surface opposite the inner midsole surface; a maximum protruding distance of the second midsole body is defined from the ground-facing surface of the first midsole body to the outer midsole surface of the second midsole body at the sole heel portion; and the maximum protruding distance is about three millimeters. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sole structure of claim 4, wherein: the sole structure further comprises an insole disposed over the first midsole body and the second midsole body; the insole defines an inner insole surface and an outer insole surface; the inner insole surface faces away the first midsole body; the outer insole surface faces toward the first midsole body; and the insole defines a plurality of openings extending through the inner insole surface and the outer insole surface to partially expose the second midsole body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The sole structure of claim 5, wherein the plurality of openings includes a first opening disposed at the sole heel portion and a second opening disposed at the sole forefoot portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The sole structure of claim 6, wherein the second midsole body includes: a main body portion; a first body protrusion extending from the main body portion and into the first opening; and a second body protrusion extending from the main body portion and into the second opening. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The sole structure of claim 7, wherein the first body protrusion and the second body protrusion are flush with the inner insole surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The sole structure of claim 8, wherein: each of the first body protrusion and the second body protrusion has a top protrusion surface exposed via the first opening and the second opening, respectively; and the top protrusion surface is textured to provide tactile feedback to a wearer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The sole structure of claim 9, wherein: the first body protrusion has a shape that is substantially similar to a shape of the first opening to allow the first body protrusion to be received by the first opening; and the second body protrusion has a shape that is substantially similar to a shape of the second opening to allow the second body protrusion to be received by the second opening. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sole structure of claim 10, wherein the shape of the first opening is different from the shape of the second opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first midsole body defines a plurality of sipes extending into the ground-facing surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The sole structure of claim 12, wherein the sipes are arranged in a zig-zag pattern. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein: the second midsole body defines an outermost perimeter; and the second midsole body further includes a groove disposed around the outermost perimeter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1 in combination with an upper, wherein: the upper is coupled to the sole structure; the upper includes a main upper portion, a forefoot lateral portion, and a forefoot medial portion; the main upper portion interconnects the forefoot lateral portion and the forefoot medial portion; the main upper portion includes a first upper material; the forefoot lateral portion and the forefoot medial portion each include a second upper material; the first upper material has a first elastic modulus; the second upper material has a second elastic modulus; and the first elastic modulus is greater than the second elastic modulus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The sole structure of claim 15, wherein: the sole structure has a sole forefoot portion, a sole heel portion, and a sole midfoot portion between the sole forefoot portion and the sole heel portion; the main upper portion defines a foremost main end; the main upper portion defines a rearmost main end opposite the foremost main end; the foremost main end of the main upper portion is fixed to the sole forefoot portion of the sole structure; and the rearmost main end of the main upper portion is fixed to the sole heel portion of the sole structure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The sole structure of claim 15, wherein: the upper defines a foremost upper end and a rearmost upper end opposite the foremost upper end; the sole structure includes a heel bump extending from the first midsole body away from the foremost upper end such that the heel bump extends beyond the rearmost upper end; and the heel bump defines an upper bump surface, a lower bump surface, and an apex, at which the upper bump surface and the lower bump surface meet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, further comprising a blown rubber layer at least partially coating the ground-facing surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein: the second midsole body defines an outer midsole surface; the second midsole body defines an inner midsole surface opposite the outer midsole surface; and the sole structure further comprises a blown rubber layer partially coating the outer midsole surface. ### Claim 20 An article of footwear, comprising: an upper; a sole structure coupled to the upper, wherein the sole structure includes: a first midsole body defining a ground-facing surface and a foot-facing surface opposite the ground-facing surface, wherein the first midsole body includes a first midsole material, and the first midsole material has a first hardness; and a second midsole body extending through the first midsole body such that the second midsole body extends beyond the ground-facing surface of the first midsole body, wherein the second midsole body includes a second midsole material, the second midsole material has a second hardness, and the first hardness is greater than the second hardness; wherein the second midsole body includes a midsole heel portion, a midsole forefoot portion, and a midsole midfoot portion between the midsole heel portion and the midsole forefoot portion; wherein the midsole heel portion has a camber; and wherein the second midsole body is tapered along the midsole midfoot portion and the midsole forefoot portion such that a width of the second midsole body decreases from the midsole midfoot portion toward the midsole forefoot portion.