Footwear midsole with lattice structure formed between platforms

#This disclosure relates generally to footwear and specifically to support arrangements for articles of footwear.

#FIG. 13 shows an article of footwear in the form of a shoe 10 to be worn on a foot of a user with a portion of the shoe 10 cut away so that the inside of the shoe 10 is partially visible. The shoe 10 includes an upper 14 and a sole 18 coupled to the upper 14. The upper 14 covers the top and sides of the user's foot, and the sole 18 covers the bottom of the user's foot and makes contact with the ground. The sole 18 typically includes an insole 22, a midsole 26, and an outsole 30 which cushion and protect the user's foot while the user makes contact with the ground. The insole 22 contacts the user's foot, the outsole 30 contacts the ground, and the midsole 26 is arranged between the insole 22 and the outsole 30. The insole 22 generally provides a comfortable surface for contact with the user's foot and is typically comprised of a thin layer of a man-made material such as, for example, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). The midsole 26 generally provides most of the cushioning and shock absorption for the foot of the user and is typically comprised of a polymer such as, for example, polyurethane, surrounding another material such as, for example, a foam, a gel, or recesses filled with air. The outsole 30 generally provides a durable surface which can sustain repeated impact and friction with the ground and is typically comprised of a durable material, such as, for example, carbon rubber or blown rubber.

#The sole 18 includes a heel end 34 arranged where a user's heel is positioned when wearing the shoe 10 and a toe end 38 arranged opposite the heel end 34 where the user's toes are positioned when wearing the shoe 10. The sole 18 also includes a medial side 42 arranged closest to the user's center of symmetry when wearing the shoe 10 and a lateral side 46 arranged opposite the medial side 42 farther from the user's center of symmetry when wearing the shoe 10.

#FIG. 1 is a side view of an article of footwear including a midsole comprising a lattice structure.

#FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of the midsole of FIG. 1 including a resilient insert positioned in a recess formed within the lattice structure.

#FIG. 3 is a top view of the midsole of FIG. 2 with the resilient insert removed from the lattice structure to expose a recess in the lattice structure.

#With reference now to FIGS. 1-6, an article of footwear 100 includes an upper 102, a midsole 104 and an outsole 106. The midsole 104 is provided between the upper 102 and the outsole 106 and is formed of two components. The first component of the midsole 104 is a lattice structure 110. The second component of the midsole 104 is a compressible and resilient insert 150 disposed on top of or within the lattice structure 110. In combination, the lattice structure 110 and the resilient insert 150 provide a midsole 104 that provides increased stability and energy return qualities.

#The upper 102 includes a plurality of components that cover the foot of a user when the article of footwear 100 is worn. The upper 102 may include any of various sections, including the vamp, the heel, the tongue, and any of various other components such as fabric panels, leather strips, foam padding, polymer support structures, or fastening elements. The upper 102 in combination with the insole (not shown) form a foot cavity for the article of footwear 100. The insole is positioned under the foot of the wearer and abuts the midsole 104. The insole may include various components such as a strobel board and a sock liner. Various methods may be used to attach the upper 102 and the insole to the midsole 104, including the use of adhesives, welting, or any of various other methods as will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art.

#The components of the upper 102 may be presented in any of various configurations and thereby provide different forms of the footwear. For example, the upper 102 may be configured as a low-cut running shoe, a high-top basketball shoe, or any of various other forms of athletic shoes. The upper 102 may also be configured with various tightening mechanisms to secure the article of footwear 100 to the foot of the wearer. For example, the upper 102 may be configured such that the article of footwear 100 is a lace-up shoe, a slip-on shoe, or a strap-tightened boot.