# US 10,765,172 B2 · Article of footwear with banking midsole with embedded resilient plate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,765,172 B2 - Document ID: US10765172B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/989,257 - Filed: 2018-05-25 - Published: 2018-09-27 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-30 - Assignees: NIKE, Imc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas Foxen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10765172B2 ## CPC - A43B 13/42: Filling materials located between the insole and outer sole; Stiffening materials - A43B 13/125: {characterised by the midsole or middle layer} - A43B 13/14: characterised by the constructive form - A43B 13/181: {Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole} - A43B 13/187: {Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials} - A43B 13/188: {Differential cushioning regions} - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract An article of footwear may include an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure includes a midsole, an outsole secured to the midsole, and one or more plates positioned within the midsole. Each of the plates has a downwardly-facing concave side and an upwardly-facing concave side. The downwardly-concave side may be positioned on a medial side (or a lateral side) of the footwear, and the upwardly-concave side may be positioned on the lateral side (or the medial side) of the footwear. The undulating medio-lateral configuration of each plate may increase the overall support provided to a wearer's foot during a side-to-side or “banking” movement. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising: a midsole having a lower midsole surface; an outsole having upper and lower outsole surfaces, the upper outsole surface being attached to the lower midsole surface, and the lower outsole surface forming a ground-engaging portion of the article of footwear; and a curved plate located in the midsole and having an undulating medio-lateral curvature and a rectilinear longitudinal cross-section extending from fore to aft edges of the curved plate, the curved plate including a first side with a first edge and a downward-facing concavity, a second side with a second edge and an upward-facing concavity, and an inflection region connecting the first and second sides, the upward-facing concavity being positioned between the downward-facing concavity and a lateral or a medial edge of the midsole, wherein the first edge is positioned below a horizontal plane substantially parallel to the lower outsole surface and passing through the inflection region, and the second edge is positioned above the horizontal plane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first side of the curved plate with the downward-facing concavity is positioned on a medial side of the sole structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the curved plate is positioned in a forefoot region of the sole structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the curved plate is encapsulated in the midsole and spaced inward from the lateral and medial edges of the midsole. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sole structure of claim 4, wherein the curved plate is spaced from the lower midsole surface of the midsole. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The sole structure of claim 4, wherein the curved plate is spaced from an upper midsole surface of the midsole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the curved plate has a uniform thickness from the first side to the second side. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the inflection region is located in a central area of the curved plate, and the central area of the curved plate is positioned in a central region of the midsole. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the curved plate is a single-piece continuous structure with an S-shaped transverse cross-section. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the curved plate extends across at least sixty percent of a distance between the medial edge and the lateral edge of the midsole. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the midsole includes a polymer foam material and the outsole includes a rubber material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the curved plate includes a thermoplastic polyurethane material, an injection-molding-grade thermoplastic polymer material, an injection-molding-grade thermoset polymer material, a carbon fiber material, an engineered textile with a fused adhesive skin, and/or a multi-material laminate structure. ### Claim 13 A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising: a midsole including a first polymeric material, the midsole having a lateral edge, a medial edge opposite the lateral edge, and a lower midsole surface; an outsole with upper and lower outsole surfaces, the upper outsole surface secured to the lower midsole surface, the outsole including a second polymeric material, the lower outsole surface defining a ground-engaging portion of the article of footwear located opposite from the upper outsole surface; and a curved plate disposed within the midsole and having an undulating medio-lateral curvature, the curved plate including a third polymeric material and having a rectilinear longitudinal cross-section extending from fore to aft edges of the curved plate, the curved plate including a first lateral side with a downward-facing concavity terminating at a first lateral edge, a second lateral side with an upward-facing concavity terminating at a second lateral edge, and an inflection region interposed between and connecting the first and second lateral sides, the first lateral side being positioned between the second lateral side and the medial or lateral edge of the midsole, wherein the first lateral edge is positioned below a horizontal plane substantially parallel to the lower outsole surface and passing through the inflection region, and the second lateral edge is positioned above the horizontal plane passing through the inflection region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The sole structure of claim 13, wherein the first lateral side with the downward-facing concavity is positioned on a medial side of the midsole, and the second lateral side with the upward-facing concavity is positioned on a lateral side of the midsole. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The sole structure of claim 13, wherein the curved plate is encapsulated within the midsole and spaced inward from the medial and lateral edges of the midsole. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The sole structure of claim 13, wherein the inflection region is located in a central area of the curved plate, and the central area of the curved plate is positioned in a central region of the midsole. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The sole structure of claim 14, wherein the plate has a uniform thickness extending from the first lateral side to the second lateral side. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The sole structure of claim 13, wherein the plate is a single-piece continuous structure with an S-shaped transverse cross-section. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first and second edges of the curved plate each has a rectilinear configuration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 9) The sole structure of claim 9, wherein the S-shaped transverse cross-section is defined by a single downward-facing concavity and a single upward-facing concavity. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first side of the curved plate with the downward-facing concavity is positioned on a lateral side of the sole structure. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first edge and/or the second edge of the curved plate includes a tapered edge.