# US 10,945,488 B2 · Article of footwear with extruded components

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- Number: US 10,945,488 B2
- Document ID: US10945488B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/455,650
- Filed: 2014-08-08
- Published: 2015-02-12
- Granted: 2021-03-16
- Earliest claimed: 2013-08-09
- Assignees: Reebok International Ltd.
- Applicants: Reebok International Limited
- Inventors: Paul Davis; Mike Andrews; Dustin Simone
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945488B2

## CPC

- A43B 13/14: characterised by the constructive form
- A43B 13/023: {Soles with several layers of the same material}
- A43B 13/12: Soles with several layers of different materials
- A43B 13/181: {Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole}
- A43B 23/0245: {characterised by the constructive form}
- B29D 35/142: {Soles}
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
- B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
- A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)

## Abstract

Portions of an article of footwear are formed from an extruded member. A sole or portion of a sole can be formed from one or more extruded members. The extruded member can be a single, continuous piece of solid material. A sole for an article of footwear can be fashioned from an extruded member formed in a controlled geometric pattern. The sole can include one or more layers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
one or more solid, non-hollow extruded members formed in a controlled geometric pattern having a plurality of layers, each layer having a thickness of a single solid, non-hollow extruded member;
wherein the one solid, non-hollow extruded member forms the plurality of layers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein a first layer comprises a first solid, non-hollow extruded member and a second layer comprises a second solid, non-hollow extruded member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein a first layer runs in a transverse direction of the sole and a second layer runs in a lengthwise direction of the sole.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein a first layer runs in a lengthwise direction of the sole and a second layer runs in a transverse direction of the sole.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein a first layer and a third layer run in a first direction and a second layer runs in a second direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein a rearfoot area of the sole comprises more layers than a midfoot area and forefoot area of the sole.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein a rearfoot area of the sole comprises a coiled shape.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein at least one layer comprises a pattern having one or more gaps between the one or more solid, non-hollow extruded members.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein at least one layer comprises a pattern having a plurality of undulations.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The sole of claim 9, wherein each undulation contacts an adjacent undulation.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The sole of claim 9, wherein the undulations run in a transverse direction of the sole.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The sole of claim 9, wherein each undulation forms a loop.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The sole of claim 9, wherein the undulations extend from a medial side to a lateral side of the sole.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the solid, non-hollow extruded member comprises a first density and a second portion of the solid, non-hollow extruded member comprises a second density.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the solid, non-hollow extruded member comprises a first material and a second portion of the solid, non-hollow extruded member comprises a second material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein the solid, non-hollow extruded member comprises thermoplastic.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein the solid, non-hollow extruded member comprises foam.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein the solid, non-hollow extruded member comprises a substantially circular cross-section.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, further comprising an insole attached to a top surface of the one or more solid, non-hollow extruded members and an outsole attached to a bottom surface of the one or more solid, non-hollow extruded members.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein the one or more solid, non-hollow extruded members are extruded directly onto an upper surface of an outsole.

### Claim 21

An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper; and
a sole attached to the upper, the sole comprising:
a first layer comprising a single, continuous piece of extruded material having a first pattern, the first pattern comprising:
a first loop having a first end disposed at a medial side of the sole,
a first elongate portion extending from the first end across an entire width of the sole, and
a second loop at an opposite end of the elongate portion, the second loop having a second end disposed at a lateral side of the sole; and
a second layer comprising a single, continuous piece of extruded material having the first pattern, wherein the second layer is disposed vertically below the first layer and directly contacting the first layer from the medial side to the lateral side of the sole, wherein a third loop is disposed vertically below and directly contacting the first loop and a fourth loop is disposed vertically below and directly contacting the second loop, and
wherein the second layer is configured to directly contact the ground.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The article of footwear of claim 21, wherein the sole is an outsole.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The article of footwear of claim 21, wherein the first pattern further comprises:
a second elongate portion extending from the second end across the entire width of the sole, and a fifth loop at an opposite end of the second elongate portion, the fifth loop having a third end disposed at the medial side of the sole.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The article of footwear of claim 21, wherein the first end and the second end are curved.

### Claim 25

An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper; and
an outsole attached to the upper, the outsole comprising:
an extruded member forming a first layer disposed in a pattern, the first layer having a thickness of the extruded member, and
a second layer disposed directly on and vertically below the first layer in the pattern of the first layer, the second layer having a thickness of the extruded member.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The article of footwear of claim 25, wherein the outsole comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface is attached to the upper and the bottom surface is configured to directly contact the ground.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The article of footwear of claim 25, wherein the thickness of the first layer is the same from a heel to a toe of the outsole.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The article of footwear of claim 25, wherein the extruded member is a continuous extruded member comprising the first layer and the second layer.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The article of footwear of claim 25, wherein the extruded member comprises the first layer and a second extruded member comprises the second layer.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

The article of footwear of claim 26, wherein the first layer comprises the top surface and the second layer comprises the bottom surface.

### Claim 31 (depends on 25)

The article of footwear of claim 25, wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of undulations extending across an entire width of the outsole from a medial side to a lateral side of the outsole.

### Claim 32 (depends on 25)

The article of footwear of claim 25, wherein the second layer is disposed between the first layer and the ground.

### Claim 33 (depends on 23)

The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein the fifth loop is spaced from the first loop in a lengthwise direction of the sole.

### Claim 34 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, wherein the thickness of a first layer is different than the thickness of a second layer.

### Claim 35 (depends on 1)

The sole of claim 1, comprising a first layer and a second layer disposed directly on and vertically below the first layer.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The sole of claim 35, wherein the second layer is configured to directly contact the ground and is disposed between the first layer and the ground.