Article of footwear with dynamic edge cavity midsole
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorThomas Foxen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear that offers different levels of cushioning and support depending on the direction of force applied to the midsole. An outer edge of the midsole includes an inwardly-extending elongate groove with a V-shaped cross-sectional configuration. An elongate insert having a V-shaped cross-sectional configuration is secured to the elongate groove. The insert forms a spring that dynamically alters the character of the support provided by the footwear to a foot of a wearer during “banking” or side-to-side movement.
Claims20
A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
- a midsole including an outer peripheral surface that tapers in a direction toward a ground-contacting surface of the sole structure and extends from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure;
- an insert having a first flange attached to the outer peripheral surface and a second flange attached to the first flange at a joined region and opposing the first flange to define a recess between a first flange surface of the first flange and a second flange surface of the second flange, the first flange and the second flange extending from the medial side of the sole structure to the lateral side of the sole structure;
- and
- a stability fin disposed within the recess adjacent to the joined region of the insert and defining (a) a thickness measured along a first direction parallel to the first flange surface and the second flange surface and (b) a height measured along a second direction transverse to the first flange surface and the second flange surface, the height of the stability fin being greater than the thickness of the stability fin.
A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
- a midsole including an outer peripheral surface that tapers in a direction toward a ground-contacting surface of the sole structure and extends from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure;
- an insert having a first flange extending along the outer peripheral surface from a first outer edge to a joined region and a second flange attached to the first flange at the joined region and extending to a second outer edge to provide the insert with a substantially V-shape in cross-section, the first flange and the second flange extending from the medial side of the sole structure to the lateral side of the sole structure;
- and
- a stability fin including (a) a first edge defining a height of the stability fin extending from a first flange surface between the first outer edge and the joined region to a second flange surface between the second outer edge and the joined region and (b) a pair of side surfaces each extending (i) transverse to the first flange surface and the second flange surface and (ii) from the first edge towards the joined region, a distance between the side surfaces defining a thickness of the stability fin that is less than the height of the stability fin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.