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US 11,432,617 B2Granted
Methods for customizing cushioning sole systems for articles of footwear
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsShane S. Kohatsu, Christopher S. Cook, Bret Schoolmeester
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a customized cushioning sole system. A user's foot morphology and/or preferences may be used to design the sole member. The sole member can include a column of apertures that are formed along the outer surface of the sole member.
Claims20
A method for customizing a cushioning sole system for an article of footwear, the method comprising:
- obtaining information related to a pressure distribution of a wearer's foot;
- producing a first pattern comprising a first set of apertures arranged to form at least a first column of apertures;
- generating instructions to form the first pattern in a sole member, the sole member including:
- (a) an outer surface having an upper surface and a lower surface, (b) a forefoot region, (c) a midfoot region, and (d) a heel region;
- and
- executing the instructions to form the first set of apertures in the sole member, wherein at least a portion of the first set of apertures is formed along a portion of the outer surface of the sole member as the first column of apertures formed of apertures adjacent one another in a direction extending from the heel region to the forefoot region of the sole member, wherein the first column of apertures extends continuously from the forefoot region to the heel region, wherein cross-sectional diameters of the apertures of the first column of apertures continuously increase from the forefoot region to a center of the sole member located in the midfoot region of the sole member, and wherein the cross-sectional diameters of the apertures of the first column of apertures continuously decrease from the center of the sole member to the heel region.
3 more elements
A method for customizing a cushioning sole system for an article of footwear, the method comprising:
- obtaining information related to a pressure distribution of a wearer's foot;
- producing a first pattern comprising a first set of apertures arranged to form at least a first column of apertures;
- generating instructions to form the first pattern in a sole member formed of a foam material, the sole member including a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, wherein the sole member includes:
- (a) an outer surface having an upper surface and a lower surface, and (b) an interior portion disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface;
- and
- executing the instructions to form the first set of apertures in the sole member, wherein the first set of apertures is formed with the first column of apertures formed of apertures adjacent one another and extending continuously from the heel region, through the midfoot region, and to the forefoot region of the sole member, wherein cross-sectional diameters of the apertures of the first column of apertures continuously increase from the forefoot region to a center of the sole member located in the midfoot region of the sole member, and wherein the cross-sectional diameters of the apertures of the first column of apertures continuously decrease from the center of the sole member to the heel region.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.