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US 11,596,198 B2Granted
Articles of footwear and sole structures for articles of footwear
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsBryan K. Youngs, Olivier Henrichot, Nikita Troufanov, Robert Mervar, Robert M. Bruce
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Sole structures (e.g., midsoles and/or outsoles) and articles of footwear include heel-supporting areas and/or forefoot-supporting areas that include a central area (e.g., a central recessed area) and a plurality of surrounding rings. Additionally or alternatively, the sole structures (e.g., midsoles and/or outsoles) may include bands of material defined by recessed grooves to provide a bumpstop type impact-force attenuating structure.
Claims20
A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
- a foam midsole element formed from a polymeric foam material, the foam midsole element including an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface opposite the upper-facing surface, the foam midsole element further comprising:
- a heel-supporting region formed in polymeric foam material of the foam midsole element, wherein the heel-supporting region includes a recessed central area surrounded by a first plurality of rings defined in the ground-facing surface, wherein the recessed central area of the heel-supporting region and at least some of the first plurality of rings are generally circular;
- and
- a forefoot-supporting region formed in polymeric foam material of the foam midsole element, wherein the forefoot-supporting region includes a recessed central area surrounded by a second plurality of rings defined in the ground-facing surface, wherein the recessed central area of the forefoot-supporting region and at least some of the second plurality of rings are generally circular,
- wherein each of the first plurality of rings and the second plurality of rings includes:
- a first ring that surrounds the recessed central area and a second ring that surrounds the first ring, and a first recessed groove separating the first ring and the second ring,
- wherein a first depth of the recessed central area of the heel-supporting region is greater than a second depth of the first recessed groove of the heel-supporting region, and
- wherein a third depth of the recessed central area of the forefoot-supporting region is greater than a fourth depth of the first recessed groove of the forefoot-supporting region.
5 more elements
A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
- a foam midsole including an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface opposite the upper-facing surface, the foam midsole further including:
- a heel-supporting region formed in polymeric foam material of the foam midsole, the heel-supporting region including:
- (i) a recessed central area, (ii) a first ring that surrounds the recessed central area, and (iii) a second ring that surrounds the first ring, wherein a first recessed groove separates the first ring and the second ring, wherein the recessed central area of the heel-supporting region, the first ring, and the second ring are generally circular, and wherein a first depth of the recessed central area of the heel-supporting region is greater than a second depth of the first recessed groove of the heel-supporting region;
- and
- a forefoot-supporting region formed in polymeric foam material of the foam midsole, the forefoot-supporting region including:
- (i) a recessed central area, (ii) a third ring that surrounds the recessed central area of the forefoot-supporting region, and (iii) a fourth ring that surrounds the third ring, wherein a second recessed groove separates the third ring and the fourth ring, wherein the recessed central area of the forefoot-supporting region, the third ring, and the fourth ring are generally circular, and wherein a third depth of the recessed central area of the forefoot-supporting region is greater than a fourth depth of the second recessed groove of the forefoot-supporting region.
3 more elements
A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
- a foam midsole including an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface opposite the upper-facing surface, the foam midsole further including:
- a heel-supporting region formed in polymeric foam material of the foam midsole, the heel-supporting region including:
- (i) a recessed central area having a first depth, (ii) a first ring that surrounds the recessed central area, (iii) a second ring that surrounds the first ring, wherein a first recessed groove having a second depth separates the first ring and the second ring, and (iv) a second recessed groove immediately surrounding the second ring and having a third depth, wherein the first depth is greater than the second depth, and wherein the second depth is greater than the third depth;
- and
- a forefoot-supporting region formed in polymeric foam material of the foam midsole, the forefoot-supporting region including:
- (i) a recessed central area having a fourth depth, (ii) a third ring that surrounds the recessed central area of the forefoot-supporting region, (iii) a fourth ring that surrounds the third ring, wherein a third recessed groove having a fifth depth separates the third ring and the fourth ring, and (iv) a fourth recessed groove immediately surrounding the fourth ring and having a sixth depth, wherein the fourth depth is greater than the fifth depth, and wherein the fifth depth is greater than the sixth depth.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.