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US 12,745,820 B2Granted
Article of footwear having exchangeable pods
AssigneePuma SE
InventorsSidney Fauconnier, Mauro Bonin, Romain Girard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article of footwear includes an upper attached to a stabilizer, an outsole, a first pod, and a second pod. The stabilizer has a lower surface and a first securing mechanism. The outsole has a first retention mechanism and an interior surface. The first securing mechanism is retained by the first retention mechanism. A volume between the lower surface and the interior surface forms a midsole cavity. The midsole cavity receives the first pod and the second pod.
Claims22
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper attached to a stabilizer having a lower surface, the stabilizer extending from a toe end to a heel end;
- a tab extending from the heel end of the stabilizer;
- an outsole having an aperture and an interior surface;
- a first pod that is a foam body that includes a first top surface opposite a first bottom surface, wherein the first pod directly contacts the lower surface and the interior surface, the first pod defining a plurality of voids disposed along a lateral surface of the first pod, wherein the plurality of voids is exposed along the lateral surface;
- and
- a second pod that includes a second top surface opposite a second bottom surface, wherein the second top surface only directly contacts the lower surface of the stabilizer and the second bottom surface only directly contacts the interior surface of the outsole, the second pod disposed in a forefoot region of the article of footwear,
- wherein the tab is configured to be retained within the aperture at the heel end and the stabilizer is integrally formed with the outsole at the toe end,
- wherein a volume between the lower surface and the interior surface forms a midsole cavity, and
- wherein the midsole cavity is configured to receive the first pod and the second pod.
6 more elements
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper attached to a stabilizer having a lower surface, the stabilizer extending from a toe end to a heel end;
- a tab extending from the heel end of the stabilizer;
- an outsole having an aperture and an interior surface;
- a first pod that is a foam body that includes a top surface opposite a bottom surface, wherein the top surface only directly contacts the lower surface of the stabilizer and the bottom surface only directly contacts the interior surface of the outsole, the first pod defining a plurality of voids disposed along a lateral surface of the first pod, wherein the plurality of voids is exposed along the lateral surface;
- and
- a second pod that directly contacts the lower surface and the interior surface,
- wherein the aperture is configured to receive the tab at the heel end and the stabilizer is integrally formed with the outsole at the toe end,
- wherein a volume between the lower surface and the interior surface forms a midsole cavity that includes a forward pod region,
- wherein the forward pod region is configured to receive the first pod, and
- wherein the first pod is configured to be exchanged with the second pod in the forward pod region.
7 more elements
A method of exchanging pods in an article of footwear, comprising:
- providing an upper attached to a stabilizer having a lower surface, the stabilizer extending from a toe end to a heel end, and a tab extending from the heel end of the stabilizer;
- providing an outsole pivotably secured to the stabilizer and having an aperture and an interior surface, wherein the stabilizer is integrally formed with the outsole at the toe end;
- providing a first pod that is a foam body that defines a plurality of voids disposed along a lateral surface of the first pod, wherein the plurality of voids is exposed along the lateral surface;
- providing a second pod in a forefoot region, the second pod having a top surface opposite a bottom surface;
- directly contacting the first pod with the interior surface and the lower surface;
- directly contacting the top surface of the second pod with the lower surface and the bottom surface of the second pod with the interior surface, wherein the top surface of the second pod only contacts the lower surface and the bottom surface of the second pod only contacts the interior surface;
- and
- securing the tab within the aperture at the heel end.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.