# US 2014/0150298 A1 · Articles of footwear > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150298 A1 - Document ID: US20140150298A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/173,308 - Filed: 2014-02-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-01 - Assignees: SR Holdings, LLC - Applicants: SR Holdings, LLC - Inventors: Kevin J. Crowley; David M. Nau; James Cheney; Matthew R. Clerc - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150298A1 ## CPC - A43B 7/144: situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone - A43B 7/1445: situated under the midfoot, i.e. the second, third or fourth metatarsal - A43B 7/148: Recesses or holes filled with supports or pads - A43B 13/125: {characterised by the midsole or middle layer} - A43B 13/187: {Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials} - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract A sole assembly for an article of footwear includes a sole assembly, optionally including an outsole and a midsole adjacent outsole. The sole assembly and/or its components can include a heel portion that defines a void. First and second inserts can be located in the void, adjacent one another. The first and second inserts are movable and/or slideable relative to one another. This construction can attenuate vibration and shock imparted to the outsole and subsequently transferred to a wearer of the footwear. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A footwear construction comprising: an upper; an outsole; a midsole joined with the outsole and located generally above the outsole, the midsole including a heel portion, the heel portion defining a midsole void; a first insert disposed in the midsole void, the first insert joined with the outsole; a second insert disposed in the midsole void, the second insert being disposed adjacent and generally contacting the first insert, the first and second inserts being movable relative to one another, whereby vibration imparted to the outsole and transferred to at least one of the first insert and the second insert is impaired or prevented from being transferred to the other of the first insert and the second insert, and ultimately to a foot of a wearer of the footwear construction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The footwear construction of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first insert and the second insert defines an insert void, wherein the other of the at least one of the first insert and second insert is located at least partially within the insert void. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The footwear construction of claim 2 wherein the first insert defines the insert void, wherein the second insert is located in the insert void. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The footwear construction of claim 3, wherein the first insert includes a first insert portion located above the second insert, and another portion that generally surrounds at least two sides of the second insert. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The footwear construction of claim 1 wherein the first insert includes a lower surface, wherein the lower surface defines an upwardly extending insert void, the insert void bounded by a void bottom located above the lower surface, wherein the second insert is located in the insert void. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The footwear construction of claim 5 wherein the insert void includes at least one wall that transitions to the void bottom, wherein the second insert includes a side, wherein the wall is adjacent the side when the second insert is in the insert void. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The footwear construction of claim 1 wherein the midsole includes a lateral side defining a lateral side aperture and a medial side defining a medial side aperture, wherein the first insert extends across a width of the heel portion, and is visually exposed within the lateral side aperture and the medial side aperture to a viewer of the footwear construction. ### Claim 8 A footwear construction comprising: an upper; a sole assembly including a heel portion and defining a void substantially only in the heel portion; a first insert disposed in the void, the first insert including a first surface; a second insert disposed in the void, the second insert including a second surface, the second insert being disposed adjacent the first insert so that the first surface contacts the second surface, the first surface and second surface slideable relative to one another whereby vibration imparted to the sole assembly is impaired or prevented from being transferred to at least one of the first insert and the second insert and ultimately to a foot of a wearer of the footwear construction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The footwear construction of claim 8 wherein the first insert is disposed generally over the second insert. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The footwear construction of claim 8 wherein the first insert defines an insert void having a bottom that forms the first surface, wherein the second insert is disposed in the insert void, wherein the second insert void includes a wall that extends downward from the bottom, the wall surrounding at least a portion of the second insert. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The footwear construction of claim 9 wherein the sole assembly includes an outsole, wherein the first insert is secured to an outsole, but the second insert is not attached to the outsole. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The footwear construction of claim 11 wherein the sole assembly includes a midsole joined with the outsole, wherein the midsole defines the insert void, wherein the first insert and second insert are stacked on one another in the insert void. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The footwear construction of claim 8 wherein the first insert extends laterally across a width of the sole assembly and is visible from a lateral or medial side view of the footwear construction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The footwear construction of claim 8 wherein the first insert is constructed from a first material having a first durometer, wherein the second insert is constructed from a second material having a second durometer that is less than, more than or the same as the first durometer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The footwear construction of claim 14 wherein the first and second inserts are constructed from at least one of ethyl vinyl acetate, TPE and polyurethane. ### Claim 16 A footwear construction comprising: an upper; an outsole; a midsole joined with the outsole and located generally above the outsole, the midsole including a heel portion, the heel portion defining a midsole void; a first insert disposed in the midsole void, the first insert including a first surface; a second insert disposed in the midsole void, the second insert including a second surface, the second insert being disposed adjacent the first insert, so that the first surface contacts the second surface, the first surface and second surface movable relative to one another, whereby vibration imparted to the sole assembly is impaired or prevented from being transferred to at least one of the first insert and the second insert and ultimately to a foot of a wearer of the footwear construction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The footwear construction of claim 16 wherein at least one of the first insert and the second insert defines an insert recess, wherein the other of the at least one first insert and second insert is disposed in the insert recess. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The footwear construction of claim 17 wherein the first insert includes a first bottom surface wherein the second insert includes a second bottom surface, wherein the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface lay generally in the same plane. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The footwear construction of claim 16 wherein the first insert and second insert are free from any cement attachment directly to one another. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The footwear construction of claim 16 wherein the first insert includes a heel button, wherein the midsole defines a heel button void above and contiguous with the midsole void, wherein the heel button extends at least partially through the heel button void.