# US 2017/0280823 A1 · Article of footwear with adaptive fit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0280823 A1 - Document ID: US20170280823A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/474,335 - Filed: 2017-03-30 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-01 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Elizabeth Langvin; Tetsuya T. Minami - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170280823A1 ## CPC - A43B 13/141: {with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion} - A43B 3/24: Collapsible or convertible - A43B 3/26: adjustable as to length or size - A43B 9/02: Footwear stitched or nailed through - A43B 9/12: Stuck or cemented footwear - A43B 13/04: Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre - A43B 13/12: Soles with several layers of different materials - A43B 13/122: {characterised by the outsole or external layer} - A43B 13/125: {characterised by the midsole or middle layer} - A43B 13/145: {Convex portions, e.g. with a bump or projection, e.g. 'Masai' type shoes} - A43B 13/146: {Concave end portions, e.g. with a cavity or cut-out portion} - A43B 13/186: {Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot (resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32)} - A43B 13/188: {Differential cushioning regions} - A43B 13/22: Soles made slip-preventing or wear-resisting, e.g. by impregnation or spreading a wear-resisting layer - A43B 13/223: {Profiled soles} - A43B 23/0215: {Plastics or artificial leather} - A43B 23/028: {Resilient uppers, e.g. shock absorbing} - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole. The upper includes an attachment region and a bottom portion that is bounded by the attachment region. The sole defines a concave inner surface. The concave inner surface includes a peripheral surface region and a central surface region. The attachment region of the upper is attached to the peripheral surface region of the sole. The bottom portion is held in tension over the central surface region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article of footwear, comprising: an upper including an attachment region and a bottom portion that is bounded by the attachment region; a sole defining a concave inner surface while in an unloaded state, the concave inner surface including a peripheral surface region and a central surface region; wherein the attachment region of the upper is attached to the peripheral surface region of the sole; and wherein the bottom portion of the upper is held in tension apart from the central surface region of the sole when the article of footwear is in the unloaded state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the sole has a convex outer surface opposite the concave inner surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the bottom portion is flat in the unloaded state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein a width of the sole expands as the sole is transitioned from the unloaded state to a loaded state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the sole further includes: an outer sole assembly defining a plurality of outer sole members spaced apart from each other by a plurality of gaps; a middle sole assembly defining a plurality of grooves; an intermediate layer disposed between the outer sole assembly and the middle sole assembly; wherein the middle sole assembly defines at least a portion of the concave inner surface; wherein the intermediate layer is more elastic than each of the outer sole members; wherein the middle sole assembly is comprised of a plurality of middle sole members; wherein the intermediate layer is more elastic than each of the middle sole members; and wherein one of the plurality of gaps is vertically aligned with a respective one of the plurality of grooves. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein the outer sole assembly extends upward to opposing sides of a foot receiving volume. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the bottom portion of the upper is unattached to the central surface region of the sole. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the sole includes at least one sole component having an auxetic configuration, and the auxetic configuration is configured such that when the sole component is tensioned in a first direction, the sole component expands in both the first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The article of footwear according to claim 8, wherein the at least one sole component includes an outer auxetic component and an inner auxetic component, and the sole further includes an intermediate layer disposed between the outer auxetic component and the inner auxetic component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion of the upper is not in contact with the central surface region of the sole while the sole is in the unloaded state; and wherein, upon transitioning from an unloaded state to a dynamically loaded state, the sole flattens and expands. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein a concavity of the inner concave surface is along a lateral plane. ### Claim 12 A sole, comprising: a lateral side and a medial side; an outer surface and an inner surface; the inner surface having a peripheral surface region and a central region bounded by the peripheral surface region; the outer surface having a convex shape in an unloaded state, and the inner surface having a concave shape in the unloaded state; and wherein in response to applying a load sufficient to deform the sole against the inner surface: a curvature of the inner surface is reduced; and a curvature of the outer surface is reduced. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The sole according to claim 12, wherein: the peripheral surface region including a first peripheral location on the lateral side and a second peripheral location located opposite the first peripheral location on the medial side; in response to applying the load sufficient to deform the sole against the inner surface, a distance between the first peripheral location and the second peripheral location increases; and the distance between the first peripheral location and the second peripheral location decreases as the load is released and the sole returns to the unloaded state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The sole according to claim 12, wherein the sole further comprises: an outer sole assembly defining a plurality of outer sole members spaced apart from each other by a plurality of gaps; a middle sole assembly defining a plurality of grooves; an intermediate layer disposed between the outer sole assembly and the middle sole assembly; wherein the middle sole assembly defines at least a portion of the inner surface; wherein the intermediate layer is more elastic than each of the outer sole members; wherein the middle sole assembly is comprised of a plurality of middle sole members; wherein the intermediate layer is more elastic than each of the middle sole members; and wherein one of the plurality of gaps is vertically aligned with a respective one of the plurality of grooves. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The sole according to claim 14, wherein the outer sole assembly extends upward to opposing sides of a foot receiving volume. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The sole according to any of claim 12, wherein the sole includes at least one sole component having an auxetic configuration, and the auxetic configuration is configured such that when the sole component is tensioned in a first direction, the sole component expands in both the first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The sole according to claim 16, wherein the at least one sole component includes an outer auxetic component and an inner auxetic component, and the sole further includes an intermediate layer disposed between the outer auxetic component and the inner auxetic component. ### Claim 18 A method of manufacturing comprising: attaching an upper to a sole system, wherein attaching the upper to the sole system includes: placing a bottom portion of the upper in tension; and bonding the upper to the sole system while the bottom portion of the upper remains tensed. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein attaching the upper to the sole system comprises attaching an attachment region of the upper to a peripheral surface region of the sole system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein placing the bottom portion in tension comprises elastically stretching the bottom portion of the upper.