Midfoot support structures for articles of footwear
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsTate E. Kuerbis, Ross Klein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article of footwear can include an upper and a sole structure. The upper defines at least a portion of a foot-receiving cavity. The sole structure is coupled to the upper and includes a midfoot support member. The midfoot support member includes a lateral flange, a medial flange, a superior deck plate, and an inferior deck plate. The superior deck plate and the inferior deck plate span from the lateral flange to the medial flange. The superior deck plate and the inferior deck plate are spaced apart in a superior/inferior direction and define an opening therebetween. The opening extends unobstructed from the lateral flange to the medial flange, and the lateral flange extends farther in a superior direction than the medial flange.
Claims20
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper comprising a toe portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion;
- and
- a sole structure coupled to the upper so as to define a foot-receiving cavity therebetween, wherein the sole structure comprises a lateral side, a medial side, a midsole, a midfoot support member, and an outsole,
- wherein the midsole is disposed between the midfoot support member and the upper,
- wherein the midfoot support member comprises a lateral flange, a medial flange, a first plate, and a second plate, wherein the first plate spans from the lateral flange to the medial flange, wherein the second plate spans from the lateral flange to the medial flange, wherein the lateral flange of the midfoot support member extends further in a superior direction than the medial flange of the midfoot support member, wherein the second plate is disposed farther toward the outsole than the first plate, and wherein the second plate is spaced apart from the first plate so as to form an opening extending through the midfoot support member from the lateral side of the sole structure to the medial side of the sole structure, and
- wherein the outsole is coupled to the midsole and the midfoot support member.
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper comprising a toe portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion;
- and
- a sole structure coupled to the upper so as to define a foot-receiving cavity therebetween, wherein the sole structure comprises a lateral side, a medial side, a midsole, a midfoot support member, and an outsole,
- wherein the midsole is disposed between the midfoot support member and the upper in a superior/inferior direction,
- wherein the midfoot support member is aligned with the midfoot portion of the upper in an anterior/posterior direction and comprises a lateral plate, a medial plate, a first span member, and a second span member, wherein the lateral plate is disposed on the lateral side of the sole structure, wherein the medial plate is disposed on the medial side of the sole structure, wherein the lateral plate and the medial plate are spaced apart in a medial/lateral direction by the first span member and the second span member, wherein the first span member is spaced apart from the second span member in the superior/inferior direction such that the first span member and the second span member define a gap therebetween, and wherein the gap extends from the lateral side of the sole structure to the medial side of the sole structure,
- wherein the midsole comprises a midfoot flange that extends in a superior direction beyond the lateral plate of the midfoot support member, and
- wherein the outsole is coupled to the midsole and the midfoot support member.
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper defining at least a portion of a foot-receiving cavity;
- and
- a sole structure coupled to the upper and comprising a midfoot support member, wherein the midfoot support member comprises a lateral flange, a medial flange, a superior deck plate, and an inferior deck plate, wherein the superior deck plate and the inferior deck plate span from the lateral flange to the medial flange, wherein the superior deck plate and the inferior deck plate are spaced apart in a superior/inferior direction and define an opening therebetween, wherein the opening extends unobstructed from the lateral flange to the medial flange, and wherein the lateral flange extends farther in a superior direction than the medial flange.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.