Sole plate comprising metal plate and methods of making the same

Abstract

Sole plates for an article of footwear, the sole plates comprising a single piece, integrally formed metal plate comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plate thickness measured from the top surface to the bottom surface. The sole plates can comprise a protrusion formed in the metal plate and a corresponding bump on the bottom surface of the metal plate. The protrusion can comprise a cavity surface defined by the top surface of the metal plate, a protruding surface defined by the bottom surface of the metal plate, and a wall thickness measured from the cavity surface to the protruding surface. The plate thickness and the wall thickness can be greater than or equal to 0.01 mm and less than or equal to 0.5 mm. The metal plate can be formed by a method comprising stamping, deep drawing, incremental sheet forming, or a combination thereof.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.