Footwear with lateral stabilizing sole
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsEric P. Avar, Thomas Foxen, Craig E. Santos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is an article of footwear having a sole comprised of one or more support elements formed of a resilient, compressible material. The support elements are designed such that impact forces generated by movements of a wearer deflect the support elements in a manner that produces a force directed to center the wearer's foot above the sole. The directed deflection characteristics of the support elements are due to a downward cant of the support elements' upper surfaces and flexion indentations that facilitate bending in one direction.
Claims50
An article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot of a wearer and a sole attached to said upper, said sole comprising at least one support element having a columnar structure and containing an interior void, said at least one support element being formed of a first material and a second material that are resilient and compressible, said first material having a lesser stiffness than said second material, and said first material being located generally toward an interior portion of said sole with respect to said second material to structure said at least one support element such that impact forces generated by a downward or lateral movement of the foot deflects said at least one support element toward said interior portion of said sole.
An article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot of a wearer and a sole attached to said upper, said sole comprising:
- a cavity located within a heel portion of said footwear, said cavity extending from a medial side to a lateral side of said footwear to define an open area extending through said sole;
- a plurality of discrete, vertically-projecting, columnar support elements located within said cavity and formed of a resilient and compressible material, said support elements extending between upper and lower portions of said cavity to provide support for the foot in said heel portion of said footwear, said support elements including at least one support element with an upper surface having a cant that defines a downward slope on said upper surface, said downward slope being directed toward an interior portion of said sole.
An article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot of a wearer and a sole attached to said upper, said sole comprising:
- a cavity located within a heel portion of said footwear, said cavity extending from a medial side to a lateral side of said footwear to define an open area extending through said sole;
- and
- a plurality of discrete, vertically-projecting support elements located within said cavity and formed of a resilient and compressible material, said support elements extending between upper and lower portions of said cavity to provide support for the foot in said heel portion of said footwear, said support elements including at least one support element with an exterior surface that defines at least one flexion indentation that extends partially around said at least one support element and faces an interior portion of said footwear, and said at least one support element bending in response to a downward force from the foot, said bending being directed toward said at least one flexion indentation.
An article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot of a wearer and a sole attached to said upper, said sole comprising:
- a cavity located within a heel portion of said footwear, said cavity extending from a medial side to a lateral side of said footwear to define an open area extending through said sole;
- and
- a plurality of discrete, vertically-projecting, columnar support elements located within said cavity and formed of a resilient and compressible material, said support elements extending between upper and lower portions of said cavity to provide support for the foot in said heel portion of said footwear, at least one of said support elements having an upper surface with a cant that defines a downward slopes on said upper surface, said downward slope being directed toward an interior portion of said sole, and said at least one of said support elements having an exterior surface with a flexion indentation that promotes deflection of said at least one of said support elements toward said interior portion of said sole.
An article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot of a wearer and a sole attached to said upper, said sole comprising:
- a cavity located within a heel portion of said footwear, said cavity extending from a medial side to a lateral side of said footwear to define an open area extending through said sole;
- and
- four discrete, vertically-projecting, columnar support elements located within said cavity and formed of a resilient and compressible material, said support elements including:
- a first support element positioned in an aft area of said heel portion and on said lateral side of said footwear,
- a second support element positioned forward of said first support element,
- a third support element positioned in said aft area of said heel portion and on said medial side of said footwear, and
- a fourth support element positioned forward of said third support element,
- said support elements extending between upper and lower portions of said cavity to provide support for the foot in said heel portion of said footwear, upper surfaces of said support elements including cants to define downward slopes on said upper surfaces, said downward slopes being directed toward an interior portion of said sole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.