Sole-mounted footwear stability system
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorJeffrey L. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is an article of footwear having a stabilizing element incorporated into a sole structure. The stabilizing element is located primarily in the midfoot region of the footwear but extends into both the forefoot and heel regions. In one embodiment, the stabilizing element includes five stabilizing members that extend from a connecting member. The function of the stabilizing members is to provide support along the longitudinal length of the foot so as to limit non-axial, vertical flexion in the midfoot and heel regions; permit the forefoot to axially flex in relation to the heel; and permit forefoot flexion.
Claims44
An article of footwear that includes an upper and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure including a stabilizing element comprising a plurality of semi-rigid and substantially parallel stabilizing members located in at least a midfoot region of said sole structure and extending in a longitudinal direction of said sole structure, said stabilizing members having a combined stiffness that limits non-axial, vertical flexion of said sole structure in at least said midfoot region, and at least a first of said stabilizing members being independently movable with respect to a second of said stabilizing members to permit rotation of a heel region of said sole structure relative to a forefoot region of said sole structure, said rotation being about a longitudinal axis of said sole structure, said stabilizing members being positioned in said article of footwear to extend from a calcaneus bone of an individual to metatarsal bones of the individual, and said stabilizing members extending into said forefoot region, said stabilizing members having a first stiffness in said forefoot region and a second stiffness in said midfoot region, said first stiffness being less than said second stiffness, and said stabilizing members thereby being structured to permit non-axial, vertical flexion of said sole structure in an area generally underlying joints connecting proximal phalanges with metatarsals of a wearer in said forefoot region.
An article of footwear that includes an upper and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure including a stabilizing element comprising:
- at least three semi-rigid stabilizing members located in at least a midfoot region of said sole structure and positioned side-by-side in a medial-to-lateral direction relative to said sole structure, each said stabilizing member having an upwardly-curved shape in a midfoot region of said sole, each of said stabilizing members having a vertical thickness and a horizontal width that are defined at a central portion of said each of said stabilizing members, said vertical thickness being greater than said horizontal width at said central portion, and said stabilizing members having a combined stiffness that limits non-axial, vertical flexion of said sole structure in at least said midfoot region, and at least a first of said stabilizing members being independently movable with respect to a second of said stabilizing members to permit rotation of a heel region of said sole structure relative to a forefoot region of said sole structure, said rotation being about a longitudinal axis of said sole structure;
- and
- a connecting member that extends between said stabilizing members and connects said stabilizing members to each other.
An article of footwear that includes an upper and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure including a stabilizing element comprising a plurality of semi-rigid stabilizing members located in at least a midfoot region of said sole structure and positioned side-by-side in a medial-to-lateral direction relative to said sole structure, at least a first of said stabilizing members being independently movable with respect to a second of said stabilizing members, and each of said first and said second of said stabilizing members having a vertical thickness and a horizontal width that are defined at a central portion of said each of said first and said second of said stabilizing members, said vertical thickness being greater than said horizontal width at said central portion.
An article of footwear that includes an upper and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure including a stabilizing element comprising a plurality of semi-rigid and substantially parallel stabilizing members located in at least a midfoot region of said sole structure and extending in a longitudinal direction of said sole structure, at least a first of said stabilizing members being independently movable with respect to a second of said stabilizing members, and said stabilizing members being positioned in said article of footwear to extend from a calcaneus bone of an individual to metatarsal bones of the individual.
An article of footwear that includes an upper and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure including a stabilizing element comprising a plurality of semi-rigid and substantially parallel stabilizing members located in at least a midfoot region of said sole structure and extending in a longitudinal direction of said sole structure, said stabilizing members having a combined stiffness that limits non-axial, vertical flexion of said sole structure in at least said midfoot region, and at least a first of said stabilizing members being independently movable with respect to a second of said stabilizing members to permit rotation of a heel region of said sole structure relative to a forefoot region of said sole structure, said rotation being about a longitudinal axis of said sole structure, said stabilizing members being positioned in said article of footwear to extend from a calcaneus bone of an individual to metatarsal bones of the individual, and said plurality of stabilizing members include at least two medial stabilizing members and at least two lateral stabilizing members, said medial stabilizing members being located on a medial side of said footwear and said lateral stabilizing members being located on a lateral side of said footwear, said medial stabilizing members being connected to a medial connecting member on a medial side of said forefoot region, and said lateral stabilizing members being connected to a lateral connecting member on a lateral side of said forefoot region, said stabilizing members and said connecting members forming a generally u-shaped stabilizing element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.