Article of footwear incorporating a sole structure with compressible inserts
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorThomas Foxen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear is disclosed that incorporates an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole defines an aperture with a first sidewall, and the midsole includes an insert positioned within the aperture. The insert has a second sidewall, with at least a portion of the second sidewall being spaced from the first sidewall to define a space between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The outsole is secured to the midsole, and the outsole defines a ridge that is positioned within a lower portion of the space and between the first sidewall and the second sidewall.
Claims63
An article of footwear incorporating an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a midsole extending along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the footwear, the midsole defining an aperture with a first sidewall, the midsole including an insert positioned within the aperture, the insert having a second sidewall, at least a portion of the second sidewall being spaced from the first sidewall to define a space between the first sidewall and the second sidewall;
- and
- an outsole secured to the midsole, the outsole defining a ridge that is positioned within a lower portion of the space and between the first sidewall and the second sidewall.
An article of footwear incorporating an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a frame member extending along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the footwear, the frame member defining an aperture with a first sidewall;
- an insert positioned within the aperture, the insert including an upper surface, a lower surface, and a second sidewall extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, at least a portion of the second sidewall being spaced from the first sidewall to define a space between the first sidewall and the second sidewall;
- a cover member extending over the aperture, a lower surface of the cover member defining an indentation that receives the upper surface of the insert;
- and
- an outsole extending under the aperture, the outsole defining a ridge that is positioned within a lower portion of the space and between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and the outsole defining a depression for receiving the lower surface of the insert, the ridge extending at least partially around the depression.
An article of footwear incorporating an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a midsole extending along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the footwear and having a lateral side and a medial side, the midsole defining a first aperture and a separate second aperture, and the midsole including:
- a first insert positioned within the first aperture, at least a portion of a sidewall of the first aperture being spaced from a sidewall of the first insert, the first insert having a shape of at least three connected rounded regions;
- and
- a second insert positioned within the second aperture, at least a portion of a sidewall of the second aperture being spaced from a sidewall of the second insert, the second insert having a shape of at least two connected rounded regions;
- and
- an outsole secured to the midsole, the outsole defining a first ridge and a second ridge, the first ridge being positioned between the sidewall of the first aperture and the sidewall of the first insert, and the second ridge being positioned between the sidewall of the second aperture and the sidewall of the second insert.
An article of footwear incorporating an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a midsole extending along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the footwear and having a lateral side and a medial side, the midsole defining a first aperture and a separate second aperture, and the midsole including:
- a first insert positioned within the first aperture, the first insert having a shape of at least three connected rounded regions, a center of a first of the rounded regions being substantially equidistant from the lateral side and the medial side, a center of a second of the rounded regions being positioned closer the lateral side than the medial side, and a center of a third of the rounded regions being positioned closer the medial side than the lateral side, and
- a second insert positioned within the second aperture, the second insert having a shape of at least two connected rounded regions that are positioned in a medial-to-lateral direction with respect to each other;
- and
- an outsole secured to the midsole.
An article of footwear incorporating an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a midsole formed of a polymer foam material that defines an aperture, the midsole including an insert that is positioned within the aperture, the insert being spaced from a sidewall of the aperture, and the insert having a shape of at least two connected rounded regions;
- and
- an outsole secured to the midsole, the outsole defining a ridge that is positioned between the sidewall of the aperture and the insert.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.