Article of footwear with a pivoting sole element
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorKevin Patrick Fallon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear is disclosed that has a sole structure with a sole element and a coupling. The sole element is spaced from a remainder of the footwear to define a space between a portion of the sole element and the remainder of the footwear. The coupling extends upward from the sole element to join the sole element with the remainder of the footwear. The coupling is spaced from the periphery of the sole element, and the coupling is the only attachment point between the sole element and the remainder of the footwear. In operation, the coupling permits the sole element to pivot in relation to the remainder of the footwear.
Claims42
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a sole element spaced from a remainder of the footwear to define an air gap between a portion of the sole element and the remainder of the footwear, the sole element including:
- an upper surface,
- a lower surface positioned opposite the upper surface to form at least a portion of a ground-contacting surface of the footwear, and
- a side surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface to define a periphery of the sole element;
- and
- a coupling extending upward from the upper surface of the sole element to join the sole element with the remainder of the footwear, the coupling being spaced inward from the periphery of the sole element, and the coupling being an only attachment point between the sole element and the remainder of the footwear.
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a first support secured to the upper and extending in a direction between a medial side and a lateral side of the footwear;
- a second support that is substantially aligned with a portion of the first support, the second support being spaced from the first support and positioned below the first support, said second support having a surface facing toward said first support;
- and
- a coupling extending between the first support and the said surface of second support to form an only attachment point between the first support and the second support, the coupling being spaced inward from each of the medial side and the lateral side of the footwear, and the coupling being formed of unitary construction with each of the first support and the second support.
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a first support positioned adjacent to the upper and located to extend under a foot received by the upper;
- a sole element spaced from the first support, the sole element having:
- a second support forming an upper surface of the sole element, the second support being substantially parallel to a portion of the first support,
- an outsole forming a lower surface of the sole element, the lower surface being positioned opposite the upper surface to form at least a portion of a ground-contacting surface of the footwear,
- a force attenuating element positioned between the second support and the outsole, and
- a side surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface to define a periphery of the sole element, the side surface being formed by at least one of the second support, the outsole, and the force attenuating element;
- and
- a coupling that joins the first support and the sole element, the coupling being formed of unitary construction with the first support and the second support, the coupling extending upward from a central area of the second support that is spaced inward from the periphery of the sole element, and the coupling being an only attachment point between the sole element and the first support, a length dimension of the coupling being greater than a width dimension of the coupling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.