Article of footwear

An article of footwear, comprising:

• an outer member;
• a midsole;
• a composite plate disposed between the outer member and the midsole;
• wherein the composite plate comprises a composite sheet, a first side of a first adhesive film bonded to a first side of the composite sheet, and a first side of a second adhesive film bonded to a second side of the composite sheet;
• wherein a first portion of an upper surface of the outer member is attached to a second side of the first adhesive film of the composite plate, leaving a remaining second portion of the upper surface of the outer member;
• wherein a first portion of a lower surface of the midsole is attached to a second side of the second adhesive film, leaving a remaining second portion of the lower surface of the midsole;
• wherein the remaining second portion of the upper surface of the outer member is attached to the remaining second portion of the lower surface of the midsole by a midsole-to-outer-member adhesive that is made of a material different from the first adhesive film and the second adhesive film;
• wherein the composite plate and the first adhesive film cover the first portion of the upper surface of the outer member, leaving the remaining second portion of the upper surface of the outer member;
• wherein the first side of the second adhesive film is fixedly attached to a top portion of the composite plate and wherein the second side of the second adhesive film is fixedly attached to the first portion of the lower surface of the midsole, leaving the remaining second portion of the lower surface of the midsole;
• wherein the first side of the second adhesive film is continuously bonded to the composite plate across an entirety of the top portion of the composite plate;
• wherein the second side of the second adhesive film is continuously bonded to the first portion of the lower surface of the midsole;
• and
• wherein the remaining second portion of the lower surface of the midsole is attached to the remaining second portion of the upper surface of the outer member by the midsole-to-outer-member adhesive.

A sole for an article of footwear, comprising:

• an outer member;
• a composite plate;
• and
• a midsole;
• wherein the composite plate is more rigid than the outer member, has a width that is less than a width of the outer member, and has a length that is less than a length of an arch region of the sole;
• wherein the composite plate comprises a composite sheet, a first side of a first adhesive film bonded to a first side of the composite sheet, a first side of a second adhesive film bonded to a second side of the composite sheet, and, before assembly of the sole, a protective layer on a second side of the second adhesive film opposite to the composite sheet;
• wherein the composite sheet comprises stacked layers of thermoplastic urethane and pre-preg woven sheets of carbon fibers;
• wherein the first adhesive film is bonded to an entirety of the first side of the composite sheet;
• wherein a first portion of an upper surface of the outer member is attached to a second side of the first adhesive film opposite to the composite sheet, leaving a remaining second portion of the upper surface of the outer member;
• wherein a midsole-to-outer-member adhesive is disposed on the remaining second portion of the upper surface of the outer member;
• wherein the midsole-to-outer-member adhesive is made of a material different from the first adhesive film and the second adhesive film;
• wherein the composite plate and the first adhesive film cover the first portion of the upper surface of the outer member, leaving the remaining second portion of the upper surface of the outer member;
• wherein when the sole is assembled:
• the composite plate is disposed between the midsole and the outer member;
• the second side of the second adhesive film, with the protective layer removed, is fixedly attached to a first inner portion of the midsole, leaving a remaining second inner portion of the midsole;
• the first side of the second adhesive film is continuously bonded to the composite plate across an entirety of the second side of the composite plate;
• the second side of the second adhesive film is continuously bonded to the first inner portion of the midsole;
• and
• the remaining second inner portion of the midsole is attached to the remaining second portion of the upper surface of the outer member by the midsole-to-outer-member adhesive.