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US 9,021,721 B2Granted
Footwear
AssigneeAriat International, Inc.
InventorMichael P. McCarron
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Footwear according to the present disclosure includes an upper and a sole assembly coupled to the upper, with the sole assembly including an outsole with a ground-contacting surface and a midsole positioned above the outsole. The midsole includes a peripheral lasting member that defines a central aperture, and a cushioning member positioned at least above the peripheral lasting member. In some embodiments, the footwear further includes a heel and the midsole includes a heel strike projection that engages the heel. In some embodiments, the midsole further includes a shank. In some embodiments, the cushioning member defines the optional heel strike projection, and in other embodiments, the optional shank defines the optional heel strike projection. In some embodiments, the footwear includes a spur support.
Claims45
Footwear, comprising:
- an upper;
- and
- a sole assembly coupled to the upper and defining with the upper a foot compartment sized to receive a wearer's foot, wherein the sole assembly includes:
- an outsole having an outsole forefoot region, an outsole arch region, and an outsole heel region, wherein the outsole forefoot region, the outsole arch region, and the outsole heel region are positioned generally underneath a forefoot region, an arch region, and a heel region, respectively, of the wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is received in the foot compartment, and wherein the outsole forefoot region includes at least a forefoot ground-contacting surface of the footwear;
- and
- a midsole positioned above at least a portion of the outsole and having a midsole forefoot region above the outsole forefoot region, a midsole arch region above the outsole arch region, and a midsole heel region above the outsole heel region, wherein the midsole includes:
- a peripheral member defining a peripheral region extending at least substantially around a lower side of the midsole, wherein the peripheral member defines a central aperture extending through the peripheral member within the midsole forefoot region, the midsole arch region, and the midsole heel region;
- and
- a cushioning member positioned at least above the peripheral member and extending across the midsole forefoot region, the midsole arch region, and the midsole heel region;
- wherein the sole assembly further includes a heel extending from and below the outsole heel region, wherein the heel includes a heel ground-contacting surface of the footwear;
- and wherein a first portion of the cushioning member extends fully through the central aperture within the midsole heel region and defines a heel strike projection that engages the heel;
- wherein a second portion of the cushioning member extends fully through the central aperture within the midsole forefoot region;
- and wherein the first portion of the cushioning member extends a first distance below the peripheral member that is greater than a second distance below the peripheral member that the second portion of the cushioning member extends.
10 more elements
Footwear, comprising:
- an upper;
- and
- a sole assembly coupled to the upper and defining with the upper a foot compartment sized to receive a wearer's foot, wherein the sole assembly includes:
- an outsole having an outsole forefoot region, an outsole arch region, and an outsole heel region, wherein the outsole forefoot region, the outsole arch region, and the outsole heel region are positioned generally underneath a forefoot region, an arch region, and a heel region, respectively, of the wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is received in the foot compartment, and wherein the outsole forefoot region includes at least a forefoot ground-contacting surface of the footwear;
- and
- a midsole positioned above at least a portion of the outsole and having a midsole forefoot region above the outsole forefoot region, a midsole arch region above the outsole arch region, and a midsole heel region above the outsole heel region, wherein the midsole includes:
- a peripheral member defining a peripheral region extending at least substantially around a lower side of the midsole, wherein the peripheral member defines a central aperture extending through the peripheral member within the midsole forefoot region, the midsole arch region, and the midsole heel region;
- and
- a cushioning member positioned at least above the peripheral member and extending across the midsole forefoot region, the midsole arch region, and the midsole heel region;
- wherein the midsole further includes a shank, wherein lateral edges of the shank generally conform to the central aperture.
7 more elements
Footwear, comprising:
- an upper;
- and
- a sole assembly coupled to the upper and defining with the upper a foot compartment sized to receive a wearer's foot, wherein the sole assembly includes:
- an outsole having an outsole forefoot region, an outsole arch region, and an outsole heel region, wherein the outsole forefoot region, the outsole arch region, and the outsole heel region are positioned generally underneath a forefoot region, an arch region, and a heel region, respectively, of the wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is received in the foot compartment, and wherein the outsole forefoot region includes at least a forefoot ground-contacting surface of the footwear;
- and
- a midsole positioned above at least a portion of the outsole and having a midsole forefoot region above the outsole forefoot region, a midsole arch region above the outsole arch region, and a midsole heel region above the outsole heel region, wherein the midsole includes:
- a peripheral member defining a peripheral region extending at least substantially around a lower side of the midsole, wherein the peripheral member defines a central aperture extending through the peripheral member within the midsole forefoot region, the midsole arch region, and the midsole heel region;
- and
- a cushioning member positioned at least above the peripheral member and extending across the midsole forefoot region, the midsole arch region, and the midsole heel region;
- wherein the midsole further includes a shank;
- wherein the sole assembly further includes a heel extending from and below the outsole heel region, wherein the heel includes a heel ground-contacting surface of the footwear;
- wherein the shank extends across the midsole arch region and the midsole heel region;
- and wherein the shank defines a heel strike projection that engages the heel.
10 more elements
Footwear, comprising:
- an upper;
- and
- a sole assembly coupled to the upper defining with the upper a foot compartment sized to receive a wearer's foot, wherein the sole assembly includes:
- an outsole having an outsole forefoot region, an outsole arch region, and an outsole heel region, wherein the outsole forefoot region, the outsole arch region, and the outsole heel region are positioned generally underneath a forefoot region, an arch region, and a heel region, respectively, of the wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is received in the foot compartment, and wherein the outsole forefoot region includes at least a forefoot ground-contacting surface of the footwear;
- and
- a midsole positioned above at least a portion of the outsole and having a midsole forefoot region above the outsole forefoot region, a midsole arch region above the outsole arch region, and a midsole heel region above the outsole heel region, wherein the midsole includes:
- a peripheral member defining a peripheral region extending at least substantially around a lower side of the midsole, wherein the peripheral member defines a central aperture extending through the peripheral member within the midsole forefoot region, the midsole arch region, and the midsole heel region;
- and
- a cushioning member positioned at least above the peripheral member and extending across the midsole forefoot region, the midsole arch region, and the midsole heel region;
- wherein the sole assembly further includes a heel extending from and below the outsole heel region, wherein the heel includes a heel ground-contacting surface of the footwear;
- wherein the outsole includes:
- a shell engaged with the midsole, wherein the shell defines a heel aperture extending through the shell within the outsole heel region;
- and a forefoot tread coupled to an underside of the shell within the outsole forefoot region and including the forefoot ground-contacting surface;
- and wherein a portion of the cushioning member extends fully through the central aperture within the midsole heel region and defines a heel strike projection that extends through the heel aperture and engages the heel;
- wherein the heel includes a resilient, shock-absorbing pad accessible through the heel aperture, and wherein the heel strike projection engages the resilient, shock-absorbing pad.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.