# US 9,038,285 B2 · Footwear sole with midsole protrusions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,285 B2 - Document ID: US9038285B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/313,781 - Filed: 2011-12-07 - Published: 2012-06-14 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-10 - Assignees: Converse Inc. - Applicants: Sean M. McDowell; Christopher J. Edington - Inventors: Sean M. McDowell; Christopher J. Edington - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038285B2 ## CPC - A43B 13/122: {characterised by the outsole or external layer} - A43B 13/14: characterised by the constructive form - A43B 13/20: Pneumatic soles {filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas (inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407)} - A43B 13/223: {Profiled soles} - A43B 13/36: Easily-exchangeable soles (protecting-soles A43C13/12) - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract Embodiments of the present invention relate to a footwear sole including a midsole and an outsole. The midsole includes of a plurality of protrusions extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the midsole toward the outsole. The outsole may include a plurality of recesses positioned to mate with a corresponding protrusion from the midsole. The outsole may also include one or more protrusion extending downwardly from the bottom of the outsole. The outsole protrusions may correspond with an associated recess of the outsole top surface. The protrusions may be hemispherical in shape at their distal ends so that a portion of the distal end may be received by the corresponding recess of the outsole top surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A footwear sole having a perimeter defined by a toe end, a heal end, a medial side, and a lateral side, comprising: a midsole having a midsole top surface and an opposite midsole bottom surface, wherein the midsole bottom surface is comprised of a baseline bottom surface and a plurality of protrusions extending downwardly from the baseline bottom surface, each of the plurality of protrusions have a hemisphere-shaped distal end; an outsole having an outsole top surface and an outsole bottom surface, the outsole top surface is comprised of a plurality of recesses such that each of the plurality of recesses corresponds to an associated protrusion of the plurality of protrusions, wherein a first recess of the plurality of recesses is shaped to substantially receive a portion of a hemisphere-shaped distal end of a first protrusion of the plurality of protrusions, the outsole bottom surface is comprised of a plurality of outsole protrusions, wherein the plurality of outsole protrusions correspond to the plurality of recesses; and a bonding agent, wherein the bonding agent couples the midsole to the outsole proximate a portion of the perimeter and proximate a portion the hemisphere-shaped distal end of the first protrusion, the midsole and the outsole are not coupled proximate the baseline bottom surface that is remote from the perimeter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The footwear sole of claim 1, wherein the midsole is formed from a foam material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The footwear sole of claim 1, wherein the midsole and the plurality of protrusions are formed from a common material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The footwear sole of claim 1, wherein a first protrusion of the plurality of protrusions has a greater downward extension measured from the midsole top surface than a second protrusion of the plurality of protrusions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The footwear sole of claim 4, wherein the first protrusion is positioned closer to the midsole heel end than the second protrusion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The footwear sole of claim 1 further comprising an outsole supplement, wherein the outsole supplement is coupled to a portion of the bottom surface of the outsole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The footwear sole of claim 1 further comprising an insert coupled to the midsole proximate the midsole top surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The footwear sole of claim 1, wherein the concave contour of each recess of the plurality of recesses correspond to an associated protrusion of the outsole bottom surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The footwear sole of claim 1, wherein the midsole and the outsole are coupled along a perimeter defined by the midsole toe end, the midsole lateral side, the midsole heel end, and the midsole medial side. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The footwear sole of claim 9, wherein a substantially air-tight bond is formed along the perimeter to maintain a volume of air between the midsole and the outsole during a compression of the footwear sole by a user. ### Claim 11 A footwear sole, comprising: a midsole having a midsole perimeter, a midsole top surface, and a baseline bottom surface, wherein a plurality of protrusions extend downwardly from the baseline bottom surface such that the plurality of protrusions form a protrusion bottom surface of the midsole, the plurality of protrusions and the midsole are formed of a cohesive material; and an outsole having an outsole top surface and an outsole bottom surface, the outsole bottom surface being comprised of a plurality of outsole protrusions, wherein the plurality of outsole protrusions corresponds to the plurality of protrusions of the midsole, wherein the outsole and the midsole are affixed proximate a portion of the midsole perimeter and proximate a portion of the protrusion bottom surface, and the outsole and the midsole are not affixed proximate the baseline bottom surface remote from the midsole perimeter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The footwear sole of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions are substantially circular in a horizontal cross-section of each of the plurality of protrusions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The footwear sole of claim 11, wherein a portion of the baseline bottom surface surrounds each of the plurality of protrusions proximate the baseline bottom surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The footwear sole of claim 11, wherein the plurality of protrusion are discontinuously dispersed across substantially all of the midsole proximate the baseline bottom surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The footwear sole of claim 11, wherein the protrusion bottom surface and the baseline bottom surface form a midsole bottom surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The footwear sole of claim 11, wherein the cohesive material is a foam material having location varied densities, such that a first region of the midsole has a first density and a second region of the midsole has a second density. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The footwear sole of claim 11, wherein the outsole top surface is comprised of a plurality of recesses formed to receive a distal end portion of each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The footwear sole of claim 11, wherein a portion of the outsole is semi-transparent such that a first protrusion of the plurality of protrusion is able to be viewed through the outsole.