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US 9,775,404 B2Granted
Custom article of footwear and method of making the same
OwnerRobert M. Lydeninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention teaches a method of making a custom article of footwear. Further, the article of footwear can include a knitted upper and means for cushioning. In addition, the components of the article of footwear can be selected from a wide range of options, and can be easily removed and replaced, as desired.
Claims17
An article of footwear comprising an anterior side, a posterior side, a medial side, a lateral side, a superior side, an inferior side, a rearfoot area, a midfoot area, a forefoot area, an upper comprising a bottom side, a heel counter, and a spring element,
- said spring element comprising a superior spring element and a plurality of integrally formed inferior spring elements projecting downwardly and rearwardly from said superior spring element,
- said superior spring element comprising a top side and extending substantially between said anterior side and said posterior side of said article of footwear and said top side of said superior spring element being connected to said bottom side of said upper,
- said plurality of inferior spring elements each comprising a posteriormost side, a medialmost side, a lateralmost side, a top surface comprising a top curved configuration, a bottom surface comprising a bottom curved configuration and an inferiormost point and a geometric shape,
- said plurality of inferior spring elements comprising a first inferior spring element located on said medial side and being positioned across from at least one other of said plurality of inferior spring elements comprising a second inferior spring element located on said lateral side and being at least partially separated by a void space located therebetween,
- said first inferior spring element and said second inferior spring element each being configured to provide a vertical elevation of at least 10 mm from said inferiormost point to said top side of said superior spring element, each of said first inferior spring element and said second inferior spring element being located in at least one of said midfoot area and said rearfoot area, said midfoot area and said rearfoot area therefore both being elevated and capable of deflection,
- said first inferior spring element located on said medial side comprising a first top surface comprising a first top curved configuration and a first bottom surface comprising a first bottom curved configuration and comprising a first geometric shape, and said second inferior spring element located on said lateral side comprising a second top surface comprising a second top curved configuration and a second bottom surface comprising a second bottom curved configuration and comprising a second geometric shape,
- said first bottom curved configuration of said first inferior spring element being substantially the same as said second bottom curved configuration of said second inferior spring element, and said first geometric shape of said first inferior spring element being different and asymmetric relative to said second geometric shape of said second inferior spring element.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.