Articles of Footwear
A sole assembly for an article of footwear including an outsole and a midsole disposed on the outsole. The midsole has forward and rearward portions, where the rearward midsole portion has a softer durometer than the forward midsole portion. The midsole also has a foot receiving surface. In an unloaded state, the foot receiving surface in a heel portion of the sole assembly is at least level with or elevated above the foot receiving surface in a forefoot portion of the sole assembly with respect to level ground. The foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly drops below the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly while in a loaded state on level ground.
1 . A sole assembly for an article of footwear, the sole assembly comprising:
an outsole; and
a midsole disposed on the outsole and having forward and rearward portions, the rearward midsole portion have a softer durometer than the forward midsole portion;
wherein the midsole has a foot receiving surface, and in an unloaded state, the foot receiving surface in a heel portion of the sole assembly is at least level with or elevated above the foot receiving surface in a forefoot portion of the sole assembly with respect to level ground; and
wherein the foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly drops below the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly while in a loaded state on level ground.
2 . The sole assembly of claim 1 , the foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly is elevated at least 2 mm above the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly while in the unloaded state.
3 . The sole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly drops at least 2 mm below the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly while in the loaded state.
4 . The sole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rearward midsole portion is arranged rearward of a metatarsal head region of the sole assembly.
5 . The sole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the forward midsole portion extends substantially the length of the outsole.
6 . The sole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the forward and rearward midsole portions meet along a transition region extending from the heel portion of the sole assembly to the forefoot portion of the sole assembly.
7 . The sole assembly of claim 6 , wherein the thickness of the forward midsole portion increases as the thickness of the rearward midsole portion decreases proportionally along the transition region from the heel portion of the sole assembly to the forefoot portion of the sole assembly.
8 . The sole assembly of claim 6 , wherein the transition region has a substantially linear side profile.
9 . The sole assembly of claim 6 , wherein the transition region has a curved side profile.
10 . The sole assembly of claim 6 , wherein the transition region is disposed rearward of a metatarsal head region of the sole assembly.
11 . The sole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the forward midsole portion comprises ethylene vinyl acetate and the rearward midsole portion comprises at least one of polyurethane and spongy injected molded ethylene vinyl acetate.
12 . The sole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the forward midsole portion has a durometer of between about 50 Asker C and about 80 Asker C, and the rearward midsole portion has a durometer of between about 20 Asker C and about 50 Asker C.
13 . The sole assembly of claim 12 , wherein the forward midsole portion has a durometer of about 52 Asker C and the rearward midsole portion has a durometer of about 25 Asker C.
14 . The sole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outsole defines an aperture in the heel portion of the sole assembly and the midsole defines a recess substantially centered with the aperture, together the outsole aperture and the midsole recess aiding heel drop and causing a heel of a user to become substantially centered thereabove in the loaded state.
15 . The sole assembly of claim 14 , wherein the outsole defines groves substantially concentric around the outsole aperture.
16 . A sole assembly for an article of footwear, the sole assembly comprising:
an outsole; and
a midsole disposed on the outsole and having a foot receiving surface, the midsole having forward and rearward portions meeting along a transition region extending from a heel portion of the sole assembly to a forefoot portion of the sole assembly, wherein the thickness of the forward midsole portion increases as the thickness of the rearward midsole portion decreases proportionally along the transition region from the heel portion of the sole assembly to the forefoot portion of the sole assembly;
wherein the forward midsole portion has a durometer of between about 50 Asker C and about 80 Asker C, and the rearward midsole portion has a durometer of between about 20 Asker C and about 50 Asker C.
17 . The sole assembly of claim 16 , wherein the forward midsole portion has a durometer of about 52 Asker C and the rearward midsole portion has a durometer of about 25 Asker C.
18 . The sole assembly of claim 16 , wherein the forward midsole portion comprises ethylene vinyl acetate and the rearward midsole portion comprises at least one of polyurethane and spongy injected molded ethylene vinyl acetate.
19 . The sole assembly of claim 16 , wherein the foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly is at least level with or higher than the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly while in an unloaded state; and
wherein the foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly drops below the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly while in a loaded state on level ground.
20 . The sole assembly of claim 19 , wherein the foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly drops at least 2 mm below the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly while in the loaded state.
21 . The sole assembly of claim 16 , wherein the rearward midsole portion is arranged rearward of a metatarsal head region of the sole assembly.
22 . The sole assembly of claim 16 , wherein the forward midsole portion extends substantially the length of the outsole.
23 . The sole assembly of claim 16 , wherein the transition region has a substantially linear side profile.
24 . The sole assembly of claim 16 , wherein the transition region has a curved side profile.
25 . The sole assembly of claim 16 , wherein the transition region is disposed rearward of a metatarsal head region of the sole assembly.
26 . The sole assembly of claim 16 , wherein the outsole defines an aperture in the heel portion of the sole assembly and the midsole defines a recess substantially centered with the aperture, together the outsole aperture and the midsole recess aiding heel drop and causing a heel of a user to become substantially centered thereabove in the loaded state.
27 . The sole assembly of claim 26 , wherein the outsole defines groves substantially concentric around the outsole aperture.
28 . A sole assembly for an article of footwear, the sole assembly comprising:
an outsole; and
a midsole disposed on the outsole and having forward and rearward portions, the forward and rearward midsole portions meeting along a transition region extending from a heel portion of the sole assembly to a forefoot portion of the sole assembly, wherein the thickness of the forward midsole portion increases as the thickness of the rearward midsole portion decreases proportionally along the transition region from the heel portion of the sole assembly to the forefoot portion of the sole assembly, the rearward midsole portion have a softer durometer than the forward midsole portion;
wherein the midsole has a foot receiving surface, and in an unloaded state, the foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly is at least level with or elevated above the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly with respect to level ground
wherein the foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly drops below the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly while in a loaded state on level ground; and
wherein the outsole defines an aperture in the heel portion of the sole assembly and the midsole defines a recess substantially centered with the aperture, together the outsole aperture and the midsole recess aiding heel drop and causing a heel of a user to become substantially centered thereabove in the loaded state.
29 . The sole assembly of claim 28 , the foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly is elevated at least 2 mm above the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly while in the unloaded state.
30 . The sole assembly of claim 28 , wherein the foot receiving surface in the heel portion of the sole assembly drops at least 2 mm below the foot receiving surface in the forefoot portion of the sole assembly while in the loaded state.
31 . The sole assembly of claim 28 , wherein the rearward midsole portion is arranged rearward of a metatarsal head region of the sole assembly.
32 . The sole assembly of claim 28 , wherein the forward midsole portion extends substantially the length of the outsole.
33 . The sole assembly of claim 28 , wherein the transition region has a substantially linear side profile.
34 . The sole assembly of claim 28 , wherein the transition region has a curved side profile.
35 . The sole assembly of claim 28 , wherein the transition region is disposed rearward of a metatarsal head region of the sole assembly.
36 . The sole assembly of claim 28 , wherein the forward midsole portion comprises ethylene vinyl acetate and the rearward midsole portion comprises spongy injected molded ethylene vinyl acetate.
37 . The sole assembly of claim 28 , wherein the forward midsole portion has a durometer of between about 50 Asker C and about 80 Asker C, and the rearward midsole portion has a durometer of between about 20 Asker C and about 50 Asker C.
38 . The sole assembly of claim 37 , wherein the forward midsole portion has a durometer of about 52 Asker C and the rearward midsole portion has a durometer of about 25 Asker C.