IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,302,984
Granted Patent B2
US 12,302,984 · App. 16/274,947 · Granted May 20, 2025

Customized footwear, and systems and methods for designing and manufacturing same

Inventors: Christopher Wawrousek (Somerville, MA); Daniel P. Dempsey (North Andover, MA); Jean-Francois Fullum (North Reading, MA); Sean B. Murphy (North Andover, MA); Pedro Rodrigues (Amesbury, MA); Trampas Tenbroek (North Andover, MA)
Assignee: New Balance Athletics, Inc.
A43B13/181A43B5/02A43B5/06A43B7/14A43B13/04A43B13/125A43B13/14A43B13/141A43B13/18A43B13/203A43B13/223A43C13/04A43D1/02A43D1/025A61B5/1038B29C44/08B33Y80/00G06F30/17A43D2200/60A61B5/1074A61B5/6807
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,302,984
App. No.
16/274,947
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to devices and methods for designing and manufacturing customized footwear, and components thereof. An example method includes a method of designing at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear customized for a user. The method includes the steps of determining at least one input parameter related to a user, analyzing the at least one input parameter to determine at least one performance metric of a foot of the user, and determining at least one customized structural characteristic of at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear for the user based on the performance metric.

Claims (23)

1. A method of manufacturing at least a portion of a midsole of an article of footwear customized for a user, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a first set of input parameters related to the user, the first set of input parameters comprising a size and width of a foot of the user and at least one additional physical characteristic of the foot of the user;

determining a second set of input parameters related to the user, the second set of input parameter comprising: (i) at least one performance characteristic of the foot of the user during at least a portion of an athletic motion, and (ii) at least one pressure measurement over at least a portion of a sole of the foot of the user;

analyzing the first set of input parameters to determine a size and a shape of the portion of the midsole of the article of footwear at least partially customized to fit the foot of the user;

analyzing the second set of input parameters to determine a structural performance characteristic of the portion of the midsole of the article of footwear at least partially customized to the foot of the user; and

manufacturing the portion of the midsole of the article of footwear with the customized size, shape, and structural performance characteristic, wherein (i) manufacturing the portion of the midsole of the article of footwear comprises forming the portion of the midsole by an additive manufacturing method selected from the group consisting of selective laser sintering and stereolithography, the portion of the midsole comprising a three-dimensional open web structure of elongate elements extending between nodes, a lower surface for engaging an outsole, the lower surface not being a ground contact surface, and an exposed sidewall, (ii) ends of the elongate elements are connected to the nodes, (iii) a distribution of the elongate elements and the nodes is determined at least in part by the structural performance characteristic, (iv) a first region of the portion of the midsole comprises a first elongate element of the elongate elements comprising a first length, and (v) a second region of the portion of the midsole comprises a second elongate element of the elongate elements comprising a second length different from the first length.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional physical characteristic of the foot comprises at least one of a foot shape, a bone structure, a ligament structure, a toe shape, a toe distribution, an arch shape, an arch position, or a heel shape.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one additional physical characteristic of the foot comprises scanning the foot with a 3D scanning device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic of the foot of the user during at least a portion of an athletic motion comprises at least one of a position, a velocity, an acceleration, a rotational velocity, a rotational acceleration, a pressure, a force, a change in shape, a stress, or a strain.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic of the foot of the user during at least a portion of an athletic motion comprises at least one of a ground contact time, an initial foot-strike location, a toe-off position, a pronation characteristic, or a supination characteristic.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one pressure measurement comprises obtaining data from a plurality of pressure sensors positioned between the foot of the user and a ground surface.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one pressure measurement comprises obtaining a plurality of pressure measurements over at least a portion of the foot of the user during a ground contact phase of the athletic motion.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein analyzing the at least one pressure measurement comprises identifying a distribution of pressures over at least one region of the foot of the user during at least a portion of the ground contact phase of the athletic motion.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein analyzing the at least one pressure measurement further comprises identifying at least one pressure vector associated with the distribution of pressures.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one structural performance characteristic comprises at least one structural characteristic of the portion of the midsole selected from the group consisting of a cushioning characteristic, a flexibility characteristic, and a support characteristic.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the cushioning characteristic comprises a distribution of regions of increased or decreased cushioning.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the flexibility characteristic comprises a distribution of regions of increased or decreased flexibility.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the support characteristic comprises a distribution of regions of increased or decreased support.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the structural performance characteristic comprises a traction characteristic.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the athletic motion comprises at least a portion of a running gait cycle.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the traction characteristic comprises a distribution of traction elements.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the nodes are disposed in different planes, with at least one of the elongate elements extending between the at least two nodes.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the nodes are disposed at different heights within the portion of the midsole.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2019
From: DEMPSEY, DANIEL P.
To: NEW BALANCE ATHLETICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 049890/0615 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2019
From: WAWROUSEK, CHRIS; FULLUM, JEAN-FRANCOIS; MURPHY, SEAN B.; RODRIGUES, PEDRO; TENBROEK, TRAMPAS
To: NEW BALANCE ATHLETIC SHOE, INC.
Reel/Frame 049890/0626 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 29, 2019
From: NEW BALANCE ATHLETIC SHOE, INC.
To: NEW BALANCE ATHLETICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 049895/0218 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 14946122 · Nov 19, 2015
Continuation 14134948 · Dec 19, 2013
Provisional Application 61739346 · Dec 19, 2012
Related Publication 20190261735A1 · Aug 29, 2019
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