Granted Patent B2

US 12,745,820 · App. 18/507,848 · Granted Sep 29, 2026

Inventors: Sidney Fauconnier (Nuremberg, DE); Mauro Bonin (Nuremberg, DE); Romain Girard (Lauf an der Pegnitz, DE)

Assignee: PUMA SE

A43B7/1463A43B13/181A43B13/188A43B13/36

Abstract

Claims (46)

1 . An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper attached to a stabilizer having a lower surface, the stabilizer extending from a toe end to a heel end;

a tab extending from the heel end of the stabilizer;

an outsole having an aperture and an interior surface;

a first pod that is a foam body that includes a first top surface opposite a first bottom surface, wherein the first pod directly contacts the lower surface and the interior surface, the first pod defining a plurality of voids disposed along a lateral surface of the first pod, wherein the plurality of voids is exposed along the lateral surface; and

a second pod that includes a second top surface opposite a second bottom surface, wherein the second top surface only directly contacts the lower surface of the stabilizer and the second bottom surface only directly contacts the interior surface of the outsole, the second pod disposed in a forefoot region of the article of footwear,

wherein the tab is configured to be retained within the aperture at the heel end and the stabilizer is integrally formed with the outsole at the toe end,

wherein a volume between the lower surface and the interior surface forms a midsole cavity, and

wherein the midsole cavity is configured to receive the first pod and the second pod.

2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first top surface only directly contacts the lower surface of the stabilizer, and the first bottom surface only directly contacts the interior surface of the outsole.

3 . The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the first pod is secured to the lower surface or the interior surface.

4 . The article of footwear of claim 3 , wherein the first pod is secured by an adhesive or by welding.

5 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is configured to be selectively retained by the tab.

6 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the outsole is configured to rotate with respect to the stabilizer when the aperture is not retained by the tab.

7 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the second top surface or the second bottom surface of the second pod includes at least one groove, wherein the at least one groove is configured to be secured to at least one rib of at least one of the lower surface of the stabilizer or the interior surface of the outsole.

8 . An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper attached to a stabilizer having a lower surface, the stabilizer extending from a toe end to a heel end;

a tab extending from the heel end of the stabilizer;

an outsole having an aperture and an interior surface;

a first pod that is a foam body that includes a top surface opposite a bottom surface, wherein the top surface only directly contacts the lower surface of the stabilizer and the bottom surface only directly contacts the interior surface of the outsole, the first pod defining a plurality of voids disposed along a lateral surface of the first pod, wherein the plurality of voids is exposed along the lateral surface; and

a second pod that directly contacts the lower surface and the interior surface,

wherein the aperture is configured to receive the tab at the heel end and the stabilizer is integrally formed with the outsole at the toe end,

wherein a volume between the lower surface and the interior surface forms a midsole cavity that includes a forward pod region,

wherein the forward pod region is configured to receive the first pod, and

wherein the first pod is configured to be exchanged with the second pod in the forward pod region.

9 . The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the midsole cavity further comprises a rear pod region that is configured to receive one of the first pod and second pod.

10 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein, when the tab is retained within the aperture, one of the first pod or second pod is retained in the midsole cavity.

11 . The article of footwear of claim 10 , further comprising a third pod, and wherein the third pod is configured to be exchanged with the first pod or the second pod.

12 . The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the first pod has a first stiffness, the second pod has a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness, and the third pod has a third stiffness greater than the second stiffness.

13 . The article of footwear of claim 12 , wherein a first cushioning effect of the article of footwear is configured to be adjusted by exchanging the first pod for one of the second pod or the third pod.

14 . The article of footwear of claim 12 , wherein, when the first pod is provided in the forward pod region and the second pod is provided in the rear pod region a second cushioning effect associated with the rear pod region of the article of footwear is configured to be adjusted by exchanging the first pod with the second pod.

15 . The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface of the first pod includes at least one groove, wherein the at least one groove is configured to be secured to at least one corresponding rib of at least one of the lower surface of the stabilizer or the interior surface of the outsole.

16 . A method of exchanging pods in an article of footwear, comprising:

providing an upper attached to a stabilizer having a lower surface, the stabilizer extending from a toe end to a heel end, and a tab extending from the heel end of the stabilizer;

providing an outsole pivotably secured to the stabilizer and having an aperture and an interior surface, wherein the stabilizer is integrally formed with the outsole at the toe end;

providing a first pod that is a foam body that defines a plurality of voids disposed along a lateral surface of the first pod, wherein the plurality of voids is exposed along the lateral surface;

providing a second pod in a forefoot region, the second pod having a top surface opposite a bottom surface;

directly contacting the first pod with the interior surface and the lower surface;

directly contacting the top surface of the second pod with the lower surface and the bottom surface of the second pod with the interior surface, wherein the top surface of the second pod only contacts the lower surface and the bottom surface of the second pod only contacts the interior surface; and

securing the tab within the aperture at the heel end.

17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising releasing the aperture from the tab and pivoting the outsole away from the stabilizer.

18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising securing the first pod and the second pod to the outsole or the stabilizer.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising securing the first pod or the second pod using an adhesive or welding.

20 . The method of claim 19 further comprising rotating the outsole toward the stabilizer and securing the tab within the aperture.

21 . The method of claim 16 further comprising securing the first pod or the second pod to the outsole or the stabilizer, providing a third pod different from the first pod and the second pod, and replacing the first pod or the second pod with the third pod.

22 . The method of claim 16 further comprising securing at least one groove of at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface of the second pod to at least one corresponding rib of at least one of the lower surface of the stabilizer or the interior surface of the outsole.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)