IP Library Granted Patent US 10,448,704
Granted Patent B2
US 10,448,704 · App. 15/248,059 · Granted Oct 22, 2019

Plate with foam for footwear

Inventors: Risha Dupre (Tigard, OR); Emily Farina (Beaverton, OR); Lysandre Follet (Portland, OR); Stefan E. Guest (Portland, OR); Helene Hutchinson (Portland, OR); Geng Luo (Portland, OR); Rachel M. Suffield (Beaverton, OR); Krissy Yetman (Portland, OR)
Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
A43B13/186A43B7/145A43B7/148A43B7/1445A43B7/18A43B13/04A43B13/12A43B13/127A43B13/141A43B13/143A43B13/188A43B13/189A43B13/20A43B13/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,448,704
App. No.
15/248,059
Granted
Oct 22, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes an outsole, a plate disposed between the outsole and the upper, and a first cushioning layer. The plate includes an anterior-most point disposed in a forefoot region of the sole structure, a posterior-most point disposed closer to a heel region of the sole structure than the anterior-most point, and a concave portion extending between the anterior-most point and the posterior-most point. The concave portion includes a constant radius of curvature from the anterior-most point to a metarsophalangeal (MTP) point of the sole structure. The MTP point opposes the MTP joint of a foot during use. The first cushioning layer is disposed between the concave portion and the upper.

Claims (40)

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper, the sole structure comprising:

an outsole;

a plate disposed between the outsole and the upper, the plate comprising:

an anterior-most point disposed in a forefoot region of the sole structure;

an aft point disposed closer to a heel region of the sole structure than the anterior-most point;

a concave portion including a constant radius of curvature from the anterior-most point to a transition point disposed between a metatarsophalangeal (MTP) point of the sole structure and the aft point, the MTP point being tangent with a reference plane and located twenty-five percent to thirty-five percent of a total length of the plate from the anterior-most point;

a convex portion extending from the transition point to the aft point in a direction away from the reference plane, the aft point located twenty-five percent to thirty-five percent of the total length of the plate from the MTP point; and

a substantially flat portion extending from the aft point to a heel region of the sole structure parallel to the reference plane; and

a first cushioning layer disposed between the concave portion and the upper.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the anterior-most point and the aft point are co-planar.

3. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the convex portion includes a substantially constant curvature.

4. The sole structure of claim 1 , further comprising a second cushioning layer disposed between the outsole and the plate.

5. The sole structure claim 1 , further comprising a fluid-filled chamber disposed proximate to the substantially flat portion.

6. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein the fluid-filled chamber is located between the substantially flat portion and the outsole.

7. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein a center of the radius of curvature is located at the MTP point.

8. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the substantially flat portion extends from the aft point to a posterior-most point of the plate.

9. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the plate has a uniform thickness.

10. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein a length of the plate from the anterior-most point to the MTP point is equal to a length of the plate from the MTP point to the aft point.

11. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first cushioning layer extends from the anterior-most point to the aft point.

12. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first cushioning layer extends from the anterior-most point to a posterior-most point of the substantially flat portion.

13. A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper, the sole structure comprising:

an outsole;

a plate disposed between the outsole and the upper, the plate comprising:

an anterior-most point disposed in a forefoot region of the sole structure;

an aft point disposed closer to a heel region of the sole structure than the anterior-most point;

an anterior curved portion extending from the anterior-most point and including a constant, first radius of curvature from the anterior-most point to a metatarsophalangeal (MTP) point of the sole structure, the MTP point located twenty-five percent to thirty-five percent of a total length of the plate from the anterior-most point and the aft point located twenty-five percent to thirty-five percent of the total length of the plate from the MTP point;

a posterior curved portion extending in a direction away from a ground surface and having the first radius of curvature from the MTP point to a transition point between the MTP point and the aft point, and a second radius of curvature from the transition point to the aft point; and

a substantially flat portion extending from the aft point to a heel region of the sole structure; and

a first cushioning layer disposed between the anterior curved portion and the upper.

14. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the anterior-most point and the aft point are co-planar.

15. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the second radius of curvature is constant.

16. The sole structure of claim 13 , further comprising a second cushioning layer disposed between the outsole and the plate.

17. The sole structure of claim 13 , further comprising a fluid-filled chamber disposed proximate to the substantially flat portion.

18. The sole structure of claim 17 , wherein the fluid-filled chamber is located between the substantially flat portion and the outsole.

19. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein a center of the first radius of curvature is located at the MTP point.

20. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the substantially flat portion extends from the aft point to a posterior-most point of the plate.

21. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the plate has a uniform thickness.

22. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein a length of the plate from the anterior-most point to the MTP point is equal to a length of the plate from the MTP point to the aft point.

23. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the first cushioning layer is disposed between the anterior curved portion and the upper and extends from the anterior-most point to the aft point.

24. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the first cushioning layer extends from the anterior-most point to a posterior-most point of the substantially flat portion.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTION BY DECLARATION OF INCORRECT ASSIGNMENT FOR SERIAL NUMBER 15/248,059 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 040774 AND FRAME 0516 Recorded Aug 9, 2018
From: NIKE, INC.
To: NIKE, INC.
Reel/Frame 046754/0876 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2016
From: DUPRE, RISHA; FARINA, EMILY; FOLLET, LYSANDRE; GUEST, STEFAN E; HUTCHINSON, HELENE; LUO, GENG; SUFFIELD, RACHEL M; YETMAN, KRISSY
To: NIKE INC.
Reel/Frame 040774/0471 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2016
From: NIKE INC.
To: NIKE INNOVATE C.V.
Reel/Frame 040774/0516 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62236649 · Oct 2, 2015
Provisional Application 62308626 · Mar 15, 2016
Related Publication 20170095034A1 · Apr 6, 2017
Cited By (20)
US 1,135,339 US 1,136,506 US 1,141,345 US 12,220,019 US 12,225,968 US 12,295,450 US 12,302,980 US 12,419,383 US 12,419,384 US 12,426,676 US 12,495,861 US 12,543,822 US 12,557,876 US 12,569,031 US 12,583,990 US 12,606,684 US 12,653,267 US 12,660,881 US 12,690,642 US 12,715,971