IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,952,495
Granted Patent B2
US 10,952,495 · App. 16/367,967 · Granted Mar 23, 2021

Reinforcing shank arrangement for footwear sole structure

Inventors: Joseph Howley (Lake Oswego, OR); Morgan Stauffer (Portland, OR)
Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
A43B13/122A43B3/0036A43B5/00A43B5/002A43B5/02A43B5/06A43B13/026A43B13/04A43B13/10A43B13/14A43B13/141A43B13/26A43B23/22A43B23/227A43C15/167B29D35/0009B29D35/122B29K2077/00B29K2509/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,952,495
App. No.
16/367,967
Granted
Mar 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An article of footwear may include an upper configured to receive a foot and a sole component fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper. The sole component may include a baseplate having a bottom surface. The sole component may also include an arrangement of ground engaging members extending downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate. The baseplate may further include a reinforcing shank arrangement including a plurality of reinforcing strips formed of a different material than portions of the baseplate adjacent the reinforcing strips, wherein at least one of the reinforcing strips forms at least a portion of a base platform from which at least one of the ground engaging members extends.

Claims (28)

1. A sole component for an article of footwear, the sole component comprising:

a baseplate including a heel region, a forefoot region, and a midfoot region disposed between the heel region and the forefoot region;

an arrangement of ground engaging members extending from the baseplate;

a first reinforcement having a substantially U-shape and extending from the baseplate in the forefoot region, the first reinforcement extending proximate to and along an outer edge of the baseplate in a toe region from a first end disposed on one of a medial side of the baseplate and lateral side of the baseplate to a second end disposed on the other of the medial side and the lateral side; and

a second reinforcement extending from the baseplate in the midfoot region and including a first reinforcement strip and a second reinforcement strip each extending in a first direction towards the first reinforcement from an intersection of the first reinforcement strip and the second reinforcement strip disposed in the mid-foot region of the sole component, the first reinforcement strip extending from the intersection to a first free end and the second reinforcing strip extending from the intersection to a second free end spaced apart and independent from the first free end of the first reinforcing strip.

2. The sole component of claim 1 , wherein the first reinforcement is separated from the second reinforcement by a gap.

3. The sole component of claim 2 , wherein the first reinforcement includes a pair of legs providing the first reinforcement with the substantially U-shape, the pair of legs extending in a direction away from the toe region toward the heel region.

4. The sole component of claim 3 , wherein the second reinforcement extends in a direction toward the first reinforcement between the pair of legs.

5. The sole component of claim 3 , wherein the second reinforcement extends toward one of the legs of the pair of legs.

6. The sole component of claim 2 , wherein the baseplate includes a notch formed in the outer edge at the gap.

7. The sole component of claim 1 , wherein the baseplate includes a notch formed in the outer edge, the notch extending into the baseplate in an area between the first reinforcement and the second reinforcement.

8. The sole component of claim 1 , wherein the second reinforcement is elongate.

9. The sole component of claim 1 , wherein the second reinforcement includes a third reinforcing strip and a fourth reinforcing strip disposed between the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip, the third reinforcing strip and the fourth reinforcing strip extending in a direction toward the first reinforcement from the intersection.

10. The sole component of claim 9 , wherein the first reinforcing strip, the second reinforcing strip, the third reinforcing strip, and the fourth reinforcing strip all diverge from each other in a direction from the intersection toward the first reinforcement.

11. A sole component for an article of footwear, the sole component comprising:

a baseplate including a heel region, a forefoot region, and a midfoot region disposed between the heel region and the forefoot region;

an arrangement of ground engaging members extending from the baseplate;

a first reinforcement extending from the baseplate in the forefoot region and extending proximate to and along an outer edge of the baseplate in a toe region from a first end disposed on one of a medial side of the baseplate and lateral side of the baseplate to a second end disposed on the other of the medial side and the lateral side; and

a second reinforcement extending from the baseplate in the midfoot region, being spaced apart from the first reinforcement by a gap, and including a first reinforcement strip and a second reinforcement strip each extending in a first direction towards the first reinforcement from an intersection of the first reinforcement strip and the second reinforcement strip disposed in a mid-foot region of the sole component, the first reinforcement strip extending from the intersection to a first free end and the second reinforcing strip extending from the intersection to a second free end spaced apart and independent from the first free end of the first reinforcing strip.

12. The sole component of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the ground engaging members extends from the first reinforcement and the second reinforcement.

13. The sole component of claim 11 , wherein the first reinforcement includes a pair of legs providing the second reinforcement with a substantially U-shape, the pair of legs extending in a direction away from the toe region toward the heel region.

14. The sole component of claim 13 , wherein the second reinforcement extends in a direction toward the first reinforcement between the pair of legs.

15. The sole component of claim 13 , wherein the second reinforcement extends toward one of the legs of the pair of legs.

16. The sole component of claim 11 , wherein the baseplate includes a first notch formed in the outer edge and a second notch formed in the outer edge, the first notch opposing the second notch across a width of the baseplate in the forefoot region.

17. The sole component of claim 11 , wherein the baseplate includes a notch formed in the outer edge, the notch extending into the baseplate in an area between the first reinforcement and the second reinforcement.

18. The sole component of claim 11 , wherein the second reinforcement is elongate.

19. The sole component of claim 11 , wherein the second reinforcement includes a third reinforcing strip and a fourth reinforcing strip disposed between the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip, the third reinforcing strip and the fourth reinforcing strip extending in a direction toward the first reinforcement from the intersection.

20. The sole component of claim 19 , wherein the first reinforcing strip, the second reinforcing strip, the third reinforcing strip, and the fourth reinforcing strip all diverge from each other in a direction from the intersection toward the first reinforcement.

Continuity (4)
Continuation 15383410 · Dec 19, 2016
Continuation 14613871 · Feb 4, 2015
Continuation 13561608 · Jul 30, 2012
Related Publication 20190223549A1 · Jul 25, 2019