Granted Patent B2

US 12,426,671 · App. 18/428,569 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Inventors: Yoon Jeong Choi (Portland, OR); Tory M. Cross (Portland, OR); Christian Alexander Steinbeck (Portland, OR); James Zormeir (Beaverton, OR)

Assignee: NIKE, Inc.

A43B13/14A43B13/127

Abstract

Claims (26)

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

a first midsole portion including a first series of peaks and a first series of valleys, a first peak of the first series of peaks having a different shape and a shorter height than other peaks of the first series of peaks;

a second midsole portion including a second series of peaks and a second series of valleys, a first valley of the second series of valleys having a different shape and a shorter depth than other valleys of the second series of valleys and opposing the first peak, the first peak and the first valley being disposed in a midfoot region of the sole structure; and

a sheet disposed between the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion, the sheet conforming to the shape of the first series of peaks and the first series of valleys and conforming to the shape of the second series of peaks and the second series of valleys, and the sheet extending at least from a posterior end of the sole structure to an anterior end of the sole structure and from a medial side edge of the sole structure to a lateral side edge of the sole structure.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the sheet includes a first aperture formed through a thickness of the sheet.

3. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein the first midsole portion is in contact with the second midsole portion at the first aperture.

4. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein the first midsole portion is attached to the second midsole portion at the first aperture.

5. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein the first peak extends into the first aperture.

6. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein the first peak is in contact with the first valley at the first aperture.

7. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein the first peak is attached to the first valley at the first aperture.

8. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein the first aperture is elongate.

9. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein the first aperture includes a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sole structure.

10. An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of claim 1 .

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

a first midsole portion including a first series of peaks and a first series of valleys, peaks of the first series of peaks increasing in height in a first direction and a second direction along the sole structure;

a second midsole portion including a second series of peaks and a second series of valleys, valleys of the second series of valleys increasing in depth in the first direction and the second direction and opposing respective peaks of the first series of peaks, a shortest peak of the first series of peaks and a shortest valley of the second series of valleys correspond with one another and are disposed in a midfoot region of the sole structure; and

a sheet disposed between the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion, the sheet conforming to the shape of the first series of peaks and the first series of valleys and conforming to the shape of the second series of peaks and the second series of valleys, and the sheet extending at least from a posterior end of the sole structure to an anterior end of the sole structure and from a medial side edge of the sole structure to a lateral side edge of the sole structure.

12. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the sheet includes a first aperture formed through a thickness of the sheet.

13. The sole structure of claim 12 , wherein the first midsole portion is in contact with the second midsole portion at the first aperture.

14. The sole structure of claim 12 , wherein the first midsole portion is attached to the second midsole portion at the first aperture.

15. The sole structure of claim 12 , wherein the first direction extends in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sole structure.

16. The sole structure of claim 12 , wherein the first direction extends in a direction from a forefoot region of the sole structure toward a heel region of the sole structure.

17. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein a tallest peak of the first series of peaks is disposed in a heel region of the sole structure.

18. The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein peaks of the second series of peaks increase in height in the first direction along the sole structure.

19. The sole structure of claim 18 , wherein valleys of the first series of valleys increase in depth in the first direction and oppose respective peaks of the second series of peaks.

20. An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of claim 11 .

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (117)