Granted Patent B2

US 12,667,164 · App. 19/268,127 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Inventors: Mauro Bonin (Nuremberg, DE); Andreas Siegismund (Rückersdorf, DE); Arnaud Redon (Nuremberg, DE)

Assignee: PUMA SE

A43B13/186A43B13/183A43B13/188A43B13/26

Abstract

Claims (36)

1 . A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper, the sole structure defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, and comprising:

an outsole having an upper outsole and a lower outsole that is directly coupled with the upper outsole, the outsole defining a front portion within the forefoot region, a middle portion within the midfoot region, and a rear portion within the heel region;

a front cushioning member that is disposed within a front spacing that is defined between the upper outsole and the lower outsole;

a plurality of first ground engaging members that extend from a bottom surface of the upper outsole within only the forefoot region; and

a plurality of second ground engaging members that extend from a bottom surface of the lower outsole,

wherein the upper outsole and the lower outsole are each configured to engage with a ground surface within the forefoot region.

2 . The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the front spacing defines a front spacing volume, and

wherein a volume of the front cushioning member is in a range of between 85% and 100% of the front spacing volume.

3 . The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein a maximum gap height of the front spacing is configured to be located beneath a ball of a user's foot during an in-use configuration of the article of footwear.

4 . The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first ground engaging members define a first cross-sectional shape at an intersection with the upper outsole and the plurality of second ground engaging members define a second cross-sectional shape at an intersection with the lower outsole, and

wherein the second cross-sectional shape is different than the first cross-sectional shape.

5 . The sole structure of claim 4 , wherein the lower outsole further includes a plurality of third ground engaging members that define a third cross-sectional shape at an intersection with the lower outsole,

wherein the third cross-sectional shape is different than the second cross-sectional shape.

6 . The sole structure of claim 4 , wherein the first cross-sectional shape is triangular and the second cross-sectional shape is circular.

7 . The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second ground engaging members are disposed directly below the front cushioning member.

8 . The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first ground engaging members is a plurality of teeth.

9 . The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the front cushioning member is visible from a lateral side of the article of footwear.

10 . The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the lower outsole is directly coupled to the upper outsole at each of a forefoot coupling point within the forefoot region and a midfoot coupling point within the midfoot region.

11 . A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper, the sole structure defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, and comprising:

an outsole having an upper outsole and a lower outsole that is directly coupled with the upper outsole, the upper outsole defining a front portion within the forefoot region, a middle portion within the midfoot region, and a rear portion within the heel region;

a front cushioning member that is disposed within a front spacing that is defined between the upper outsole and the lower outsole;

a plurality of first ground engaging members that extend from a bottom surface of the upper outsole only in the front portion of the upper outsole; and

a plurality of second ground engaging members that extend from a bottom surface of the lower outsole,

wherein the upper outsole and the lower outsole each define ground-engaging surfaces within the forefoot region.

12 . The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the front spacing defines a front spacing volume, and

wherein a volume of the front cushioning member is in a range of between 85% and 100% of the front spacing volume.

13 . The sole structure of claim 12 , wherein the front spacing volume is configured to be reduced by between 5% and about 10% with respect to an uncompressed volume of the front spacing volume.

14 . The sole structure of claim 12 , wherein the lower outsole is configured to move toward the upper outsole to reduce the front spacing volume and compress the front cushioning member between the lower outsole and the upper outsole.

15 . The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of first ground engaging members define a first cross-sectional shape at an intersection with the upper outsole and the plurality of second ground engaging members define a second cross-sectional shape at an intersection with the lower outsole, and

wherein the second cross-sectional shape is different than the first cross-sectional shape.

16 . The sole structure of claim 15 , wherein the lower outsole further includes a plurality of third ground engaging members that define a third cross-sectional shape at an intersection with the lower outsole,

wherein the third cross-sectional shape is different than the second cross-sectional shape.

17 . The sole structure of claim 15 , wherein the first cross-sectional shape is triangular and the second cross-sectional shape is circular.

18 . The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the lower outsole is directly coupled to the upper outsole at each of a forefoot coupling point within the forefoot region and a midfoot coupling point within the midfoot region.

19 . The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein the front cushioning member is visible from a lateral side of the article of footwear.

20 . The sole structure of claim 11 , wherein a longitudinal length of the front spacing increases when a compressive force is applied to the sole structure.

Continuity (4)

References Cited (81)