Footwear sole

Abstract

A sole for an article of footwear having an insert with a plurality of support tubes that include internal webs configured to control the support characteristics of each support tube. In one embodiment, a first plurality of support tubes is disposed along the medial side of the sole in the heel region and a second plurality of support tubes is disposed along the lateral side of the sole in the heel region. The insert may include an arch portion that extends through and provides support to the arch region of the sole. The arch portion may define a slot to receive a gaiter strap. The insert may further include a forefoot extension that extends forwardly from the arch along the medial side of the sole. In one embodiment, the sole may include a heel wedge disposed below the insert in the heel region such that the support tubes are supported upon a relatively resilient material. In one embodiment, the insert may include struts that interconnect the medial and lateral support tubes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to a sole construction for an article of footwear. [0002] There is a continuing effort to provide ever more comfortable footwear. Running shoes, as well as other footwear, have undergone tremendous evolutionary advances in technology over the past 20 years. Many of the technological advances have occurred in the midsole. In most footwear, the midsole functions as the “suspension system” of the sole and it often provides both protective cushioning and a stable platform for the wearer's foot. Variations in the characteristics of the midsole can have a dramatic affect on the performance of the shoe. In an effort to provide improved performance, it is often desirable to vary the support characteristics of the sole from one region to another. For example, it may be desirable to provide a higher density material in the heel and a lower density material in the forefoot. A higher density mate...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] In yet another embodiment, the support tubes are disposed in at least a portion of the heel region of the insert and the insert includes an arch portion extending through the arch region of the sole. The arch portion of the insert may include two layers spaced apart from one another to provide a structure to receive a gaiter strap. The lower layer helps to protect the gaiter strap from damage associated with ground contact. If desired, the insert may further include a forefoot extension that extends through at least a portion of the forefoot region of the sole. The forefoot extension may extend only along the medial side of the forefoot region to provide a sole that is more rigid along the medial side. The forefoot extension may extend through different regions of the forefoot or may cover the entire forefoot region, as desired.

[0009] The present invention provides a unique footwear sole that can be easily tuned to provide the desired support profile. The insert may be manufactured from TPU or other relatively durable materials that do not degrade as quickly

Problems solved by technology

In conventional footwear, the midsole (as well as other sole components) may begin to lose its performance over a relatively short period of time.

Degradation of the sole material can cause the sole to lose its resiliency over time, particularly in regions of high and repeated impact, such as the heel.

For example, conventional closed and open cell foams, such as EVA, have a rel

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