Sole assembly for article of footwear

a technology of footwear and soles, applied in the field of footwear, to achieve the effect of balancing proprioception, flexibility, protection and running efficiency

Inactive Publication Date: 2014-11-06
WOLVERINE OUTDOORS
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]A sole assembly is provided that balances proprioception, flexibility, protection

Problems solved by technology

With this construction, the midsole in the arch may not offer actual substantial physical support to the wearer's arch, but instead can pr

Method used

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  • Sole assembly for article of footwear
  • Sole assembly for article of footwear
  • Sole assembly for article of footwear

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0030]An article of footwear in accordance with a current embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1-12 and generally designated 10. The footwear includes a sole assembly 20 having a midsole 30 and outsole 40. The footwear 10 generally includes an upper assembly 12 that is optionally of a Strobel construction in which a foot-receiving upper 14 is closed on its bottom or lowermost portion by a Strobel board, an insole board, sock or liner 15 or other similar component. Although not shown, the footwear 10 can include a footbed and / or other upper components with the footbed fitted into the upper 10.

[0031]As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, the sole assembly generally includes a flexibility void 50 that is largely defined through the arch region 82 as described below. The sole assembly 20 can include an arch stabilizer 60 which can include a ground contacting portion 62 optionally in the form of wearing tread 46, optionally having one or more lugs that is adapted to engage the ground 6 when a weare...

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PUM

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Abstract

A sole assembly including an outsole and a midsole that balances proprioception, flexibility, protection and running efficiency. The midsole can define a flexibility void in the arch region of the assembly. The outsole can include ground contacting wearing tread extending through the arch region adjacent the flexibility void, with the outsole minimized adjacent the flexibility void to enhance flexibility, along with the flexibility void, in the arch region. The sole assembly can include a 4 mm to 8 mm or other heel to toe drop to accommodate a variety of running and other activities. The sole assembly can be outfitted with shock pods of denser, more rigid material than the midsole to dissipate forces from the wearer to the midsole over a larger area. The midsole can include a non-supportive upwardly extending portion in the arch to provide a wearer with the false perception that the arch is supported to reduce fatigue.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to a sole assembly for an article of footwear.[0002]The technical performance of shoes, boots, sandals and other articles of footwear is dependent in large part on the sole assembly. This is particularly true in the field of running shoes, where footwear manufacturers cater to the needs of runners, but usually at either one of two extremes. For example, there are a number of sole assemblies that are designed to provide a protective barrier between the wearer's foot and the ground. This can be desired when the shoes are designed for running or traversing rugged trails, or alternatively hard surfaced sidewalks and roads. These sole assemblies often also are quite supportive of the wearer's foot. With the added protection and support, such sole assemblies usually are lacking in ground feel and flexibility. Sometimes, they can actually impair running efficiency.[0003]At the other extreme, t...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A43B13/14
CPCA43B13/141A43B7/142A43B7/1425A43B7/1435A43B7/144A43B7/1445A43B13/122A43B13/127A43B13/188A43B13/26
Inventor DODGE, WILSON S.BOHNSACK, SHAUN M.MATIS, CLARK A.LOVEDER, CHRISTOPHER J.
Owner WOLVERINE OUTDOORS
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