Footwear

Abstract

A footwear article comprises: an upper having an outer surface, a foot insertion space and a sole-facing surface; a sole assembly comprising: a midsole having a foot-facing surface, a ground-facing surface, a heel area, a forefoot area and an arch area located between the heel area and the forefoot area in a longitudinal direction, wherein the midsole in the arch area comprises a medial support element covering at least a portion of the cuboid bone and / or a lateral support element covering at least a portion of the navicular bone, a medial reinforcement member located on the inner side of the medial support element and / or a lateral reinforcement member located on the outer side of the lateral support element, wherein the medial and / or lateral reinforcement members are configured to increase the stiffness of the medial support element and / or the lateral support element.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] A footwear article, comprising an upper and a sole assembly, wherein the upper has an outer surface, a foot insertion space and a sole-facing surface, and the sole assembly includes: a midsole having a foot-facing surface, a ground-facing surface, a heel area, a forefoot area, and an arch area between the heel area and the forefoot area in a longitudinal direction, wherein the midsole in the arch area includes a medial support element covering at least a portion of a cuboid bone and / or a lateral support element covering at least a portion of a navicular bone. Background Art

[0002] When manufacturing articles of footwear, in particular shoes, it may often be necessary to reinforce a certain portion of the upper in order to provide support for the foot when the shoe is worn. The support is usually located in the area between the lace area and the outer sole, wherein the support is adapted to reinforce the upper so that the material of the upper does not stretch and deform when the laces are tightened. The support element may be a tensioning device that stretches from the laces towards the sole, which provides support for the instep of the user's foot.

[0003] However, this reinforcement may limit the design options of the upper, which means that the upper needs to be designed in a certain way so that the material can withstand the wear and tear of the user. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new type of support that can be used for any type of upper. Summary of the invention

[0004] According to the present specification, a footwear article is provided, which includes an upper and a sole assembly, wherein the upper has an outer surface, a foot insertion space and a surface facing the sole; the sole assembly includes: a midsole, which has a surface facing the foot, a surface facing the ground, a heel area, a forefoot area and an arch area located between the heel area and the forefoot area in the longitudinal direction, wherein the midsole in the arch area includes a medial support element covering at least a portion of the cuboid bone and / or a lateral support element covering at least a portion of the navicular bone, a medial reinforcement member located on the inner side of the medial support element and / or a lateral reinforcement member located on the outer side of the lateral support element, wherein the medial and / or lateral reinforcement members are configured to increase the rigidity of the medial support element and / or the lateral support element.

[0005] Within the scope of the present disclosure, the term stiffness in relation to support elements and reinforcement members may be understood as stiffness relative to bending forces. That is, stiffness is about how easy or difficult it is to bend a support element and / or reinforcement member.

[0006] In the understanding of the present invention, the sole assembly can be considered to have a longitudinal axis, which extends from the heel end of the sole assembly to the toe end of the sole assembly, and extends along the length of the sole assembly. The sole assembly can be divided into individual regions, such as a forefoot region, a heel region and an arch region, wherein each of these regions of the sole assembly can have different functions. These regions of the sole assembly can correspond to the various regions of the user's foot, so that for example, the arch region is located in the arch region of the user's foot. The arch region can, for example, serve as a part of the midsole to provide support for the arch of the foot, while the heel region can, for example, serve as a shock absorber when the heel strikes in the gait of the person, and the forefoot region can, for example, provide the user with flexibility in walking. Therefore, each region of the sole assembly in the longitudinal direction can have different functions, which can mean that the sole assembly can include various parts with different properties, and these regions can be seen in different parts of the sole assembly in the longitudinal direction.

[0007] The forefoot region of the sole assembly may be separated from the arch region via a first separation axis, which defines a region between the forefoot region and the arch region. The first separation axis may be considered as an axis defining a region that defines a boundary between the mechanical properties of the forefoot region of the sole assembly and the mechanical properties of the arch region of the sole assembly and / or the heel region of the sole assembly. Thus, as an example, the first separation axis may define, for example, a region of the sole assembly in a direction from the heel region to the forefoot region, wherein the sole assembly may transition from a rigid sole assembly to a flexible sole assembly.

[0008] The heel area of ​​the sole assembly can be separated from the arch area via a second separation axis, and the first separation axis defines an area between the heel area and the arch area. The second separation axis can be regarded as an axis that can define the following area, which defines the boundary between the mechanical properties of the heel area of ​​the sole assembly and the mechanical properties of the arch area of ​​the sole assembly and / or the forefoot area of ​​the sole assembly. Therefore, as an example, the second separation axis can, for example, define an area of ​​the sole assembly in the direction from the heel area to the forefoot area, in which the sole assembly can transition from shock absorption to a more supportive and / or flexible sole assembly, and its shock absorption effect is reduced compared to the heel assembly. In one or more examples, the transition between the heel area and the arch area can be rigid, that is, the bending force adjacent to the second separation axis in the heel area is similar and / or equal to the bending force adjacent to the second separation axis in the arch area.

[0009] Within the scope of understanding of the present disclosure, the bending force can be regarded as the amount of energy required to bend an object from its natural shape. The bending force of the sole assembly can be regarded as the force required to bend the sole assembly from its natural position along the longitudinal axis of the sole assembly. The bending force of the support element and / or reinforcing member can be regarded as the force required to bend the reinforcing member and / or support element in a radial direction, that is, in a direction outward and / or inward from the center axis of the footwear. Alternatively, the bending force of the reinforcing member and / or support element can be in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sole assembly.

[0010] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the first and / or second dividing axes may be in the form of straight lines extending from the medial portion of the sole assembly to the lateral portion of the sole assembly, or may be polygonal lines extending from the medial portion of the sole assembly to the lateral portion of the sole assembly.

[0011] In footwear production, it is common to reinforce the medial and lateral sides of the upper because stretching of the upper may occur during use, particularly when the medial and lateral sides of the upper are composed of flexible materials that can stretch during tensioning. Traditionally, this has been addressed by providing the upper with a non-stretchable material that can extend from the sole-adjacent portion of the upper toward the lace eyelets. This non-stretchable material can be in the form of a reinforcement layer, threads, or other mechanical means to reduce stretching of the upper in the arch and instep areas of the upper. This type of reinforcement may increase the cost of the upper due to labor costs and / or material costs caused by applying the reinforcement, and may limit the possibility of design changes to the upper, requiring the upper to be designed and shaped in a specific manner.

[0012] In the present disclosure, support elements are provided on the lateral and / or medial sides of the upper to support the lateral and / or medial sides of the foot when the user wears the footwear. The support element provides stability to the foot during use, wherein the support element is provided with a reinforcing member, and the combined support element and reinforcing member provide support to multiple sides of the foot in the arch area. The support element and reinforcing member can provide a barrier on the lateral and medial sides of the foot to provide a mechanical boundary and reduce any lateral movement of the upper relative to the sole, thereby preventing the foot from lateral movement relative to the sole assembly when the user wears the footwear.

[0013] The support element may have a first bending force, and the reinforcing member may have a second bending force, wherein the second bending force is greater than the first bending force. Alternatively, the support element may have a first material hardness, and the reinforcing member may have a second material hardness, wherein the second material hardness is greater than the first material hardness. The cooperation of the support element and the reinforcing member means that the bending force of the support element and the reinforcing member is at least equal to the bending force of the reinforcing member. Therefore, when force is applied to the support element and the reinforcing member, the bending force of the reinforcing member is transmitted to the support element to reduce the willingness of the support element to bend. However, the reinforcing member with higher material hardness than the support element is placed in a position away from the user's foot, wherein the support element is located between the foot and the reinforcing member, so that the wearer of the footwear only contacts with the softer support element, and does not contact with the harder reinforcing member. The support element is positioned while maintaining its material hardness.

[0014] Thus, the support element and reinforcing member of the sole assembly can provide support to the lateral areas of the foot to provide mechanical support to the lateral and / or medial sides of the foot during use. Thus, the support element can provide comfortable support to the user on the lateral and medial sides without having to provide support across the instep of the foot as in, for example, conventional lace-up shoes. In conventional lace-up shoes, the laces are tightened, resulting in increased tension on the medial and lateral sides of the upper to secure the foot in position relative to the sole assembly, wherein the increased tension, reduced elasticity of the upper, and the shape of the upper can cause discomfort to the user.

[0015] When the user wears the article of footwear, the support element can provide a first static reaction force to the foot, and the reinforcement member can increase the stiffness of the support element to provide an increased reaction force applied via the support element. The support element can have a predetermined shape adapted to hug the user's foot so that the reaction force of the support element and / or the reinforcement member can prevent lateral movement (movement toward the side) of the foot relative to the sole assembly and / or the upper.

[0016] During use, the support element may extend upward from the midsole and toward the upper and / or the instep of the foot, while the medial surface of the support element may abut the outer surface of the upper. In addition to extending upward, the support element may also bend inwardly toward the longitudinal plane, and the curvature may follow the shape of the foot and / or the lasted upper (during the manufacturing process). The support element may be anchored in the midsole of the sole assembly, wherein the lower portion of the support element is connected and / or integral with the midsole.

[0017] By providing an article of footwear having a midsole including support elements, an article of footwear having a flexible, loose, and stretchable upper may be created without reducing the stability of the article of footwear because the support elements provide lateral and / or medial support to the wearer's foot.

[0018] The reinforcement member may be an increased stiffness member which increases the stiffness and rigidity of the support element.The reinforcement member may be connected to the support element such that the reinforcement member may transfer at least a portion of its rigidity to the support element.

[0019] Within the meaning of the present invention, a longitudinal plane may be a plane that intersects the longitudinal axis of the sole component and may be considered to divide the sole component into a medial part and a lateral part, wherein the longitudinal plane extends in two dimensions, wherein a first dimension may be considered to be the longitudinal axis and a second dimension may be considered to be the vertical axis.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, the medial and / or lateral reinforcement members may extend longitudinally from an area facing the heel region of the midsole and / or the article of footwear toward an area facing the border of the forefoot region of the midsole and / or the article of footwear. Thus, the reinforcement member may extend continuously and / or uninterruptedly along the arch region of the midsole. Thus, the reinforcement member will increase the stiffness of the midsole in the arch region longitudinally, wherein the reinforcement member may reduce the risk of the midsole bending longitudinally in the arch region, and / or may provide increased support to the arch of the foot during use.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment, the forefoot area of ​​the midsole may not have the reinforcement member and / or any reinforcement member, thereby ensuring that the forefoot area of ​​the midsole can bend and flex freely based on the hardness or stiffness of the midsole material in the forefoot area, and the reinforcement member will not affect the stiffness of the forefoot area of ​​the midsole.

[0022] In one embodiment, the medial reinforcement member and / or the lateral reinforcement member can extend upwardly beyond the portion of the midsole facing the foot, such that the reinforcement member extends vertically above, for example, the central portion of the midsole. Thus, the height of the central portion of the midsole (i.e., in the lateral region between the lateral and medial sides) can be less than the height of the reinforcement member. In the arch region of the sole assembly and / or midsole, the height of the reinforcement member can be higher than the central portion of the midsole.

[0023] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the reinforcing member can cover at least a portion of the support element, or can cover the entire support element. The reinforcing member can extend along the peripheral surface of the support element with the support element. Thus, the reinforcing member can serve as the outermost surface of the sole assembly in some areas, wherein the reinforcing member can shield some lateral or outer surfaces of the support element.

[0024] The support element may be an integral part of the midsole of the shoe, wherein the midsole material may extend continuously from the toe end of the sole assembly toward the heel end of the sole assembly, wherein the support element is provided as part of the midsole material of the sole assembly. The sole assembly may be manufactured at least in part using direct injection molding, wherein the midsole material may be injected into a footwear manufacturing mold, and when the material solidifies, the material defines the midsole and the support element. Thus, the support element and the midsole may form a uniform material, i.e., an uninterrupted material. The support element may be formed of the same material as the midsole of the sole assembly, wherein the material of the midsole extends from an area between the surface facing the foot and the surface facing the ground, and extends in the lateral and / or medial direction and extends upward to form the support element.

[0025] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the support element can be located between the upper and the reinforcing member in a radial direction. Therefore, the support element can be adjacent to the upper on a first side and adjacent to the reinforcing member on an opposite second side. In an example where an upper is made of a soft material, the support element can provide support to the outside and / or inside of the upper, wherein the second side of the support element can be in indirect contact with the wearer's foot via the upper material. The support element can be made of a softer material than the reinforcing member, i.e., the material has a lower Shore A hardness than the reinforcing member, which means that the softer material of the support element can bring a softer feeling to the user. This situation can be that the support element is made of PU, and the reinforcing member is made of TPU, wherein TPU has a higher rigidity than PU.

[0026] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the sole assembly may include an outsole having a ground-facing surface and a midsole-facing surface. The outsole may be positioned below the ground-facing surface of the midsole and may, for example, be adapted to provide an increased traction and / or a surface with increased resistance to wear of the midsole element. This means that the outsole includes the ground contacting surface of the sole assembly. In one embodiment, the ground-facing surface of the midsole may be the ground-facing surface of the sole assembly, i.e., the ground-facing surface of the midsole may be used as the ground contacting surface of the sole assembly.

[0027] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the reinforcing member may have a first distal end, a heel end and a toe end, wherein the first distal end, the heel end and / or the toe end may abut against a shoe upper. The reinforcing member may have a main body portion, and the main body portion may connect the first distal portion, the toe portion and / or the heel portion to each other, wherein the first distal end, the toe end and / or the heel end may be the terminal end of the first distal portion, the toe portion and / or the heel portion. The first distal portion, the toe portion and the heel portion may be at an angle with the main body portion of the reinforcing member, so that the reinforcing member produces a reinforcing space that can surround at least a portion of the supporting element. The first distal end, the heel end and / or the toe end of the reinforcing member may be adapted to the outer surface of the abutting shoe upper, so that the main body and / or the toe portion, the heel portion and the distal portion cover the outer surface of the supporting element. By making the toe portion, the heel portion and the distal portion at an angle with the main body, the rigidity of the supporting element may be increased by having two or more surfaces at an angle to each other. The main body and the toe portion of the reinforcing member may have surface areas at different angles to each other, and the angle may be provided in the form of a fold. The same principle can be applied between the main body portion and the distal portion and / or the heel portion. In an exemplary embodiment, the heel portion can be connected to the distal portion, and / or the toe portion can be connected to the distal portion. Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment, the toe portion can be connected to the heel portion via the distal portion.

[0028] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the inner support element and / or the outer support element may have a first material hardness, and the inner reinforcement member and / or the outer reinforcement member may have a second material hardness, wherein the first material hardness is different from the second material hardness. The support element can be mechanically connected to the reinforcement member so that the hardness of the reinforcement member can be transferred to the support element, and / or vice versa. Therefore, a support element and a reinforcement member with different hardness are provided, and the stiffness of the support element can be manipulated by mechanically connecting with the reinforcement member, and vice versa. In an exemplary example in which the reinforcement member has a high stiffness (material hardness) and the support element has a low stiffness (material hardness), the high stiffness of the reinforcement member can be passed to the softer support element, resulting in a combined element with a higher combined stiffness than the low stiffness of the support element. Conversely, when the stiffness of the support element is higher than the reinforcement member, the stiffness of the support element can be transferred to the reinforcement member.

[0029] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the first material hardness may be lower than the second material hardness. By providing a reinforcing member that is more rigid than the support element, the hardness of the support element may be increased so that the support element may provide static and / or active forces to the sidewalls of the upper. Therefore, when the user wears the shoe, the support element may abut the foot side (through the upper), and the reinforcing member may increase the stiffness of the support element to increase the static counterpressure of the support element. Therefore, when the reinforcing member has a higher material hardness and is connected to the support element, an increased force will be required during use to bend the support element. Therefore, when the user wears footwear, this will provide an enhanced sense of security because more force will be required during use to provide lateral movement of the foot relative to the sole assembly, the upper and / or the footwear article.

[0030] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the medial support element and / or the lateral support element may have a first height that is higher than the height of the midsole in a central region viewed in the lateral direction. This means that the support element may extend above the central region of the midsole. Thus, the distal end of the support element extends higher in the vertical direction than the central region of the midsole. The distal end of the support element may be the highest point of the midsole in the central region of the sole assembly (the arch region).

[0031] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the midsole in the heel area may include a heel support element that covers at least a portion of the tuberosity of the calcaneus of the wearer's foot. The heel support element may be an integral part of the midsole of the sole assembly, and the heel support may be made of the same material as the midsole element. The heel support element may extend upward in a vertical direction to provide support for the user's heel during gait. The heel support element may provide increased stiffness to the heel portion of the upper, the heel support element covering at least a portion of the heel area of ​​the upper, and may also be optionally bonded to the heel area of ​​the upper.

[0032] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the medial support element and / or the lateral support element may have an upper vertical end that may be located in a region between 0-50% of the distance from the portion of the midsole facing the upper to the instep portion of the upper. The instep portion of the upper may be considered as the portion of the upper that covers the instep of the foot, which may extend from the foot insertion opening and extend toward the toe end of the foot on the upper surface. The apex of the instep portion is approximately at the center of the upper surface, and the distance from the portion of the midsole facing the upper to the apex of the instep portion has a predetermined length for a predetermined size of footwear. The predetermined length between the instep apex and the portion of the midsole facing the upper may be defined as the length of the instep. Therefore, in the context of the present disclosure, the support element may extend between 0-50% of the predetermined length. Therefore, if the predetermined length between the instep apex and the portion of the midsole facing the upper is 8 cm, the height of the support element may be between 0-4 cm, extending from the surface of the midsole facing the upper. The support element may more particularly extend for at least 10% of the predetermined length, or more particularly for at least 20% of the predetermined length, or more particularly for at least 30% of the predetermined length.

[0033] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the midsole can be directly injected (DIP) molded to the upper. Direct injection molding is performed by inserting the upper into a footwear injection mold, wherein the material is injected into the mold and then the mold is closed. The material expands inside the mold, filling all areas that are fluidly connected to the space into which the material is injected. By using direct injection molding, the midsole and / or sole assembly can be attached to the upper without using any adhesive. Therefore, the midsole will be formed into the contour of each part of the upper to which the midsole is attached. In addition, by utilizing direct injection molding, the reinforcing member can be attached to the supporting element by injecting the supporting element into the space between the reinforcing member and the upper. Therefore, the material for the midsole will fill all areas in the shoe injection mold that the material can enter. The reinforcing member can be inserted into the mold before injection, and the midsole material can be adaptively expanded in a manner that the midsole material extends into the area between the upper and the reinforcing member.

[0034] The reinforcing member may have an inner surface, which may be configured to define at least a portion of the outer surface of the support element. Therefore, the inner surface of the reinforcing member may have the same shape as at least a portion of the outer surface of the support element. Therefore, the reinforcing member may define the injection cavity of the support element. The reinforcing member may define the entire outer surface of the support element, the production of the support element ensures that the midsole material contacts the inner surface of the reinforcing member, and when the material solidifies, the support element extends between the reinforcing member and the upper, the reinforcing member connects the support element, and the support element is connected to the upper. Therefore, the reinforcing member is connected to the upper via the support element.

[0035] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the material of the midsole may be PU (polyurethane), and the support element may be PU. In one or more exemplary embodiments, the material of the medial reinforcement member and / or the lateral reinforcement member may be TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane). The hardness of the TPU of the reinforcement member may be higher than the hardness of PU, and the hardness of the combined support element and reinforcement member may be higher than the hardness of PU.

[0036] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the medial support element and / or the lateral support element may extend in a vertical direction from the surface facing the foot. The support element may extend upward from the midsole, wherein the support element may be at the height of the raised midsole in the arch area of ​​the sole assembly. The support element may be raised upward to support the side of the foot, wherein the support element may be attached to the outside of the upper to provide support to the user's foot during use. The support element may extend vertically upward.

[0037] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the medial support element and / or the lateral support element may extend from the surface facing the foot in a medial direction. By extending the support element inwardly in the medial direction, the support element may extend inwardly toward a vertical plane extending in the longitudinal direction of the footwear article. Medial extension may mean that the support element may follow the shape of the upper and / or the user's foot, wherein the user's foot is curved in a medial direction from the sole to the instep of the foot. The inward extension of the support element may be adapted to follow the shape of the foot to provide support on the lateral and / or medial side of the foot in the arch area, i.e., the side of the foot between the heel and the forefoot area.

[0038] In one embodiment, the curvature of the support element may follow the curvature of an exterior surface of the upper of the article of footwear and / or an exterior surface of a user's foot in the arch region.

[0039] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the medial support element and / or the lateral support element may abut the outer surface of the upper. This means that the support element can provide mechanical strength for the upper of the footwear article. Therefore, providing a support element may mean that the mechanical reinforcement of the upper may not be necessary, because the support element of the midsole provides mechanical reinforcement for the upper side. Therefore, it may not be necessary to provide a reinforcing element to improve the tensile strength of the upper in the area where, for example, the lacing system is tightened to achieve support to the side of the foot. The upper of the shoe is adapted to match the user's foot, and by having a support element adjacent to the upper, the support element provides support to the side of the foot during use. The support element can be configured to increase the resistance in the area provided with the support element, thereby reducing the tendency of the upper to be forced outward in the lateral direction when the support element is enlarged, and providing a reaction force for the upper side.

[0040] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the support element may bond the reinforcement member to the outer surface of the upper. The present disclosure is configured to attach the reinforcement member to the support element, wherein the support element is bonded to the reinforcement member on a side facing the reinforcement member. The support element may be bonded on the opposite side of the upper so that the reinforcement member is bonded to the upper via the support element. In particular, when the support element expands to the space between the upper and the reinforcement member, the solidification of the support element provides a bond between the two surfaces. Therefore, the midsole material can fill all areas that the material can enter in the shoe injection mold. The reinforcement member can be inserted into the mold before injection, wherein the midsole material can be adapted to expand in the following manner, the midsole material extends into the area between the upper and the reinforcement member and the reinforcement member is bonded to the upper.

[0041] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the support element can couple the reinforcement member to the sole assembly. The present disclosure is configured to attach the reinforcement member to the support element, wherein the support element is coupled to the reinforcement member on a side facing the reinforcement member. The support element extends from the midsole and ensures that the reinforcement member is attached to the midsole and thereby to the sole assembly. This is particularly true when the support element extends into the space defined by the reinforcement member and contacts the inner surface of the reinforcement member.

[0042] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the medial reinforcement member and / or the lateral reinforcement member can surround at least a portion of the lateral surface of the medial support element and / or the lateral support element, respectively, wherein the medial reinforcement member and / or the lateral reinforcement member can optionally surround the entire lateral surface of the medial support element and / or the lateral support element, respectively. Therefore, the reinforcement member can be adapted to cover the outer surface of the support element, wherein the outermost surface of the sole assembly can be defined by the reinforcement member. Therefore, the reinforcement member can, for example, be adapted to protect the material of the support element from wear, discoloration and / or deterioration. In one example, the reinforcement member can surround the entire outer surface of the support element so that the support element is invisible from the outside of the footwear article.

[0043] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the medial support element and / or the lateral support element may extend in a vertical direction from the ground-facing surface of the midsole. Thus, the support element may extend upward from the ground-facing surface of the midsole, thereby extending the height of the midsole in the area of ​​the support element. The support element may extend from the ground-facing surface and extend upward toward a distal end, wherein the distal end extends beyond the top surface of the midsole (the surface facing the upper). Thus, the distal end of the support element may be the top of the midsole and / or the sole assembly in the arch area of ​​the sole assembly.

[0044] In one embodiment, the distal surface of the support element and / or reinforcement member can be provided with a fixing element. The fixing element can be used to attach a shoelace or a tensioning device, which is adapted to extend from the medial support element or reinforcement member to the distal support element or reinforcement member, across the user's instep. Thus, the fixing element device can be adapted to provide a mechanical connection to the midsole via the support element and / or reinforcement member.

[0045] In one or more exemplary embodiments, a portion of the medial support element and / or the lateral support element may have a height in the vertical direction of at least 150% of the midsole height in a central region defined in the lateral direction, or more preferably, a height in the vertical direction of at least 180% of the midsole height in a central region defined in the lateral direction, or more preferably, a height in the vertical direction of at least 200% of the midsole height in a central region defined in the lateral direction, or more preferably, a height in the vertical direction of at least 230% of the midsole height in a central region defined in the lateral direction. The height may be defined as a length in the vertical direction upward from a surface facing the ground.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment, the medial reinforcement member and / or the lateral reinforcement member may have an end facing the forefoot, which is located in a region between 20-40% of the longitudinal length of the outsole assembly from the toe end of the outsole assembly, or more specifically in a region between 25-35% of the longitudinal length of the outsole assembly from the toe end of the outsole assembly. Therefore, the reinforcement member may terminate at a position facing the forefoot region of the sole assembly, and here, the end facing the forefoot provides a termination end where the stiffness increase provided in the sole assembly is provided. From the toe end toward the arch area, the length of the forefoot region of the sole assembly may reach 40% of the length of the sole assembly. The end facing the forefoot of the reinforcement member, for example, may define an end of the arch area of ​​the sole assembly, wherein the forefoot region of the sole assembly may have a bending force less than the bending force of the arch area.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment, the medial reinforcement member and / or the lateral reinforcement member can have an end facing the heel, which is located in a region between 10-50% of the longitudinal length of the outsole assembly from the heel end of the outsole assembly, or more specifically, in a region between 20-40% of the longitudinal length of the outsole assembly from the heel end of the outsole assembly, or more specifically, in a region between 25-35% of the longitudinal length of the outsole assembly from the heel end of the outsole assembly. Therefore, the reinforcement member can end at a position facing the heel area of ​​the sole assembly, and here, the end facing the heel provides a termination end at a place where the stiffness increase provided in the sole assembly is provided. From the heel end toward the arch area, the length of the heel area of ​​the sole assembly can reach 50% of the length of the sole assembly. The end facing the heel of the reinforcement member can, for example, define the end of the arch area of ​​the sole assembly, wherein the bending force of the heel area of ​​the sole assembly can be less than the bending force of the arch area. Alternatively, the heel-facing end may extend into the heel region of the sole assembly, where the arch region and the heel region are reinforced with reinforcing members so that the arch region and the heel region have similar bending forces and similar stiffness from the heel region to the arch region.

[0048] In an exemplary embodiment, the medial reinforcement member and / or the lateral reinforcement member may have a first wall extending in a vertical direction and a second wall extending in a transverse direction. The vertical direction may be a direction along the outer surface of the upper and / or the outer surface of the midsole. The transverse direction may be a direction parallel to the ground contact surface of the sole assembly. The plane of the first wall may provide rigidity in one direction, and the plane of the second wall may provide rigidity in a second direction. The rigidity of the reinforcement member may be considered as maximum in a direction parallel to the plane of the wall of the reinforcement member, wherein the wall of the reinforcement member may have a higher bending force in a direction parallel to the wall plane, and in a direction angled with the plane, for example, in a direction orthogonal to the plane, there is a lower bending force. Therefore, the first wall and the second wall will provide an increased bending force in their respective planes, which provides a higher combined bending force for the reinforcement member.

[0049] In one exemplary embodiment, the first wall can be connected to the second wall. Thus, the first wall and the second wall can be angled relative to each other, with the walls connected to each other along an axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sole assembly. The connection and angle of the first wall relative to the second wall can increase the stiffness of the reinforcement member, wherein the second wall increases the stiffness of the first wall in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the first wall, and vice versa.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, the medial reinforcement member and / or the lateral reinforcement member can optionally define the lateral outer surface of the sole assembly in the arch area of ​​the sole assembly. This means that the reinforcement member can define the end sidewall of the sole assembly in a predetermined area of ​​the sole assembly, in which the reinforcement member can, for example, provide dirt and / or damage protection on the sidewall of the midsole, wherein the midsole can be covered by the reinforcement member. The reinforcement member can define an area of ​​a length between 2-15 cm and / or a height between 1-5 cm, more preferably an area of ​​a length between 4-10 cm and a height between 2-4 cm. The reinforcement member can extend from the heel area of ​​the sole assembly to the arch area, or from the forefoot area of ​​the sole to the arch area.

[0051] Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments and details are described with reference to the accompanying drawings when relevant. It should be noted that the drawings may be drawn to scale or not, and that elements of similar structure or function are represented by similar reference numerals throughout the drawings. It should also be noted that the drawings are intended only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended to be an exhaustive description of the present invention or to limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, the embodiments shown do not necessarily have all the aspects or advantages shown. The aspects or advantages described in conjunction with a particular embodiment are not necessarily limited to that embodiment, and may be practiced in any other embodiment even if not shown or not so explicitly described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0053] Figure 1 shows a side view of an exemplary article of footwear,

[0054] Figure 2 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the arch area of ​​an exemplary article of footwear taken along line II-II,

[0055] Figure 3 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the arch area of ​​an exemplary article of footwear taken along line II-II,

[0056] Figure 4 shows an exploded perspective view of an exemplary sole assembly,

[0057] Figure 5 A perspective view of the medial side of a portion of an exemplary sole assembly is shown,

[0058] Figure 6 A perspective view of a portion of a lateral side of an exemplary article of footwear is shown, and

[0059] Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the arch area of ​​an exemplary article of footwear is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] Figure 1 A side view of an exemplary article of footwear 2 is shown, wherein the article of footwear includes an upper 4 and a sole assembly 6. The article of footwear can be viewed as having a forefoot region 8, a heel region 10, and an arch region 12, wherein the forefoot region can be viewed as an area that accommodates the user's forefoot, the heel region 10 can be an area that accommodates the user's heel, and the arch region 12 can be viewed as an area that accommodates the user's arch and instep during use. The regions 8, 10, 12 can be viewed as separate portions of the article of footwear in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the article of footwear, wherein each region can be viewed as having a specific purpose, wherein the forefoot region 8 can be viewed as a flexible region of the footwear that allows the sole assembly 6 to flex with the user's foot. The heel region 10 can be viewed as a portion that provides initial shock absorption during gait, and the arch region 12 can be viewed as a portion of the article of footwear 2 that provides support to the arch region and instep of the user's foot during use.

[0061] The upper 4 includes a heel end 20 , a foot insertion opening 14 , an instep portion 16 , and a toe end 18 , wherein the upper 4 can be permanently connected to the sole assembly 6 at a ground-facing surface (not shown) of the upper 4 from the toe end 18 toward the heel end 20 .

[0062] The sole assembly 6 includes a heel region 22, an arch region 24, and a forefoot region 26, wherein the arch region 24 is located between the heel region 22 and the forefoot region 26 in a direction along the longitudinal axis A. The sole assembly may include a midsole 28 that provides shock absorption and an outsole 30 that provides a ground contacting surface 32. In the exemplary embodiment, the heel region 22 of the sole assembly 6 includes a heel cap 34 that provides support for the user's heel during use, wherein the heel cap 34 may be integral with the midsole 28 and may be made of the same material as the midsole 28. The forefoot region 26 may include a peripheral portion 36 that is adjacent to and bonded to an outer surface 38 of the upper 4.

[0063] The arch area 24 of the sole assembly 6 may include a medial support member 40 extending upwardly from the ground-facing surface 42 of the midsole 28 along the outer surface 38 of the upper and extending a predetermined distance along the surface 38 of the upper 4 in a direction toward the instep portion 16 of the upper 4. The support member 40 may be limited to the arch area of ​​the footwear article, i.e., the support member 40 does not extend longitudinally toward the last 25% of the length of the sole assembly and / or does not extend longitudinally to the first 25% of the length of the sole assembly. Thus, the support member may be outside the heel area 22 and / or the forefoot area 26.

[0064] The support member 40 may have a heel end 44 and a toe end 46 , and a distal end 48 , wherein the support member 40 may be taller at the heel end 44 than at the toe end 46 , and the support member 40 may optionally gradually decrease in height from the heel end 44 toward the toe end 46 .

[0065] The support structure 40 may include a support element 50 (not shown) and a reinforcement member 52, wherein the support element is part of the midsole 28 of the sole assembly, and the reinforcement member 52 may be a separate element that can be combined with the support element, such as Figure 2 shown.

[0066] The sole assembly 6 may include a first flex zone 54 extending between the forefoot region 26 and the arch region 24, and / or a second flex zone 56 extending between the heel region 22 and the arch region 24. The first flex zone 54 may be adapted to provide an area of ​​increased or decreased flexure between the arch region 24 and the forefoot region 26. The second flex zone 56 may be adapted to provide an area of ​​increased or decreased flexure between the arch region 24 and the heel region 22. Thus, in one example, the second flex zone may be adapted to provide a reduced flexure between the heel region 22 and the arch region 24, which may mean that the arch region 24 and the heel region may have a certain degree of uniform flexibility along their length. In one example, the first flex zone 54 may have a reduced flexibility, allowing the forefoot region 26 to flex somewhat independently of the arch region 24, i.e., the forefoot may be able to flex or bend with, for example, less force than the arch region.

[0067] Figure 2 Shown along Figure 1 The upper 4 extends from the foot-facing surface 58 of the midsole 28, defining a portion of the foot insertion space 60 of the footwear article 2. The midsole 28 has a medial side 62 and a lateral side 64, and a central area 66.

[0068] The sole assembly 6 may include a medial support member 68 (similar to Figure 16) wherein the medial support member includes a support element 70 that is an integral part of the medial side 62 of the midsole 28, extending in an upward direction from the foot-facing surface 58 and terminating at a distal end 72. The support element 70 may be bonded to the outer surface 38 of the upper to provide support to the medial side 74 of the upper 4 and thereby provide support to the foot when the foot is positioned within the foot insertion space 60. The medial support member 68 may also include a reinforcement member 76, wherein the reinforcement member 76 is adjacent to the outer surface 78 of the support element 70 and is bonded to the midsole 28 of the sole assembly 6 and the support element 70. The reinforcement member 76 may have an inner surface 80 that is connected to the support element 70 along its vertical length and along its longitudinal length (along the longitudinal axis A). Reinforcement member 76 may have a distal portion 82 that is angled with respect to main body portion 84 of the reinforcement member and terminates at a distal periphery 86 that may abut outer surface 38 of upper 4. Reinforcement member 76 may be attached to midsole 28 via support element 70 that fills the space between reinforcement member 76 and upper 4 during manufacture by direct injection molding and attaches the reinforcement member to upper 4 when cured.

[0069] The sole assembly 6 may include a lateral support member 68' (similar to Figure 1 The lateral support member 68' may further include a support member 76', wherein the lateral support member 68' includes a support element 70' that is an integral part of the lateral side 62' of the midsole 28, extends from the foot-facing surface 58 in an upward direction, and terminates at a distal end 72'. The support element 70' may be bonded to the outer surface 38 of the upper to provide support to the lateral side 74' of the upper 4, and thereby provide support to the foot when the foot is located within the foot insertion space 60. The lateral support member 68' may also include a reinforcement member 76', wherein the reinforcement member 76' is adjacent to the outer surface 78 of the support element 70' and is bonded to the midsole 28 of the sole assembly 6 and the support element 70'. The reinforcement member 76' may have an inner surface 80' that is connected to the support element 70' along its vertical length and along its longitudinal length (along the longitudinal axis A). The reinforcement member 76' may have a distal portion 82' that is angled with respect to the main body portion 84' of the reinforcement member and terminates at a distal periphery 86' that may abut the outer surface 38 of the upper 4. The reinforcement member 76' may be attached to the midsole 28 via the support element 70', which fills the space between the reinforcement member 76' and the upper 4 during manufacture of the support element 70' by direct injection molding and attaches the reinforcement member to the upper 4 when cured.

[0070] The support member 68 may be adapted to provide increased stiffness in a lateral direction and may be adapted to provide support to the side of a user's foot during use.

[0071] Figure 3 Shown with Figure 2 A similar article of footwear 2 is shown, except that a midsole 38 defines a ground contacting surface. Figure 2 The description can be similarly applied to Figure 3 .

[0072] Figure 4 An exploded view of a sole assembly 90 according to the present disclosure is shown, wherein the sole assembly 90 includes a midsole 92 extending from a toe end 94 to a heel end 96 along a longitudinal axis A of the sole assembly. The midsole 92 includes a medial support element 98 and a lateral support element 100 located at the peripheral boundary of an arch region 102 of the sole assembly 90. The midsole 92 can be injection molded directly to an upper (not shown) within a shoe mold assembly, wherein the midsole is defined by an empty space into which an expansion material can be filled, and when the material cures, the midsole will take on the shape of the empty space of the mold. The support elements 98 and 100 can include a heel end 104, a distal end 106 and a toe end 108, and a medial surface 110, wherein the shape of the support element can be defined by the inner surface 112 of each of the medial reinforcement member 114 and the lateral reinforcement member 116. Reinforcement members 112, 114 may be preformed and inserted into predetermined portions of a shoe mold such that reinforcement members 112, 114 define the shapes of support elements 98, 100, respectively, with the toe, distal and heel ends being defined by corresponding inner surfaces on the reinforcement members.

[0073] Figure 5 An exemplary portion of a lateral periphery 118 of a sole assembly 6 according to the present disclosure is shown, wherein the lateral periphery 118 includes a heel region 120, an arch region 122, and a forefoot region 124. The lateral periphery 118 can be integral or monolithic with the midsole of the sole assembly 6, wherein an inner surface 126 is configured to be bonded to an upper (not shown) of an article of footwear. An upper edge 128 of the heel region 120 and an upper edge 130 of the forefoot region can be defined by the shape of a shoe injection mold (not shown) that is clamped to an upper that has been mounted on a last. However, it can be seen that the sole assembly 6 includes a reinforcing member 132 having an inner edge 134 that is adapted to contact the upper of the last, and the inner edge and the space defined by the reinforcing member define the outer shape of a support element 136 that attaches the reinforcing member 132 to the upper. Reinforcement member 132 may have a higher stiffness than support elements, meaning that arch region 122 of sole assembly 6 is stiffer than forefoot region 124 and heel region 120 .

[0074] Figure 6 A perspective view of a portion of the lateral side of an exemplary article of footwear 2 is shown having an upper 4 and a sole assembly 6 . Figure 6 The reference numerals used in Figure 1 and / or Figure 2 Same as shown in, Figure 1 or Figure 2 The various components shown can also be Figure 6 The sole assembly 6 includes a heel region 22, an arch region 24, and a forefoot region 26, wherein the arch region 24 is located between the heel region 22 and the forefoot region 26 in the direction along the longitudinal axis A. The sole assembly 6 includes a support member 40 in the arch region 24, the support member 40 including a reinforcement member 52 and a support element 70 (not visible), which is not visible from the outside because the reinforcement member 52 covers the entire support element, but is located between the inner surface of the reinforcement member and the outer surface 38 of the upper 4. The reinforcement member 52 can extend from the upper surface 40 of the outsole 30 to its distal end 82.

[0075] Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the arch region of an exemplary article of footwear 100 is shown, wherein an upper 102 extends from a foot-facing surface 104 of a midsole 106 and defines a portion of a foot insertion space 108 of the article of footwear 100 .

[0076] The sole assembly 110 may include a medial reinforcement member 112 and a lateral reinforcement member 114 having an inner surface 116 that may be bonded to the outside of the medial and / or lateral surfaces 118 of the midsole 106. The reinforcement members 112 and 114 may include a first wall 120 and a second wall 122, wherein the first wall 120 provides increased stiffness in the horizontal direction and the second wall 122 provides increased stiffness in the vertical direction. The two walls may be connected to each other via a connecting portion 124, which allows the stiffness of one wall to be transferred to the second wall, thereby creating a reinforcement member 112, 114 having stiffness in at least two directions. This can also be seen in Figure 6 .

[0077] Figure 6 The second wall 122 shown in FIG. 1 may further include an upper wall 126 and a lower wall 128 , which may be angled relative to each other via a middle portion 130 such that the second wall may provide reinforcement in two directions that are non-parallel to each other, both of which are different from the direction of the first wall 120 .

[0078] The use of the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth," "primarily," "secondarily," "against," and the like, does not imply any particular order, but is included to identify individual elements. Furthermore, the use of the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth," "primarily," "secondarily," "against," and the like, does not indicate any order or importance, but rather the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth," "primarily," "secondarily," "against," and the like, are used to distinguish one element from another. Note that the words "first," "second," "third," and "fourth," "primarily," "secondarily," "against," and the like, here and elsewhere, are used for labeling purposes only and are not intended to indicate any particular spatial or temporal order.

[0079] Furthermore, the marking of a first element does not imply the presence of a second element, and vice versa.

[0080] It should be noted that the word "comprising" does not necessarily exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed.

[0081]

[0063] To be noted, the word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

[0082] It should also be noted that any reference signs do not limit the scope of the claims, that exemplary embodiments may be implemented at least partially by means of hardware and software, and that several "means", "units" or "devices" may be represented by the same item of hardware.

[0083] Although various features have been shown and described, it should be understood that they are not intended to limit the claimed invention, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. Therefore, the specification and drawings should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. The claimed invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising: an upper having an outer surface, a foot insertion space, and a surface facing the sole; A sole assembly comprising: a midsole having a foot-facing surface, a ground-facing surface, a heel region, a forefoot region, and an arch region between the heel region and the forefoot region in a longitudinal direction, wherein the midsole in the arch region comprises a medial support element covering at least a portion of the navicular bone and / or a lateral support element covering at least a portion of the cuboid bone; an inner reinforcement member located inside the inner support element and an outer reinforcement member located outside the outer support element, wherein the inner reinforcement member and the outer reinforcement member are configured to increase the stiffness of the inner support element and the outer support element, wherein the medial reinforcement member and the lateral reinforcement member have a first wall extending in a vertical direction and a second wall extending in a transverse direction, the vertical direction being a direction along an outer surface of the midsole, the transverse direction being a direction parallel to a ground contact surface of the sole assembly, the first wall and the second wall being connected via a connecting portion so that the medial reinforcement member and the lateral reinforcement member have rigidity in both the vertical direction and the transverse direction, wherein the medial reinforcement member and the lateral reinforcement member are separate from each other and do not extend in a direction below an upper of the article of footwear, Therein, the inner support element and / or the outer support element have a first material hardness, and the inner reinforcement member and / or the outer reinforcement member have a second material hardness, wherein the first material hardness is different from the second material hardness.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein: The reinforcement member has a first distal end, a heel end, and a toe end, wherein the first distal end, the heel end, and / or the toe end are adjacent to the upper.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein: The first material hardness is lower than the second material hardness.

4. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The medial support element and / or the lateral support element has a first height, wherein the first height is higher than a height of the midsole in a central region in the lateral direction.

5. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The midsole in the heel area includes a heel support element that covers at least a portion of the tuberosity of the calcaneus of the wearer's foot.

6. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The medial support element and / or the lateral support element have an upper vertical end, wherein the upper vertical end is located in a region between 0-50% of the distance from the portion of the midsole facing the upper to the instep portion of the upper.

7. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The midsole is injection molded directly to the upper.

8. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The material of the midsole is PU and / or the material of the medial reinforcing member and / or the lateral reinforcing member is TPU.

9. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The medial support element and / or the lateral support element extend in a vertical direction from the foot-facing surface.

10. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The medial support element and / or the lateral support element extend from the foot-facing surface in a medial direction.

11. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The medial support element and / or the lateral support element abut an exterior surface of the upper.

12. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The inner reinforcement member and / or the outer reinforcement member surround at least a portion of a lateral surface of the inner support element and / or the outer support element, respectively.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein: The inner reinforcement member and / or the outer reinforcement member surrounds the entire lateral surface of the inner support element and / or the outer support element, respectively.

14. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The medial support element and / or the lateral support element extend in a vertical direction from the ground-facing surface of the midsole.

15. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: A height of the medial support element and / or a portion of the lateral support element in the vertical direction is at least 150% of a height of the midsole in a central region defined in the transverse direction.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein: The height in the vertical direction is at least 180% of the height of the midsole in a central area defined in the lateral direction.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein: The height in the vertical direction is at least 200% of the height of the midsole in a central area defined in the lateral direction.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein: The height in the vertical direction is at least 230% of the height of the midsole in a central area defined in the lateral direction.

Images