Sole structure and footwear product

Abstract

The invention discloses a sole structure and a footwear product. The sole structure comprises a midsole component, an outsole and a reinforcing plate, the insole part comprises an upper-layer insole and a lower-layer insole; the lower side surface of the lower insole is bent upwards in a heel area to form a ground contact part; the reinforcing plate is arranged between the upper-layer insole and the lower-layer insole and comprises a plate body and a cantilever; the plate body is provided with a hollow hole extending from an arch area to a heel area, and the cantilever extends backwards from the front edge of the hollow hole; the lower side edge of the rear end of the upper-layer insole is closer to the front than the upper side edge of the rear end of the lower-layer insole so as to form a step part; the reinforcing plate is completely supported by the lower-layer insole, and the rear end of the reinforcing plate is provided with a stabilizing part exposed out of the step part. By adopting the sole structure, the problem that a heel landing runner cannot quickly utilize the rigid reinforcing plate to improve the pushing efficiency can be solved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of footwear products, in particular to a sole structure and a footwear product. BACKGROUND

[0002] A footwear product includes an upper and a sole structure. The upper can be formed of a suitable material to receive, secure and support a foot on the sole structure. The upper can cooperate with laces, Velcro or other fasteners to adjust the fit of the upper around the foot. A bottom portion of the upper proximate to a bottom surface of the foot is attached to the sole structure.

[0003] The sole structure includes different components arranged in layers and interfacing between the ground and the upper. At the bottom layer of the sole structure is an outsole that provides wear resistance and adhesion to the ground, which can be formed of rubber or other suitable material. Above the outsole is a midsole component of the sole structure that provides cushioning, resilience to the foot, and is at least partially formed of a polymeric foam material that deforms upon the foot exerting pressure thereon to achieve cushioning to the foot by attenuating the reaction force of the ground to the foot. An upper side surface of the midsole component can define a footbed that can be contoured to conform to the contour of the bottom surface of the foot. The sole structure can further include an insole or sockliner for improved comfort that is fixedly or detachably attached to the upper side surface of the midsole component and located within a shoe cavity defined by the midsole component and the upper.

[0004] In current sole structures, especially for running shoes, a technical route of a high-resilience foamed midsole component combined with an embedded rigid stiffener (e.g. carbon fiber plate) is generally adopted. This energy feedback system combining high elastic potential storage / release (provided by the thick midsole component) and lever effect / gait guidance (provided by the carbon plate) has been proven to effectively reduce the energy consumption of runners and greatly improve the performance of long-distance running events such as marathons. However, the current sole structure is generally designed for forefoot strikers, and for heel strikers, the initial contact point is at the rear end of the sole, making it difficult to quickly utilize the lever effect of the rigid stiffener, resulting in low sole energy feedback efficiency and failing to meet the needs of heel strikers. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application aims to overcome the above-mentioned defects or problems existing in the background art, and provides a sole structure and a footwear product that can improve the problem of heel strikers being unable to quickly utilize a rigid stiffener to improve propulsion efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] Technical solution one: a sole structure, comprising: a midsole component, comprising an upper midsole and a lower midsole; the upper midsole continuously extends to form a footbed; the lower midsole is attached and / or formed on the lower side surface of the upper midsole, and the lower side surface of the lower midsole is curved upward to form a ground contact portion in the heel region; an outsole attached to the lower side surface of the lower midsole; and a reinforcing plate provided between the upper midsole and the lower midsole, comprising a plate body and a cantilever; the plate body is arranged at least corresponding to the forefoot region, the arch region and the heel region of the midsole component, and a hollow hole extending from the arch region to the heel region is provided through the plate body in the vertical direction; the cantilever extends backward from the front edge of the hollow hole, and only the front end of the cantilever is connected with the plate body; wherein the lower side edge of the rear end of the upper midsole is more forward than the upper side edge of the rear end of the lower midsole to form a stepped portion; the reinforcing plate is completely supported by the lower midsole, and a stabilizing portion is provided at the rear end of the reinforcing plate and exposed to the stepped portion.

[0008] Technical solution two based on technical solution one: an upper surface of the reinforcing plate is provided with a positioning protruding rib extending in the width direction at the rear portion of the reinforcing plate, and the part of the reinforcing plate behind the positioning protruding rib forms the stabilizing portion; the lower side edge of the rear end of the upper midsole is located in front of the positioning protruding rib and closely contacts the positioning protruding rib.

[0009] Technical solution three based on technical solution two: the plate body forms a forefoot portion, an arch portion and a heel portion corresponding to the forefoot region, the arch region and the heel region of the midsole component respectively; the stabilizing portion is separated from the heel portion by the positioning protruding rib; and the stabilizing portion is curved upward and extends relative to the heel portion.

[0010] Technical solution four based on technical solution three: the rear end of the cantilever is located in front of the heel portion or at least in front of the center position of the heel portion.

[0011] Technical solution five based on technical solution four: the cantilever sequentially forms an arched segment and a straight segment from front to back; the arched segment is curved and extends backward and upward from the front edge of the hollow hole; and the straight segment extends horizontally from the rear end of the arched segment.

[0012] Technical solution six based on technical solution five: the plate body forms the hollow hole and the parts located on both sides in the width direction form an outer extension and an inner extension respectively; the outer extension is lower than the inner extension at least within the extension range of the cantilever.

[0013] Technical solution seven based on technical solution six: the inner extension is not higher than the cantilever, and at least within the range of the straight segment of the cantilever, the inner extension has a flush part with the cantilever.

[0014] Based on the technical solution six, the eighth technical solution is that the front end of the outer extension is more forward than the front end of the inner extension, so that the front end of the cantilever is inclined relative to the width direction.

[0015] Based on any one of the first to eighth technical solutions, the ninth technical solution is that the reinforcing plate is divided into a first rebound part and a second rebound part by a separation groove opening through the front end in the width direction in the toe area of the forefoot part; the first rebound part is arranged corresponding to the outer foot side of the midsole part, and the second rebound part is arranged corresponding to the inner foot side of the midsole part.

[0016] Based on the first technical solution, the tenth technical solution is that the upper side surface of the lower layer midsole is recessed to be provided with a containing groove for containing the reinforcing plate.

[0017] Based on the first technical solution, the eleventh technical solution is that the groove bottom of the containing groove is upwardly protruded to be provided with a protruding part matched with the hollow hole; and the upper side surface of the protruding part is recessed to be provided with a fitting groove matched with the cantilever.

[0018] Based on the eleventh technical solution, the twelfth technical solution is that the lower layer midsole is made of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer foaming material with a rebound rate greater than 70%.

[0019] Based on the first technical solution, the thirteenth technical solution is that the reinforcing plate is made of at least one of a carbon fiber material and a glass fiber material.

[0020] In addition, the present application also provides a fourteenth technical solution: a footwear product, which comprises a vamp, and further comprises the shoe sole structure according to any one of the first to thirteenth technical solutions, and the vamp is attached to the upper layer midsole in the shoe sole structure.

[0021] From the above description of the present application, compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] The first technical solution provides a shoe sole structure, which comprises a midsole part, an outsole and a reinforcing plate. Through the cooperation of the above-mentioned parts, the shoe sole structure can quickly and smoothly adjust the ground contact part from the heel to the forefoot for the runner who lands on the heel, thereby improving the problem that the runner who lands on the heel cannot quickly improve the pushing efficiency by using the rigid reinforcing plate.

[0023] In the traditional shoe sole structure, the core area of the lever action of the rigid reinforcing plate is located in the forefoot, and the initial contact point (the rear end of the shoe sole) of the runner who lands on the heel is made of soft foaming material. There is a physical distance and mechanical transmission delay between the contact point and the lever action area. In the process of the runner transferring the body center of gravity from the heel to the forefoot, most of the initial impact energy is absorbed and dissipated by the foaming material, and at the same time, the transition process is slow, and the efficient energy transmission and rolling mechanism cannot be established from the moment of landing.

[0024] The existence of the reinforcing plate stabilizer and its arrangement exposed by the step part create a local, high-rigidity support area in the heel region of the sole structure. When the runner lands on the heel and rolls forward, the ground reaction force will act on the rear part of the lower midsole. Since the lower midsole in this area is tightly attached to the rigid stabilizer above it, the compression stroke of the midsole component material is strictly limited. The force will quickly penetrate through this thin midsole component and be borne by the stabilizer. This structure changes the situation in the traditional structure where the force is largely absorbed by the soft midsole component, and instead establishes a solid, fast-responding force transmission platform. This ensures that the energy generated when the runner lands can be transmitted from the heel region to the midfoot region with minimal loss and at the fastest speed. Secondly, the reinforcing plate arch region and heel region are provided with hollow holes and cantilevers, which are only connected to the plate body at the front end and are a relatively independent elastic unit in mechanics. When the force transmitted efficiently by the stabilizer reaches the midfoot, the cantilever bends and deforms under pressure. This deformation process is the process of converting the kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy of the runner into elastic potential energy and storing it. The hollow hole provides the necessary physical space for the deformation of the cantilever and makes the mechanical behavior of the cantilever not be too constrained by the surrounding plate body, ensuring its energy storage efficiency. When the runner's center of gravity passes through the midfoot, the cantilever rebounds, releasing the stored elastic potential energy and forming a forward propulsion force. The key is that the stabilizer is in the rear, responsible for energy preservation and transmission; the cantilever is in the front, responsible for energy conversion and gain. If the efficient force transmission platform formed by the stabilizer in the heel region is missing, a large part of the energy when the runner lands will be absorbed and dissipated by the traditional thick midsole component before reaching the midfoot. In this case, even if the midfoot position is provided with a cantilever, the cantilever will not be able to produce a significant propulsion effect due to insufficient energy input.

[0025] In summary, the sole structure provided by the present scheme forms a coherent mechanical process for heel landing, rolling transition, energy storage, and propulsion acceleration, thereby more effectively utilizing the impact energy when the runner lands and improving the running efficiency of the runner who lands on the heel.

[0026] In the second technical scheme, the positioning ribs on the reinforcing plate are attached to the rear edge of the upper midsole, forming a physical stop. This structure prevents the upper midsole from sliding backward relative to the reinforcing plate during movement. This mechanical connection is more stable than simple adhesion, as it eliminates the small movements between components and avoids the energy friction loss that would otherwise occur, ensuring the stability and performance consistency of the sole structure over a long period of use.

[0027] In Technical Solution 3, the stabilizing portion at the rear end of the reinforcement plate curves upward. This upward curvature matches the curved contact area at the rear end of the lower midsole, smoothing the forward roll after heel strike. This more effectively converts impact force into forward roll, while also enhancing foot comfort due to its curved shape, avoiding the harsh impact of a flat reinforcement plate.

[0028] In Technical Solution 4, the rear end of the cantilever does not enter the main heel support area of ​​the reinforcement plate. This positioning differentiates the functions of the reinforcement plate: the heel is responsible for stable support during landing, while the cantilever is responsible for energy storage and rebound during the midfoot phase. This structure ensures that the cantilever is loaded at the most appropriate time, exerting its elastic function in the most efficient manner, and avoiding the problem of reduced stability and energy return efficiency caused by premature loading.

[0029] In Technical Solution 5, the cantilever is divided into a curved section at the front and a straight section at the rear. When the foot is compressed, the curved section provides initial adaptive support and distributes stress. Subsequently, the straight section undergoes major deformation to store and release energy. This two-stage structure creates a gradual, soft-to-hardening cantilever support, enhancing comfort and controllable propulsion.

[0030] In Technical Solution 6, the inner portion of the reinforcement plate is higher than the outer portion. This structure provides stronger support for the inner side of the foot, limiting excessive inward rolling of the foot during running, making the gait more stable, reducing the energy consumption required to stabilize the ankle, and improving running efficiency.

[0031] In Technical Solution 7, the inner portion of the reinforcement plate is roughly the same height as the cantilever. This structure allows the inner side's stabilizing support and the cantilever's elastic propulsion to work together on a continuous plane. This allows runners to achieve a stable gait while also fully utilizing the cantilever's rebound force, achieving a perfect combination of stability and propulsion.

[0032] In Technical Solution 8, the connection between the cantilever and the reinforcement plate body is inclined relative to the width direction, so that the bending axis of the reinforcement plate matches the natural movement axis of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the human foot, so that the energy released by the cantilever rebound can act more directly on the foot, reducing the loss during energy transfer and improving propulsion efficiency.

[0033] In Technical Solution 9, the reinforcement plate is divided into a first rebound portion and a second rebound portion in the area corresponding to the toes by a separation groove. This separation design frees the reinforcement plate from the overall rigidity of the forefoot area, allowing a certain degree of independent bending of the medial and lateral portions. This better accommodates the natural bending pattern of the metatarsal joint during push-off, which is not a single-axis hinge but rather a multi-joint linkage. In particular, it allows the big toe greater freedom of movement, enabling a fuller and more powerful push-off.

[0034] In the tenth technical solution, a receiving groove for placing the reinforcement plate is provided on the lower midsole. The receiving groove provides a precise installation position for the reinforcement plate, ensuring that the reinforcement plate can be correctly fixed in the appropriate position and ensuring the effectiveness of the function.

[0035] In Technical Solution 11, the internal structure of the receiving groove perfectly matches the hollow holes in the reinforcement plate and the cantilever. The lower midsole material fills the hollow holes and supports the cantilever. This structure provides a stable working environment for the cantilever, limiting unnecessary lateral or torsional deformation and ensuring effective elastic movement only in the required vertical direction.

[0036] Technical Solution 12 specifies that the lower midsole be constructed of a high-rebound thermoplastic polyester elastomer foam material. This ensures that the sole provides the necessary cushioning while minimizing energy loss. This complements and enhances the lever and spring effects of the reinforcement plate, ultimately improving the sole's energy return efficiency.

[0037] In Technical Solution 13, the reinforcement plate is limited to composite materials such as carbon fiber or glass fiber, which can minimize the weight of the sole while ensuring that it has sufficiently high bending resistance as a rigid lever.

[0038] Technical solution fourteen provides a footwear product that adopts the above-mentioned sole structure, so that the footwear product can improve the problem that runners who land on their heels cannot quickly use the rigid reinforcement plate to improve the propulsion efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0040] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the explosion of the sole structure involved in the embodiment of the present invention Figure 1 ;

[0041] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the explosion of the sole structure involved in the embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 ;

[0042] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the assembly state of the sole structure involved in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of a reinforcing plate in a sole structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Description of main reference numerals:

[0045] Midsole member 100; upper midsole 110; first rear edge 111; third rear edge 112; lower midsole 120; ground contact portion 121; second rear edge 122; receiving groove 123; protrusion 124; assembly groove 125; step portion 130;

[0046] Outsole 200;

[0047] Reinforcement plate 300; plate body 310; hollow hole 311; forefoot portion 312; arch portion 313; heel portion 314; stabilizing portion 315; positioning rib 316; lateral extension portion 317; medial extension portion 318; cantilever 320; arched section 321; straight section 322; first connecting end 323; second connecting end 324; first rebound portion 331; second rebound portion 332; dividing groove 333. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as excluding other embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0049] In the claims, description and drawings of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, the use of terms such as "first", "second" or "third" is for the purpose of distinguishing different objects rather than for describing a specific order.

[0050] In the claims, specification and the above-mentioned drawings of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly defined, directional words such as the terms "center", "transverse", "longitudinal", "horizontal", "vertical", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like indicating directions or positional relationships are based on the directions and positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction or be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the specific scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] In the claims, description and above-mentioned drawings of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly defined, the terms "fixed connection" or "fixed connection" should be understood in a broad sense, that is, any connection method without displacement relationship and relative rotation relationship between the two parties, that is, including non-detachable fixed connection, detachable fixed connection, integral connection and fixed connection through other devices or elements.

[0052] The terms "comprise", "have" and any variations thereof, as used in the claims, the specification and the drawings, are intended to cover both the singular and the plural unless otherwise indicated.

[0053] Embodiments

[0054] Embodiments of the present application relate to a footwear product comprising an upper and a sole structure, with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The sole structure comprises a midsole component 100, an outsole 200 and a reinforcing plate 300, the midsole component 100 comprises an upper midsole 110 and a lower midsole 120. The upper of the footwear product is attached to the upper midsole 110 of the sole structure, and the attachment can be by means of hot melt, adhesion, stitching, etc. The outsole 200 is attached to the lower side surface of the lower midsole 120, and the outsole 200 can be made of rubber, nylon or TPU material and is fixed by means of hot melt, adhesion, etc.

[0055] With reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The upper midsole 110 is continuously extended to form a footbed, and the upper midsole 110 is provided as a continuous and shape-adapted footbed member to provide a direct contact support platform for the foot. The lower midsole 120 is attached and / or formed on the lower side surface of the upper midsole 110, and the lower side surface of the lower midsole 120 is curved upward to form a ground contact portion 121 in the heel region. Specifically, the upper midsole 110 and the lower midsole 120 cooperate to form the midsole component 100 of the sole structure, and the lower midsole 120 and the upper midsole 110 can be separately formed and then attached by means of adhesion, hot pressing, etc. to form an integrated whole, or can be integrally formed in a mold. Of course, other forming methods are also possible as long as they are technically feasible, and the present application is not limited in this regard.

[0056] Based on the shape of the midsole component 100, corresponding to the foot, the midsole component 100 can be divided into a forefoot region, an arch region and a heel region in the front-rear direction. This division is not a detailed division of the midsole component 100 at a specific location, but a rough division corresponding to the parts of the foot, and such a division is well known to those skilled in the art.

[0057] In the heel region of the lower midsole 120, the lower side surface is designed as an upwardly curved arcuate shape or inclined surface shape, as compared to the flat shape of the conventional sole structure. Here, the arcuate shape or inclined surface shape means that the lower side surface of the lower midsole 120 in the arch region and the heel region is designed as a substantially flat shape in the front part, and after crossing a certain boundary line, the lower side surface of the lower midsole 120 starts to extend upwardly and rearwardly inclined as compared to the horizontal plane, and the inclined extension part and the previous part are smoothly connected, and in the ground contact portion 121, the longitudinal section of the lower side surface of the lower midsole 120 can be an arcuate shape or a straight line shape. Through this shape design, the thickness of the lower midsole 120 is sharply reduced in the ground contact portion 121, and finally forms a thinner edge, and the upper side edge of the edge forms the second rear edge 122.

[0058] And, the lower side edge of the rear end of the upper midsole 110 is more forward than the upper side edge of the rear end of the lower midsole 120 to form a step portion 130. Specifically, referring to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 , in the heel region of the midsole component 100, the rear end part of the upper midsole 110 has a certain thickness, thereby forming a third rear edge 112 on the upper side edge of the rear end edge of the upper midsole 110, and a first rear edge 111 on the lower side edge. Among them, the first rear edge 111 is more forward than the third rear edge 112, thereby forming an inclined structure at the rear end of the upper midsole 110. And, the first rear edge 111 is also more forward than the second rear edge 122, thereby forming a step portion 130 at the rear end of the midsole component 100. It should be noted that the first rear edge 111 can overlap the range of the footbed constituted by the upper midsole 110 in the vertical direction, or can be slightly rearward as compared to the range of the footbed, but the second rear edge 122 and the third rear edge 112 are always more rearward than the range of the footbed.

[0059] In this embodiment, the lower midsole 120 is made of thermoplastic polyester elastomer foam material with a resilience rate greater than 70%. The thermoplastic polyester elastomer foam material has the advantages of light weight, high energy feedback rate, fatigue resistance, and good low temperature performance. Its high energy feedback rate can more effectively convert the impact energy absorbed by the midsole component 100 when the runner lands into kinetic energy to push forward, thereby improving the running economy. The foam material can be made by supercritical fluid foaming (such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide foaming) process, and by adjusting the process parameters during the foaming process, the final foam body with different density, hardness and compression performance can be prepared using the same base polymer. The lower midsole 120 is limited to use high resilience thermoplastic polyester elastomer foam material. It ensures that the sole provides necessary cushioning while minimizing energy loss, complementing and gaining the lever and spring effect of the reinforcing plate 300, and together improving the energy feedback efficiency of the sole.

[0060] With reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The reinforcing plate 300 is arranged between the upper midsole 110 and the lower midsole 120, and includes a plate body 310 and a cantilever 320; the plate body 310 is arranged at least corresponding to the forefoot region, the arch region and the heel region of the midsole component 100, and is provided with a hollow hole 311 extending through in the vertical direction from the arch region to the heel region; the cantilever 320 extends backward from the front edge of the hollow hole 311, and only its front end is connected with the plate body 310; and with reference to Figure 3 The reinforcing plate 300 is completely supported by the lower midsole 120, and its rear end is provided with a stabilizing portion 315 exposed to the stepped portion 130.

[0061] With reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A receiving groove 123 for accommodating the reinforcing plate 300 is recessed on the upper side surface of the lower midsole 120. Specifically, the mounting position of the reinforcing plate 300 in the sole structure is limited between the upper midsole 110 and the lower midsole 120. A receiving groove 123 matching the shape and size of the reinforcing plate 300 is recessed on the upper side surface of the lower midsole 120. In the assembled state, the upper side surface of the lower midsole 120 is in contact with the lower side surface of the upper midsole 110, thereby forming a sandwiched structure. The reinforcing plate 300 acts as a mechanical framework of the entire sole structure, and its arrangement range extends from the forefoot region to the heel region of the midsole component 100, ensuring effective transmission and support of force in the length direction of the entire sole structure. The reinforcing plate 300 is completely supported by the lower midsole 120, ensuring that the reinforcing plate 300 can completely receive the ground reaction force transmitted by the lower midsole 120. The receiving groove 123 provides a precise mounting position for the reinforcing plate 300, ensuring that the reinforcing plate 300 can be correctly fixed in the appropriate position, ensuring the effectiveness of the function.

[0062] It should be noted that, since the reinforcing plate 300 has a specially designed structure, the structure of the receiving groove 123 is not a simple concave groove. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The bottom of the receiving groove 123 protrudes upward to form a protrusion 124 that mates with the hollow hole 311. The upper surface of the protrusion 124 is recessed to form a mounting groove 125 that mates with the cantilever 320. Specifically, the receiving groove 123 can be considered a slot-like structure that mates with the outer contour of the reinforcement plate 300. However, due to the hollow hole 311 and cantilever 320 on the reinforcement plate 300, the structure of the receiving groove 123 at the corresponding position is specially designed. Specifically, at the position corresponding to the hollow hole 311 of the reinforcement plate 300, the bottom of the receiving groove 123 protrudes upward to form the protrusion 124, thereby completely occupying the hollow portion of the hollow hole 311. Of course, the degree of protrusion 124's projection relative to the bottom of the receiving groove 123 roughly matches the thickness of the reinforcement plate 300, thereby ensuring that the upper surfaces of the lower midsole 120 and the reinforcement plate 300 are roughly flush. On this basis, the reinforcement plate 300 is further provided with a solid cantilever 320. A mounting groove 125 is provided on the protrusion 124 at a position corresponding to the cantilever 320. The shape and dimensions of the mounting groove 125 are adapted to the cantilever 320, ensuring that the cantilever 320 is firmly supported by the lower midsole 120. It should be noted that the upper surface of the lower midsole 120 is necessarily adjusted to the shape of the reinforcement plate 300, ensuring that the reinforcement plate 300 consistently conforms to the upper surface of the lower midsole 120. Similarly, the lower surface of the upper midsole 110 is also designed to conform to the reinforcement plate 300. The internal structure of the receiving groove 123 fully matches the hollow hole 311 of the reinforcement plate 300 and the cantilever 320. The material of the lower midsole 120 fills the hollow hole 311 and supports the cantilever 320. This structure provides a stable working environment for the cantilever 320, limits unnecessary lateral or torsional deformation thereof, and ensures that it performs effective elastic movement only in the required vertical direction.

[0063] Furthermore, the key to the coordination between the reinforcing plate 300 and the midsole member 100 lies in the formation of a stabilizing portion 315 at the rear end of the reinforcing plate 300. This stabilizing portion 315 is designed to be exposed above the stepped portion 130 formed by the cooperation of the upper midsole 110 and the lower midsole 120. "Exposed" here should be interpreted as meaning that the upper surface of the reinforcing plate 300 is not obscured by the upper midsole 110, thereby allowing the stabilizing portion 315 of the reinforcing plate 300 to be directly visible. Specifically, the first rear edge 111 of the upper midsole 110 is in contact with the upper surface of the reinforcing plate 300.

[0064] Reference Figure 4The reinforcing plate 300 forms a forefoot portion 312, an arch portion 313 and a heel portion 314 corresponding to the forefoot area, the arch area and the heel area of ​​the midsole component 100, respectively. The above-mentioned stabilizing portion 315 is also formed behind the heel portion 314. The plate body 310 in the reinforcing plate 300 constitutes the main part of the reinforcing plate 300, wherein the plate body 310 includes a complete forefoot portion 312, and cooperates with the cantilever 320 and the hollow hole 311 to form the arch portion 313 and the heel portion 314. The plate body 310 has a certain curvature in the three-dimensional structure. Figure 4 In this embodiment, the board body 310 has a downwardly convex bend in the forefoot region to conform to the human forefoot shape. Furthermore, the board body 310 extends slightly upward from the junction of the forefoot region 312 and the arch region 313, then becomes generally straight at the heel region 314. This arrangement creates a three-dimensional structure with curved forefoot and arch regions and a straight heel.

[0065] A stabilizing portion 315 is formed at the rear end of the plate body 310 of the reinforcing plate 300. In this embodiment, a positioning rib 316 extending along the width of the upper surface of the reinforcing plate 300 is provided at its rear end. The portion of the reinforcing plate 300 behind the positioning rib 316 forms the stabilizing portion 315. The lower edge of the rear end of the upper midsole 110 is located in front of and in close contact with the positioning rib 316. The positioning rib 316 is a transverse protrusion formed on the upper surface of the plate body 310, extending along the width of the plate body 310 to both sides of the width of the plate body 310. The positioning rib 316 is long and thin, forming a thin strip. Structurally, the positioning rib 316 acts as a stopper. When the sole structure is assembled, the first rear edge 111 of the upper midsole 110 abuts against the front side of the positioning rib 316, creating a secure mechanical stop.

[0066] Furthermore, the stabilizing portion 315 is separated from the heel portion 314 by a positioning rib 316, and the stabilizing portion 315 curves upward relative to the heel portion 314. While the heel portion 314 of the reinforcement plate 300 corresponds to the heel area of ​​the foot, the stabilizing portion 315 extends beyond the foot. Therefore, the positioning rib 316 separates the stabilizing portion 315 from the heel portion 314. Furthermore, the upward curvature of the stabilizing portion 315 relative to the heel portion 314 means that the stabilizing portion 315 curves upward and backward, starting from the positioning rib 316, to form a rearward-curving configuration. As the very end of the reinforcement plate 300, its upward curvature matches the curved ground contact portion 121 at the rear end of the lower midsole 120.

[0067] The positioning rib 316 on the reinforcing plate 300 fits against the rear edge of the upper midsole 110, forming a physical stop. This structure prevents the upper midsole 110 from sliding backward relative to the reinforcing plate 300 during movement. This mechanical connection is more stable than simple bonding. It eliminates micro-movements between components, avoids the resulting energy loss due to friction, and ensures the stability and performance consistency of the sole structure during long-term use. The stabilizing portion 315 at the rear end of the reinforcing plate 300 is curved upward. This upward curvature matches the curved ground contact portion 121 at the rear end of the lower midsole 120, making the forward rolling process after the heel lands smoother. It can more effectively convert impact force into forward rolling. At the same time, its curved shape also improves foot comfort and avoids the harsh impact caused by a flat reinforcing plate 300.

[0068] Reference Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 4 A continuously extending hollow hole 311 is provided in the arch portion 313 and the heel portion 314 of the plate body 310. This hollow hole 311 extends vertically through the plate body 310 and occupies most of the area in the arch portion 313 and the heel portion 314. The leading edge of the hollow hole 311 roughly corresponds to the junction of the forefoot portion 312 and the arch portion 313 of the plate body 310. The trailing edge of the hollow hole 311 is located in front of and a certain distance from the positioning rib 316. A cantilever 320 extends rearward from the leading edge of the hollow hole 311. This cantilever 320 is connected to the plate body 310 only at its front end. The sides and rear end of the cantilever 320 are separated from the plate body 310, forming a component with high elastic deformation capacity.

[0069] Further, refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 4, the rear end of the cantilever 320 is located before the heel portion 314 or at least before the center of the heel portion 314. Here, the center of the heel portion 314 is a general position that generally corresponds to the lowest point of the heel of the foot, that is, the stress concentration point of the heel region of the midsole component 100. The extension direction of the cantilever 320 is rearward, and in one embodiment, the rear end of the cantilever 320 is configured to be located before the heel portion 314, that is, the extension range of the cantilever 320 is only in the arch region and does not enter the heel region. Of course, due to the fuzzy boundary between the arch region and the heel region, in actual implementation, the rear end of the cantilever 320 can partially fall into the region considered to be the heel portion 314. However, as a further limitation, the rear end of the cantilever 320 does not fall into the heel portion 314 too much, and at least the rear end of the cantilever 320 does not exceed the center of the heel portion 314. The rear end of the cantilever 320 does not enter the main support region of the heel of the reinforcing plate 300. Such a position setting distinguishes the functions of the reinforcing plate 300: the heel portion 314 is responsible for stable support when landing, and the cantilever 320 is responsible for energy storage and rebound in the midfoot stage. This structure ensures that the cantilever 320 is stressed at the most appropriate time to maximize its elastic effect in the most efficient way, avoiding the problem of premature stress leading to reduced stability and energy feedback efficiency.

[0070] With reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 , the cantilever 320 is formed from front to rear in turn into an arch section 321 and a straight section 322; the arch section 321 is bent upwardly and rearwardly from the front edge of the hollow hole 311; and the straight section 322 is extended horizontally from the rear end of the arch section 321. Specifically, as can be clearly observed from the side view of the reinforcing plate 300, the cantilever 320 has a clear, upward arc bend at its front end portion connected to the plate body 310, that is, the arch section 321, and the curvature makes it higher than its connection point in the non-stressed state. Subsequently, from the highest point of the arch section 321 rearward, the cantilever 320 transitions into a straight section 322 that is basically horizontally oriented until its free end. The cantilever 320 is divided into the arch section 321 at the front end and the straight section 322 at the rear end. When the foot is pressed, the arch section 321 provides initial adaptive support and disperses stress. Subsequently, the straight section 322 mainly deforms to store and release energy. This two-section structure makes the support force of the cantilever 320 present a progressive characteristic of soft first and hard later, improving comfort and controllability of propulsion.

[0071] The plate body 310 defines the hollow hole 311, with the widthwise portions forming lateral extensions 317 and medial extensions 318, respectively. Specifically, these two extensions extend longitudinally from the plate body 310 at the arch 313 and heel 314, respectively, and together define the left and right boundaries of the hollow hole 311. The lateral extension 317 corresponds to the outside of the foot, while the medial extension 318 corresponds to the inside of the foot. Together, they form the framework structure of the reinforcement plate 300 in the mid-to-rear section, responsible for transmitting force from the heel to the forefoot and providing overall longitudinal rigidity and torsional resistance.

[0072] On this basis, the outer extension portion 317 is lower than the inner extension portion 318, at least within the extension range of the cantilever 320. Furthermore, the inner extension portion 318 is no higher than the cantilever 320 and is flush with the cantilever 320 at least within the straight section 322 of the cantilever 320. Specifically, the outer extension portion 317 being lower than the inner extension portion 318 means that when the reinforcing plate 300 is placed on a horizontal surface, the upper surface of the outer extension portion 317 is lower than the upper surface of the inner extension portion 318 within the extension range of the cantilever 320. Furthermore, because the thickness of the plate body 310 of the reinforcing plate 300 is uniform, the outer extension portion 317 is approximately below the inner extension portion 318 when projected perpendicularly to the width direction. The extension range of the cantilever 320 refers to the length of the cantilever 320 projected perpendicularly to the width direction, starting from the connection point between the cantilever 320 and the plate body 310. On this basis, the medial extension 318 is always no higher than the cantilever 320. "No higher than" here includes both being lower than the cantilever 320 and being flush with the cantilever 320. Specifically, the medial extension 318 is lower than the cantilever 320 in the front section and is flush with the straight section 322 of the cantilever 320 in the section corresponding to the straight section 322 of the cantilever 320. The medial portion of the reinforcement plate 300 is higher than the lateral portion. This structure provides stronger support for the medial side of the foot, preventing excessive inward rolling of the foot during running, resulting in a more stable gait, reducing energy consumption for ankle stabilization, and improving running efficiency. The medial portion of the reinforcement plate 300 is substantially the same height as the cantilever 320. This structure allows the medial stabilizing support function and the elastic propulsion function of the cantilever 320 to work synergistically on a continuous plane. While providing a stable gait guidance, the runner can also fully utilize the rebound force of the cantilever 320, achieving a combination of stabilization and propulsion.

[0073] Furthermore, the front end of the outer extension portion 317 is positioned further forward than the front end of the inner extension portion 318, causing the front end of the cantilever 320 to be tilted relative to the width direction. Specifically, the connection between the front end of the cantilever 320 and the front edge of the hollow hole 311 forms a first connecting end 323 located on the inner side and a second connecting end 324 located on the outer side. The first connecting end 323 and the second connecting end 324 are positioned at different positions along the length direction of the reinforcing plate 300, with the second connecting end 324 being positioned further forward than the first connecting end 323. As a result, the line connecting the first connecting end 323 and the second connecting end 324 forms an inclined line at a certain angle to the width direction of the reinforcing plate 300, extending from the outer side forward and backward. The connection between the cantilever 320 and the main body of the reinforcement plate 300 is inclined relative to the width direction, so that the bending axis of the reinforcement plate 300 matches the natural movement axis of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the human foot, so that the energy released by the rebound of the cantilever 320 can act more directly on the foot, reducing the loss during energy transfer and improving propulsion efficiency.

[0074] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The toe region of the forefoot portion 312 of the reinforcing plate 300 is divided into a first resilient portion 331 and a second resilient portion 332 spaced apart from each other along the width direction by a separating groove 333 opening at the front end. The first resilient portion 331 corresponds to the lateral side of the midsole component 100, while the second resilient portion 332 corresponds to the medial side of the midsole component 100. Specifically, the separating groove 333 is a narrow opening extending rearward from the front end of the reinforcing plate 300. It physically divides the front portion of the reinforcing plate 300 corresponding to the toe region into two relatively independent parts: the first resilient portion 331 located on the lateral side and the second resilient portion 332 located on the medial side. This separation design relieves the rigidity of the forefoot region of the reinforcing plate 300, allowing the medial and lateral portions to flex independently to a certain extent. This better adapts to the natural bending mode of the metatarsal joint of the foot when the runner pushes off the ground, which is not a single-axis hinge but a multi-joint linkage. In particular, it allows the big toe to have greater freedom of movement, thereby achieving a fuller and more powerful push-off.

[0075] In this embodiment, the reinforcing plate 300 is made of at least one of carbon fiber and glass fiber. By limiting the reinforcing plate 300 to composite materials such as carbon fiber or glass fiber, the weight of the sole can be minimized while ensuring that the reinforcing plate 300 has sufficiently high bending resistance as a rigid lever.

[0076] This embodiment relates to a sole structure comprising a midsole component 100, an outsole 200, and a reinforcement plate 300. Through the coordinated cooperation of these components, the sole structure can quickly and smoothly adjust the ground contact portion 121 from the heel to the forefoot for runners who land on their heels, thereby alleviating the problem that runners who land on their heels cannot quickly utilize the rigid reinforcement plate 300 to improve propulsion efficiency. In traditional sole structures, the core area of ​​leverage of the rigid reinforcement plate 300 is located in the mid-forefoot. The initial contact point (the rear end of the sole) of a runner who lands on his heels is made of soft foam material. There is a physical distance and mechanical transmission delay between this contact point and the leverage area. When a runner transitions their body center of gravity from the heel to the forefoot, most of the initial impact energy is absorbed and dissipated by the foam material. At the same time, the transition process is slow, and an efficient energy transfer and rolling mechanism cannot be established from the moment of landing. In the sole structure provided by this solution, the presence of the stabilizing portion 315 of the reinforcing plate 300 and its arrangement exposed by the step portion 130 create a localized, high-rigidity support zone in the heel area of ​​the sole. When a runner lands on their heel and rolls forward, the ground reaction force acts on the rear portion of the lower midsole 120. Because the lower midsole 120 in this area is in close contact with the rigid stabilizing portion 315 of the reinforcing plate 300 above it, the compression stroke of the midsole component 100 material is strictly limited. Force quickly penetrates this thin layer of midsole component 100 and is borne by the stabilizing portion 315. This structure changes the situation in which the soft midsole component 100 absorbs a large amount of force in traditional structures and instead establishes a solid, responsive force transmission platform. This ensures that the energy generated when the runner lands can be transferred from the heel area to the midfoot area with minimal loss and at the fastest speed. Secondly, the reinforcing plate 300 features hollow holes 311 and cantilever arms 320 in the arch and heel areas. The cantilever arms 320 are connected to the plate body 310 only at their front ends, forming a relatively independent, mechanically independent elastic unit. When the force efficiently transmitted through the stabilizing portion 315 reaches the midfoot, the cantilever arms 320 bend and deform under pressure. This deformation process converts the runner's kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy into elastic potential energy and stores it. The hollow holes 311 provide the necessary physical space for the cantilever arms 320 to deform, freeing their mechanical behavior from excessive constraints imposed by the surrounding plate body 310 and ensuring efficient energy storage. When the runner's center of gravity passes over the midfoot, the cantilever arms 320 rebound, releasing the stored elastic potential energy and generating forward propulsion. Crucially, the stabilizing portion 315 is located at the rear, responsible for energy retention and transmission, while the cantilever arms 320 are located at the front, responsible for energy conversion and amplification. Without the efficient force-transfer platform formed by the stabilizing portion 315 in the heel area, a significant portion of the runner's landing energy would have been absorbed and dissipated by the conventional thick midsole component 100 before reaching the midfoot. In this case, even if the cantilever 320 were provided in the midfoot, the cantilever 320 would not receive sufficient energy and would not produce a significant propulsion effect.In summary, the shoe sole structure provided by the present application can form a coherent mechanical process for heel landing, rolling transition, energy storage and propulsion acceleration, so as to effectively utilize the impact energy when the runner lands and improve the movement efficiency of the runner landing on the heel.

[0077] The above description and the embodiment are used to explain the scope of protection of the present application, but do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present application. Through the inspiration of the present application or the above-mentioned embodiment, the modification, equivalent replacement or other improvement of the embodiment of the present application or one part of the technical features can be obtained by the ordinary skilled in the art combining with the common knowledge, the ordinary technical knowledge and / or the prior art in the field, through logical analysis, reasoning or limited test, which should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A sole structure, characterized in that: include: A midsole component (100) includes an upper midsole (110) and a lower midsole (120); the upper midsole (110) is continuously extended to form a footbed; the lower midsole (120) is attached to and / or formed on the lower side surface of the upper midsole (110), and the lower side surface of the lower midsole (120) is bent upward in the heel area to form a ground contact portion (121); an outsole (200) attached to the lower surface of the lower midsole (120); and A reinforcing plate (300) is provided between the upper midsole (110) and the lower midsole (120), and comprises a plate body (310) and a cantilever (320); the plate body (310) is arranged at least corresponding to the forefoot region, the arch region, and the heel region of the midsole component (100), and is provided with a hollow hole (311) extending from the arch region to the heel region in a vertical direction; the cantilever (320) extends rearward from the front edge of the hollow hole (311), and only the front end thereof is connected to the plate body (310); The lower edge of the rear end of the upper midsole (110) is positioned further forward than the upper edge of the rear end of the lower midsole (120) to form a step portion (130); the reinforcing plate (300) is fully supported by the lower midsole (120), and a stabilizing portion (315) exposed at the rear end of the reinforcing plate (300) is provided.

2. A sole structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the reinforcing plate (300) is provided with a positioning rib (316) extending in the width direction at its rear portion, and the portion of the reinforcing plate (300) behind the positioning rib (316) forms the stabilizing portion (315); the lower side edge of the rear end of the upper midsole (110) is located in front of the positioning rib (316) and is in close contact with the positioning rib (316).

3. A sole structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The plate body (310) forms a forefoot portion (312), an arch portion (313) and a heel portion (314) corresponding to the forefoot region, the arch region and the heel region of the midsole component (100); the stabilizing portion (315) and the heel portion (314) are separated by the positioning rib (316); The stabilizing portion (315) is bent and extended upward relative to the heel portion (314).

4. A sole structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The rear end of the cantilever (320) is located in front of the heel portion (314) or at least in front of the center position of the heel portion (314).

5. A sole structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cantilever (320) forms a raised section (321) and a straight section (322) from front to back; the raised section (321) bends and extends backward and upward from the front edge of the hollow hole (311); and the straight section (322) extends horizontally and straightly from the rear end of the raised section (321).

6. A sole structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The plate body (310) forms the hollow hole (311), and the portions located on both sides in the width direction respectively form an outer extension portion (317) and an inner extension portion (318); the outer extension portion (317) is lower than the inner extension portion (318) at least within the extension range of the cantilever (320).

7. A sole structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: The inner extension (318) is not higher than the cantilever (320), and at least within the straight section (322) of the cantilever (320), it has a flush portion with the cantilever (320).

8. The sole structure according to claim 6, wherein: The front end of the outer extension portion (317) is positioned further forward than the front end of the inner extension portion (318), so that the front end of the cantilever (320) is inclined relative to the width direction.

9. A sole structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The reinforcing plate (300) is divided into a first rebound portion (331) and a second rebound portion (332) spaced apart from each other in the toe region of the forefoot portion (312) thereof through a separation groove (333) with a front end opening along the width direction; the first rebound portion (331) is arranged corresponding to the outer foot side of the midsole component (100), and the second rebound portion (332) is arranged corresponding to the inner foot side of the midsole component (100).

10. The sole structure according to claim 1, wherein: The upper surface of the lower midsole (120) is recessed and provided with a receiving groove (123) for receiving the reinforcing plate (300).

11. The sole structure according to claim 11, wherein: The bottom of the accommodating groove (123) is upwardly protruding and provided with a protruding portion (124) adapted to the hollow hole (311); the upper side surface of the protruding portion (124) is recessed and provided with an assembly groove (125) adapted to the cantilever (320).

12. The sole structure according to claim 1, wherein: The lower midsole (120) is made of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer foam material with a rebound rate greater than 70%.

13. The sole structure according to claim 1, wherein: The reinforcing plate (300) is made of at least one of carbon fiber material and glass fiber material.

14. A footwear product comprising an upper, characterized in that: It also comprises the sole structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the upper is attached to an upper midsole (110) in the sole structure.

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