BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to footwear. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to embodiments of footwear having a sole and/or upper portion described herein.

Background Art

Individuals can be concerned with the amount of cushioning an article of footwear provides, as well as the aesthetic appeal of the article of footwear. This is true for articles of footwear worn for non-performance activities, such as a leisurely stroll, and for performance activities, such as running, because throughout the course of an average day, the feet and legs of an individual are subjected to substantial impact forces. When an article of footwear contacts a surface, considerable forces may act on the article of footwear and, correspondingly, the wearer's foot. The sole functions, in part, to provide cushioning to the wearer's foot and to protect it from these forces. To achieve adequate cushioning, many footwear soles are thick and heavy. When sole size and/or weight are reduced to achieve other performance goals, protection of the wearer's foot is often compromised.

The human foot is a complex and remarkable piece of machinery, capable of withstanding and dissipating many impact forces. The natural padding of fat at the heel and forefoot, as well as the flexibility of the arch, help to cushion the foot. Although the human foot possesses natural cushioning and rebounding characteristics, the foot alone is incapable of effectively overcoming many of the forces encountered during every day activity. Unless an individual is wearing footwear that provides proper cushioning, support, and flexibility, the soreness and fatigue associated with every day activity is more acute, and its onset accelerated. The discomfort for the wearer that results may diminish the incentive for further activity. Also, inadequate cushioning, support, or flexibility in an article of footwear can lead to injuries such as blisters; muscle, tendon and ligament damage; and bone stress fractures. Improper footwear can also lead to other ailments, including back pain.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The disclosed embodiments relate to portions of an article of footwear formed from an extruded member. In certain embodiments, a sole or portion of a sole can be formed from one or more extruded members. In certain embodiments, the extruded member can be a single, continuous piece of solid material. An extruded footwear component, such as a sole, can have advantages over traditionally formed components, such as injection molded components. For example, an extruded sole can be customized without having to machine a new, expensive mold. The use of extruded members can also allow for the use of shapes and geometries that are difficult to achieve using conventional molding techniques.

In certain embodiments, a sole for an article of footwear can include an extruded member formed in a controlled geometric pattern. In certain embodiments, the sole can include one or more layers. In certain embodiments, each layer can have one or more extruded members. In certain embodiments, the layers can be non-woven layers. In certain embodiments, at least two layers can be formed from the same extruded member.

In certain embodiments, a sole for an article of footwear can be formed from one or more solid extruded members arranged in a controlled geometric pattern having one or more layers. In certain embodiments, a first layer can be formed from a first solid extruded member and a second layer can be formed from a second solid extruded member. In certain embodiments, a first layer can run in a transverse direction of the sole and a second layer can run in a lengthwise direction of the sole. In certain embodiments, a first layer can run in a lengthwise direction of the sole and a second layer can run in a transverse direction of the sole. In certain embodiments, a first and third layer can run in a first direction and a second layer can run in a second direction. In certain embodiments, the first and second directions can be generally perpendicular.

In certain embodiments, various areas of the sole can include more layers of one or more extruded members than other areas of the sole. For example, in certain embodiments, a heel or rearfoot area of the sole can have more layers than a midfoot area and/or forefoot area of the sole. In certain embodiments, a rearfoot area of the sole can have a coiled shape, designed to provide additional support and/or cushioning for a wearer's heel. In certain embodiments, a midfoot area of the sole can have more layers than a rearfoot area and/or forefoot area of the sole. In certain embodiments, a forefoot area of the sole can have more layers than a rearfoot area and/or midfoot area of the sole.

Each layer can be formed in a controlled pattern. In certain embodiments, a layer can be planar such that the layer is the thickness of a single extruded member. Multiple patterns can be included in a single layer. A layer that includes multiple patterns can have the same or different patterns within the layer, and one layer can have the same or different pattern from another layer. In certain embodiments, at least one layer can have a pattern with one or more gaps between the one or more extruded members. In certain embodiments, at least one layer can have a plurality of undulations. In certain embodiments, each undulation can contact an adjacent undulation. In certain embodiments, the undulations can run in a transverse direction of the sole, or at an angle with respect to the lengthwise direction of the sole. In certain embodiments, each undulation can form a loop having an open space. In certain embodiments, the loops can have a round, flat, or angled end portion at the medial or lateral side of the sole. In certain embodiments, the undulations can extend partially or entirely from a medial side to a lateral side of the sole.

Various physical properties of the extruded member can be manipulated, adjusted, altered, and/or modified. For example, in certain embodiments, the width, length, shape, wall thickness, color, density, elasticity, material, etc. of the extruded member can vary along the extruded member or between a first and second extruded member.

In certain embodiments, an article of footwear can include an upper and a sole attached to the upper, where the sole is formed from a single, continuous piece of extruded material or a plurality of extruded members. The extruded member can be made of rubber, foam (e.g., dispensed urethane foam), silicone, plastic including thermoplastic (e.g., TPU, nylon, or polypropylene), or any other suitable material. The cross-section of the extruded member can be substantially circular, oval, rectangular, triangular, square, or any other suitable shape or design (e.g., star-shaped).

In certain embodiments, the sole can include a support member, for example a rigid support member, which can be made from any suitable material (e.g., plastic, metal, composite, or a combination of materials). In certain embodiments, the support member can made of a cushioning material such as foam. In certain embodiments, the support member can be located between a first and second layer of the one or more extruded members. The support member can be located along the entire sole or at any portion of the sole, for example, in a rearfoot, midfoot, and/or forefoot area of the sole.

In certain embodiments, the sole can be a midsole having an insole attached to a top surface of the one or more extruded members and an outsole attached to a bottom surface of the one or more extruded members. In certain embodiments, the extruded member can be extruded directly onto the insole and/or outsole. In certain embodiments, an adhesive can be applied to the insole and/or outsole before extruding the extruded member onto it.

Methods of manufacturing an article of footwear and a sole for an article of footwear are also disclosed. In certain embodiments, a method for manufacturing a sole for an article of footwear can include extruding one or more elongated members in a controlled geometric pattern. In certain embodiments, the method can include extruding one or more solid elongated members to form a plurality of layers. In certain embodiments, the method can include extruding a single, continuous elongated member. In certain embodiments, the method can include extruding the elongated member directly onto an outsole.

In certain embodiments, a method for manufacturing a customized sole for an article of footwear can include measuring a physical characteristic of a foot (e.g., pressure data), sending data of the characteristic to a computing device controlling an extruder, and extruding one or more elongated members in a controlled geometric pattern to form the sole based on the pressure data. In certain embodiments, the method can include recording the pressure data in the computing device. In certain embodiments, the method can include analyzing the pressure data using the computing device. In certain embodiments, the method can include designing a pattern for a sole based on the pressure data.

In certain embodiments, one or more extruded members can be extruded directly onto an upper portion of an article of footwear. In certain embodiments, a sole portion can be extruded and an upper can be attached thereto, for example, by stitching or an adhesive. In certain embodiments, an upper or a portion of an upper can be formed from one or more extruded members. In certain embodiments, an article of footwear including a sole and an upper can be formed from one or more extruded members as a single, unitary structure. By way of example, in certain embodiments, one or more extruded members can be extruded onto fabric to form an upper, a midsole, quarter panels, heel counter, etc., and the fabric can be formed, cut, or sewn to form an article of footwear.

Additional features and embodiments will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosed embodiments. Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not meant to be limiting, and are intended to provide further explanation of the embodiments as claimed.

