FOOTWEAR ARTICLE WITH A PLATE AND METHOD FOR CUSTOMIZING SUCH A FOOTWEAR ARTICLE

Abstract

Footwear may comprise customizable support plates. Methods for customizing footwear comprising a support plate may comprise applying heat to the footwear article to raise a temperature of the support plate to less than the melt temperature of the composition of the support plate such that the support plate becomes non-rigid in a first state, applying force to the support plate in the first state to customize a shape of the support plate, allowing the footwear to cool such that the support plate is at a second state having a higher rigidity than the first state.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A footwear article comprising: an outsole configured to engage the ground; a comfort midsole disposed adjacent the outsole; and a support plate disposed such that the comfort midsole is interposed between the support plate and the outsole; wherein the support plate comprises a sidewall extending from at least a portion of a periphery of the support plate, wherein the sidewall comprises a plurality of notches formed therein, wherein the support plate is formed from a composition having a melt temperature of 70° C. or lower.

17. The footwear article of claim 16, wherein the one or more foam portions comprise a midsole.

18. The footwear article of claim 16, wherein the sidewall of the support plate extends vertically along a medial side of the support plate.

19. The footwear article of claim 16, wherein the sidewall of the support plate extends vertically along a lateral side of the support plate.

20. The footwear article of claim 16, wherein the sidewall of the support plate extends vertically along a medial side and a lateral side of the support plate.

21. The footwear article of claim 16, wherein the sidewall of the support plate extends vertically about a periphery of a heel portion of the support plate.

22. The footwear article of claim 16, wherein the sidewall further comprises a ridge extending vertically above an average height of an unnotched portion of the support plate.

23. The footwear article of claim 22, wherein the ridge is disposed on a medial side of the support plate.

24. The footwear article of claim 16, wherein the composition comprises a thermoplastic matrix comprising a base resin and a reinforcing material.

25. The footwear article of claim 24, wherein the reinforcing material comprises glass or carbon fiber, or a combination of both.

26. The footwear article of claim 24, where the base resin comprises polyurethane.

27. (canceled)

28. A method of customizing the footwear article of any one of claim 16, the method comprising: applying heat to the footwear article to raise a temperature of the support plate to less than the melt temperature of the composition of the support plate such that the support plate becomes non-rigid in a first state; applying force to the support plate in the first state to customize a shape of the support plate; and allowing the footwear to cool such that the support plate is at a second state having a higher rigidity than the first state.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein customizing the footwear is based on a target activity usage.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein customizing the footwear is based on a target foot shape.

31.-33.(canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The following drawings show generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various examples discussed in the present disclosure. In the drawings:

[0038] FIG. 1 is a side view of a shoe according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the shoe of FIG. 1.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a view along cross-section A-A′ of FIG. 1.

[0041] FIG. 4 is a side view of a shoe according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the shoe of FIG. 4.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a view along cross-section B-B′ of FIG. 4.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a side view of a shoe according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

[0045] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a plate in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0046] FIG. 9 is a side view of a shoe according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

[0047] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a plate in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0048] FIG. 11 illustrates a top view of a custom plate in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0049] FIG. 12 illustrates a side view of the custom plate of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The systems and/or methods described herein allow customization of a plate (e.g., support plate, shell, etc.) shape to a specific foot anatomy of wearer of a shoe. The plate may be located between an upper and a foam midsole or comfort sole. Such a location of the plate relative to a foot may allow the plate to stabilize the foot because of rigid sidewalls of the plate and a geometry of the plate that goes from a heel of the foot to toes of the foot. The plate may be disposed in close proximity to a foot of a wearer, spaced by an insole or some other separator. Although other arrangements may be used. In certain aspects, the rigidity of the plate may make it undesirable to place the plate directly against the foot of the wearer. In such circumstances, an insole or softer layer may be interposed between the plate and the foot. However, the proximity of the plate to the foot may impart desirable support to the wearer.

[0051] A shape and/or position of the plate may allow the plate to be customized to a shape of the wearer of the shoe. The plate may conform to a plantar shape of the foot to provide a match between the foot and a bottom of the upper. A width of the plate may be shaped because of the sidewalls.

[0052] The plate may comprise a composite material made with a thermoplastic matrix. The plate may comprise a glass and/or carbon fiber material with a thermoplastic (e.g., polyurethane) that has a low melting point temperature (e.g., less than 100° C., less than 90° C., less than 80° C., less than 70° C., about 70° C.). The plate may comprise a resin that comprises a property that allows the plate to be shaped at relatively low temperatures (e.g., less than 100° C., less than 90° C., less than 80° C., less than 70° C., about 70° C.). The plate may comprise material that is stiff at ambient temperatures so that the plate plays a supportive role when the shoe is worn in normal conditions.

[0053] The plate may be a rigid plate inserted between the upper and the midsole from heel to toes. The plate may comprise a three dimensional (3D) shape allowing for vertical sidewalls. The plate may extend on a lateral and/or medial side of the foot. The plate may wrap the heel.

[0054] The plate may be made with a low melting temperature thermoplastic material (injection and/or composite with a thermoplastic matrix) that allows for shape modification when the shoe is heated. The geometry of the plate may fix (e.g., set, establish, etc.) the geometry of the shoe in one configuration. A configuration may comprise a toe spring, heel width, and/or forefoot width.

[0055] Systems and/or methods described herein may allow the shoes to be heated at around 60° C. The plate may become softer and ready to be shaped for specific usage (terrain, speed, body specs, etc.). The plate may become softer and ready to be shaped for a specific foot shape. When the shoe cools down, the plate may become rigid again, fixing (e.g., setting, establishing, etc.) the geometry of the shoe into its newly formed position.

[0056] Customization of the shoe may be made by heating the shoe and then pressing the plate by hand to adjust the geometry to the foot. Customization of the shoe may be made by heating the shoe and molding the plate manually or using a device, such as a vacuum machine, to manipulate the shoe and re-mold the plate into a custom shape and configuration.

[0057] FIGS. 1-3 show an athletic shoe that extends between a toe 1 and a heel 3 and comprises an upper 5 attached to an outsole 7 via a comfort sole 9.

[0058] The outsole 7 may be made of an adherent material such as a rubber and is intended to provide a good grip on the ground and good resistance to abrasion. The comfort sole 9 may act as a shock absorber and absorbs shocks during the shoe's contact with the ground, in particular by the heel 3. The comfort sole 9 may also control torsional and flexional rigidity characteristics. The upper 5 may serve to keep the foot enclosed in the shoe, and for this purpose, it may be provided with a closure system 11 using laces or quick fastener strips. The outsole 7 and the comfort sole 9 may be connected to each other, for example by gluing from the toe 1 to the heel 3. Other coupling mechanisms may be used. The outsole 7 may be equipped with a tip 71 at the toe 1 of the shoe.

[0059] The comfort sole 9 may have a radius of curvature R at any point P on line L from heel 3 to toe 1. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, points P1 and P2 of line L have radii of curvature R1 and R2. The curvature of comfort sole 9 eliminates the overlap effect of the initial impact felt with a comfort sole without curvature. The transition between the impact and the roll of the foot is instantaneous. Combined with the stiffness of the plate 13, the bend of the comfort sole 9 promotes the return of energy and thereby permitting faster, and therefore more powerful, strides.

[0060] According to the present disclosure, footwear such as a shoe may comprise a plate 13. The plate 13 may comprise plastic, polymer, and/or composite material. The plate 13 may be disposed between the upper 5 and the comfort sole 9. Corresponding to the heel 3 of the shoe, a rear portion 51 of the upper 5 may be coupled, for example, glued to a rear portion 17 of the plate 13, and likewise, the rear portion 17 may be coupled to a rear portion 91 of the comfort sole 9. Various coupling means may be used such as gluing or cementing.

[0061] As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the plate 13 extends from a rear portion 17 corresponding to the heel 3, to a front portion 19 corresponding to the toe 1. However, plate 13 may be configured to only extend for a distance less than the distance between the heel 3 and the toe 1. As a non-limiting example, an end 21 of the front portion 19 of the plate 13 is shown at a distance from the rear portion 17 that is less than the distance between the heel 3 and the toe 1 of the shoe. In this case, the upper 5 may be in direct contact with the comfort sole 9 in the part of the toe 1 of the shoe where the plate 13 is not disposed.

[0062] Plate 13 is inserted between upper 5 and comfort sole 9 and attached to these two elements by heel 3 in order to impart, on the one hand, torsional and flexional rigidity to the upper.

[0063] During the impact of the heel 3 of the shoe and the ground, plate 13 counteracts displacement of the foot enclosed in upper 5, thus contributing to the stability of the support. On the other hand, the plate is made of plastic or composite material to allow a fraction of the energy released by the impact to be restored during relaxation by reducing the fraction of energy dissipated by the comfort sole.

[0064] The plate 13 may be coupled to the upper 5 and/or the comfort sole 9 via a plate bottom 23 and a plate side 25 or sidewall. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the plate side 25 surrounds the plate bottom 23 along the rear portion 17 of the plate 13 corresponding to the heel 1 and is disconnected along the plate bottom 23 at the front portion 19 of the plate 13 corresponding to the toe 1. The disconnection of the plate side 25 may give the toe 1 of the shoe flexibility while maintaining stiffness in the heel 3. This arrangement may be more specifically suitable for track running.

[0065] FIGS. 4-6, illustrates a plate 13′ having a plate side 25′ that forms an edge around plate bottom 23. Similar components are referenced using the same numeral. Certain variations are references using the prime (′) symbols. The plate side 25′ may form an edge or sidewall around the plate bottom 23 to allow the plate 13′ to stabilize the foot vis-a-vis the ground during a stride, on the one hand. The foot enclosed by the upper 5 is thus kept in the alignment held by the shoe at the time of the impact of the heel 3 with the ground. On the other hand, the periphery of the plate side 25′ increases the flexional and torsional rigidity of the plate 13′. Such an arrangement may be suitable for road running.

[0066] A stiffness of a plate (e.g., the plate 13, 13′) may be varied by delimiting rigid sections of plate side 25, 25′, causing flexibility, for example, by disposing notches to space sections of the plate side 25, 25′. Notches 27 may be arranged along the periphery of plate bottom 13, in the front portion 19 of the plate 13. The notches 27 may correspond, for example, to the position of the joints between the metatarsal and the phalanges and between the phalanges and the toes of the foot. This variant of the embodiment is particularly suitable for mountain runs, known as “trail running”.

[0067] FIGS. 9-10 illustrate a bottom plate 23″ that is perforated. A cavity 29 reduces the weight of plate 13″ while maintaining the rigidity provided by plate side 25″.

[0068] A torsional and flexional rigidity of a plate (e.g., the plate 13, 13′, 13″) may be adjusted for a given material according to its thickness and its geometry, in particular the height of the plate side. The comfort layer may be formed from various materials such as EVA, but it can also be made of a viscoelastic material or a polyurethane foam.

[0069] FIGS. 11-12 show a plate 113 in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. A footwear article may comprise an outsole configured to engage the ground, as shown and described herein. The footwear article may comprise one or more foam portions (e.g., midsoles) disposed adjacent the outsole. The plate 113 (e.g., support plate) may be disposed such that the one or more foam portions are interposed between the support plate 113 and the outsole. The support plate 113 may comprises a sidewall 125 extending from at least a portion of a periphery of a bottom 123 of the support plate 113. The sidewall 125 may comprise a plurality of notches 127 formed therein.

[0070] The support plate 113 may be formed from a composition having a melt temperature of 70° C. or lower. The footwear comprising the support plate 113 is capable of being customized by at least: applying heat to the footwear article to raise a temperature of the support plate 113 to less than the melt temperature of the composition of the support plate 113 such that the support plate becomes non-rigid in a first state to allow custom forming of the support plate 113, and allowing the footwear to cool such that the support plate 113 is at a second state having a higher rigidity than the first state.

[0071] The sidewall 125 of the support plate 113 may extend vertically along a medial side 130 of the support plate 113. The sidewall 125 of the support plate 113 may extend vertically along a lateral side 131 of the support plate 113. The sidewall 125 of the support plate 113 may extend vertically along a medial side 130 and a lateral side 131 of the support plate 113.

[0072] The sidewall 125 may further comprise a ridge 132 extending vertically above an average height of an unnotched portion (e.g., sidewall 125) of the support plate 113.

[0073] A method of customizing footwear may comprise: applying heat to the footwear article to raise a temperature of the support plate to less than the melt temperature of the composition of the support plate such that the support plate becomes non-rigid in a first state; applying force to the support plate in the first state to customize a shape of the support plate; and allowing the footwear to cool such that the support plate is at a second state having a higher rigidity than the first state.

[0074] Although shown and described is what is believed to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is apparent that departures from specific designs and methods described and shown will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.