CN-122004570-A - Easy access footwear with an articulating sole structure

Abstract

An article of footwear (10) includes a sole structure (112,12,412,612) having a front midsole component (14A, 614A) and a rear midsole component (14A, 14B, 614B). A connecting member (116,16,216,316,416,516,616) connects the front midsole component to the rear midsole component. The connecting member (116,16,216,316,416,516,616) defines a channel (17, 217A,217, 317) between the front midsole component and the rear midsole component at an underside (24) of the sole structure. The front midsole component and the rear midsole component are pivotable relative to each other at the channel (17, 21A, 217, 317) between a use position and an access position. The opposing surfaces (16A) of the connecting members at the channels are closer to each other in the access position than in the use position, such that the channels (17, 21A, 217, 317) are relatively open in the use position and the channels (17, 21A, 217, 317) are relatively closed in the access position.

Inventors

• R. S. Blanche
• T. P. Hopkins
• E LANGVIN
• K. Olafson
• H. L. Thor

Assignees

• 耐克创新有限合伙公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20191218

Priority Date

20181228

Claims (20)

1. 1. An article of footwear, comprising: a sole structure, the sole structure comprising: A front midsole component and a rear midsole component, and A connecting member connecting the front midsole component to the rear midsole component and defining a channel between the front midsole component and the rear midsole component at an underside of the sole structure; wherein the front midsole component and the rear midsole component are pivotable relative to each other at the channel between a use position and an access position; Wherein the opposing surfaces of the connecting member at the groove are closer to each other in the access position than in the use position such that the groove is relatively open in the use position and relatively closed in the access position; wherein the front midsole component comprises a heel footbed that extends over the channel and covers the rear midsole component in the use position; the heel footbed being spaced apart from the rear upper portion in the access position, the heel footbed including a body, and a plate embedded in or externally secured to the body, the plate being relatively more rigid than the body, and Wherein the plate is completely behind the groove in the use position or the plate extends at least to the groove in the use position.
2. 2. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising: an upper secured to the sole structure.
3. 3. The article of footwear according to claim 2, wherein the upper is configured as a segmented upper that includes a front upper portion secured to a front midsole component and a separate rear upper portion secured to a rear midsole component; Wherein at least some of the front upper portion and the rear upper portion are spaced farther from each other in the access position than in the use position.
4. 4. An article of footwear, comprising: a sole structure, the sole structure comprising: A front midsole component and a rear midsole component, and A connecting member connecting the front midsole component to the rear midsole component and defining a channel between the front midsole component and the rear midsole component at an underside of the sole structure; wherein the front midsole component and the rear midsole component are pivotable relative to each other at the channel between a use position and an access position; Wherein the opposing surfaces of the connecting member at the groove are closer to each other in the access position than in the use position such that the groove is relatively open in the use position and relatively closed in the access position; A resilient biasing member secured to the medial side wall of the front midsole component and the lateral side wall of the front midsole component forward of the channel and secured to the rear midsole component rearward of the channel; Wherein: the resilient biasing member is bistable in the use position and the access position; the resilient biasing member is secured to the medial side wall of the front midsole component at a first location, to the rear midsole component at a second location, and to the lateral side wall of the front midsole component at a third location; The resilient biasing member is unsecured between a first position and a second position and between a second position and a third position; A rear edge of the sidewall of the front midsole component is adjacent a front edge of the sidewall of the rear midsole component above the channel when the sole structure is in the in-use position, and The resilient biasing member covers the rear edge and the front edge when the sole structure is in the use position.
5. 5. The article of footwear according to claim 4, further comprising: an upper secured to the sole structure.
6. 6. The article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein the upper is configured as a segmented upper including a front upper portion secured to a front midsole component and a separate rear upper portion secured to a rear midsole component, and Wherein at least some of the front upper portion and the rear upper portion are spaced farther from each other in the access position than in the use position.
7. 7. An article of footwear, comprising: a sole structure, the sole structure comprising: A front midsole component and a rear midsole component, and A connecting member connecting the front midsole component to the rear midsole component and defining a channel between the front midsole component and the rear midsole component at an underside of the sole structure; wherein the front midsole component and the rear midsole component are pivotable relative to each other at the channel between a use position and an access position; Wherein the opposing surfaces of the connecting member at the groove are closer to each other in the access position than in the use position such that the groove is relatively open in the use position and relatively closed in the access position; wherein the connection member includes one of: An outsole defining the channel and lining the rear wall of the front midsole component and the front wall of the rear midsole component at the channel, or Textile component, or A plate defining the channel and secured to the rear wall of the front midsole component and the front wall of the rear midsole component at the channel, wherein ribs are secured at the wall of the connecting member in the channel and extend outwardly into the channel, or A front portion connected to the front midsole component, a rear portion connected to the rear midsole component, and a hinge pin extending transversely relative to and hingedly connecting the front portion of the connecting member to the rear portion of the connecting member.
8. 8. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein, The outsole having a front outsole portion and a rear outsole portion, and The textile component is a textile sheet having a rear portion sandwiched between and connected to the rear midsole component and the rear outsole portion, a front portion sandwiched between and connected to the front midsole component and the front outsole portion, a rear central portion secured to the front wall of the rear midsole component, and a front central portion secured to the rear wall of the front midsole component.
9. 9. The article of footwear of any of claims 7 to 8, further comprising: an upper secured to the sole structure.
10. 10. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein the upper is configured as a segmented upper including a front upper portion secured to the front midsole component and a separate rear upper portion secured to the rear midsole component, and Wherein at least some of the front upper portion and the rear upper portion are spaced farther from each other in the access position than in the use position.
11. 11. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising: Providing the connecting member with a front portion, a rear portion, and a channel extending laterally between and separating the front and rear portions; Connecting the front midsole component to the front portion of the connecting member; Connecting a rear midsole component to a rear portion of the connecting member, the front midsole component being pivotable relative to the rear midsole component at the channel; connecting a front portion of the outsole to the front midsole component forward of the connecting member, and The rear portion of the outsole is attached to the rear midsole component rearward of the attachment member.
12. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: an upper is secured to the front midsole component and the rear midsole component.
13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the upper is configured as a segmented upper comprising a front upper portion secured to a front midsole component and a separate rear upper portion secured to a rear midsole component, and Wherein at least some portions of the front vamp portion and the rear vamp portion are spaced farther apart from each other as the front midsole member pivots at the channel relative to the rear midsole member.
14. 14. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising: Providing the connecting member with a front portion, a rear portion, and a channel extending laterally between and separating the front and rear portions; Connecting the front midsole component to the front portion of the connecting member; Connecting a rear midsole component to a rear portion of the connecting member, the front midsole component being pivotable relative to the rear midsole component at the channel; wherein the connecting member is a textile component and the method further comprises: connecting a front portion of an outsole to a front portion of the textile element, and The rear portion of the outsole is attached to the rear portion of the textile element.
15. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: an upper is secured to the front midsole component and the rear midsole component.
16. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the upper is configured as a segmented upper comprising a front upper portion secured to a front midsole component and a separate rear upper portion secured to a rear midsole component, and Wherein at least some portions of the front vamp portion and the rear vamp portion are spaced farther apart from each other as the front midsole member pivots at the channel relative to the rear midsole member.
17. 17. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising: Providing the connecting member with a front portion, a rear portion, and a channel extending laterally between and separating the front and rear portions; Connecting the front midsole component to the front portion of the connecting member; Connecting a rear midsole component to a rear portion of the connecting member, the front midsole component being pivotable relative to the rear midsole component at the channel, and The ribs are secured in the grooves at the walls of the connecting member.
18. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: an upper is secured to the front midsole component and the rear midsole component.
19. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the upper is configured as a segmented upper comprising a front upper portion secured to a front midsole component and a separate rear upper portion secured to a rear midsole component, and Wherein at least some portions of the front vamp portion and the rear vamp portion are spaced farther apart from each other as the front midsole member pivots at the channel relative to the rear midsole member.
20. 20. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising: Providing the connecting member with a front portion, a rear portion, and a channel extending laterally between and separating the front and rear portions; Connecting the front midsole component to the front portion of the connecting member; Connecting a rear midsole component to a rear portion of the connecting member, the front midsole component being pivotable relative to the rear midsole component at the channel; Wherein the connecting of the front midsole component to the front portion of the connecting member and the connecting of the rear midsole component to the rear portion of the connecting member is by printing the front midsole component to the front portion of the connecting member and the rear midsole component to the rear portion of the connecting member.

Description

Easy access footwear with an articulating sole structure The application relates to a divisional application with the application number 202211397025.0, entitled "easy-to-enter shoes with movable connected sole structures", and the application date is 2019, 12, 18. Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims priority to U.S. provisional application No.62/786,056, filed on day 28 of 12 in 2018, and also claims priority to U.S. provisional application No.62/923,049, filed on day 18 of 10 in 2019, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to an article of footwear, and more particularly to an easy-entry article of footwear having an articulating (jointed) sole structure. Background Traditionally, placing a shoe on a foot typically requires the use of one or both hands to stretch the ankle opening of the upper and to grasp the rear portion of the rear portion during foot insertion. The fit of the upper is then adjusted after the foot is inserted, such as by tying laces. Drawings The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are schematic in nature and are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting the scope of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a lateral side elevational view of an article of footwear having a sole structure that is in a use position. FIG. 2 is a medial side elevational view of the article of footwear having a sole structure of FIG. 1 in a use position. FIG. 3 is a medial side view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1 in an access position. Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the article of footwear of fig. 1. FIG. 5 is a partial medial side view of the sole structure of FIG. 1, the sole structure being in a use position. Figure 6 is a partial medial side elevational view of the sole structure of figure 1 in an engaged position. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the heel bed of the sole structure taken along line 7-7 in fig. 9. FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1 in an access position. Fig. 9 is a rear perspective and partial view of a heel footbed of the sole structure of fig. 1. FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1 in a use position, showing the heel footbed moved past the tab of the rear upper portion. FIG. 11 is a perspective and partial view of the rear midsole component and the rear upper portion of FIG. 10 with the heel bed removed. FIG. 12 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the rear midsole component and the rear upper portion of FIG. 11, taken along line 12-12 in FIG. 11, with the heel bed removed. FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of the rear midsole component and the rear upper portion of FIG. 12 with the heel bed disposed in a use position. Fig. 14 is a rear elevational view of the article of footwear of fig. 1 in a use position. FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the outsole of the sole structure of FIG. 1, the sole structure being in a use position. Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view of the sole structure of figure 1. FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a sole structure for the article of footwear of FIG. 1 having a connecting member that is a plate. Fig. 18 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a connecting member for the sole structure of the article of footwear of fig. 1, the connecting member being in an access position. Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the connecting member of fig. 18 in a use position. FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a connecting member for the sole structure of the article of footwear of FIG. 1, the connecting member being in an access position. FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a sole structure for the article of footwear of FIG. 1 having a connecting member that is a plate. FIG. 22 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a connecting member for the sole structure of the article of footwear of FIG. 1, the connecting member being in an access position. FIG. 23 is a medial side view of an alternative embodiment of an article of footwear having a sole structure in a use position. FIG. 24 is a plan view of a medial side of the resilient biasing member removed from the article of footwear of FIG. 23. Fig. 25 is a bottom view of the article of footwear of fig. 24. FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the sole structure of the article of FIG. 25, taken along line 26-26 in FIG. 25. Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view of the plates and front midsole component of the sole structure of figure 26. Fig. 28 is a plan view of the plate of fig. 27. Fig. 29 is an outboard side view of the plate of fig. 27. Fig. 30 is a rear view of the plate of fig. 27. FIG. 31 is a plan view of the front midsole component of FIG. 27 with hook and loop fastener portions secured to the medial and lateral side walls. FIG. 32 is a