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EP-4030953-B1 - FOOTWEAR SOLE STRUCTURE AND UPPER WITH AN EMBEDDED PLATE

EP4030953B1EP 4030953 B1EP4030953 B1EP 4030953B1EP-4030953-B1

Inventors

  • BARDINI, ALEX

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200918

Claims (15)

  1. An article of footwear (10), comprising: an upper (100) including a first upper portion (112), wherein the first upper portion defines an ankle opening (104); a footwear plate (300) including a composite material, wherein the footwear plate includes a covered plate portion (308) and an exposed plate portion (310) coupled to the covered plate portion; a sole structure (200) including a second upper portion (114), wherein the second upper portion is an extension of the first upper portion, the second upper portion partially extends around the footwear plate, the second upper portion defines a ground-facing surface and an inner upper surface (119) opposite the ground-facing surface, and the second upper portion defines a sole opening (122) extending through the inner upper surface and the ground-facing surface; and wherein the covered plate portion is disposed on the inner upper surface of the second upper portion such that the second upper portion covers the covered plate portion, and the exposed plate portion is aligned with the sole opening to expose the exposed plate portion; wherein the sole structure includes a heel region (16), a forefoot region, and a midfoot region (14) between the forefoot region and the heel region, and the footwear plate extends through the heel region, the midfoot region, and the forefoot region of the sole structure to enhance stability of the article of footwear; wherein the first upper portion is integrally coupled to the second upper portion to form a one-piece structure, the footwear plate is oriented along a longitudinal axis, the second upper portion defines a first edge (118) and a second edge (120), the first edge is coupled to the second edge along the longitudinal axis, and the sole structure includes a cleat structure (210a, 210b) directly coupled to the second upper portion; wherein the covered plate portion is in direct contact with the inner upper surface of the second upper portion, the first upper portion is directly coupled to the second upper portion, the cleat structure is a forward cleat structure disposed at the forefoot region, the article of footwear further includes a rear cleat structure, and the rear cleat structure is disposed at the heel region; and wherein the forward cleat structure defines a body opening (213), the body opening is aligned with the exposed plate portion to expose the footwear plate at the forefoot region, the forward cleat structure is directly coupled to the ground-facing surface of the second upper portion at the forefoot region, and the rear cleat structure is directly coupled to the ground-facing surface of the second upper portion at the heel region.
  2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein each of the forward cleat structure and the rear cleat structure includes a main outsole body and a plurality of traction elements directly coupled to the main outsole body.
  3. The article of footwear according to claim 2, wherein each of the first upper portion and the second upper portion includes an upper material, the main outsole body and the plurality of traction elements includes an outsole material, and the outsole material is more rigid than the upper material to enhance traction.
  4. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising a midsole disposed under the footwear plate.
  5. The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein the footwear plate includes a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, and the carbon fiber-reinforced polymer is more rigid than the upper material and the outsole material to enhance stability of the sole structure.
  6. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising a midsole disposed on top of the footwear plate.
  7. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the first edge is stitched to the second edge from the heel region to the midfoot region of the sole structure.
  8. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the forward cleat structure defines a first body opening and a second body opening each sized to expose the footwear plate at the forefoot region, and the forward cleat structure includes an outsole web separating the first body opening from the second body opening.
  9. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the sole structure further includes a strobel board disposed on the footwear plate at the forefoot region.
  10. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the footwear plate defines an inner plate surface and a ground-engaging plate surface opposite the inner plate surface, the strobel board is in direct contact with the inner plate surface of the footwear plate, and the strobel board is solely disposed at the forefoot region of the sole structure.
  11. A method for manufacturing the article of footwear according to claim 1, comprising: placing an upper (100) on a last, wherein the upper has a first upper portion (112) and a second upper portion (114) extending from the first upper portion, the first upper portion defines an ankle opening (104), the second upper portion partly defines a sole structure (200) of the article of footwear, the sole structure has a forefoot region, a heel region (16), and a midfoot region (14) between the forefoot region and the heel region, and the second upper portion defines a sole opening (122); inserting a footwear plate (300) between the last and the upper at the heel region and continuing moving the footwear plate toward the sole opening until a portion is inserted through the sole opening at the forefoot region; and coupling a cleat structure (210a, 210b) to the second upper portion.
  12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising placing a strobel board on the last before placing the upper on the last.
  13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising coupling the strobel board to the upper before inserting the footwear plate between the last and the upper at the heel region.
  14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the upper is wholly made of a textile, and the footwear plate is wholly made of a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer.
  15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the cleat structure is made of a polymeric material that is more rigid than the textile.

Description

The present teachings generally relate to a sole structure for an article of footwear and, more particularly, to a footwear sole structure with an embedded plate. This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. Articles of footwear include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may be formed from any suitable material(s) to receive, secure, and support a foot on the sole structure. The upper may cooperate with laces, straps, 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, attaches to the sole structure. Sole structures include a layered arrangement extending between a ground surface and the upper. One layer of the sole structure includes an outsole that provides abrasion-resistance and traction with the ground surface. The outsole may be formed from rubber or other materials that impart durability and wear-resistance, as well as enhancing traction with the ground surface. Another layer of the sole structure includes a midsole disposed between the outsole and the upper. The midsole provides cushioning for the foot and is at least partially formed from a polymer foam material that compresses resiliently under an applied load to cushion the foot by attenuating ground-reaction forces. The midsole may define a bottom surface on one side that opposes the outsole and a footbed on the opposite side that may be contoured to conform to a profile of the bottom surface of the foot. Sole structures may also include a comfort-enhancing insole or a sockliner located within a void proximate to the bottom portion of the upper. The metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint of the foot is known to absorb energy as it flexes through dorsiflexion during running movements. As the foot does not move through plantarflexion until the foot is pushing off of a ground surface, the MTP joint returns little of the energy it absorbs to the running movement and, thus, is the source of an energy drain during running movements. Embedding flat and rigid plates having longitudinal stiffness within a sole structure increases the overall stiffness thereof. EP 0 928 570 A1 describes a shoe structure for obtaining a maximumrepulsing force. The running shoe has a stiffness providing part, preferably in the sole, comprises spring steel or high-performance fiber-reinforced composite material. A part is incorporated into the shoe in order to provide the length direction stiffness and the bending force needed to bend this part through an angle of 0-50 degrees during natural bending of the foot is more than 50% of the same force needed to bend the entire shoe through the same angle. The stiffness providing part comprises spring steel or high-performance fiber-reinforced composite, the reinforcing structure comprising high strength multi-filament yarns preferably extending over the complete area of the part. The reinforcing structure has non-isotropic mechanical properties. The subject matter of the claimed invention is defined in the independent claims. Specific embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration in lateral side view of an article of footwear.FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration in rear view of the article of footwear shown in FIG. 1.FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration in medial view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1.FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration in front view of the article of footwear.FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration in bottom view of the article of footwear.FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration in cross-sectional view of the article of footwear, taken along section line 6-6 of FIG. 3.FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing an article of footwear.FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a strobel board placed on a last.FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of the upper placed on the last while the strobel board is on the last.FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a footwear plate inserted through a sole opening of the upper.FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration in cross-sectional view of an article of footwear in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, wherein a midsole is disposed on top of a footwear plate.FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration in cross-sectional view of an article of footwear in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, wherein a midsole disposed under the footwear plate. The invention is defined by an article of footwear according to claim 1 and a method of manufacturing an article of footwear according to claim 11. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. The present disclosure describes an article of footwear, which may be used for football (or soccer as known in the United States). In some aspects of the present disclosure, the article of footwear includes an upper including a first upper portion. The first upper portion defines an ankle opening. The article of footwear includes a f