Nike, Inc.

Joshua P Heard

Robert M Bruce

Tiffany A Beers

James Molyneux

John Hurd

Alexandre Baudouin

Tinker L Hatfield

Gary Allen Kokstis

Kevin W Hoffer

Tom Luedecke

Shane S Kohatsu

Thomas C Foxen

Mark J Smith

Matthew Anthony Nurse

Klaas Pieter Hazenberg

Taryn M Hensley

An interchangeable bootie system includes an article of footwear and a plurality of interchangeable booties. Each bootie includes a support system configured to provide targeted support to different regions of the foot. This allows a user to select a bootie that provides the desired type of support for an athletic activity. An interchangeable bootie system with midsole portions having different types of cushioning systems is also disclosed. This allows a user to select a bootie with the desired type of support and the desired type of cushioning for an athletic activity. An interchangeable bootie and midsole insert system is also disclosed. Each midsole insert fits inside a bootie and includes a cushioning system configured to provide targeted cushioning to different regions of the foot. This allows a user to select a desired type of cushioning for an athletic activity.

Footwear with interchangeable bootie system

Sole structures for articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include: (a) an outsole component; (b) a midsole component engaged with the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes at least one opening or receptacle; (c) at least one fluid-filled bladder system or foam system provided in the opening or receptacle; and/or (d) a rigid plate system including one or more rigid plates overlaying the fluid-filled bladder or foam system(s). The rigid plate(s) may be fixed directly to the midsole component or the rigid plate(s) may rest on the fluid-filled bladder(s) or foam somewhat above the surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition. Articles of footwear and methods of making sole structures and articles of footwear including such sole structures also are described.

Sole structures and articles of footwear having plate moderated fluid-filled bladders and/or foam type impact force attenuation members

A foot support structure for an article of footwear or other foot-receiving device may include a first foot support portion disposed in a first orientation and a second foot support portion disposed in a second orientation different than the first orientation. A twist portion may extend continuously from the first foot support portion to the second foot support portion and twist from the first orientation to the second orientation A common face of the foot support member may extend over at least part of the first foot support portion, at least part of the second foot support portion and the twist portion.

Foot support structure and articles incorporating same

Foot-supporting elements for articles of footwear or other products may include: (a) a first diagonally-oriented plate that extends from a lateral heel location of an article of footwear to a medial forefoot location of the article of footwear; and (b) a second diagonally-oriented plate that extends from a medial heel location of the article of footwear to a lateral forefoot location of the article of footwear. These foot-supporting elements may be utilized in foot-receiving devices that may include: (a) a foot-covering member (such as an upper); and (b) a foot-supporting element engaged with the foot-covering member.

Foot-support structures for articles of footwear

A shoe includes spring type support members, optionally for at least a heel area of a foot. The support member includes a primary biasing element in the form of a V-shaped spring assembly and a secondary biasing element provided at least partially within a volume defined by the primary biasing element (e.g., between its base member and its flexing member, beneath the flexing member, etc.). When the primary biasing element compresses beyond a predetermined extent, it will compress the secondary biasing element. This construction allows the degree of ground reaction force attenuation and energy absorption properties of a shoe to be dually controlled to meet the specific demands of the activity for which the footwear is intended to be used.

Footwear including heel spring support members

A sole structure may include at least one plate. The at least one plate may include a first portion located in a forefoot region of the sole structure and a second portion located in a rearfoot region of the sole structure. At least one compressible midsole component may be coupled to the at least one plate. A linkage rod couples the first and second portions and is configured to bias the first and second portions away from one another during bending of the sole structure.

Sole structures and articles incorporating same

An object includes a body with a first portion having first eyelets and a second portion having second eyelets. The body includes a first surface and a second surface that face in opposite directions. The first surface includes an opening into a void that is defined between the first surface and the second surface. A first lace extends continuously through the plurality of first eyelets and continuously through the plurality of second eyelets. The first lace has a first bridge portion defined between a first pair of the first eyelets and a second bridge portion defined between a second pair of the second eyelets. The first lace includes an end that passes through the opening to be disposed within the void. A second lace engages both the first bridge portion and the second bridge portion.

Lacing closure system for an object

A method of manufacturing an article of footwear may include assembling at least a portion of an upper of the article of footwear, the upper having a lower perimeter edge. A lasting element is secured to the upper adjacent to the lower perimeter edge. The lasting element includes a barrier and a tensile member located within the barrier, the tensile member being secured to opposite sides of the barrier. In addition, a sole structure of the article of footwear is joined to at least one of the upper and the lasting element.

Method of lasting an article of footwear with a fluid-filled chamber

A closure system for an object having a first portion with first eyelets and a second portion with second eyelets includes a first lace that is resiliently flexible. The first lace is operable to extend continuously through the plurality of first eyelets and continuously through the plurality of second eyelets to define a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion of the first lace. The first bridge portion is defined between the plurality of first eyelets, and the second bridge portion is defined between the plurality of second eyelets. Additionally, the closure system includes a second lace that is substantially inelastic. The second lace engages both the first bridge portion and the second bridge portion to secure the first and second portions of the object together.

A fluid-filled structure, such as a bladder, is disclosed. The bladder has a first surface and an opposite second surface that are peripherally joined to define various edges. The bladder encloses a fluid between the first surface and the second surface. A portion of the edges may have a concave configuration, or the edges may have both concave and convex configurations. A shape of the bladder may be a tessellation pattern so that a plurality of the bladder may be efficiently. The edges may also have a linear configuration, and the bladder may enclose a tensile member.

Growing community of inventors

Happy Valley, OR, United States of America

Joshua P Heard