Nike, Inc.

Nike Innovate C.v.

Matthew J Holmes

Stefan E Guest

Yoav Sterman

Benjamin Nethongkome

Frederick J Dojan

Troy C Lindner

Dolores S Thompson

Kevin W Hoffer

Tamimu A Shyllon

Chad C Grover

Simidele A Adeagbo

Jeongwoo Lee

Eric P Avar

Bryant Russell Klug

Fanny Yung Ho

Erik T Arlen

Erik Arlen

An article of footwear has a tubular structure that may conform to various anatomical features of a foot. The tubular structure has a tunnel, and a tensile strand runs through the tunnel. Applying tension along the tensile strand may cause the tubular structure to conform more closely to one or more anatomical features. The geometry, or path, of the tubular structure on the article may be customized.

Article of footwear with tubular structures

An article of footwear has a tubular structure. The tubular structure may include tab portions that extend away from a tunnel portion of the tubular structure. The tab portions may engage parts of the article of footwear. The tab portions may engage an upper or sole structure along a bite line. The tab portions may be attached to a heel counter, eyestay, or other structure on the article of footwear.

Article of footwear with tubular structures having tab portions

Collapsible tunnel systems or segmented tubular structures may be printed on or otherwise attached to base layers on articles of apparel, articles of footwear, or other articles of manufacture. The collapsible tunnel systems have two or more tubular structures attached to the base layer, with tunnels extending through the tubular structures. A tensile strand may be laced through the tunnels in the tubular structure such that when tension is applied to the tensile strand, the tunnels may collapse into a structure with a continuous tunnel through two or more tubular structures. In some embodiments, two or more segmented tubular structures each have two spaced-apart tubular structures joined by a connecting portion, and a tensile strand extending through tunnels in the tubular structures.

Segmented tunnels on articles

Sole structures for articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include a relatively soft and lightweight foam midsole component partially covered by at least one more rigid and/or dense cage (protective) component(s) and/or other protective component(s).

Sole structures and articles of footwear having a lightweight midsole member with protective elements

An article of footwear may include an upper and an outsole bonded to the upper. The outsole may include multiple discrete lugs distributed across a bottom exterior surface of the outsole. The article may further include a compressible foam midsole contained within the upper. The midsole may be non-destructively removable from the upper.

Article of footwear

A tunnel spring structure three-dimensionally printed on a base layer. The tunnel spring structure includes three tubular structures and two connecting portions. A connecting portion is disposed between two tubular structures. A tensile strand extends through the tubular structures. Tension applied to the tensile strand forces the tubular structures to adjoin due to the flexibility of the connection portions.

Tunnel spring structures

Sole structures for articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include: (a) a lightweight foam midsole component for supporting the foot; and (b) a plurality of heavier and/or denser cage components covering selected areas of the midsole component. Spaces are provided between the cage components. These spaces may be sized, shaped, and oriented to define and/or correspond to flexion lines of the foot and/or to produce a more natural flex motion to the sole. The soles additionally may include one or more outsole components, e.g., on bottom surface(s) of the cage component(s) and/or the foam midsole. These sole structures may be engaged with an upper to form a shoe. The uppers may include one or more lace receiving openings supported by elongated wire or textile components. Methods of making footwear including such uppers and/or sole structures also are described.

Sole structures and articles of footwear having a lightweight midsole with segmented protective elements

Sole structures for articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include a sole structure having a relatively soft and lightweight foam midsole component partially covered by at least one more rigid and/or dense cage (protective) component(s) and/or other protective component(s). The sole structures may include a first portion configured to support at least a heel and midfoot area of a wearer's foot, and an exposed outer edge of this first portion may include a billows structure that extends continuously from a medical midfoot or forefoot area of the sole structure to a lateral midfoot or forefoot area. This billows structure may include fewer than five billow outer ridges connected by billow interstitial areas located between adjacent billow outer ridges. Billow thickness at a rear end of the first portion may be larger than the thickness at a front end of the first portion.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure engaged with the upper. The sole structure includes a polymeric foam member for supporting an entire plantar surface of a wearer's foot, and this polymeric foam member is formed from a foam material having a density of less than 0.25 g/cm. The foam material forms an exposed side surface of the sole structure. The sole structure further includes a protective member engaged with the polymeric foam member to cover at least 60% of a surface area of a bottom surface of the polymeric foam member. This protective member constitutes a web base surface with traction elements extending downward therefrom, and a thickness of a majority of the web base surface at locations between the traction elements is less than 2 mm thick.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Matthew J Holmes