Nike, Inc.

Robert Mervar

Olivier Henrichot

Bryan K Youngs

Robert M Bruce

Nikita A Troufanov

Devon Frazier

Brian G Prevo

Walter M Hancock

Hilary Walker

Dave Klinger

Elizabeth Langvin

Tory Michael Cross

Pamela Susan Greene

Bryant Russell Klug

Timothy K Liles

Kevin W Hoffer

Rachel M Savage

Nick S Frank

Kort W Neumann, Iv

Jenni Westphal

Matthew Tegenkamp

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure. The sole structure includes a plate that has a heel portion, a midfoot portion, a forefoot portion, and an extension portion. The extension portion extends forward of the forefoot portion and forward of a foremost extent of upper. The plate includes a first plate layer establishing an outer surface of the plate and extending in each of the heel portion, the midfoot portion, the forefoot portion, and the extension portion, and a second plate layer interfacing with the first plate layer and extending in the forefoot portion and the extension portion. A bending stiffness of the second plate layer is greater than a bending stiffness of the first plate layer.

Article of footwear with extended plate for toe-off

Films, fibers, filaments, yarns and textiles including thermoplastic elastomeric compositions are described, as are methods of making the films, fibers, filaments, yarns and textiles. These films, fibers, filaments, yarns and textiles can be used to make articles of apparel, footwear, and sporting equipment. When thermoformed, the thermoplastic elastomeric compositions can impart abrasion resistance, traction, and other advantageous properties to the articles. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Textiles and articles and processes for making the same

Sole structures (e.g., midsoles and/or outsoles) and articles of footwear include heel-supporting areas and/or forefoot-supporting areas that include a central area (e.g., a central recessed area) and a plurality of surrounding rings. Additionally or alternatively, the sole structures (e.g., midsoles and/or outsoles) may include bands of material defined by recessed grooves to provide a bumpstop type impact-force attenuating structure.

Articles of footwear and sole structures for articles of footwear

An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure. The upper includes a base layer and one or more tensile strands. The sole structure includes an auxetic element operable to expand in two orthogonal horizontal directions in response to a tension applied in one of the directions. Each tensile strand has at least one end secured in fixed position relative to a peripheral region of the sole structure.

Auxetic sole with upper cabling

Shoe upper

Portion of a shoe

Side element of a shoe upper

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

Robert Mervar