US 11,805,844 B2
Article of footwear with heel cushioning unit and side with stepped ridges
Edmund Holmes, Portland, OR (US); Justin D. Humphreys, Portland, OR (US); Kuang-Nan Liao, Portland, OR (US); Stuart Pollock, Milwaukie, OR (US); Marlon Rainville, Portland, OR (US); and Jay T. Worobets, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on Apr. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/219,947.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/030,955, filed on May 28, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0368919 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. A43B 13/18 (2006.01); A43B 13/12 (2006.01); A43B 7/14 (2022.01)
CPC A43B 13/186 (2013.01) [A43B 7/1495 (2013.01); A43B 13/125 (2013.01); A43B 13/181 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
15. An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure including a heel cushioning unit; wherein the heel cushioning unit has a top portion, a bottom portion, a body portion connecting the top portion to the bottom portion, medial support fins in a medial side recess defined by the heel cushioning unit at a medial side of the heel cushioning unit and lateral support fins in a lateral side recess defined by the heel cushioning unit at a lateral side of the heel cushioning unit, both the medial support fins and the lateral support fins extending transversely outward from the body portion and extending from the top portion to the bottom portion;
wherein the heel cushioning unit defines a through hole extending from the medial side to the lateral side and disposed rearward of the medial support fins and the lateral support fins;
an upper coupled to the sole structure; wherein the sole structure further comprises an outsole underlying a bottom surface of the heel cushioning unit, the outsole having an arch portion wrapping upward along and secured to a side surface of the upper above a biteline between the sole structure and the upper;
a side shield extending upward from the arch portion along the side surface of the upper;
wherein an exterior of the side shield and/or an exterior of the arch portion includes stepped ridges extending lengthwise in a fore-aft direction of the article of footwear;
wherein each stepped ridge is relatively thicker at a lower extent of the stepped ridge than at an upper extent of the stepped ridge such that the stepped ridge angles outward from the upper extent to the lower extent; and
wherein each stepped ridge includes a series of linear segments, the linear segments including a center linear segment, a front linear segment extending forward and downward from the center linear segment at a first obtuse angle, and a rear linear segment extending rearward and downward from the center linear segment at a second obtuse angle.