US 12,245,658 B2
Cushioning element for sports apparel
Angus Wardlaw, Nuremberg (DE); Stuart David Reinhardt, Nuremberg (DE); Christopher Edward Holmes, Veitsbronn (DE); and Tru Huu Minh Le, Erlangen (DE)
Assigned to adidas AG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by adidas AG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/538,015.
Application 15/703,031 is a division of application No. 14/178,720, filed on Feb. 12, 2014, granted, now 9,781,970, issued on Oct. 10, 2017.
Application 17/538,015 is a continuation of application No. 16/680,852, filed on Nov. 12, 2019, granted, now 11,213,093.
Application 16/680,852 is a continuation of application No. 15/703,031, filed on Sep. 13, 2017, granted, now 10,506,846, issued on Dec. 17, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 102013202291.3 (DE), filed on Feb. 13, 2013; and application No. 14152906 (EP), filed on Jan. 28, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2022/0079288 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A43B 13/18 (2006.01); A43B 3/00 (2022.01); A43B 7/06 (2006.01); A43B 13/04 (2006.01); A43B 17/14 (2006.01)
CPC A43B 13/187 (2013.01) [A43B 3/0042 (2013.01); A43B 7/06 (2013.01); A43B 13/04 (2013.01); A43B 17/14 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A shoe sole comprising an outsole and at least one cushioning element for sports apparel, the at least one cushioning element further comprising:
(a) a first deformation element in a first partial region of the cushioning element and a second deformation element in a second partial region of the cushioning element, each deformation element comprising a plurality of randomly arranged expanded particles that are directly bonded to each other at their outer surfaces while maintaining the integrity of the outer surfaces, wherein the expanded particles comprise at least one of expanded thermoplastic urethane (eTPU), expanded polypropylene (ePP), expanded polyamide (ePA), expanded polyether block amid (ePEBA), expanded polyoxymethylene (ePOM), expanded polystyrene (ePS), expanded polyethylene (ePE), expanded polyethylene (ePOE), expanded polyoxyethylene (ePOE), and expanded ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (eEPDM);
(b) wherein there are voids between the particles of the first deformation element and the second deformation element;
(c) wherein at least some of the voids form one or more channels through the deformation element that are permeable to air, liquids, or air and liquids; and
(d) wherein the voids in the second deformation element are smaller on average than the voids in the first deformation element.