US 12,310,452 B2
Footwear having a suspended elastic membrane
Mark Arthur Oleson, Portland, OR (US); Michael Andrew Notrica, Portland, OR (US); Donald Taylor Johnston, Portland, OR (US); Michael Steszyn, Portland, OR (US); Peter Valois, Portland, OR (US); Peter Rueegger, Portland, OR (US); and Joseph McMillan, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to Lululemon Athletica Canada Inc., Vancouver (CA)
Appl. No. 17/436,468
Filed by LULULEMON ATHLETICA CANADA INC., Vancouver (CA)
PCT Filed Mar. 6, 2020, PCT No. PCT/CA2020/050308
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 3, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/176997, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/815,252, filed on Mar. 7, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0167711 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. A43B 23/02 (2006.01); A43B 7/14 (2022.01); A43B 13/38 (2006.01)
CPC A43B 23/0205 (2013.01) [A43B 7/14 (2013.01); A43B 13/38 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper coupled to a sole and having medial and lateral sidewalls, and a perimeter below the sidewalls defining where the upper and the sole meet, wherein the upper and the sole collectively define an interior region; and
an elastic membrane coupled to at least a portion of the medial and lateral sidewalls of the upper and suspended within the interior region, such that the elastic membrane is spaced above the sole and spans between the medial and lateral sidewalls;
wherein the elastic membrane comprises an intermediate layer sandwiched between two layers of elastic material;
wherein the intermediate layer causes the elastic membrane to comprise two or more zones, wherein the two or more zones comprise a first zone configured to be stretchable in four directions and a second zone configured to be more stretchable in one or more selected directions than in other directions; and
wherein the intermediate layer is covered by the two layers of elastic material.