US 12,317,951 B2
Sole structure for article of footwear
Yuchung K. Chen, Portland, OR (US); Dolores S. Thompson, Beaverton, OR (US); and Nikita A. Troufanov, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on Dec. 24, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/133,823.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/956,976, filed on Jan. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0204651 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. A43B 13/18 (2006.01); A43B 13/04 (2006.01); A43B 13/16 (2006.01); A43B 13/37 (2006.01)
CPC A43B 13/188 (2013.01) [A43B 13/04 (2013.01); A43B 13/16 (2013.01); A43B 13/37 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
an interior cushioning arrangement extending from an anterior end to a posterior end, the anterior end including a forward-most point of the sole structure and the posterior end including a rearward-most point of the sole structure, the interior cushioning arrangement including (i) a forefoot cushioning element, including a first surface, extending from the anterior end to a first end of the forefoot cushioning element and including a first material having a first durometer, and (ii) a heel cushioning element, including a first surface, extending from the posterior end to a second end of the heel cushioning element and including a second material having a second durometer, the first end of the forefoot cushioning element and the second end of the heel cushioning element in direct contact with one another such that there is no intervening element between the first end of the forefoot cushioning element and the second end of the heel cushioning element, wherein the first surface of the forefoot cushioning element and the first surface of the heel cushioning element form a continuous surface of the interior cushioning arrangement;
an upper cushioning element, including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, extending from the anterior end of the interior cushioning arrangement to the posterior end of the interior cushioning arrangement;
a plate, including a first surface, extending from the anterior end to the posterior end disposed on each of the first surface of the forefoot cushioning element and the first surface of the heel cushioning element; and
wherein the plate includes a reduced width portion relative to adjacent portions of the plate, the reduced width portion forming a recess in the plate,
wherein a portion of the continuous surface of the interior cushioning arrangement is exposed through the recess,
wherein the second surface of the upper cushioning element is attached to each of the first surface of the plate and the portion of the interior cushioning arrangement exposed through the recess of the plate, and
wherein the plate is exposed on an outermost peripheral side surface of the sole structure, on a lateral side of the sole structure, and on a medial side of the sole structure,
an outsole including:
an outer shell extending from a first end at the anterior end to a second end at the posterior end, the outer shell including a ground-engaging element and a peripheral wall configured to extend from the ground-engaging element toward an upper of the article of footwear along a perimeter of the outer shell, the peripheral wall having a first terminal end on a lateral side of the sole structure and a second terminal end on a medial side of the sole structure; and
a heel counter, wherein the heel counter includes a pair of terminal ends offset from one another, wherein each of the pair of terminal ends of the heel counter is configured to respectively interface with one of the first terminal end of the peripheral wall and the second terminal end of the peripheral wall of the outer shell of the sole structure.