US 12,402,690 B2
Shoe with foam pods and chassis
Sidney Fauconnier, Nuremberg (DE); and Romain Girard, Lauf an der Pegnitz (DE)
Assigned to PUMA SE, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by PUMA SE, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Oct. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/963,482.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/256,874, filed on Oct. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0123301 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. A43B 13/18 (2006.01); A43B 13/12 (2006.01); A43B 13/37 (2006.01)
CPC A43B 13/187 (2013.01) [A43B 13/125 (2013.01); A43B 13/37 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper; and
a sole structure coupled with the upper, the sole structure defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region that corresponds with a portion of the article of footwear that is configured to encase an arch of a foot, and a heel region that is proximate and adjoining the midfoot region, the sole structure comprising:
a plurality of pods, each pod having a pod body and optionally having a coating disposed on an outer surface of the pod body; and
a chassis attached to a bottom surface of each pod in the plurality of pods,
wherein the pod body of each pod in the plurality of pods comprises a foam material,
wherein the chassis comprises a plurality of ground contacting regions, and
wherein the chassis has an elongated fork structure, the elongated fork structure comprising:
a chassis stem;
a first chassis leg extending from the chassis stem through the heel region, the midfoot region, and the forefoot region of the sole structure;
a second chassis leg extending from the chassis stem through the heel region, the midfoot region, and the forefoot region of the sole structure; and
a continuous elongated groove positioned between the first chassis leg and the second chassis leg, the continuous elongated groove extending along substantially the entire length of the first chassis leg and the second chassis leg,
wherein the upper has a bottom surface that defines a bottom surface area and each pod in the plurality of pods has a top surface, wherein a portion of the top surface of each pod in the plurality of pods is attached to a portion of the bottom surface of the upper, and wherein in a majority of the bottom surface area, the bottom surface of the upper contacts the top surface of a pod in the plurality of pods.