Cleat Structure for Article of Footwear

This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 18/166,422, filed Feb. 8, 2023, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/308,139, filed Feb. 9, 2022. The disclosures of these prior applications are considered part of the disclosure of this application and are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The present disclosure relates generally to an article of footwear and more particularly to a cleat structure for an article of footwear.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.

Articles of footwear conventionally include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may be formed from any suitable material(s) to receive, secure, and support a foot on the sole structure. The upper may cooperate with laces, straps, or other fasteners to adjust the fit of the upper around the foot. A bottom portion of the upper, proximate to a bottom surface of the foot, attaches to the sole structure.

Sole structures generally include a layered arrangement extending between a ground surface and the upper and include an outsole. The outsole may include a baseplate formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material that provides rigidity and energy distribution across the sole structure. The baseplate may be provided with one or more ground-engaging members for engagement with a ground surface.

While conventional baseplates of sole structures adequately provide a wearer with traction, separately formed ground-engaging members or ground-engaging members that have multiple components and/or materials can cause excess material waste during manufacturing. This material waste is often referred to as runner waste, which is a byproduct of forming a conventional ground-engaging member, or a portion thereof, via an injection-molding process. Such processes typically require runners to supply molten plastic to various regions of a mold to simultaneously form multiple ground-engaging members or portions thereof. Accordingly, conventional sole structures may be designed and function well for a particular activity but may be lacking in manufacturing efficiency and sustainability.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example configurations may be embodied in many different forms, and that the specific details and the example configurations should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary configurations only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” “attached to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected, attached, or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” “directly attached to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

The terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections. These elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example configurations.

In one configuration, a sole structure for an article of footwear includes a baseplate defining a ground-contacting surface of the sole structure and at least two ground-engaging members extending from the ground-contacting surface and including a first portion and a second portion, the first portions of the ground-engaging members being connected to one another by a bridge formed separately from the baseplate.

The sole structure may include one or more of the following optional features. For example, the first portions of the at least two ground-engaging members may be integrally formed with the bridge, the first portions of the at least two ground-engaging members may be formed from a different material than a material forming the baseplate, the second portions of the at least two ground-engaging members may be formed from the same material as a material forming the baseplate, the second portions of the at least two ground-engaging members may be integrally formed with the baseplate, and/or the first portions of the at least two ground-engaging members may include a first leg extending substantially perpendicular to the ground-contacting surface and a second leg extending from the first leg.

In one configuration, the second leg may extend substantially perpendicular to the first leg. Further, the second leg may extend substantially parallel to the ground-contacting surface. Additionally or alternatively, the second leg may define a distal end of the at least two ground-engaging members.

An article of footwear may incorporate the sole structure described above.

In another configuration, a sole structure for an article of footwear includes a baseplate defining a ground-contacting surface of the sole structure and at least two ground-engaging members extending from the ground-contacting surface and including a first portion and a second portion, the first portions of the at least two ground-engaging members being connected to one another by a bridge with the ground-contacting surface extending (i) between and separating the first portions of the at least two ground-engaging members and (ii) substantially parallel to the bridge.

The sole structure may include one or more of the following optional features. For example, the first portions of the at least two ground-engaging members may be integrally formed with the bridge, the first portions of the at least two ground-engaging members may be formed from a different material than a material forming the baseplate, the second portions of the at least two ground-engaging members may be formed from the same material as a material forming the baseplate, the second portions of the at least two ground-engaging members may be integrally formed with the baseplate, and/or the first portions of the at least two ground-engaging members may include a first leg extending substantially perpendicular to the ground-contacting surface and a second leg extending from the first leg.

In one configuration, the second leg may extend substantially perpendicular to the first leg. Further, the second leg may extend substantially parallel to the ground-contacting surface. Additionally or alternatively, the second leg may define a distal end of the at least two ground-engaging members.

An article of footwear may incorporate the sole structure described above.

Referring to, an article of footwearincludes a sole structureand an upperattached to the sole structure. The article of footwearmay further include an anterior endassociated with a forward-most point of the footwearand a posterior endcorresponding to a rearward-most point of the footwear. A longitudinal axis Aof the footwearextends along a length of the footwearfrom the anterior endto the posterior endparallel to a ground surface, and generally divides the footwearinto a medial sideand a lateral side. Accordingly, the medial sideand the lateral siderespectively correspond with opposite sides of the footwearand extend from the anterior endto the posterior end. As used herein, a longitudinal direction refers to the direction extending from the anterior endto the posterior end, while a lateral direction refers to the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction and extending from the medial sideto the lateral side.

The article of footwearmay be divided into one or more regions. The regions may include a forefoot region, a mid-foot region, and a heel region. The forefoot regionmay correspond with the phalanges and the metatarsal bones of a foot. The mid-foot regionmay correspond with an arch area of the foot, and the heel regionmay correspond with rear portions of the foot, including a calcaneus bone.

The article of footwearand, more particularly, the sole structure, may be further described as including a peripheral regionand an interior region, as indicated in. The peripheral regionis generally described as being a region between the interior regionand an outer perimeter of the sole structure. Particularly, the peripheral regionextends from the forefoot regionto the heel regionalong each of the medial sideand the lateral side, and wraps around each of the forefoot regionand the heel region. The interior regionis circumscribed by the peripheral region, and extends from the forefoot regionto the heel regionalong a central portion of the sole structure. Accordingly, each of the forefoot region, the mid-foot region, and the heel regionmay be described as including the peripheral regionand the interior region.

The upperincludes interior surfaces that define an interior voidconfigured to receive and secure a foot for support on the sole structure. The uppermay be formed from one or more materials that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to form the interior void. Suitable materials of the upper may include, but are not limited to, mesh, textiles, foam, leather, and synthetic leather. The materials may be selected and located to impart properties of durability, air-permeability, wear-resistance, flexibility, and comfort.

In some examples, one or more fastenersextend along the upperto adjust a fit of the interior voidaround the foot and to accommodate entry and removal of the foot therefrom. The uppermay include aperturessuch as eyelets and/or other engagement features such as fabric or mesh loops that receive the fasteners. The fastenersmay include laces, straps, cords, hook-and-loop, or any other suitable type of fastener. The uppermay include a tongue portionthat extends between the interior voidand the fasteners.

With reference to, in some examples, the article of footwearincludes a plate structuredisposed in the upper. The plate structureis configured to attenuate forces associated with impact of the sole structurewith a ground surface. As shown, the plate structureincludes a top surfacedefining a footbed of the interior voidand a bottom surfaceformed on an opposite side of the plate structurethan the top surface. The footbed may be contoured to conform to a profile of the bottom surface (e.g., plantar) of the foot. The uppermay also incorporate additional layers such as an insoleor sockliner that may be disposed on the plate structureand reside within the interior voidof the upperto receive a plantar surface of the foot and enhance the comfort of the article of footwear. An ankle openingin the heel regionmay provide access to the interior void. For example, the ankle openingmay receive a foot to permit entry of the foot into the interior voidand to facilitate removal of the foot from the interior void.

In some examples, the upperincludes a strobelhaving a bottom surfaceopposing the sole structureand a top surfaceopposing the bottom surfaceof the plate structure. In some examples, the strobelis attached to the upperusing stitching or adhesives. In the illustrated example, the upperis formed as a unitary boot or sock, wherein the strobeland the upperare unitarily formed of a knitted material. Accordingly, the bottom surfacecorresponds to both the strobeland the upper. Optionally, the uppermay also incorporate additional layers such as one or more support plates (none shown).

With continued reference to, the sole structureis attached to the bottom surfaceof the upperand includes a forefoot platedisposed in the forefoot regionand a separate heel platedisposed in the heel region. Accordingly, the mid-foot regionof the uppermay be exposed between the forefoot plateand the heel plate(). As described in greater detail below, the forefoot plateand the heel plateeach include a plurality of ground-engaging members, which are configured to engage a soft or resilient ground surface. Each of the forefoot plateand the heel plateis formed of one or more rigid or semi-rigid materials. In some examples, the forefoot plateand the heel plateare formed of one or more polymeric materials. In other examples, one or both of the forefoot plateand the heel platemay include a composite material, such as a fiber-reinforced, composite material.

The forefoot plateincludes a top surface() attached to the bottom surfaceof the upper, a bottom surfaceformed on an opposite side of the forefoot platefrom the top surface, and a peripheral side surfaceextending between the top surfaceand the bottom surfaceand defining an outer peripheral profile of the forefoot plate. Likewise, the heel plateincludes a top surfaceattached to the bottom surfaceof the upper, a bottom surfaceformed on an opposite side of the forefoot platefrom the top surface, and a peripheral side surfaceextending between the top surfaceand the bottom surfaceand defining an outer peripheral profile of the heel plate. As discussed above, the forefoot plateand the heel plateare spaced apart from each other in the mid-foot regionsuch that the bottom surfaceof the upperis exposed through the mid-foot region. Accordingly, the bottom surfaceof the forefoot plate, the bottom surfaceof the upper, and the bottom surfaceof the heel platecooperate to define a ground-engaging surfaceof the article of footwear.

As best shown in, the peripheral side surfaceof the forefoot plateincludes a lateral portionextending along the lateral sideof the upperfrom the mid-foot regionto the anterior end, a medial portionextending along the medial sideof the upperfrom the mid-foot regionto the anterior end, and a midfoot portionconnecting the lateral portionand the medial portionacross the midfoot region.

In some examples, the lateral portionof the peripheral side surfacemay define a notchon the lateral sideof the forefoot plate. The notchmay extend inwardly from the lateral sideat an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis Aof the footwear. As shown, the notchextends inwardly and towards the longitudinal axis Aof the footwear. Optionally, a width of the notchmay be tapered along a direction towards the longitudinal axis A.

The medial side surfaceof the peripheral side surfacemay define a notchon the medial sideof the forefoot plate. In some instances, the notchextends inwardly from the medial sideat an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis Aof the footwear. Like the notchon the lateral side, the notchextends inwardly and towards the longitudinal axis Aof the footwear. Optionally, a width of the notchmay be tapered along a direction towards the longitudinal axis A. As shown in, the notches,may oppose one another across a width of the forefoot platein a direction extending between the medial sideand the lateral side.

The mid-foot portionof the peripheral side surfacemay form a notchat a posterior end of the forefoot plate, between the lateral portionand the medial portion. As shown, the notchextends inwardly from the posterior end in a direction of the longitudinal axis Aof the footwear(i.e., substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A). Optionally, a width of the notchmay be tapered along a direction towards the longitudinal axis A. As shown, the notchand the notchcooperate to define a first lobeof the forefoot platedisposed on the lateral side, while the notchand the notchcooperate to define a second lobeof the forefoot platedisposed on the medial side. While the notches,,are shown as having a tapered “V” shape, in other examples, the notches,,may be arcuate, polygonal, or a combination of arcuate and polygonal.

The bottom surfaceof the forefoot plateincludes a plurality of first traction elementsincluding a pair of rear first traction elements,and one or more forward first traction elements-. As shown, the rear first traction elements,are disposed on each of the lobes,. Specifically, the rear first traction elementis disposed on the first lobe, while the rear first traction elementis disposed on the second lobe. The rear first traction elements,may be offset from one another along the longitudinal axis Asuch that the rear second traction elementis located further from the anterior endthan the rear first traction element, as shown in. The one or more forward first traction elements-are arranged in an approximately circular grouping with a center point Csubstantially aligned with the longitudinal axis A.

The heel plateof the sole structureis located in the heel regionadjacent to the posterior end. As with the forefoot plate, the heel plateincludes a plurality of first traction elements,. Specifically, the heel plateincludes a pair of forward first traction elements,. Additionally, the heel plateincludes a pair of second traction elements,located proximate to the posterior endof the article of footwear.

In some examples, the forefoot platemay further include at least one serrated regionformed in the interior regionof the bottom surface, and the heel platemay include a serrated regionformed in the interior regionof the bottom surface. The serrated regions,provide secondary traction for the ground-engaging surfaceand work in conjunction with the traction elements,to engage a ground surface during use.

As shown in, each of the first traction elementsextend from the bottom surfaces,to a distal end-facing away from the bottom surfaces,and forming an elongated substantially rectangular body. Each distal endof the first traction elements-forms a ground-contacting surface of each respective first traction element-. Each of the first traction elements-further includes an outer surface-, an inner surface-formed on an opposite side of the traction elementthan the outer surface-, a first side surface-, and a second side surface-formed on an opposite side of the traction elementthan the first side surface-. As shown, the first side surfaces-are generally concave, while the second side surfaces-taper along a length of the traction elementas it extends from the distal ends-to the respective bottom surfaces,. The second side surfaces-may further include a trailing step. Specifically, the second side surfaces,-of each of the first traction elements,-further include a step ledge,-

The step ledges,-may further increase the traction of each of the first traction elements. Specifically, the shape and orientation of the first traction elementsdisposed on the forefoot platefacilitate rotational movements while increasing linear traction. In so doing, the article of footwearis able to provide traction for forward movements while concurrently allowing the article of footwearto easily pivot and rotate. In the case of the step ledges,-, the ledges,-are aligned with the side surfaces,-, respectively, and essentially serve to further lengthen each surface,-. In so doing, the ledges,-increase the overall length of each surface,-and, thus, its ability to aid in propelling the article of footwearduring forward movements by allowing the traction elementsto engage more of a ground surface. At the same time, the ledges,-are aligned with the surfaces,-and therefore facilitate rotation of the footwearin much the same ways as the orientation and shape of the surfaces,-

As described above, the first traction elements-disposed on the forefoot plateare generally centered with respect to the center point Cof the forefoot plate. Accordingly, the outer surfaces-generally face away from the center point Cof the forefoot plate, while the inner surfaces-face in toward the center point Cof the forefoot plate. Additionally, the first side surfaces-generally form a leading edge of the traction elements-, while the second side surfaces-including corresponding step ledges,-form a trailing edge of the traction elements-. The first traction elements,disposed on the heel plateextend between the medial sideand the lateral sideand are generally aligned with one another along an axis Atransverse the longitudinal axis Aof the sole structuresuch that the first surfaces,face one another, while the second surfaces,face away from one another.

Still referring to, the second traction elements,extend from the bottom surfaceof the heel plateto a distal end,facing away from the bottom surfaceand form an elongated substantially rectangular body. The second traction elements,further include an anterior face,and a posterior face,disposed on an opposite side of the second traction element,than the anterior face,. The second traction elements,further include a first edge,, and a second edge,formed on an opposite side of the second traction elements,than the first edge,. As shown, the anterior facefaces toward the anterior endof the article of footwear, while the posterior facefaces toward the posterior endof the article of footwear. Like the first traction elements,, the second traction elements,extend between the medial sideand the lateral sideand are generally aligned with one another along an axis Aparallel with the axis Aand transverse the longitudinal axis Aof the sole structuresuch that the first edges,face one another, while the second edges,face away from one another.

Referring now to, an exploded view of the plate structureis provided. Unlike conventional plate structures, which include monolithic materials, the plate structureof the present disclosure is configured as a composite structure including a plurality of components joined together. For example, the plate structureincludes baseplates,and corresponding bridges,. As discussed further below, by integrating bridges,into the plate structure, the plate structuremay significantly minimize manufacturing waste while increasing the stability of the traction elements,of the sole structure.

With reference to, components of the forefoot plateof the sole structurefurther include a forefoot baseplateand a forefoot bridge. While not shown, in some examples, the forefoot platefurther includes an outsole plate. Additionally, the heel plateof the sole structureincludes a heel baseplateand a heel bridge. Suitable materials for the forefoot bridgeand the heel bridgeinclude, but are not limited to, thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs), polyolefins, polyolefin based elastomers, and nylons, as these materials provide superior abrasion properties. Suitable materials for the forefoot baseplateand the heel baseplateinclude, but are not limited to, TPUs, nylons, copolyamides, and polyolefins. In some examples, the forefoot bridgeand the heel bridgeare formed from a different material than the forefoot baseplateand the heel baseplate. In other examples, all of the components of the forefoot plateand the heel plateare formed from the same material.

As shown in, the forefoot bridgeand the heel bridgemay further be defined by plates,, central first traction elements, and central second traction elements. The plateof the forefoot bridgeincludes a top surfaceand a bottom surfaceformed an opposite side of the platethan the top surface, and connects the central first traction elementsto one another. Likewise, the plateof the heel bridgeincludes a top surfaceand a bottom surfaceformed on an opposite side of the platethan the top surface, and connects the central second traction elementsto one another. The central first traction elementsgenerally correspond to the first traction elements-of the resulting sole structure, while the central second traction elementsgenerally correspond to the second traction elements,of the resulting sole structure. As shown, the forefoot bridgefurther includes a raised surfacedisposed on the bottom surfaceand extending therefrom.

Referring to, each of the central first traction elementsincludes a first legextending substantially perpendicular from the bottom surfaceof the platefrom a first end to a second end away from the bottom surfaceof the plate, a second legextending substantially perpendicular from a second end of the first leg, and a third legextending from the first legalong the bottom surface. In other words, the second legis substantially parallel with the bottom surfaceof the plate(i.e., the forefoot bridge) and the third leg, and defines a distal endof each of the central first traction elements.

The third leggenerally corresponds to the step ledges,-of the sole structure, and is further defined by a first vertical faceextending from the first end of the first leg, a first facedisposed on a plane substantially parallel with the lower surface, and a second vertical faceextending between the lower surfaceand the first face. Likewise, the distal endsof the central first traction elementsgenerally correspond to the distal ends,-of the first traction elements,-of the sole structure. Similarly, each of the central second traction elementsincludes a first legextending substantially perpendicular from the bottom surfaceof the plate, and a second legextending substantially perpendicular from the first leg. In other words, the second legis substantially parallel with the bottom surfaceof the plate(i.e., the heel bridge) and defines a distal endof each of the central second traction elements. The distal endsof the central second traction elementsgenerally correspond to the distal ends,of the second traction elements,of the sole structure.

As shown in, the forefoot baseplateis defined by a top surfaceand a bottom surfaceformed on an opposite side of the forefoot baseplatethan the top surface. The forefoot baseplatefurther includes an apertureformed through a thickness of the forefoot baseplatebetween the top surfaceand the bottom surface. The aperturemay be sized to receive the raised surfaceof the forefoot bridge, where the raised surfaceis exposed through the aperture. In some examples, the raised surfacemay be substantially flush with the bottom surfaceof the forefoot baseplateand form a portion of the ground-engaging surfaceof the article of footwear. In other examples, the raised surfacemay extend through the apertureand beyond the bottom surfaceto form a portion of the ground-engaging surfaceof the article of footwear.

The top surfaceincludes recesses that form recessed cavitiesthat form outer first traction elementson an opposite side of the baseplatethan the top surface. In some examples, at least two of the recessed cavitiesare sized to receive the central first traction elementsof the forefoot bridge. In these examples, the outer first traction elementsinclude aperturesthat wrap around and receive the central first traction elementsto form the first traction elementsof the sole structure, where the distal endsof the central first traction elementsextend through and beyond the outer first traction elementsto define the distal endsof the first traction elements. In some examples, at least one of the outer first traction elementsforms the entire first traction elementincluding the distal endof the first traction element.

The heel baseplateis defined by a top surfaceand a bottom surfaceformed on an opposite side of the heel baseplatethan the top surface. The top surfaceincludes recesses that form recessed cavitiesthat extend out from the bottom surfaceto form outer second traction elements. In some examples, one or more of the recessed cavitiesis sized to receive a central second traction elementof the heel bridge. In these examples, the outer second traction elementsinclude aperturesthat wrap around and receive the central second traction elementsto form the second traction elementsof the sole structure. Once assembled, the distal endsof the central second traction elementextend through and beyond the outer second traction elementto define the distal endof the second traction element. In some examples, at least one of the outer second traction elementsforms an entire first traction elementincluding the distal endof the first traction element.

To form the final structure of the sole structure, as shown in, and, the components of the forefoot plate, and the heel plateare injection molded in sequence. While a typical injection process uses a runner system to separately mold traction elements, whereby the plastic used in the runner system is lost as waste, the sole structureintegrates the runner structure into the sole structureby including the runner system as the plates,of the forefoot bridgeand the heel bridge. For example, the forefoot bridgeand the heel bridgemay be injection molded, through a combination of pressure and heat, to form the plates,, the central first traction elements, and the central second traction elements, thereby minimizing the amount of waste necessary to produce the sole structure. Due to the injection molding process, the components of the forefoot bridgeand the heel bridge(i.e., the plates,, the traction elements,, and the legs,,,,) are all integrally formed together and separately formed from the baseplates,.

Next, the forefoot baseplateand the heel baseplatemay be injection molded over the forefoot bridgeand the heel bridge. For example, the forefoot bridgeand the heel bridgemay be disposed within a mold cavity and subjected to a combination of pressure and heat, whereby resin is delivered to the mold cavity to form the forefoot baseplateand the heel baseplatearound the forefoot bridgeand the heel bridge, respectively. This process also forms (i) the outer first traction elementsand the outer second traction elements, which wrap around and further reinforce the central traction elements,to form the resulting traction elements,as well as (ii) the aperturein the forefoot baseplatethrough which the raised surfaceof the forefoot bridgeis exposed. In other implementations, a different sequence for forming the sole structuremay be used. For example, the process may include injection molding the forefoot baseplateand the heel baseplatefirst, and then injecting the forefoot bridgeand the heel bridge.

With particular reference to, heel plates-are provided, where the traction elements may be rotationally different than the traction elements of the heel plate. In view of the substantial similarity in structure and function of the components associated with the heel plates-with respect to the sole structure, like reference numerals are used hereinafter and in the drawings to identify like components while like reference numerals containing letter extensions are used to identify those components that have been modified.