CN111109761A - Footwear with positive gripping outsole - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to footwear having a positive gripping outsole. Footwear constructions are provided that include sole assemblies having one or more positive grip pods that collapse onto themselves to grip underfoot surfaces and terrain. The gripping pod may contain a generally centrally located actuator projection that engages the ground surface and collapses upward and optionally into the sole assembly, and during that pulls one or more adjacent projection rings toward it along corresponding arcuate paths. The collapsing and pulling-in of the raised ring causes those elements to grip the ground surface with a predetermined force.

Description

Footwear with positive gripping outsole

Technical Field

The present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to footwear having a sole with a pattern for gripping the ground for improved traction.

Background

There are a variety of different types of footwear that provide different functions. Some footwear is designed for rigorous outdoor activities. The footwear may include a durable structural upper and an outsole configured to withstand extensive engagement with an outdoor environment. Many times, the outsoles of such footwear are designed to provide significant friction on naturally occurring terrain features, such as soil, rocks, and earth.

Some manufacturers have increased the traction of the outsole by changing the tread shape and the pattern of projections. When the outsole may be used in rough but soft terrain, it may be designed with a deep pattern that penetrates into the ground to provide a bite. For slightly harder terrains with rocks, the outsole may be designed with shallower, but more tacky, patterns spaced apart in a particular pattern. However, other outsoles for muddy terrain may be designed with a more open lug pattern to allow mud to separate from the outsole without accumulating on the outsole.

While there are many different patterns and protrusion patterns, most are designed to simply penetrate into the terrain features similar to the ground so that the patterns or protrusions engage more of the substance and are less prone to slippage or movement due to engagement with this enhanced surface area of the terrain feature. While this is helpful, it does not always produce excellent friction and prevent unwanted slippage or movement relative to the ground.

Accordingly, there remains room in the art for improved methods for enhancing the engagement of footwear with topographical features in the field of outsole friction features.

Disclosure of Invention

Footwear is provided that includes a sole assembly having one or more positive grip pods that collapse onto themselves to grip the underfoot surface and terrain.

In one embodiment, the sole assembly may include one or more gripping pods in the forefoot and/or heel regions of the footwear. The gripping pods may be substantially large, each spanning at least half of the width of the sole from the lateral side to the medial side.

In another embodiment, the gripping compartment of the sole assembly may contain a generally centrally located actuator projection that engages the ground surface and collapses upward and optionally into the sole assembly, and during that pulls one or more adjacent projection rings toward it along corresponding arcuate paths. The collapsing and pulling-in of the raised ring causes those elements to grip the ground surface with a predetermined force.

In another embodiment, the actuator protrusion may be taller than the protrusion ring of the gripping pod. With its extra height, the actuator projection can first engage the ground surface to facilitate and/or enable the pod to collapse into itself and/or relative to the rest of the sole assembly.

In yet another embodiment, the height of the actuator protrusion can be varied depending on how much grip is desired. For example, the actuator protrusion may alternatively be 1.0mm to 5.0 mm taller than the adjacent protrusion ring or other distance.

In yet another embodiment, the projection ring may be concentrically disposed about all or a portion of the actuator projection. The protruding ring may be continuous or interrupted. Depending on the application, the protrusion rings may differ in configuration and number for each gripping pod. The projection rings may also vary in structure, height, and location relative to each other and the actuator projections, depending on location along the sole assembly and/or location along the heel-to-toe length in the sole assembly.

In further embodiments, the gripping pod may comprise two or more projection rings concentrically disposed with respect to each other and/or the actuator projection. A groove may be defined between the first raised ring and a more outwardly located second raised ring. The groove depth can be selected to modify the amount of movement of the ring of protrusions toward the actuator protrusion and/or each other. The base or bottom of the groove may also be thinned or constructed of a different material than the ring to alter the amount of movement of the ring. For example, the base may be softer or thinner than the ring to facilitate collapse of the ring toward the center of the capsule and/or actuator protrusion.

In yet a further embodiment, the gripping pod may cover the collapsing chamber. The actuator protrusion and the one or more protrusion rings may at least partially collapse inwardly into the collapse chamber when transitioning from the extended mode to the retracted or gripping mode.

In yet a further embodiment, the gripping pod may be covered with a soft pad. The actuator protrusion and one or more protrusion rings may collapse inwardly into the soft pad when transitioning from the extended mode to the retracted or gripping mode.

In an even further embodiment, the first ring of protrusions may be adjacent to the actuator protrusion, separated from the actuator protrusion by a groove therebetween. The first protrusion ring may include a protrusion ring inner edge and an inner wall disposed opposite the actuator protrusion outer wall across the groove. The inner edge and/or the inner wall of the protrusion ring may move towards the outer wall of the protrusion when the pod is transitioned from the extended mode to the grip mode. When this occurs, the distance between these elements decreases from the first distance to a smaller distance. Thus, any ground surface material between the ring and the actuator projection is caught or gripped between the actuator projection and the projection ring, and in particular between the inner edge and/or inner wall of the projection ring and the outer wall of the actuator projection, to improve friction.

In yet another embodiment, the raised ring inner edge and/or inner wall moves toward the raised outer wall during a portion of a gait cycle and/or impact of the sole assembly with the ground surface. The inner edge and/or the inner wall may follow an arcuate path towards the actuator projection and optionally the inner wall. When this occurs, the inner edge of the ring of projections may be raised above or at the same height as the lowermost surface of the actuator projections, which contacts the floor surface. The inner edge may also travel on an arcuate path towards the inner wall such that a portion of the lowermost surface of the ring of projections at the inner edge is no longer at the same level as the lowermost surface of the actuator projections.

In yet another further embodiment, the sole assembly may include a gripping pod having an actuator protrusion and a surrounding protrusion ring. The gripping pod may be configured to collapse upward into the remainder of the sole assembly. The projection ring may be continuous and may completely surround the outer periphery of the actuator projection. When the gripping pod engages a substantially flat or planar surface, the collapse of the pod may generate a negative pressure such that the pod is attracted to the surface.

The footwear of the present embodiment provides a sole assembly having superior frictional forces. Where the gripping pod contains actuator protrusions and protrusion rings, those protrusions may cooperate to grip the underlying floor surface. This may provide reaction and dynamic friction to the sole assembly and footwear, thereby enabling the wearer to have confidence in his or her walking. Where the raised loop is continuous and the gripping pod creates suction as it collapses, the sole assembly may provide improved traction on wet or slippery surfaces, particularly where those surfaces are flat or planar.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the description of the current embodiment and the drawings.

Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in various other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various alternative ways not explicitly disclosed herein. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "including" and "comprising" and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Furthermore, enumeration may be used in the description of various embodiments. The use of lists should not be construed as limiting the invention to any particular order or number of components unless explicitly stated otherwise. Nor should the use of the enumeration be interpreted as excluding from the scope of the invention any additional steps or components that may be combined with or into the enumerated steps or components.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a side view of the footwear of the present embodiment, showing the gripping sole assembly;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the footwear showing a plurality of gripping pods of the sole assembly;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the sole assembly;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the gripping pod in an extended mode;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the gripping pod in a retracted or gripping mode;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a gripping pod of an alternative embodiment of the sole assembly in an extended mode;

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment sole assembly; and is

Figure 8 is a bottom view of a sole assembly according to an alternative embodiment.

Detailed Description

The present embodiment of footwear is shown in fig. 1-5 and is generally designated 10. In these embodiments, the improved article of footwear includes a sole construction configured to enhance engagement of the footwear with topographical features and provide improved traction.

Although the present embodiments are shown in the context of winter or waterproof footwear, they may be incorporated into any type or style of footwear, including show shoes, hiking shoes, off-road and off-road boots, hiking boots, work boots, all terrain shoes, barefoot running shoes, athletic shoes, traditional tennis shoes, walking shoes, multi-athletic shoes, casual shoes, dress shoes, or any other type of footwear or footwear component. In general, the shoe is well suited for wet or slippery surfaces, including those where the surface is flat or planar. For example, the shoes and protrusions described herein may cooperate to grip an underlying ground surface. This may provide reaction and dynamic friction to the sole assembly and footwear, thereby enabling the wearer to be confident in their walking, including on wet or otherwise slippery surfaces.

It should also be noted that directional terms, such as "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "upper," "lower," "inner," "inward," "outer," and "outward," are used to facilitate describing the invention based on the orientation of the embodiments shown in the drawings. Furthermore, the terms "medial," "lateral," and "longitudinal" are used in a manner commonly used in connection with footwear. For example, when used to refer to a side of a shoe, the term "medial" refers to the medial side (i.e., the side facing the other shoe), and "lateral" refers to the lateral side. When used to refer to directions, the term "longitudinal direction" refers to a direction extending generally along the length of the footwear between the toe and heel portions, and the term "lateral direction" refers to a direction extending generally across the width of the footwear between the medial and lateral sides of the footwear. The use of directional terms should not be construed to limit the invention to any particular orientation. Further, as used herein, the term "arch region" (or arch or midfoot) generally refers to the portion of the footwear or sole assembly that corresponds with the arch or midfoot of the wearer's foot; the term "forefoot region" (or forefoot) generally refers to the portion of footwear forward of the arch region that corresponds with the forefoot of a wearer's foot (e.g., including the ball of the toe and the toe); and the term "heel region" (or heel) generally refers to the portion of the footwear behind the arch region that corresponds with the heel of the wearer's foot. Aforefoot region 22, an arch ormidfoot region 24, and aheel region 26 are generally identified in fig. 2. However, it should be understood that the depiction of these regions may vary depending on the configuration of the sole assembly and/or the footwear.

Referring to fig. 2, footwear 10 may incorporatesole assembly 14.Sole component 14 includes a lowermost surface or ground-contacting surface that may itself include a plurality of protrusions, patterns, pegs, stakes, and/or other features designed to enhance the frictional forces between footwear 10 and the underlying surface.Sole assembly 14 may include one or more various components, such as anoutsole 30, amidsole 16, and/or an insole or footbed (not shown). However, in some embodiments, more or fewer elements ofsole assembly 14 may be included. For example, some embodiments may exclude a footbed, while other embodiments may only include a footbed and an outsole.Sole component 14 may include EVA foam having a cushioned top portion and a more robust, wear resistant bottom portion. The components ofsole assembly 14 may individually and/or collectively provide a number of attributes to an article of footwear 10, such as support, rigidity, flexibility, stability, cushioning, comfort, reduced weight, and/or other attributes. In general,sole assembly 14 may form the bottommost portion of footwear 10, regardless of the components present.Sole assembly 14 includes a side-to-side width W and a heel-to-toe longitudinal length L, shown in fig. 3.

Footwear 10 may include a textile upper 12 and asole assembly 14. Upper 12 may be formed from various material elements that are joined together to cover at least a portion of a foot of a wearer. The material elements may be selected based on the intended use of the article of footwear 10, and may comprise, for example, synthetic textiles, mesh textiles, polymers, or leather. Upper 12 is generally configured so as not to interfere with the flexibility ofsole assembly 14 and may include a stretchable or elastic material element. For example, the material element may comprise lycra, neoprene or spandex. Upper 12 may include one or more closure elements, including, for example, laces or hook and loop fasteners. Upper 12 additionally includes an upper opening for receiving a foot of a wearer and a lower perimeter for attachment tosole assembly 14.

The footbed may be positioned within a void defined by the upper, and is generally non-stretchable and lightweight and is bonded to the upper to provide the void for receiving a foot of a wearer. The footbed may be constructed of a sheet of material (such as foam, EVA, PU, latex, gel, or other material) and provides cushioning due to its compressibility, and may also conform to the foot to provide comfort, support, and stability. The lower perimeter margin or edge of upper 12 may be stitched, bonded, or otherwise secured to the footbed around the perimeter of the footbed.Sole assembly 14 may be combined with any other type or style of upper construction (e.g., a Strobel construction) that may be suitably joined withoutsole 30. The bonding of the sole assembly/outsole to the upper may be accomplished using adhesives, cements, injection molding, cast molding, or any other technique for bonding the upper to the sole.

Themidsole 16 may be positioned below the footbed and may be constructed of a material having a generally lower density than the density of theoutsole 30; such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Polyurethane (PU), latex, foam, gel, or other materials. In general, the density of themidsole 16 is such that it compresses relatively easily to provide cushioning to the foot (e.g., heel) of the wearer. The midsole material may have a hardness of, alternatively, about 30 Asker C to about 65 Asker C, further alternatively, about 42 Asker C to about 48 Asker C, and even further alternatively, about 45 Asker C or about 43 Asker C. In general, harder materials have higher wear resistance, but they are also less flexible. In contrast, softer materials have lower wear resistance, but are more flexible.

Outsole 30 may be joined to upper 12 and disposed belowmidsole 16.Outsole 30 includes anupper surface 32 and alowermost surface 34.Outsole 30 may include a plurality of projections and/or patterns extending downward, as described below. The protrusions and patterns may be arranged as desired and need not be arranged in a repeating pattern. The protrusions and patterns may comprise one or more geometric shapes.Outsole 30 may be constructed of one or more materials, such as, for example, natural or synthetic rubber, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU), nylon, polymer blends, abrasion resistant polymers, elastomers, and/or other materials. Other materials may be used (such as fiber reinforced polymers) which may include epoxy, polyethylene or thermoset reinforced with carbon, glass and/or aramid fibers to achieve enhanced protection. The outsole material may have the following hardness: alternatively from about 40 Shore A to about 70 Shore A, and further alternatively from about 68 Shore A to about 72 Shore A.

As shown in fig. 2, thesole assembly 14 may include one or more firstgripping compartments 40, the firstgripping compartments 40 having a firstcentral axis 42 and afirst actuator projection 44, thefirst actuator projection 44 being generally aligned with the firstcentral axis 42 and optionally centered on the firstcentral axis 42. The firstgripping pod 40 may be interspersed between the treads and other protrusions, and may be integrally formed with theoutsole 30.Outsole 30 may have a preselected thickness selected to provide the desired flexibility between various projections, patterns, regions, and/or portions of outsole 20. Theactuator protrusion 44 may be constructed of a material having a selected hardness and static coefficient of friction.

Referring to fig. 2 through 4, thefirst actuator protrusion 44 may include: an actuator raisedground contact surface 46 defining aperimeter 48; and an actuator projectionouter wall 50 extending upwardly from the actuator projectionground contacting surface 46. While thefirst actuator protrusion 44 is shown as being oval in shape, it is understood that the protrusion may comprise one or more geometric shapes. The height of theactuator protrusion 44 may vary depending on how much grip is desired. Further, the actuator protrusionground contact surface 46 generally transitions to an actuator protrusionouter wall 50 at theperimeter 48, and may include a chamfer, fillet, or the like at this interface or transition.

As shown in fig. 3-8, the firstgripping pod 40 may include at least onefirst tab ring 52 that surrounds or encircles thefirst actuator tab 44 and is disposed radially outward from the actuator tabouter wall 50. Thefirst tab ring 52 can include a tab ringinner edge 54 and a tab ringinner wall 56 that generally face the actuator tabouter wall 50. The lowermost surface of the first raisedring 52 defines a raised ringground contact surface 58. The lug ringinner edge 54 is defined at the intersection of a lug ringinner wall 56 and a lug ringground contact surface 58. The tab ringinner edge 54 extends around the perimeter of thefirst tab ring 52, and when the tab ringinner edge 54 is shown as being a substantially right angle corner, the tab ringinner edge 54 can contain a rounded or chamfered corner (both of which can be considered herein as a corner) as well as a true right angle corner where the two surfaces intersect at 90 ° to each other. Thefirst tab ring 52 may follow the shape of theactuator tab 44, which generally surrounds the actuator tabouter wall 50. Alternatively, theprojection ring 52 may be disposed around all or a portion of theactuator projection 44.

Theactuator protrusion 44 may be "taller" than theprotrusion ring 52. When the sole assembly is placed on a surface, such as a horizontal surface, the actuator raisedground contact surface 46 extends a first distance D1 below the raised ringground contact surface 58. In other words, the first distance D1 may be and may comprise at least 1 mm. In one example, theactuator protrusion 44 may be higher than the adjacent protrusion ringground contact surface 58 by a distance D1. The distance may optionally be at least 1.0mm, further optionally 1.0mm to 5.0 mm inclusive, further optionally 1.0mm to 8.0 mm inclusive, and yet further optionally 1.0mm to 12.0 mm inclusive. Additionally, the tabinner edge 54 and the actuator tabouter wall 50 are separated by a distance D3.

The distance D3 may alternatively be at least 1.0mm, further alternatively 1.0mm to 5.0 mm inclusive, further alternatively 1.0mm to 8.0 mm inclusive, and yet further alternatively 1.0mm to 12.0 mm inclusive. The firstgripping capsule 40 may include afirst collapse chamber 60. Thefirst collapse chamber 60 may be a substantially open space defined in thesole assembly 14 and disposed above thefirst actuator tab 44 and thefirst tab ring 52. The collapsingchamber 60 may have a substantially similar perimeter shape as thefirst actuator tab 44 and thefirst tab ring 52, however, other shapes are also contemplated. Optionally, a liner, such as asoft material 62, may be contained within the collapsingchamber 60 for purposes to be discussed below. Thematerial 62 may be a material having a density that is generally less than the density of the outsole 20; such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Polyurethane (PU), latex, gel, or other materials. In general, the density of the material 62 may be such that it is relatively easily compressed.Material 62 may be sized and shaped to leave a gap between itslower surface 62A andupper surface 32 ofoutsole 30. The gap may optionally be 0.1 mm to 10 mm inclusive, further optionally 1 mm to 6 mm inclusive.

Referring to fig. 3-4, agroove 64 may be defined between thefirst actuator protrusion 44 and the surroundingfirst protrusion ring 52. Thegroove 64 may extend upward toward themidsole 16 and may follow the perimeter shape of the actuator protrusionouter wall 50. Thegroove 64 surrounding thefirst actuator lug 44 provides partial flexibility to theoutsole 30 so that theactuator lug 44 may more easily move upward toward the collapsingchamber 60, as described below. The depth of thegroove 64 may be selected to modify the amount of movement of the raisedring 52 toward theactuator protrusion 44 and/or each other. Thebase 64A or the uppermost portion of thegroove 64 may also be thinned or constructed of a different material than the raisedring 52 to alter the amount of movement of the raisedring 52. For example, thebase 64A may be softer or thinner than thetab ring 52 to facilitate collapse of thering 52 toward the gripping podcentral axis 42 and/or theactuator tab 44, as described below. The transition of thegroove 64 to theinner edge 54 of the tab ring may include a chamfer, fillet, etc.

Thesole assembly 14 may also include one or more secondgripping compartments 70 similar to the firstgripping compartments 40 described above. Thesecond grip compartment 70 may comprise: asecond actuator protrusion 74 aligned with the secondcentral axis 72 and/or centered on the secondcentral axis 72; and asecond projection ring 82 surrounding thesecond actuator projection 74. The secondgripping compartment 70 also includes a second collapsingchamber 90, the second collapsingchamber 90 being defined by thesole assembly 14 above thesecond actuator tab 74 and thesecond tab ring 82. Additionally, thesoft material 62 may be contained within the second collapsingchamber 90.

As shown in the exemplary embodiment of fig. 3, the secondgripping pod 70 and the firstgripping pod 40 may be remote from each other. The firstgripping pod 40 is shown located in theheel region 26 of the footwear 10, and the secondgripping pod 70 is shown located in theforefoot region 22 of the footwear 10. According to one example, the grippingpods 40, 70 may extend through a majority of the side-to-side width W of thesole assembly 14 in their respective positions. Although the illustrated example shows two firstgripping pods 40 and three secondgripping pods 70, more or fewer of either pod and other arrangements of pods are contemplated herein. Alternatively, the grippingpods 40, 70 may contain different configurations and different numbers of raisedrings 52, 82 depending on the application. The projection rings 52, 82 may also vary in structure, height, and location relative to each other and theactuator projections 44, 74 depending on the location along thesole assembly 14 and/or the location in thesole assembly 14 along the heel-to-toe longitudinal length L.

The grippingpods 40, 70 may also include a plurality of channels or voids 66, 96 recessed upwardly into the raised ring ground contact surfaces 58, 88 and extending through the raised ringinner edges 54, 84. For example, thevoids 66, 96 extend radially away from theactuator protrusions 44, 74 and may be evenly or unevenly spaced about the protrusion rings 52, 82. Thus, the raised ring ground contact surfaces 58, 88 and the raised ringinner edges 54, 84 may be interrupted by thevoids 66, 96 such that the raised ring ground contact surfaces 58, 88 are discontinuous. Thevoids 66, 96 may provide local bending in the surrounding area. Thevoids 66, 96 may be linear, curved, angled, segmented, circular, and/or polygonal in cross-section.

When the article of footwear 10 is worn, the shape of theoutsole 30 may change as the wearer exerts pressure on the footwear due to the weight of the wearer and contact with the ground surface. More specifically, the first and secondgripping pods 40, 70 are each configured to move between an extended mode (shown in fig. 2 and 4) and a retracted mode or gripping mode (shown in fig. 5). In the extended mode, the grippingpods 40, 70 are not under compressive force due to the weight of the wearer. In the gripping mode, the grippingpods 40, 70 are under compressive force due to the weight of the wearer. It should be understood that the grippingpods 40, 70 are independent and may be in either the extended or gripping mode, regardless of which mode the other pod is in. In some cases, for example, when all of the pods are engaging the ground surface, all of the gripping pods may be in the same mode.

Referring to fig. 4-5, in the gripping mode, the grippingpods 40, 70 are at least partially collapsed into themselves and/or upwardly into the sole assembly to grip the underfoot surface and terrain. Referring to the firstgripping compartment 40, when the footwear 10 is worn and initially contacts the ground to bear the weight of the wearer, the first actuator lugs 44 engage the ground surface before thefirst lug ring 52 and move at least partially upward into the first collapsingchambers 60 in thesole assembly 14 and/or toward the first collapsingchambers 60 in thesole assembly 14. The upward movement of thefirst actuator tab 44 pulls theadjacent tab ring 52 toward the first actuator tab. The inward collapse of thefirst actuator tab 44 and the pull-in of thefirst tab ring 52 causes those elements to move toward the firstcentral axis 42 of the firstgripping pod 40 and grip the ground surface therebelow with a predetermined force. The density of thematerial 62 within thecollapse chamber 60 may be selected to provide a sufficient amount of compression to allow the firstgripping compartment 40 to collapse as desired. When transitioning from the extended mode to the gripping mode, theactuator protrusions 44 and protrusion rings 52 collapse inwardly into thesofter foam material 62.

Optionally, the secondgripping pod 70 collapses in the same manner as the firstgripping pod 40. Thesecond actuator protrusion 74 and thesecond protrusion ring 82 at least partially collapse into thesecond collapse chamber 90, with thesecond protrusion ring 82 moving toward the secondcentral axis 72 of the secondgripping capsule 70. In this manner, a portion of the second raisedring 82 moves away from the firstcentral axis 42 of the firstgripping pod 40, while a second portion of the second raisedring 82 moves toward the firstcentral axis 42 of the firstgripping pod 40.

During the wearer's gait cycle and transition between the extension mode and the grip mode, the protrusion ringinner edges 54, 84 travel toward the actuator protrusionouter walls 50, 80, optionally following a substantially curvilinear or arcuate path AP as shown in fig. 4. When this occurs, theinner edges 54, 84 of the projection rings 52, 82 may be raised above the ground contact surfaces 46, 76 of theactuator projections 44, 74, as shown in fig. 5. The projecting ringinner edges 54, 84 may also travel on the arcuate path AP toward theinner walls 56, 86 such that a portion of the ground contact surfaces 58, 88 of the projectingrings 52, 82 is no longer at the same level as the actuator ground contact surfaces 46, 86. Instead, theactuator protrusions 44, 74 travel upward toward therespective collapse chambers 60, 90 along a substantially linear path during transition from the extended mode to the gripping mode.

In the extended mode, the actuator protrusion ground contact surfaces 46, 86 may be disposed a first distance D1 (see fig. 4) below the protrusion ring ground contact surfaces 58, 88. During transition to the gripping mode, the actuator raised ground contact surfaces 46, 86 retract upwardly relative to the raised ring ground contact surfaces 46, 86. In the gripping mode, the actuator protrusion ground contact surfaces 46, 86 may be disposed a second distance D2 (see fig. 5) below the protrusion ring ground contact surfaces 58, 88. The second distance D2 may be less than the first distance D1. As an example, the first distance D1 may be at least 1 mm (inclusive), and thus the second distance D2 is less than 1 mm.

Additionally, in the extended mode, the protrusion ringinner walls 56, 86 may be disposed at a first angle a1 (see fig. 4) relative to a vertical plane. During transition to the gripping mode, the protrusion ringinner walls 56, 86 are pulled and/or tilted toward theactuator protrusions 44, 74 indicated by the arrows in fig. 4. Once in the gripping mode, the protrusion ringinner walls 56, 86 may be disposed at a second angle a2 (see fig. 5) with respect to the vertical plane. The second angle a2 may be at least 2 degrees greater than the first angle a 1. As shown in fig. 4, the first angle a1 appears substantially vertical; however, angles other than vertical are also contemplated herein. For example, the first angle a1 may alternatively be plus or minus about 20 ° with respect to the vertical plane, and further alternatively may be plus or minus about 30 °, 45 °, or 60 ° with respect to the vertical plane.

The tabinner edge 54 and the actuator tabouter wall 50 are separated by a first distance D3 (see fig. 4) in the extended mode. Upon transitioning to the gripping mode, the tabinner edge 54 and the actuator tabouter wall 50 are separated by a second distance D4 (see fig. 5). The second distance D4 is less than the first distance D3. When the grippingpod 40, 70 transitions from the extended mode to the gripping mode, the protrusion ringinner edge 54, 84 and/or theinner wall 56, 86 moves toward the actuator protrusionouter wall 50, 80. When this occurs, the distance between these elements decreases from the first distance D3 to a smaller distance D4. Thus, any floor surface material between the raised rings 52, 82 and theactuator projections 44, 47 can be caught, gripped or pinched between theactuator projections 44, 47 and the raised rings 52, 82. Specifically, ground surface material is captured or grasped between theinner edge 54, 84 and/orinner wall 56, 86 of the tab ring and theouter wall 50, 80 of the actuator tab to improve friction.

A first alternative embodiment of footwear is shown in fig. 6 and is generally designated 110. The footwear may be similar in structure, function and operation to the embodiments described above with some exceptions. For example, thefootwear 110 may include acushion 162, thecushion 162 substantially filling the collapse chamber 160 without leaving gaps as described in the above embodiments. The grippingpods 140, 170 cover thesofter foam pad 162 to provide a certain amount of compression. When transitioning from the extended mode to the gripping mode, theactuator protrusions 144, 174 and thering protrusions 152, 182 are able to collapse inwardly into thesoft pad 162.Footwear 110 may also eliminate the grooves of the previous embodiments to affect the local flexibility ofoutsole 130 as desired. Although thecushion 162 and eliminated groove may alter the footwear response, the collapse of thepods 140, 170 is generally similar to that described above, and the actuator lugs 144, 174 and lug rings 152, 182 are still compressed and pulled in as described above.

An alternative embodiment of footwear is shown in fig. 7 and is generally designated 210. The footwear may be similar in structure, function and operation to the embodiments described above with some exceptions. Thegripping pod 240 may optionally contain two or more raised rings 252 concentrically disposed with respect to one another. Between the first raised ring 252a and the more outwardly positioned second raised ring 252b, a second recess 264b may be defined. The geometry and material of the grooves may be selected as described above with respect to the previous embodiments. Additionally, the collapse chamber 260 may be larger so as to be disposed above thefirst actuator protrusion 244, the first protrusion ring 252a, and the second protrusion ring 252 b.

During transition from the extension mode to the grip mode, the second protrusion ring inner wall 256b is pulled and/or tilted toward the first protrusion ring 252a in a similar manner as the protrusion ring inner wall of the first embodiment. However, the axis of rotation of the second protrusion ring inner wall 256b is different (separate and spaced) from the axis of rotation of the first protrusion inner wall 256 a. That is, the second protrusion ring inner wall 256a will not necessarily collapse at the same angle (a 2) as the first protrusion ring inner wall 256 a. The pull from the upward movement of theactuator protrusion 244 may be less than the pull experienced by the first protrusion ring 252a, given its distance from the central axis 242. However, it should be understood that both raised rings 252a and 252b can be tilted during the transition from the extended mode to the gripping mode. Of course, it should also be understood that while the above description is with respect to thefirst grip compartment 240 containing two raised rings 252, thesecond grip compartment 270 may contain multiple raised rings and need not be described in greater detail.

Another alternative embodiment of footwear is shown in fig. 8 and is generally designated 310. The footwear may be similar in structure, function and operation to the embodiments described above with some exceptions. For example, thefootwear 310 may eliminate voids in the raised ringinner edges 354, 384 and the raised ring ground-contactingsurfaces 358, 388. In this manner, the ground-contactingsurfaces 358, 388 are continuous.

Without the voids of the first embodiment, theprojection ring 352 is continuous and may completely surround the outer periphery of theactuator projection 344. When thegripping capsule 340 engages a generally flat or planar surface, the collapse of thecapsule 340 can create a negative pressure such that thegripping capsule 340 is substantially or at least partially attracted to the surface below it. As such, when the raisedring 352 is continuous, thegripping capsule 340 generates suction as it collapses, providing improved friction on wet or slippery surfaces, particularly those surfaces that are flat or planar. Of course, the same is true for the secondgripping pod 370. It is contemplated that some (but not necessarily all) of the gripping pods are continuous, while other gripping pods contain voids and are therefore discontinuous.

The footwear of any of the above embodiments provides a sole assembly having superior traction. Where the gripping pod contains actuator protrusions and protrusion rings, those protrusions may cooperate to grip the underlying floor surface. This may provide reaction and dynamic friction to the sole assembly and footwear, thereby enabling the wearer to have confidence in his or her walking. In addition, where the raised loops are continuous and the gripping pods create suction as they collapse, the sole assembly may provide improved traction on wet or slippery surfaces, particularly where those surfaces are flat or planar.

The various components and features of the embodiments herein (e.g., upper, sole, or other footwear portions) may take on various aesthetic forms, shapes, and sizes. While a particular component or feature may have functionality, the feature may be manifested in different aesthetic ways to create artistic designs and/or purely decorative designs.

Directional terms such as "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "upper," "lower," "inner," "inward," "outer," and "outward" are used to help describe the invention based on the orientation of the embodiments shown in the drawings. The use of directional terms should not be construed to limit the invention to any particular orientation(s).

The above description is that of the current embodiment of the invention. Various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents. The present disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as an exhaustive description of all embodiments of the invention or to limit the scope of the claims to the particular elements shown or described in connection with these embodiments. For example, and not by way of limitation, any individual element(s) of the described invention may be replaced by alternative elements that provide substantially similar functionality or otherwise provide suitable operation. This includes, for example, alternative elements that are currently known (such as those that may currently be known to those skilled in the art) and alternative elements that may be developed in the future (such as those that may be considered substitutes by those skilled in the art at the time of development). Further, the disclosed embodiments incorporate multiple features that are described cooperatively and that may cooperatively provide a range of benefits. The present invention is not limited to only those embodiments that incorporate all of these features or provide all of the stated benefits, except as otherwise expressly set forth in the issued claims. Any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles "a," "an," "the," or "said," is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular. Any reference to a claim element, e.g., "at least one of X, Y and Z," is intended to include either of X, Y or Z and any combination of X, Y and Z, e.g., X, Y, Z; x, Y, respectively; x, Z, respectively; and Y, Z.

Claims (20)

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a shoe upper;

a sole assembly in combination with the upper, the sole assembly including a first gripping pod, the first gripping pod comprising:

a first central axis;

a first actuator projection generally aligned with the first central axis, the first actuator projection including an actuator projection ground contact surface defining a perimeter, and the actuator projection outer wall extending upwardly from the actuator projection ground contact surface; and

a first projection ring surrounding the first actuator projection and disposed radially outward from the actuator projection outer wall, the first projection ring including a projection ring inner edge and a projection ring inner wall generally facing the actuator projection outer wall, and a projection ring ground contact surface;

wherein the first gripping pod comprises a first collapse chamber defined in the sole assembly above the first actuator protrusion and the first protrusion ring;

wherein the first grip compartment is operable in an extended mode when the first grip compartment is not under a compressive force due to a weight of a wearer and is operable in a gripping mode when the first grip compartment is under the compressive force,

wherein, in the gripping mode, the first actuator protrusion and the first protrusion ring are at least partially collapsed into the first collapse chamber, wherein the first protrusion ring moves toward a first central axis of the first gripping capsule in the gripping mode.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, comprising:

a second gripping pod remote from the first gripping pod, the second gripping pod comprising:

a second central axis;

a second actuator protrusion aligned with the second central axis;

a second protrusion ring surrounding the second actuator protrusion;

wherein the second gripping pod comprises a second collapse chamber defined in the sole assembly above the second actuator protrusion and the second protrusion ring;

wherein the second gripping pod is operable in an extension mode and a gripping mode,

wherein, in the gripping mode, the second actuator protrusion and the second protrusion ring are at least partially collapsed into the second collapse chamber, wherein the second protrusion ring moves toward the second central axis of the second gripping capsule, and wherein a portion of the second protrusion ring moves away from the first central axis of the first gripping capsule.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 2,

wherein the first gripping pod is located in a heel region of the footwear,

wherein the second gripping pod is located in a forefoot region of the footwear.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 3,

wherein the sole component comprises a side-to-side width and a longitudinal length,

wherein the first gripping pod extends across a majority of the side-to-side width,

wherein the second gripping pod extends across a majority of the side-to-side width.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1,

wherein when transitioning to the gripping mode, the protrusion inner edge travels along an arcuate path toward the actuator protrusion outer wall.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 1,

wherein the actuator raised ground contact surface is a first distance below the raised ring ground contact surface when the first gripping pod is in the extended mode,

wherein the actuator projection ground contact surface is a second distance below the projection ring ground contact surface when the first grip pod is in the grip mode,

wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 6,

wherein the first distance is at least 1 mm, inclusive, and the second distance is less than 1 mm, such that in the gripping mode, the actuator projection ground contact surface is retracted upwardly relative to the projection ring ground contact surface.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 1,

wherein the first collapse chamber contains a foam unit therein sufficient to allow the first gripping pod to collapse.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 1,

wherein during a transition from the extension mode to the grip mode, the first actuator protrusion travels along a substantially linear path toward the first collapse chamber,

wherein during transition from the extension mode to the grip mode, the protrusion inner edge travels along a curvilinear path toward the actuator protrusion outer wall.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 9,

wherein the protrusion ring inner wall is sloped toward the actuator protrusion outer wall during transition from the extension mode to the grip mode.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 10,

wherein, in the extended mode, the protrusion ring inner wall is disposed at a first angle relative to a vertical plane,

wherein, in the gripping mode, the tab ring inner wall is disposed at a second angle relative to the vertical plane,

wherein the second angle is at least 2 degrees greater than the first angle.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 1,

wherein, in the extended mode, the protrusion inner edge and the actuator protrusion outer wall are separated by a first distance,

wherein, in the gripping mode, the protrusion inner edge and the actuator protrusion outer wall are separated by a second distance,

wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

13. An article of footwear, comprising:

a shoe upper;

a sole assembly in combination with the upper, the sole assembly including a first gripping pod, the first gripping pod comprising:

a first central axis;

a first actuator protrusion comprising a ground-contacting surface and an actuator protrusion outer wall; and

a first raised ring surrounding the first actuator protrusion and disposed outwardly from the actuator protrusion outer wall, wherein a groove is defined between the first raised ring and the actuator protrusion outer wall, the first raised ring comprising a raised ring inner edge and a raised ring ground contact surface;

wherein the first grip compartment is operable in an extended mode when the first grip compartment is not under a compressive force due to a weight of a wearer and is operable in a gripping mode when the first grip compartment is under the compressive force,

wherein, in the gripping mode, the first actuator protrusion and the first protrusion ring are at least partially collapsed upward into the sole assembly, wherein the first protrusion ring moves toward a first central axis of the first gripping pod in the gripping mode.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 13,

a second gripping pod remote from the first gripping pod, the second gripping pod comprising:

a second central axis;

a second actuator protrusion;

a second protrusion ring surrounding the second actuator protrusion;

wherein the second gripping pod is operable in an extension mode and a gripping mode,

wherein, in the gripping mode, the second actuator protrusion and the second protrusion ring move at least partially into the sole assembly, wherein the second protrusion ring moves toward the second central axis of the second gripping pod, and wherein a portion of the second protrusion ring moves away from the first central axis of the first gripping pod.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 13,

wherein the raised ring inner edge and the raised ring ground contact surface are interrupted by a plurality of voids such that the raised ring ground contact surface is discontinuous.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 15,

wherein during a transition from the extension mode to the grip mode, the first actuator protrusion travels along a substantially linear path,

wherein during transition from the extension mode to the grip mode, the protrusion inner edge travels along a curvilinear path toward the actuator protrusion outer wall.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 16,

wherein during transition from the extension mode to the grip mode, the protrusion inner edge travels toward the actuator protrusion outer wall.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 11,

wherein the actuator raised ground contact surface is a first distance below the raised ring ground contact surface when the first gripping pod is in the extended mode,

wherein the actuator projection ground contact surface is a second distance below the projection ring ground contact surface when the first grip pod is in the grip mode,

wherein the second distance is less than the first distance such that in the gripping mode, the actuator projection ground contact surface is retracted upwardly relative to the projection ring ground contact surface.

19. An article of footwear, comprising:

a shoe upper;

a sole assembly associated with the upper and including a first gripping pod and a second gripping pod, the first gripping pod comprising:

a first central axis;

a first actuator protrusion comprising a ground-contacting surface and an actuator protrusion outer wall; and

a first raised ring surrounding the first actuator protrusion and disposed outwardly from the actuator protrusion outer wall, a groove defined between the first raised ring and the actuator protrusion outer wall, the first raised ring comprising a raised ring inner edge and a raised ring ground contact surface;

the second gripping pod comprises:

a second central axis;

a second actuator protrusion;

a second protrusion ring surrounding the second actuator protrusion;

wherein the first gripping compartment and the second gripping compartment are remote from each other and are each operable in an extended mode and a gripping mode,

wherein in the gripping mode, the first actuator protrusion and the first protrusion ring are at least partially collapsed upward into the sole assembly, wherein in the gripping mode, the first protrusion ring is moved toward a first central axis of the first gripping pod,

wherein, in the gripping mode, the second actuator protrusion and the second protrusion ring move at least partially into the sole assembly, wherein the second protrusion ring moves toward the second central axis of the second gripping pod, and wherein a portion of the second protrusion ring moves away from the first central axis of the first gripping pod,

wherein when transitioning to the gripping mode, the tab inner edge travels along an arcuate path toward the actuator tab outer wall,

wherein the actuator raised ground contact surface is a first distance below the raised ring ground contact surface when the first gripping pod is in the extended mode,

wherein the actuator projection ground contact surface is a second distance below the projection ring ground contact surface when the first grip pod is in the grip mode,

wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 19,

wherein the sole assembly defines a collapse chamber above the first gripping compartment,

wherein during a transition from the extension mode to the grip mode, the first actuator protrusion travels along a substantially linear path toward the collapse chamber,

wherein during transition from the extension mode to the grip mode, the protrusion inner edge travels along a curvilinear path toward the actuator protrusion outer wall.

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