Nike patents shoe sole with layered plates and cushioning
Nike has secured a patent for a footwear design featuring a sole structure made of two distinct plates. These plates are connected by a brace and separated by specific cushioning elements to support the foot.
In the filing’s own words
An article of footwear with: an upper; and a sole structure coupled to the upper, the sole structure comprising: a sleeve extending from a first end to a second end, the sleeve including: a first plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first plate extending from the first end to the second end; a second plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface of the second plate, the second plate extending from the first end toward the second end; a first cushioning element disposed on the medial side of the article footwear, wherein the first cushioning element is disposed between the first plate and the second plate; a second cushioning element coupled to the first plate; and a third cushioning element disposed between the first plate and the second plate.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An article of footwear comprising: a medial side and a lateral side disposed opposite the medial side; an upper; and a sole structure coupled to the upper, the sole structure comprising: a sleeve extending from a first end to a second end, the sleeve including: a first plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first plate extending from the first end to the second end; and a second plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface of the second plate, the second plate extending from the first end toward the second end and extending from the medial side to the lateral side, and the second plate including at least a first slot extending from a medial side of the second plate to a lateral side of the second plate; a brace coupling an edge on a lateral side of the first plate to an edge on the lateral side of the second plate; a first cushioning element disposed on a medial side of the article of footwear, wherein the first cushioning element is disposed between the first plate and the second plate; a second cushioning element coupled to the first plate; and a third cushioning element disposed between the first plate and the second plate.
Facts
- Company
- Nike (NIKE, Inc.)
- Official title
- Athletic systems
- Patent number
- US12740617B2
- Application number
- 18794574
- Filed
- Aug 5, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 8
- Claims
- 18
Classified under
A43B 13/20 Human necessitiesA43B 5/06 Human necessitiesA43B 5/185 Human necessitiesA43B 13/16 Human necessitiesMore from Nike in Clothing & sport
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.