Nike patents shoe heel with textured shell for better stability
Nike has filed a patent for a shoe design that uses a specific structure in the heel to improve stability. The sole features a shell with small bumps that connect to a cushioning element made of a different material than the rest of the midsole.
In the filing’s own words
An article of footwear with a heel region including a posterior end of the article of footwear, a mid-foot region, and a forefoot region including an anterior end of the article of footwear; a lateral side, and a medial side opposite the lateral side; an upper; and a sole structure coupled to the upper. The sole structure has a midsole with a first cushioning element extending from the posterior end to the anterior end; a second cushioning element extending from the mid-foot region to the posterior end, the second cushioning element being formed of a different material than the first cushioning element; and a shell with a plurality of circumferentially-spaced apart protrusions, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is directly coupled to the second cushioning element.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An article of footwear comprising: a heel region including a posterior end of the article of footwear, a mid-foot region, and a forefoot region including an anterior end of the article of footwear; a lateral side, and a medial side opposite the lateral side; an upper; a sole structure, the sole structure coupled to the upper, and wherein the sole structure further comprises; a midsole extending from the posterior end to the anterior end; a shell, wherein the shell includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced apart protrusions each extending away from the upper toward a ground-surface when the article of footwear is in an upright configuration, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is coupled to the midsole; and a heel counter disposed adjacent to the midsole in the heel region, wherein the heel counter includes one or more protrusions, each protrusion of the heel counter being disposed within the shell.
Facts
- Company
- Nike (NIKE, Inc.)
- Official title
- ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR INCLUDING A HEEL STABILIZING ELEMENT
- Publication number
- US20260272116A1
- Application number
- 19668228
- Filed
- May 5, 2026
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 8
- Claims
- 1
Classified under
A43B 21/285 Human necessitiesA43B 13/189 Human necessitiesA43B 13/20 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.