Articles of footwear

Abstract

A sole assembly for an article of footwear includes a sole assembly, optionally including an outsole and a midsole adjacent outsole. The sole assembly and/or its components can include a heel portion that defines a void. First and second inserts can be located in the void, adjacent one another. The first and second inserts are movable and/or slideable relative to one another. This construction can attenuate vibration and shock imparted to the outsole and subsequently transferred to a wearer of the footwear.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A footwear construction comprising:
 an upper;   an outsole;   a midsole joined with the outsole and located generally above the outsole, the midsole including a heel portion, the heel portion defining a midsole void;   a first insert disposed in the midsole void, the first insert joined with the outsole;   a second insert disposed in the midsole void, the second insert being disposed adjacent and generally contacting the first insert, the first and second inserts being movable relative to one another,   whereby vibration imparted to the outsole and transferred to at least one of the first insert and the second insert is impaired or prevented from being transferred to the other of the first insert and the second insert, and ultimately to a foot of a wearer of the footwear construction.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear construction of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first insert and the second insert defines an insert void, wherein the other of the at least one of the first insert and second insert is located at least partially within the insert void. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear construction of  claim 2  wherein the first insert defines the insert void, wherein the second insert is located in the insert void. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear construction of  claim 3 , wherein the first insert includes a first insert portion located above the second insert, and another portion that generally surrounds at least two sides of the second insert. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear construction of  claim 1  wherein the first insert includes a lower surface, wherein the lower surface defines an upwardly extending insert void, the insert void bounded by a void bottom located above the lower surface, wherein the second insert is located in the insert void. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear construction of  claim 5  wherein the insert void includes at least one wall that transitions to the void bottom, wherein the second insert includes a side, wherein the wall is adjacent the side when the second insert is in the insert void. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear construction of  claim 1  wherein the midsole includes a lateral side defining a lateral side aperture and a medial side defining a medial side aperture, wherein the first insert extends across a width of the heel portion, and is visually exposed within the lateral side aperture and the medial side aperture to a viewer of the footwear construction. 
     
     
         8 . A footwear construction comprising:
 an upper;   a sole assembly including a heel portion and defining a void substantially only in the heel portion;   a first insert disposed in the void, the first insert including a first surface;   a second insert disposed in the void, the second insert including a second surface, the second insert being disposed adjacent the first insert so that the first surface contacts the second surface, the first surface and second surface slideable relative to one another whereby vibration imparted to the sole assembly is impaired or prevented from being transferred to at least one of the first insert and the second insert and ultimately to a foot of a wearer of the footwear construction.   
     
     
         9 . The footwear construction of  claim 8  wherein the first insert is disposed generally over the second insert. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear construction of  claim 8  wherein the first insert defines an insert void having a bottom that forms the first surface, wherein the second insert is disposed in the insert void, wherein the second insert void includes a wall that extends downward from the bottom, the wall surrounding at least a portion of the second insert. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear construction of  claim 9  wherein the sole assembly includes an outsole, wherein the first insert is secured to an outsole, but the second insert is not attached to the outsole. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear construction of  claim 11  wherein the sole assembly includes a midsole joined with the outsole, wherein the midsole defines the insert void, wherein the first insert and second insert are stacked on one another in the insert void. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear construction of  claim 8  wherein the first insert extends laterally across a width of the sole assembly and is visible from a lateral or medial side view of the footwear construction. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear construction of  claim 8  wherein the first insert is constructed from a first material having a first durometer, wherein the second insert is constructed from a second material having a second durometer that is less than, more than or the same as the first durometer. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear construction of  claim 14  wherein the first and second inserts are constructed from at least one of ethyl vinyl acetate, TPE and polyurethane. 
     
     
         16 . A footwear construction comprising:
 an upper;
 an outsole; 
 a midsole joined with the outsole and located generally above the outsole, the midsole including a heel portion, the heel portion defining a midsole void; 
 a first insert disposed in the midsole void, the first insert including a first surface; 
 a second insert disposed in the midsole void, the second insert including a second surface, the second insert being disposed adjacent the first insert, so that the first surface contacts the second surface, the first surface and second surface movable relative to one another, 
 whereby vibration imparted to the sole assembly is impaired or prevented from being transferred to at least one of the first insert and the second insert and ultimately to a foot of a wearer of the footwear construction. 
   
     
     
         17 . The footwear construction of  claim 16  wherein at least one of the first insert and the second insert defines an insert recess, wherein the other of the at least one first insert and second insert is disposed in the insert recess. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear construction of  claim 17  wherein the first insert includes a first bottom surface wherein the second insert includes a second bottom surface, wherein the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface lay generally in the same plane. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear construction of  claim 16  wherein the first insert and second insert are free from any cement attachment directly to one another. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear construction of  claim 16  wherein the first insert includes a heel button, wherein the midsole defines a heel button void above and contiguous with the midsole void, wherein the heel button extends at least partially through the heel button void.