Sole assembly for article of footwear

Abstract

A sole assembly generally including a flex plate, a heel spring and a heel cup. The flex plate may extend from the rear of the sole through the arch into the forefoot. The heel spring may be an elliptical spring and may have internal resilient stoppers that prevent the spring from bottoming out. The height of the stoppers may increase toward the rear of the sole. The stoppers may be extensions of the outsole fitted up through apertures in the elliptical spring. The heel spring may be disposed beneath the flex plate in the heel region. The heel cup may be disposed above the flex plate in the heel region. The heel cup may have an extension that extends upwardly a sufficient distance to cradle the wearer's heel to provide an enhanced forefoot lever. The flex plate, heel spring and heel cup may be a single unitary component.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear having a heel region, an arch region and a forefoot region comprising:
 an upper;   a sole assembly disposed toward a bottom of said upper, said sole assembly including:
 a flex plate extending from the heel region through the arch region into the forefoot region; and 
 a heel spring disposed beneath said flex plate in the heel region, said heel spring and said flex plate being integrally formed as a single unitary component. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1  wherein said heel spring has a closed shape defining an internal void. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2  wherein said heel spring is generally elliptical in shape having an upper arched segment and a lower arched segment, said upper arched segment and said lower arched segment being joined at opposite ends. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3  further including at least one resilient stopper disposed within said internal void. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 4  further including a plurality of stoppers disposed within said void, said stoppers varying in height. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5  wherein said plurality of stopper increase in height toward a rear of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1  further including a heel cup, said heel cup disposed above said flex plate in said heel region. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7  wherein said heel cup includes a sidewall and a heel extension extending upwardly from said flex plate; and
 wherein said heel cup, said heel spring and said flex plate being integrally formed as a single unitary sole component. 
 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 8  wherein said heel extension include upper flanges that extend forwardly. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 9  further including an outsole disposed beneath said sole component. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 10  wherein said outsole includes a forefoot section and a separate heel section. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11  wherein said heel section includes upwardly extending stoppers extending into said heel spring. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 10  wherein said heel spring is generally elliptical in shape having an upper arched segment and a lower arched segment, said upper arched segment and said lower arched segment being joined at opposite ends and defining an internal void; and
 wherein said heel section includes upwardly extending resilient stoppers that extend into said internal void to prevent said upper arched segment from collapsing onto said lower arched segment. 
 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13  wherein said lower arched segment defines a plurality of apertures, said stoppers extending through said apertures into said internal void. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 1  further including a footbed fitted into said upper and a heel cup extending form said flex plate;
 wherein said heel cup, said heel spring and said flex plate are integrally formed as a single unitary sole component, said sole component secured to an undersurface of said upper. 
 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15  wherein said heel spring is generally elliptical in shape having an upper arched segment and a lower arched segment, said upper arched segment and said lower arched segment being joined at opposite ends and defining an internal void; and
 further including at least one resilient stopper disposed in said internal void to prevent said upper arched segment from collapsing onto said lower arched segment. 
 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 15  wherein said heel spring is generally elliptical in shape having an upper arched segment and a lower arched segment, said upper arched segment and said lower arched segment being joined at opposite ends and defining an internal void; and
 further including a plurality of resilient stoppers disposed in said internal void to prevent said upper arched segment from collapsing onto said lower arched segment. 
 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 17  said plurality of stoppers increase in height toward a rear of said sole component. 
     
     
         19 . A sole assembly for an article of footwear:
 a flex plate having a heel portion, an arch portion and a forefoot portion;   a heel spring disposed on an undersurface of said flex plate in said heel portion, said heel spring configured to bend under load; and   a heel cup disposed on an upper surface of said flex plate in said heel portion, said heel cup having a medial sidewall, a lateral sidewall and a heel extension extending upwardly beyond said medial sidewall and said lateral sidewall.   
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 19  wherein said heel spring includes upper and lower segments cooperatively defining a void. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 20  further including a resilient stopper disposed in said void. 
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 19  wherein said heel spring is generally elliptical in shape, said heel spring including an upper arched segment and a lower arched segment, said upper arched segment and said lower arched segment joined at opposite ends and cooperatively defining a void. 
     
     
         23 . The assembly of  claim 22  further including a resilient stopper in said void. 
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 22  further including an outsole disposed on said lower arched segment, said outsole having a protrusion extending through said lower arched segment into said void to form said resilient stopper. 
     
     
         25 . The assembly of  claim 22  further including a plurality of resilient stoppers disposed in said void, said plurality of stopper increasing in height toward a rear of the sole assembly. 
     
     
         26 . The assembly of  claim 25  wherein said heel spring includes a medial side and a lateral side, said resilient stoppers arranged in a first row extending along said medial side and a second row extending along said lateral side. 
     
     
         27 . The assembly of  claim 21  wherein said extension of said heel cup follows a gradual curve and is undercut. 
     
     
         28 . The assembly of  claim 27  wherein said heel cup includes upper flanges extending forwardly from said extension. 
     
     
         29 . The assembly of  claim 27  wherein said heel spring is cantilevered beyond a rearward extent of said flex plate. 
     
     
         30 . The assembly of  claim 29  wherein said lower arched segment includes a longitudinally extending rail. 
     
     
         31 . A sole component comprising:
 a flex plate having a heel portion, an arch portion and a forefoot portion;   a heel spring extending downwardly from said flex plate in said heel portion, said heel spring including upper and lower segments configured to resiliently bend toward one another under load, said heel spring defining an internal void;   a resilient stopper disposed with said internal void, said resilient stopper configured to prevent contact between said upper and lower segments under load; and   a heel cup extending upwardly from said flex plate in said heel portion, said heel cup having a medial sidewall, a lateral sidewall and a heel extension extending upwardly beyond said medial sidewall and said lateral sidewall.