Sole structure for article of footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure coupled with the upper. The sole includes an upper plate that is configured to couple with the upper and a lower plate that is spaced from and pivotably coupled with the upper by a beam. The beam is oriented along a heel-to-toe direction of the article of footwear and is configured to provide a resistive moment to control the rotation between the upper plate and the lower plate. The sole structure further includes a midsole that is configured to surround at least a portion of the beam and to extend between the upper plate and the lower plate to provide a force that resists the rotation between the upper plate and the lower plate.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper and defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the sole structure comprising:
 a first plate extending from the forefoot region, through the midfoot region, to the heel region, the first plate being configured to couple to the upper;   a second plate that is spaced from the first plate by a first gap, the second plate being disposed within the forefoot region; and   a beam extending between the first plate and the second plate so that the first plate is pivotally coupled to the second plate by the beam.   
     
     
         2 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the beam is configured as a linear beam that is aligned along a longitudinal axis of the sole structure. 
     
     
         3 . The sole structure of  claim 2 , wherein the beam defines a length that is parallel to the longitudinal axis, a width that is perpendicular to the length in a lateral-to-medial direction, and a height between the first plate and the second plate that is perpendicular to both the length and the width, and
 wherein the length is greater than the at least one of the width or the height.   
     
     
         4 . The sole structure of  claim 3 , wherein the beam has a rectangular cross-section taken perpendicular to the length. 
     
     
         5 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , further including a midsole that is disposed between the first plate and the second plate, the midsole including a first midsole portion positioned along a lateral side of the beam and a second midsole portion positioned along a medial side of the beam. 
     
     
         6 . The sole structure of  claim 5 , wherein the first midsole portion is a first cushioning member having a first density and the second midsole portion is a second cushioning member having a second density that is different from the first density. 
     
     
         7 . The sole structure of  claim 6 , wherein the first midsole portion is coupled to at least one of the first plate or the second plate, and
 wherein the second midsole portion is coupled to at least one of the first plate or the second plate.   
     
     
         8 . The sole structure of  claim 5 , wherein the midsole further includes a third midsole portion coupled to the first plate in the heel region, opposite the upper, wherein the third midsole portion is spaced from the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion by a gap that extends from a lateral side to a medial side in the midfoot region. 
     
     
         9 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the beam is integrally formed with at least one of the first plate or the second plate. 
     
     
         10 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the second plate is configured as an outsole that includes at least one ground engaging element extending from a bottom surface of the second plate. 
     
     
         11 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the beam is configured to allow the first plate and the second plate to pivot by a first maximum angular rotation in a first direction and by a second maximum angular rotation in a second direction. 
     
     
         12 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first maximum angular rotation and the second maximum angular rotation are between about 10 degrees and about 30 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first maximum angular rotation is different from the second maximum angular rotation. 
     
     
         14 . A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper and defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the sole structure comprising:
 an upper plate,   a lower plate that is spaced from and pivotably coupled with the upper plate by a beam that is configured to allow the upper plate and lower plate to rotate relative to one another toward each of a lateral side and a medial side of the sole structure,   a first midsole portion disposed on the lateral side of the beam and coupled to each of the upper plate and the lower plate, wherein the relative rotation of the upper plate and the lower plate causes the first midsole portion to deform, the deformation of the first midsole portion providing a first resistive force that opposes the relative rotation of the upper and lower plates, and   a second midsole portion disposed on the medial side of the beam and coupled to each of the upper plate and the lower plate, wherein the relative rotation of the upper plate and the lower plate causes the second midsole portion to deform, the deformation of the second midsole portion providing a second resistive force that opposes the relative rotation of the upper and lower plates.   
     
     
         15 . The sole structure of  claim 14 , wherein each of the lower plate, the first midsole portion, and the second midsole portion extends from a first end in the forefoot region to a second end in the midfoot region. 
     
     
         16 . The sole structure of  claim 15 , wherein the beam is aligned along a longitudinal axis of the sole structure and is disposed entirely within the forefoot region. 
     
     
         17 . The sole structure of  claim 14 , wherein the beam is configured to allow the upper plate and the lower plate to rotate relative to one another by a maximum angular rotation that is between about 15 degrees and about 35 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper and defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the sole structure comprising:
 an upper plate extending from the forefoot region, through the midfoot region, to the heel region, the upper plate being configured to couple to the upper;   a forefoot portion positioned predominately in the forefoot region, the forefoot portion including:
 a first lower plate that is spaced from and pivotably coupled with the upper plate by a beam that is configured to allow the upper plate and lower plate to rotate relative to one another toward each of a lateral side and a medial side of the sole structure, and 
 a first midsole portion positioned between the upper plate and the first lower plate, the first midsole portion at least partially surrounding the beam, such that the first midsole portion includes a lateral midsole portion positioned along a lateral side of the beam and a medial midsole portion disposed along a medial side of the beam; and 
   a heel portion positioned predominately in the heel region, the heel portion including:
 a second lower plate, and 
 a second midsole member positioned between the upper plate and the second lower plate, 
   wherein the forefoot portion and the heel portion are spaced apart from one another by a gap in the midfoot region.   
     
     
         19 . The sole structure of  claim 18 , wherein the lateral midsole portion and the medial midsole portion are each coupled to both the upper plate and the first lower plate. 
     
     
         20 . The sole structure of  claim 18 , wherein the first lower plate is configured as a first outsole portion and the second lower plate is configured as a second outsole portion.