Article of footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear comprising an upper defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear, and a sole structure coupled with the upper. The sole structure includes a midsole and an outsole coupled with a bottom surface of the midsole. A void structure is provided within the sole structure, which includes a plurality of voids defining channels that extend through an entire width of the sole structure. The void structure includes a plurality of first voids in the shape of a vertical lemniscate and a plurality of second voids in the shape of a horizontal lemniscate.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper; and   a sole structure coupled with the upper, defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:   a midsole;   an outsole coupled with a bottom surface of the midsole; and   a void structure provided within the midsole of the sole structure, the void structure including:   first and second voids extending from a first side of the sole structure toward a second side of the sole structure opposite the first side,   wherein the first void defines a first opening on the first side of the sole structure and the second void defines a second opening on the first side of the sole structure,   wherein a first opening axis extends through a center of the first opening, perpendicular to a first plane defined by the first opening,   wherein a second opening axis extends through a center of the second opening, perpendicular to a second plane defined by the second opening,   wherein the first opening axis extends oblique relative to the second opening axis along a vertical direction, and   wherein the first opening axis extends oblique relative to the second opening axis along a horizontal direction.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a first void axis extends through a center of the first void, and
 wherein the first opening axis is oriented obliquely relative to the first void axis.   
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first opening defines a first end and a second end, opposite the first end,
 wherein a first void axis extends through a center of the first void, and   wherein the first end of the first opening and the second end of the first opening are axially offset along the first void axis.   
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the first end of the first opening is at least one of vertically opposite the second end or horizontally opposite the second end. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the second opening defines a third end and a fourth end, opposite the first end,
 wherein a second void axis extends through a center of the second void, and   wherein the third end of the second opening and the fourth end of the second opening are axially offset along the second void axis.   
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the first void and the second void are each disposed in the heel region of the sole structure. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first opening defines a first end and a second end, opposite the first end in a vertical direction,
 wherein the first end is disposed along a first vertical plane,   wherein the second end is disposed along a second vertical plane, and   wherein the first and second vertical planes are horizontally offset from one another.   
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the second end is disposed vertically below the first end,
 wherein a center vertical plane extends in a toe to heel direction through a center of the midsole, and   wherein a distance between the second vertical plane and the center vertical plane is greater than a distance between the first vertical plane and the center vertical plane.   
     
     
         9 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper; and   a sole structure coupled with the upper, defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:   a midsole;   an outsole coupled with a bottom surface of the midsole; and   a void structure provided within the midsole of the sole structure, the void structure including:   a first void extending from a first side of the sole structure toward a second side of the sole structure opposite the first side;   wherein the first void defines a first opening in the first side of the sole structure,   wherein the first opening defines a first end and a second end, opposite the first end in a vertical direction,   wherein a first void axis extends through a center of the first void, and   wherein the first end of the first opening and the second end of the first opening are axially offset along the center axis.   
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the first opening defines a third end and a fourth end, opposite the third end in a horizontal direction, and
 wherein the third end of the first void and the fourth end of the first void are axially offset along the first void axis.   
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10  further comprising a second void extending from the first side of the sole structure toward the second side of the sole structure,
 wherein the second void defines a second opening in the first side of the sole structure, 
 wherein a second void axis extends through a center of the second void, 
 wherein the second opening defines a fifth end and a sixth end, opposite the fifth end in the vertical direction, and 
 wherein the fifth end is axially offset from the sixth end relative to the second void axis. 
 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the first void and the second void are each disposed in the heel region of the sole structure. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein a first opening axis extends through the first opening, and wherein all points of the first axis are equidistant from the first end and the second end of the first opening,
 wherein a second opening axis extends through the second opening, and wherein all points of the second axis are equidistant from the fifth end and the sixth end of the first opening,   wherein the first opening axis extends oblique relative to the second opening axis along a vertical direction,   wherein the first opening axis extends oblique relative to the second opening axis along a horizontal direction.   
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein a first opening axis extends through the first opening, and wherein all points of the first axis are equidistant from the first end and the second end of the first opening,
 wherein a first void axis extends through a center of the first void, and   wherein the first opening axis is oriented obliquely relative to the first void axis.   
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the second end is disposed vertically below the first end,
 wherein a center vertical plane extends in a toe to heel direction through a center of the midsole, and   wherein a distance between the second end and the center vertical plane is greater than a distance between the first end and the center vertical plane.   
     
     
         16 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper; and   a sole structure coupled with the upper, defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
 a vertical plane that extends through a heel end of the heel region to a toe end of the forefoot region; 
 a midsole; 
 an outsole coupled with a bottom surface of the midsole; and 
 a void structure provided within the midsole of the sole structure, the void structure including a first void extending from a first side of the sole structure toward a second side of the sole structure opposite the first side, 
   wherein the first void defines a first opening in the first side of the sole structure,   wherein the first void defines a first end and a second end, opposite the first end in a vertical direction,   wherein a first distance is defined between the first end of the first opening and the vertical plane,   wherein a second distance is defined between the second end of the first opening and the vertical plane, and   wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.   
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the first end of the first opening is disposed vertically below the second end of the first opening. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 16  further comprising a second void extending from the first side of the sole structure toward the second side of the sole structure,
 wherein the second void defines a second opening in the first side of the sole structure, 
 wherein the second void defines a third end and a fourth end, opposite the third end in a vertical direction, 
 wherein a third distance is defined between the third end of the second opening and the vertical plane, 
 wherein a fourth distance is defined between the fourth end of the second opening and the vertical plane, 
 wherein the third distance is greater than the fourth distance. 
 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the first void and the second void are adjacent in the heel region. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein a first void axis extends through a center of the first void, and
 wherein the first end of the first opening and the second end of the first opening are axially offset along the center axis.