Article of footwear having a geometric cushioning system

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear having an upper and a sole coupled to the upper. The sole includes an insole for receiving a foot of a wearer and a sole member disposed below the insole to support the foot of the wearer. The sole member includes a web extending along a length of the sole and a plurality of pillars projecting upwardly from the web toward the insole. The plurality of pillars each include a curved sidewall and a lid extending from an upper end of the curved sidewall. The curved sidewall and the lid define a cavity. The web and the plurality of pillars of the sole member are unitary and made of an elastomeric material that allows the pillars to flex or deform at a compressed state and return to an upright position at a relaxed state.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An article of footwear, comprising
 an upper; and   a sole coupled to the upper, the sole comprising;
 an insole; 
 a first sole member disposed below the insole, the first sole member comprising:
 a first plate extending along a length of the sole; and 
 first pillars projecting upwardly from the first plate toward the insole, each of the first pillars including:
 a curved sidewall projecting upwardly from a top surface of the first plate; 
 a dome-shaped lid extending from a top of the curved sidewall; and 
 
 
 a second sole member disposed below the insole and above the first sole member, the second sole member comprising:
 a second plate extending along the length of the sole; and 
 second pillars projecting downwardly from a bottom surface of the second plate toward the first sole member, each of the second pillars including:
 a curved sidewall projecting downwardly from the bottom surface of the second plate; and 
 a dome-shaped base extending from a bottom end of the curved sidewall; 
 
 
   wherein the second sole member forms no pillars in a forefoot region of the sole,   wherein each of the second pillars is positioned vertically above one of the first pillars, and the base of each of the second pillars is engaged against the lid of one of the first pillars,   wherein the first pillars include a lateral row of first pillars disposed along a lateral side of the sole and a medial row of first pillars disposed along a medial side of the sole, and the second pillars include a lateral row of second pillars disposed along the lateral side of the sole and a medial row of second pillars disposed along the medial side of the sole.   
     
     
         22 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the lateral row of first pillars and the lateral row of second pillars are exposed in an arch region on the lateral side of the sole, and the medial row of first pillars and the medial row of second pillars are exposed in an arch region on the medial side of the sole. 
     
     
         23 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the lateral row of second pillars and the medial row of second pillars extend from a heel region of the sole to an arch region of the sole. 
     
     
         24 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the lateral row of first pillars and the medial row of first pillars extend from the heel region of the sole to the forefoot region of the sole. 
     
     
         25 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the first pillars include first pillars located in the forefoot region of the sole. 
     
     
         26 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the bottom surface of the second plate defines recesses, and each of the recesses receives a top portion of one of the first pillars located in the forefoot region of the sole. 
     
     
         27 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the cavity of each of the first pillars is filled with ambient air. 
     
     
         28 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the second pillars are solid. 
     
     
         29 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the first sole member is made from an elastomeric material, and the second sole member is made from a foam-based material. 
     
     
         30 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the bottom surface of the second plate is engaged against the top surface of the first plate in the forefoot region of the sole. 
     
     
         31 . The article of footwear of  claim 30 , wherein the bottom surface of the second plate is spatially separated from the top surface of the first plate in the arch region of the sole. 
     
     
         32 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein a height of the second plate tapers from the forefoot region of the sole to an arch region of the sole such that the height of the second plate in the forefoot region of the sole is greater than the height of the second plate in the arch region of the sole. 
     
     
         33 . The article of footwear of  claim 32 , wherein the height of the second plate in the forefoot region of the sole is greater than the height of the second plate in a heel region of sole. 
     
     
         34 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the first sole member comprises strips projecting upwardly from the top surface of the first plate, each of the strips extending from a curved sidewall of one of the first pillars to a curved sidewall of an adjacent first pillar. 
     
     
         35 . A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
 a first sole member comprising first pillars projecting upwardly; and   a second sole member made from a foam-based material, the second sole member disposed above the first sole member, and the second sole member comprising second pillars projecting downwardly toward the first sole member,   wherein the second sole member forms no pillars in a forefoot region of the sole,   wherein each of the second pillars is positioned vertically above one of the first pillars, and a bottom portion of each of the second pillars is engaged against a top portion of one of the first pillars,   wherein the first pillars include a lateral row of first pillars exposed in an arch region along a lateral side of the sole and a medial row of first pillars exposed in an arch region along a medial side of the sole, and the second pillars include a lateral row of second pillars exposed in the arch region along the lateral side of the sole and a medial row of second pillars exposed in the arch region along the medial side of the sole.   
     
     
         36 . The sole of  claim 35 , wherein each of the first pillars defines a cavity filled with ambient air. 
     
     
         37 . The sole of  claim 35 , wherein each of the second pillars is solid and formed from the foam-based material. 
     
     
         38 . The sole of  claim 35 , wherein the first sole member is made from an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         39 . The sole of  claim 35 , wherein the first sole member comprises a first plate extending along a length of the sole, and the first pillars project upwardly from a top surface of the first plate toward the insole. 
     
     
         40 . The sole of  claim 39 , wherein the second sole member comprises a second plate extending along the length of the sole, and the second pillars project downwardly from a bottom surface of the second plate toward the first sole member.