Footwear sole

Abstract

A sole for an article of footwear having an insert with a plurality of support tubes that include internal webs configured to control the support characteristics of each support tube. In one embodiment, a first plurality of support tubes is disposed along the medial side of the sole in the heel region and a second plurality of support tubes is disposed along the lateral side of the sole in the heel region. The insert may include an arch portion that extends through and provides support to the arch region of the sole. The arch portion may define a slot to receive a gaiter strap. The insert may further include a forefoot extension that extends forwardly from the arch along the medial side of the sole. In one embodiment, the sole may include a heel wedge disposed below the insert in the heel region such that the support tubes are supported upon a relatively resilient material. In one embodiment, the insert may include struts that interconnect the medial and lateral support tubes.

1 . An insert for an article of footwear comprising: 
 a plurality of resilient compressible support tubes, each of said support tubes defining an internal void; and    a plurality of webs, each of said webs being disposed within a corresponding one of said support tubes and extending at an orientation, said orientation of each of said webs being pre-selected to provide said insert with a support profile.    
     
     
         2 . The insert of  claim 1  wherein each of said support tubes is generally annular in cross section.  
     
     
         3 . The insert of  claim 2  wherein each of said webs is a chord with respect to said corresponding one of said support tubes.  
     
     
         4 . The insert of  claim 3  wherein each of said webs extends along a diameter of said corresponding one of said support tubes.  
     
     
         5 . The insert of  claim 4  wherein said plurality of support tubes generally extend along a first common plane.  
     
     
         6 . The insert of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of support tubes includes a plurality of medial support tubes disposed on a medial side of the insert and a plurality of lateral support tubes disposed on said lateral side of the insert.  
     
     
         7 . The insert of  claim 6  wherein said medial support tubes are spaced apart from said lateral support tubes.  
     
     
         8 . The insert of  claim 7  further including at least one strut interconnecting, said strut interconnecting at least one of said medial support tubes and at least one of said lateral support tubes.  
     
     
         9 . The insert of  claim 7  further including a plurality of struts, each of said struts interconnecting one of said medial support tubes with a corresponding one of said lateral support tubes.  
     
     
         10 . The insert of  claim 9  wherein at least one of said struts is concave.  
     
     
         11 . The insert of  claim 1  wherein the insert includes a heel portion and an arch portion, said plurality of support tubes being disposed in said heel portion, said arch portion being integral with said heel portion.  
     
     
         12 . The insert of  claim 11  wherein said arch portion defines a slot to receive a gaiter strap.  
     
     
         13 . The insert of  claim 11  wherein the insert further includes a forefoot extension, said forefoot extension being integral.  
     
     
         14 . The insert of  claim 6  wherein said webs of said lateral support tubes generally extend along a second common plane, said webs of said medial support tubes extending at an angle to said second common plane.  
     
     
         15 . The insert of  claim 6  wherein the insert has a front and a rear, said orientation of said webs of said medial support tubes increasing in angle with respect to said second common plane from said front to said rear.  
     
     
         16 . An article of footwear comprising: 
 an upper; and    a sole interconnected with said upper, said sole including a midsole, a heel wedge and an insert, said insert disposed at least partially between said heel wedge and said midsole, said insert including a plurality of support tubes, each of said support tubes including an internal web extending at an orientation, said orientation of at least one web varying from said orientation of at least one other web.    
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16  wherein said orientation of each of said webs is pre-selected to provide said insert with a support profile.  
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 16  wherein said plurality of support tubes includes a plurality of medial support tubes disposed on a medial side of the insert and a plurality of lateral support tubes disposed on said lateral side of the insert.  
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 18  wherein said webs of said lateral support tubes generally extend along a common plane, said webs of said medial support tubes extending at an angle to said common plane.  
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 19  wherein said sole has a front and a rear, said orientation of said webs of said medial support tubes increasing in angle with respect to said common plane from said front to said rear.  
     
     
         21 . The article of  claim 18  wherein said medial support tubes are spaced apart from said lateral support tubes; and wherein insert further includes a plurality of struts, each of said struts interconnecting one of said medial support tubes with a corresponding one of said lateral support tubes.  
     
     
         22 . The article of  claim 21  wherein said struts cooperatively define a concave region.  
     
     
         23 . The article of  claim 16  wherein each of said support tubes is generally annular in cross section and each of said webs is a chord with respect to said corresponding one of said support tubes.  
     
     
         24 . The article of  claim 21  wherein each of said webs extends along a diameter of said corresponding one of said support tubes.  
     
     
         25 . The article of  claim 24  wherein said insert further includes an integral arch portion and an integral forefoot extension.  
     
     
         25 . A sole for an article of footwear comprising: 
 an outsole;    a heel wedge disposed above and connected to said outsole at least in said heel region;    an insert disposed above and connected to said heel wedge;    a midsole disposed above and connected to said insert; and    wherein said insert include a plurality of medial support tubes disposed along a medial side of the sole and a plurality of lateral support tubes disposed along a lateral side of the sole, said medial tubes being spaced apart from said lateral support tubes to define a heel centering region therebetween.    
     
     
         26 . The sole of  claim 25  wherein each of said support tubes includes an internal web having an orientation, said orientation of said webs varying in a predetermined manner to define a desired support profile.  
     
     
         27 . The sole of  claim 26  wherein each of said webs extends along a diameter of a corresponding one of said tubes.