Footwear Sole Structure Including a Spring Plate

Abstract

An article of footwear may include an upper, an outsole, and a spring plate. The spring plate may be located above at least a portion of the outsole and may extend through at least medial forefoot and medial midfoot regions. The spring plate may have an unloaded shape in which a front portion of the spring plate in a forefoot region is downwardly bent relative to a rear portion of the spring plate located rearward of the front portion. The spring plate may comprise an open central region defined by a surrounding band and may be nondestructively removable from and replaceable into the upper. The article may further include at least one inner sole member shaped to rest securely within a void defined at least in part by the upper. The at least one inner sole member may be compressible in at least first and fifth metatarsophalangeal joint regions.

1 . An article of footwear comprising;
 an upper;   an outsole;   at least one inner sole member shaped to rest securely within a void defined at least in part by the upper, wherein a portion of the void above a top surface of the at least one inner sole member is sized to accommodate a wearer foot, and wherein the at least one inner sole member is compressible in at least first and fifth metatarsophalangeal joint regions; and   a spring plate positioned between at least a portion of the at least one inner sole member and at least a portion of the outsole, the spring plate extending through at least medial forefoot and medial midfoot regions and having an unloaded shape in which a front portion of the spring plate in the forefoot region is downwardly bent relative to a rear portion of the spring plate located rearward of the front portion.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the spring plate comprises an open region defined by a surrounding band. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the surrounding band is continuous around an entire periphery of the spring plate. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the front portion of the spring plate is substantially flat and the rear portion of the spring plate is substantially flat. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the front portion of the spring plate is downwardly bent relative to the rear portion of the spring plate at an angle of about 20 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the spring plate extends substantially an entire length and width of the article within the upper. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the spring plate and the at least one inner sole member are each nondestructively removable from and replaceable into the upper. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the spring plate is nondestructively removable from and replaceable into the upper. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inner sole member has an unloaded shape in which a front portion of the at least one inner sole member in the forefoot region is downwardly bent relative to a rear portion of the at least one inner sole member located rearward of the front portion of the at least one inner sole member. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a peripheral edge of the spring plate has a shape that is generally the same as a shape of a peripheral edge of the at least one inner sole member. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the spring plate is positioned between a midsole and the outsole. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the midsole is external to the upper, wherein the spring plate is attached to a bottom side of the midsole and a top side of the outsole, and wherein a portion of the spring plate is exposed on a bottom of the article. 
     
     
         13 . An article of footwear comprising;
 an upper;   an outsole; and   a spring plate positioned above at least a portion of the outsole, the spring plate extending through at least medial forefoot and medial midfoot regions and having an unloaded shape in which a front portion of the spring plate in the forefoot region is downwardly bent relative to a rear portion of the spring plate located rearward of the front portion, the spring plate comprising an open region defined by a surrounding band.   
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the surrounding band is continuous around an entire periphery of the spring plate. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the front portion of the spring plate is substantially flat and the rear portion of the spring plate is substantially flat. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the front portion of the spring plate is downwardly bent relative to the rear portion of the spring plate at an angle between about 10 degrees and about 25 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the spring plate extends substantially an entire length and width of the article within the upper. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one inner sole member shaped to rest securely within a void defined at least in part by the upper, wherein a portion of the void above a top surface of the at least one inner sole member is sized to accommodate a wearer foot, and wherein the at least one inner sole member is compressible in at least first and fifth metatarsophalangeal joint regions. 
     
     
         20 . An article of footwear comprising;
 an upper;   an outsole; and   a spring plate positioned above at least a portion of the outsole, the spring plate extending through at least medial forefoot and medial midfoot regions and having an unloaded shape in which a front portion of the spring plate in the forefoot region is downwardly bent relative to a rear portion of the spring plate located rearward of the front portion, the spring plate being nondestructively removable from and replaceable into the upper.   
     
     
         21 . The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the spring plate comprises an open region defined by a surrounding band. 
     
     
         22 . The article of footwear of  claim 21 , wherein the surrounding band is continuous around an entire periphery of the spring plate. 
     
     
         23 . The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the spring plate extends substantially an entire length and width of the article within the upper. 
     
     
         24 . The article of footwear of  claim 20 , further comprising at least one inner sole member shaped to rest securely within the void, wherein a portion of the void above a top surface of the at least one inner sole member is sized to accommodate a wearer foot, and wherein the at least one inner sole member is compressible in at least first and fifth metatarsophalangeal joint regions.