Comfort system for footwear

Abstract

An outsole for an article of footwear includes a support member and a comfort member. The support member includes a body defining a forepart aperture and a backpart aperture. The comfort member is supported by the support member and positioned within the forepart aperture and the backpart aperture. A method of assembling an article of footwear includes positioning a forepart of a comfort member within a forepart aperture defined by a forepart of a support member of an outsole for the article of footwear, positioning a backpart of the comfort member within a backpart aperture defined by a backpart of the support member, and securing the comfort member relative to the support member.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sole member for an article of footwear comprising:
 an outsole comprising:
 a support member comprising a body defining a backpart aperture; and 
 a comfort member supported by the support member; and 
   a heel on the support member and comprising a top side and a bottom side, the top side defining a heel cavity,   wherein the backpart aperture provides access to the heel cavity, and   wherein the comfort member is positioned within the backpart aperture and the heel cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The sole member of  claim 1 , wherein the support member further comprises a forepart aperture, wherein the support member defines a ledge extending at least partially into the forepart aperture, and wherein the comfort member is supported on the ledge within the forepart aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The sole member of  claim 2 , wherein the support member comprises a top side and a bottom side, wherein the comfort member comprises a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the top side of the comfort member is substantially flush with the top side of the support member. 
     
     
         4 . The sole member of  claim 2 , wherein the ledge is recessed relative to a top side of the support member and relative to a bottom side of the support member. 
     
     
         5 . The sole member of  claim 1 , wherein the comfort member comprises a top side, a bottom side, a forepart, and a backpart, wherein the backpart comprises a heel extension extending from the bottom side of the backpart, and wherein the heel extension is positioned through the backpart aperture of the support member and into the heel cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The sole member of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom side of the heel defines a heel recess. 
     
     
         7 . The sole member of  claim 6 , wherein the heel defines a heel slot extending from a heel cavity surface to the bottom side of the heel, and wherein a heel extension of the comfort member comprises a heel extension rib positioned within the heel slot. 
     
     
         8 . The sole member of  claim 1 , wherein the support member comprises a top side and a bottom side, wherein the comfort member comprises a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the article of footwear further comprises a cover member secured to the bottom side of the comfort member. 
     
     
         9 . The sole member of  claim 8 , wherein the support member further comprises a forepart aperture, wherein the support member defines a ledge extending at least partially into the forepart aperture, wherein the ledge of the support member comprises a plurality of engagement ribs, and wherein the cover member is supported on the ledge within the forepart aperture and the cover member comprises a plurality of engagement notches engaged with the engagement ribs of the support member. 
     
     
         10 . The sole member of  claim 8 , wherein the comfort member defines a plurality of engagement projections on the bottom side of the comfort member, and wherein the cover member defines a plurality of flex zone slots configured to receive the plurality of engagement projections of the comfort member. 
     
     
         11 . An article of footwear comprising an upper connected to the sole member of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A method of assembling an article of footwear comprising:
 positioning a forepart of a comfort member within a forepart aperture defined by a forepart of a support member of an outsole for the article of footwear;   positioning a backpart of the comfort member within a backpart aperture defined by a backpart of the support member; and   securing the comfort member relative to the support member.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising securing the outsole to an upper. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising securing a heel the backpart of the support member and positioning the heel such that the backpart aperture of the support member provides access to a heel cavity of the heel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein positioning the backpart of the comfort member comprises inserting a heel projection of the comfort member through the backpart aperture of the support member and into a heel cavity of a heel, and wherein positioning the forepart of the comfort member comprises positioning the forepart of the comfort member on a ledge defined by the support member within the forepart aperture. 
     
     
         16 . An outsole for an article of footwear comprising:
 a support member comprising a body defining a forepart aperture and a backpart aperture; and   a comfort member supported by the support member and positioned within the forepart aperture and the backpart aperture.   
     
     
         17 . The outsole of  claim 16 , wherein the support member defines a ledge extending at least partially into the forepart aperture, and wherein the comfort member is supported on the ledge within the forepart aperture. 
     
     
         18 . The outsole of  claim 17 , wherein the support member comprises a top side and a bottom side, wherein the comfort member comprises a top side and a bottom side, wherein the ledge is recessed relative to a top side of the support member and relative to a bottom side of the support member, and wherein the top side of the comfort member is flush with the top side of the support member. 
     
     
         19 . The outsole of  claim 16 , wherein the comfort member comprises a top side, a bottom side, a forepart, and a backpart, wherein the backpart comprises a heel extension extending from the bottom side of the backpart, and wherein the heel extension is positioned through the backpart aperture of the support member. 
     
     
         20 . The outsole of  claim 16 , wherein the support member comprises a top side and a bottom side, wherein the comfort member comprises a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the article of footwear further comprises:
 a cover member secured to the bottom side of the comfort member,   wherein the support member defines a ledge extending at least partially into the forepart aperture, and   wherein the cover member is supported on the ledge within the forepart aperture.