Articles of footwear with wear-resistant toe shield and manufacturing processes for making the same

Abstract

Presented are wear-resistant polymeric shields for reinforcing segments of footwear, methods for making/using such shields, and shoes with a high-strength, abrasion-resistant thermoplastic toe shield covering the shoe's front face. An athletic shoe includes an upper with an outer shell that receives a user's foot. A forefoot region of the upper's outer shell includes a toe box, while the forefoot and midfoot regions include a vamp. A sole structure is attached to the upper to support the user's foot. The sole structure includes a ground-engaging outsole and an outer-perimeter sidewall. A toe shield is bonded to and projects from outward-facing portions of the upper and sole structure. The toe shield is a single-piece structure fabricated from an abrasion-resistant, flexible thermoplastic copolymer. The toe shield may extend across forward portions of the vamp and toe box, a forward portion of the sole's sidewall, and a forward edge of the outsole's ground-facing surface.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear for a foot of a user, the article of footwear comprising:
 an upper configured to attach to the foot of the user;   a sole structure attached to the upper and configured to support thereon the foot of the user; and   a polymeric shield extending across and projecting from outward-facing portions of the upper and the sole structure, the polymeric shield including an abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the upper includes a forefoot region with a toe box, the polymeric shield extending across and covering the toe box. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the upper further includes a midfoot region adjoining the forefoot region, the midfoot and forefoot regions having a vamp, the polymeric shield further extending across and covering a forward portion of the vamp. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the sole structure includes a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole, the polymeric shield further extending across and covering a forward portion of the sole sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the sole structure further includes a ground-engaging outsole with a ground-facing surface, the polymeric shield further extending across and covering a forward portion of the ground-facing surface of the outsole. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric shield is a single-piece, unitary structure. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the polymeric shield includes an elongated cup-shaped main body and first and second arcuate flanges projecting from opposing first and second lateral sides, respectively, of the main body. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the first arcuate flange has a first length and a first height, and the second arcuate flange has a second length and a second height less than the first length and first height, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the first arcuate flange has a first depth and the second arcuate flange has a second depth less than the first depth. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the polymeric shield further includes a U-shaped flange projecting from an arched edge common to the main body and the first and second arcuate flanges. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric shield is attached to the sole structure and the upper via stitches, fasteners, an adhesive, and/or a weld. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasion-resistant copolymer of the polymeric shield includes a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the sole structure includes a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole, the sole sidewall including a first polymeric material with a first abrasion rate, the abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material of the polymeric shield including a second polymeric material having a second abrasion rate less than the first abrasion rate. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the upper includes a leather, a textile and/or a third polymeric material distinct from the first polymeric material of the sole sidewall and the abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material of the polymeric shield. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric shield has opposing interior and exterior surfaces, the interior surface being secured to the outward-facing portions of the sole structure and upper, and the exterior surface having a laser-etched graphic and/or text. 
     
     
         16 . An athletic shoe for a foot of a user, the athletic shoe comprising:
 an upper with an outer shell configured to receive therein and attach to the foot of the user, the outer shell including adjoining forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot regions, the forefoot region including a toe box, and the forefoot and midfoot regions including a vamp;   a sole structure attached to a lower portion of the upper and configured to support thereon the foot of the user, the sole structure including a ground-engaging outsole with a ground-facing surface and a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole structure; and   a polymeric toe shield bonded to and projecting from outward-facing portions of the upper and the sole structure, the polymeric toe shield being fabricated as a single-piece structure from an abrasion-resistant flexible thermoplastic copolymer, the polymeric toe shield extending across and covering a forward portion of the vamp, the toe box, a forward portion of the sole sidewall, and a forward portion of the ground-facing surface of the outsole.   
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing an article of footwear for a foot of a user, the method comprising:
 providing an upper configured to attach to the foot of the user;   attaching a sole structure to the upper, the sole structure being configured to support thereon the foot of the user; and   positioning a polymeric shield to extend across and project from outward-facing portions of the upper and the sole structure, the polymeric shield including an abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the upper includes a forefoot region with a toe box, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover the toe box. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the upper further includes a midfoot region adjoining the forefoot region, the midfoot and forefoot regions having a vamp, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover a forward portion of the vamp. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the sole structure includes a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover a forward portion of the sole sidewall. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the sole structure further includes a ground-engaging outsole with a ground-facing surface, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover a forward portion of the ground-facing surface of the outsole. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising forming the polymeric shield as a single-piece, unitary structure. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the polymeric shield is formed with an elongated cup-shaped main body and first and second arcuate flanges projecting from opposing lateral sides of the main body. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first arcuate flange has a first length and a first height, and the second arcuate flange has a second length and a second height less than the first length and first height, respectively, and wherein the first arcuate flange has a first depth and the second arcuate flange has a second depth less than the first depth. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the polymeric shield further includes a U-shaped flange projecting from a transversely oriented edge common to the main body and the first and second arcuate flanges.