Article of footwear having a sole plate

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper can include a first outsole, a second outsole, and a cushioning member. The second outsole is positioned between the first outsole and the upper and the cushioning member is positioned between the first outsole and the second outsole.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A sole structure for an article of footwear including an upper, the sole structure comprising:
 a first outsole;   a second outsole positioned between the first outsole and the upper; and   a cushioning member positioned between the first outsole and the second outsole.   
     
     
         2 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the cushioning member includes a front cushioning member in a forefoot region of the sole structure and a rear cushioning member in a heel region of the sole structure. 
     
     
         3 . The sole structure of  claim 2 , wherein the second outsole is positioned between the first outsole and the upper in at least one of the forefoot region and the heel region. 
     
     
         4 . The sole structure of  claim 3 , wherein each of the first outsole and the second outsole are directly coupled to the front cushioning member. 
     
     
         5 . The sole structure of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the front cushioning member and the rear cushioning member is a supercritical foam with pockets of gas therein. 
     
     
         6 . The sole structure of  claim 2 , wherein the front cushioning member is positioned in a front spacing between the first outsole and the second outsole, the front spacing having a front spacing volume defined by the first outsole, the second outsole, and an unseen boundary extending from and between a first periphery of each of the first outsole and the second outsole, and
 wherein the rear cushioning member is positioned in a rear spacing between the first outsole and the second outsole, the rear spacing having a rear spacing volume defined by the first outsole, the second outsole, and an unseen boundary extending from and between a second periphery of each of the first outsole and the second outsole.   
     
     
         7 . The sole structure of  claim 6 , wherein the front cushioning member extends across a front portion of the first outsole in the forefoot region from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure. 
     
     
         8 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first outsole and the second outsole extend from a forefoot region of the sole structure to a heel region of the sole structure. 
     
     
         9 . The sole structure of  claim 8 , wherein the first outsole defines a first bottom surface in the forefoot region of the sole structure and the second outsole defines a second bottom surface in the heel region of the sole structure. 
     
     
         10 . The sole structure of  claim 9 , wherein the first bottom surface of the first outsole extends from the forefoot region into the heel region. 
     
     
         11 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first outsole is a rigid plate and includes a plurality of ground engaging members extending from a bottom surface of the first outsole, the plurality of ground engaging members including spikes and barbs. 
     
     
         12 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first outsole extends along the second outsole, and
 wherein, within a forefoot region, each of the first outsole and the second outsole include a front portion that extends across the sole structure from a lateral side to a medial side.   
     
     
         13 . The sole structure of  claim 12 , wherein the first outsole further includes a middle portion in a midfoot region and a rear portion in a heel region, each of the middle portion and the rear portion extending partially across the sole structure between the lateral side and the medial side. 
     
     
         14 . A sole structure for an article of footwear including an upper, the sole structure comprising:
 an outsole extending from a forefoot region of the sole structure to a heel region of the sole structure; and   a cushioning member, wherein the cushioning member is positioned between the outsole and the upper in one of the forefoot region and the heel region, and wherein the outsole is positioned between the cushioning member and the upper in the other of the forefoot region and the heel region.   
     
     
         15 . The sole structure of  claim 14 , wherein the outsole includes a first outsole and a second outsole. 
     
     
         16 . The sole structure of  claim 15 , wherein, within the forefoot region, each of the first outsole and the second outsole extend entirely across the sole structure from a lateral side to a medial side. 
     
     
         17 . The sole structure of  claim 15 , wherein the cushioning member is positioned between the upper and the first outsole in at least one of the forefoot region and the heel region. 
     
     
         18 . The sole structure of  claim 15 , wherein the cushioning member is positioned between the first outsole and the second outsole in at least one of the forefoot region and the heel region. 
     
     
         19 . The sole structure of  claim 18 , wherein the cushioning member includes a first cushioning member positioned between the first outsole and the second outsole in the forefoot region and a second cushioning member positioned between the first outsole and the second outsole in the heel region. 
     
     
         20 . The sole structure of  claim 19 , wherein the first cushioning member is positioned between the first outsole and the upper. 
     
     
         21 . The sole structure of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first outsole and the second outsole extend continuously between a front portion in the forefoot region and a rear portion in the heel region. 
     
     
         22 . The sole structure of  claim 21 , wherein the first outsole defines a bottom surface in the forefoot region and the second outsole defines a bottom surface in the heel region. 
     
     
         23 . A sole structure for an article of footwear including an upper, the sole structure comprising:
 a first outsole extending from a forefoot region of the sole structure to a heel region of the sole structure; and   a second outsole extending from the forefoot region to the heel region,   wherein the first outsole is spaced from the second outsole in the forefoot region to define a front spacing with a first gap height defined by a distance between the first outsole and the second outsole taken along a direction extending between a ground-engaging surface of the sole structure and the upper, and   wherein the first outsole is spaced from the second outsole in the heel region to define a rear spacing with a second gap height defined by a distance between the first outsole and the second outsole taken along a direction extending between a ground-engaging surface of the sole structure and the upper.   
     
     
         24 . The sole structure of  claim 23 , wherein the first gap height includes a first maximum gap height and the second gap height includes a second maximum gap height that is greater than the first maximum gap height. 
     
     
         25 . The sole structure of  claim 24 , wherein the second maximum gap height ranges between about 1.1 times the first maximum gap height to about 1.5 times the first maximum gap height. 
     
     
         26 . The sole structure of  24 , wherein each of the first gap height and the second gap height decrease to zero between the front spacing and the rear spacing. 
     
     
         27 . The sole structure of  claim 26 , wherein each of the front spacing and the rear spacing extend into a midfoot region of the sole structure. 
     
     
         28 . The sole structure of  claim 23 , wherein the front spacing has a front spacing volume defined by the first outsole, the second outsole, and an unseen boundary extending from and between a first periphery of each of the first outsole and the second outsole,
 wherein the rear spacing has a rear spacing volume defined by the first outsole, the second outsole, and an unseen boundary extending from and between a second periphery of each of the first outsole and the second outsole, and wherein   a first longitudinal length of the front spacing ranges between about 1.5 times to about 2.0 times a second longitudinal length of the rear spacing.   
     
     
         29 . The sole structure of  claim 28 , wherein the first spacing volume is configured to receive a first cushioning member and the second spacing volume is configured to receive a second cushioning member. 
     
     
         30 . A sole structure for an article of footwear including an upper, the sole structure comprising:
 a cushioning member including a front cushioning member in a forefoot region of a sole structure and a rear cushioning member in a heel region of the sole structure; and   an outsole including a first outsole and a second outsole,   the first outsole being spaced from the second outsole in the forefoot region to define a front spacing with a first gap height defined by a distance between the first outsole and the second outsole taken along a direction extending between a ground-engaging surface of the sole structure and the upper, the front spacing being configured to receive the front cushioning member, and   the first outsole being spaced from the second outsole in the heel region to define a rear spacing with a second gap height defined by a distance between the first outsole and the second outsole taken along a direction extending between a ground-engaging surface of the sole structure and the upper, the rear spacing being configured to receive the rear cushioning member,   wherein the second outsole is positioned between the first outsole and the upper in the forefoot region.