Article of footwear having a sole plate

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure coupled to the upper. The sole structure defines a ground engaging surface and includes a cushion member and a rigid plate. The cushion member defines a bottom surface that forms a first portion of the ground engaging surface. The rigid plate includes a first segment positioned between the upper and the bottom surface of the cushion member, and a second segment that extends outward from the first segment. The second segment curves to extend along a lateral surface of the cushion member such that the second segment defines a first portion of an outermost lateral surface of the sole structure.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the article of footwear comprising:
 an upper; and   a sole structure coupled to the upper and defining a ground engaging surface of the article of footwear, the sole structure including:
 a cushion member defining a bottom surface that forms a first portion of the ground engaging surface, and 
 a rigid plate including a first segment positioned between the upper and the bottom surface of the cushion member, and a second segment that extends outward from the first segment and curves to extend along a lateral surface of the cushion member such that the second segment defines a first portion of an outermost lateral surface of the sole structure. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first segment extends continuously from the forefoot region to the heel region. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment has a base at the first segment and extends from the base to define a distal end, and
 wherein the cushion member is directly coupled to the base of the second segment and directly coupled to the distal end of the second segment.   
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the first portion of the outermost lateral surface is within the heel region. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the first segment includes a set of ribs that protrude into the cushion member. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the rigid plate is configured to receive a plurality of removable spikes. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the first portion of the outermost lateral surface is within the forefoot region. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the rigid plate is a PEBAX® plate and the cushion member includes PEBA foam. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the second segment defines a second portion of the outermost lateral surface within the midfoot region, the first portion spaced apart from the second portion such that the cushion member defines the lateral outermost surface between the first portion and the second portion. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the second segment extends outward from the first segment and curves to extend along a medial surface of the cushion member such that the second segment defines a third portion of an outermost medial surface of the sole structure. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the rigid plate is a carbon fiber plate. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the second segment is a separate element that is coupled to the first segment and curves downward to extend away from the upper, and
 wherein the second segment is spaced from the lateral surface of the cushion member as the second segment extends along the lateral surface of the cushion member.   
     
     
         13 . An article of footwear defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the article of footwear comprising:
 an upper; and   a sole structure coupled to the upper and defining a ground engaging surface of the article of footwear, the sole structure including:
 a cushion member defining a bottom surface, and 
 a rigid plate having a set of claws, each claw of the set of claws extending from a first end that is positioned between the upper and the bottom surface of the cushion member to a second end, and each claw of the set of claws curving between the first end and the second end to extend along a lateral surface of the cushion member such that each claw defines a portion of one of an outermost lateral surface and an outermost medial surface of the sole structure between the first end and the second end, 
   wherein the first end is directly coupled to the cushion member and the second end is directly coupled to the cushion member.   
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the set of claws includes only a single claw that is positioned in the heel region and on a lateral side of the sole structure such that the single claw defines a first portion of the outermost lateral surface in the heel region. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the set of claws includes a first claw that is positioned in the forefoot region and on a lateral side of the sole structure such that the first claw defines a first portion of the outermost lateral surface in the forefoot region. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the set of claws includes a second claw that is positioned between the first claw and the heel region, the second claw defining one of a second portion of the outermost lateral surface and a first portion of the outermost medial surface. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the set of claws includes a third claw that is positioned between the first claw and the heel region such that the third claw defines the other of the second portion of the outermost lateral surface and the first portion of the outermost medial surface. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the set of claws includes:
 a first claw that is positioned in the midfoot region and on a lateral side of the sole structure such that the first claw defines a first portion of the outermost lateral surface in the forefoot region, and   a second claw that is positioned on a medial side of the article of footwear and in an opposed configuration with the first claw such that the second claw defines a first portion of the outermost medial surface.   
     
     
         19 . An article of footwear defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the article of footwear comprising:
 an upper;   a cushion member defining a bottom surface; and   a unitary carbon fiber plate having a first segment positioned between the bottom surface of the cushion member and the upper, and a second segment formed as a set of claws that extend outward from the first segment,   wherein each claw of the set of claws extends from a first end that is directly coupled to the cushion member to a second end that is directly coupled to the cushion member, and   wherein the set of claws includes:
 a first claw that is positioned in the midfoot region and on a lateral side of the article of footwear such that the first claw defines a first portion of an outermost lateral surface in the forefoot region, and 
 at least one of:
 a second claw that is positioned on a medial side of the article of footwear and in an opposed configuration with the first claw such that the second claw defines a first portion of an outermost medial surface, and 
 a third claw that is positioned in the forefoot region and on the lateral side of the article of footwear such that the third claw defines a second portion of the outermost lateral surface in the forefoot region. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the unitary carbon fiber plate defines a notch at the heel end of the unitary carbon fiber plate, the notch extending from the heel end toward the forefoot region.