Article of footwear having a sole plate

Abstract

An article of footwear defines a lateral side, a medial side, a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region. The article of footwear includes an upper, a first cushioning member directly coupled to the upper in the heel region, a second cushioning member directly coupled to the upper in the forefoot region, and a plate. The plate is configured as a unitary plate that extends continuously from the forefoot region to the heel region. The plate is directly coupled to each of the upper, the first cushioning member, and the second cushioning member. The plate extends through a gap that is defined between the first cushioning member and the second cushioning member.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear defining a lateral side, a medial side, a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the article of footwear comprising:
 an upper;   a first cushioning member directly coupled to the upper in the heel region;   a second cushioning member directly coupled to the upper in the forefoot region; and   a plate configured as a unitary plate extends continuously from the forefoot region to the heel region, the plate being directly coupled to each of the upper, the first cushioning member, and the second cushioning member, and the plate extending though a gap that is defined between the first cushioning member and the second cushioning member.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the plate includes an anterior curved portion that is directly coupled to the second cushioning member, a substantially planar portion that is directly coupled to the first cushioning member, and a posterior curved portion that extends between the anterior curved portion and the substantially planar portion. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the posterior curved portion is positioned in the gap. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the first cushioning member, the second cushioning member, and the plate define a sole structure of the article of footwear, and
 wherein the second cushioning member defines a heelmost end of the sole structure.   
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the first cushioning member is entirely spaced apart from the second cushioning member by the gap. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 4  further comprising an outsole coupled to the first cushioning member. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein a toemost end of the first cushioning member in the forefoot region and a heelmost end of the first cushioning member is in the midfoot region, and
 wherein a toemost end of the second cushioning member is in the midfoot region and a heelmost end of the second cushioning member is in the heel region.   
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the plate is visible when the article of footwear is viewed from both the lateral side and the medial side. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the toemost end of the second cushioning member overlaps the heelmost end of the first cushioning member such that the toemost end of the second cushioning is above the heelmost end of the first cushioning member when the article of footwear is viewed from the lateral side. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the toemost end of the second cushioning member overlaps the heelmost end of the first cushioning member such that the toemost end of the second cushioning is above the heelmost end of the first cushioning member when the article of footwear is viewed from the medial side. 
     
     
         11 . An article of footwear defining a lateral side, a medial side, a forefoot region defining a toe end, a midfoot region, and a heel region defining a heel end, 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 first cushioning member directly coupled to the upper in the heel region, wherein a toemost end of the first cushioning member is in the midfoot region and a heelmost end of the first cushioning member defines a heelmost end of the sole structure;   a second cushioning member directly coupled to the upper in the forefoot region, wherein a toemost end of the second cushioning member is in the forefoot region and a heelmost end of the second cushioning member is in the midfoot region;   a plate configured as a unitary plate extends continuously from the forefoot region to the heel region, the plate extending though a gap that is defined between the first cushioning member and the second cushioning member, and the plate being visible when the article of footwear is viewed from both the lateral side and the medial side; and   an outsole coupled to the second cushioning member, the outsole extending from a first end positioned in the forefoot region to a second end positioned in the midfoot region.   
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the plate is visible when the article of footwear is viewed from a bottom of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the plate includes a substantially planar portion that is coupled to the first cushioning member and curved portion that extends through the gap. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the curved portion includes a posterior curved portion that extends from the substantially planar portion and into the gap, and an anterior curved portion that extends from the posterior curved portion and that is coupled to the second cushioning member. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the plate defines a protrusion that extends away from the upper. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the protrusion is positioned in the gap. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the plate comprises a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the plate is spaced from the upper at the gap so that there is an absence of material of the sole structure between the plate and the upper. 
     
     
         19 . An article of footwear defining a lateral side, a medial side, a forefoot region defining a toe end, a midfoot region, and a heel region defining a heel end, 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 first cushioning member directly coupled to the upper in the heel region, wherein a toemost end of the first cushioning member is in the midfoot region and a heelmost end of the first cushioning member defines a heelmost end of the sole structure,   a second cushioning member directly coupled to the upper in the forefoot region, wherein a toemost end of the second cushioning member is in the forefoot region and a heelmost end of the second cushioning member is in the midfoot region; and   a plate configured as a unitary plate that includes a substantially planar portion coupled to the first cushioning member, an anterior curved portion coupled to the second cushioning member, and a posterior curved portion extending between the substantially planar portion and the anterior curved portion, the posterior curved portion positioned in a gap that is defined between the first cushioning member and the second cushioning member.   
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the plate defines a protrusion that extends away from the upper, the protrusion positioned in the gap.