Sole structure for article of footwear

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes an inner frame including a first frame member disposed in a forefoot region and a second frame member formed independently from the first frame member and disposed in a heel region. The sole structure further includes an outer shell attached to and encapsulating each of the first frame member and the second frame member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
 an inner frame including a first frame member disposed in a forefoot region and a second frame member formed independently from the first frame member and disposed in a heel region; and   an outer shell attached to and encapsulating each of the first frame member and the second frame member.   
     
     
         2 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell has a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 1 mm and a hardness ranging from 80 A to 100 A Shore hardness. 
     
     
         3 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first frame member includes a first material having a first stiffness and the second frame member includes a second material having a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness. 
     
     
         4 . The sole structure of  claim 3 , wherein the first stiffness is selected from a range of 0.2 gigapascals to 40 gigapascals and the second stiffness is selected from a range of 0.2 gigapascals to 40 gigapascals. 
     
     
         5 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the second frame member includes a central spine and a plurality of ribs extending from the central spine to define a support bed in the heel region. 
     
     
         6 . The sole structure of  claim 5 , wherein the second frame member includes a first arm extending from the central spine to a first distal end in a mid-foot region on a medial side of the sole structure and a second arm extending from the central spine to a second distal end in the mid-foot region on a lateral side of the sole structure. 
     
     
         7 . The sole structure of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of ribs includes an annular heel rib connected to the central spine and disposed in the heel region. 
     
     
         8 . The sole structure of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of ribs includes a first heel connecting member extending from the annular heel rib to the first arm on the medial side of the central spine and a second heel connecting member extending from the annular heel rib to the second arm on the lateral side of the central spine. 
     
     
         9 . The sole structure of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of ribs includes a first mid-foot connecting member extending from the first heel connecting member to the first arm on the medial side and a second mid-foot connecting member extending from the second heel connecting member to the second arm on the lateral side. 
     
     
         10 . The sole structure of  claim 6 , wherein the first frame member includes a forefoot support portion in the forefoot region and a tail portion extending from the forefoot support portion to a terminal end in the mid-foot region. 
     
     
         11 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
 an inner frame including a first frame member disposed in a forefoot region and a second frame member disposed in a heel region; and   an outer shell attached to the inner frame and extending from a first end in a mid-foot region of the sole structure to a second end at a posterior end of the sole structure, the first frame member extending from and being exposed at the first end of the outer shell.   
     
     
         12 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the outer shell has a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 1 mm and a hardness ranging from 80 A to 100 A Shore hardness. 
     
     
         13 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first frame member includes a first material having a first stiffness and the second frame member includes a second material having a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness. 
     
     
         14 . The sole structure of  claim 13 , wherein the first stiffness is selected from a range of 0.2 gigapascals to 40 gigapascals and the second stiffness is selected from a range of 0.2 gigapascals to 40 gigapascals. 
     
     
         15 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the second frame member includes a central spine and a plurality of ribs extending from the central spine to define a support bed in the heel region. 
     
     
         16 . The sole structure of  claim 15 , wherein the second frame member includes a first arm extending from the central spine to a first distal end in the mid-foot region on a medial side and a second arm extending from the central spine to a second distal end in the mid-foot region on a lateral side. 
     
     
         17 . The sole structure of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ribs includes an annular heel rib connected to the central spine and disposed in the heel region. 
     
     
         18 . The sole structure of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of ribs includes a first heel connecting member extending from the annular heel rib to the first arm on the medial side of the central spine and a second heel connecting member extending from the annular heel rib to the second arm on the lateral side of the central spine. 
     
     
         19 . The sole structure of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of ribs includes a first mid-foot connecting member extending from the first heel connecting member to the first arm on the medial side and a second mid-foot connecting member extending from the second heel connecting member to the second arm on the lateral side. 
     
     
         20 . The sole structure of  claim 16 , wherein the first frame member includes a forefoot support portion in the forefoot region and a tail portion extending from the forefoot support portion to a terminal end in the mid-foot region.