MIDSOLE ASSEMBLY OF FOOTWEAR AND FOOTWEAR INCLUDING THE SAME

Abstract

Disclosed is a midsole assembly of footwear providing a cushioning function to the footwear having an upper. The midsole assembly includes a coupling member coupled to the upper to support the upper, and a cushioning member coupled to a side surface of the coupling member, bent to be convexly curved outward, and extending in a direction away from the upper to form an empty space under the coupling member.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0063736 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on May 27, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates to a midsole assembly of footwear and footwear including the same.

2. Description of the Background

In general, footwear has a configuration including an upper that accommodates a user's foot and a midsole disposed under the upper to provide cushioning. The footwear may also include an outsole stacked under the midsole to be in direct contact with the ground. The midsole has been developed while applying various structural and material modifications such as foam materials and air chambers in order to provide an improved cushioning effect to the user. The cushioning effect of the conventional midsole may be influenced by an overall height of the midsole and a compression strain determined by structural and/or material properties of the midsole.

However, the conventional midsole has a separate structure interposed between the upper and the outsole. Since this midsole structure occupies a space between the upper and the outsole, a degree of compression and restoration is limited when a load is applied or removed from the top of the upper. That is, even when the midsole structure is compressed to a maximum, it is inevitable to maintain a minimum thickness, so that there is a limit to the range of compression and restoration. Accordingly, ability to provide cushioning to a wearer is inevitably weakened.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a midsole assembly of footwear that performs an improved cushioning function by applying a member provided under a bottom of an upper of the footwear to attenuate an impact generated by a user's load.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide footwear including a midsole assembly that includes a cushioning system capable of individually and stably responding to loads of various angles and various sizes.

However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described problems and may be variously expanded within the scope of the technical idea included in the present invention.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a midsole assembly of footwear providing a cushioning function to the footwear having an upper. The midsole assembly includes a coupling member coupled to the upper to support the upper, and a cushioning member coupled to a side surface of the coupling member, bent to be convexly curved outward, and extending in a direction away from the upper to form an empty space under the coupling member.

The footwear includes an outsole under the upper, and the cushioning member extends from the coupling member toward the outsole.

The coupling member may be configured to be coupled under at least a rearfoot portion of the upper to support a rearfoot portion.

The coupling member may include a base plate supporting a bottom of the upper, and a side coupling portion supporting a side of the upper.

The base plate may be configured to be coupled under a rearfoot portion of the upper to support a rearfoot portion, and the side coupling portion is formed to be curved to surround a side surface of the rearfoot portion and a heel of the upper.

The coupling member may include a side coupling portion configured to support a side surface of the upper, and the side coupling portion may be formed as a single body or divided into plural to be coupled to the upper. The cushioning member may be divided into a plurality thereof, and the divided cushioning members may be coupled to the single body or coupled respectively to the divided side coupling portion.

The cushioning member may include an upper end coupled to a side surface of the coupling member, a support pillar having a first end connected to the upper end, a second end disposed opposite to the first end, and a pillar portion that is bent convexly outward and extends from the first end to the second end, and a lower end spaced apart from the coupling member and connected to the second end of the support pillar.

The support pillars may be arranged in plural to be spaced apart from each other at intervals along the side surface of the coupling member.

At least one of the plurality of support pillars may include a plurality of vertical section segments having different centers of curvature, and the plurality of vertical section segments may include vertical section segments with centers of curvature disposed opposite to each other with respect to the support pillar.

At least one of the plurality of support pillars may have a width at the pillar portion that is different from a width at the first end or the second end.

Each of the plurality of support pillars may have an oblong shape having a cross-sectional thickness that is different in size from a width measured along an edge of the coupling member, and the plurality of support pillars may be spaced apart at different intervals between neighboring ones, or the plurality of support pillars may have different widths from each other.

The footwear may include an outsole under the cushioning member, and the lower end of the cushioning member may be attached to the outsole.

The coupling member may include a coupling protrusion protruding outwardly on a side surface of the coupling member, and the upper end of the cushioning member may include a concave coupling groove to receive the coupling protrusion of the coupling member.

The support pillar of the cushioning member may have an opening formed in the pillar portion.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a midsole assembly of footwear that includes a first assembly part including a first coupling member supporting a heel of the upper and a first cushioning member formed under the first coupling member, and a second assembly part including a second coupling member supporting a side surface of the upper and a second cushioning member formed under the second coupling member.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a midsole assembly of footwear wherein the coupling member may include a pocket portion opened downward, and the cushioning member may include an upper end accommodated in the pocket portion.

The pocket portion may be provided to protrude from an outer surface of the coupling member.

The pocket portion may be provided by being inserted inside an outer skin of the upper.

The coupling member may include a base plate supporting a bottom of the upper, and the base plate may be configured to have at least one through hole.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides footwear including a midsole assembly having the above-described features.

The midsole assembly of the footwear may be coupled under at least a rearfoot portion of the upper to support the rearfoot portion.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides a midsole assembly of footwear having an upper and an outsole, the midsole assembly including a support body that supports a side surface of the upper, is bent convexly outward from a side surface of the upper, and extends to the outsole to form an empty space between the upper and the outsole.

The support body may be divided into a plurality of parts along an edge of the upper, and the plurality of parts may be spaced apart from each other and supported between the upper and the outsole.

Each of the plurality of parts of the support body may have a strip shape having a width measured along an edge of the upper.

The support body may include a plurality of vertical section segments having different centers of curvature, and the plurality of vertical section segments may include vertical section segments with centers of curvature disposed opposite to each other with respect to the support body.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the midsole assembly of footwear may bring a remarkable impact attenuation effect. That is, the shock load is attenuated during all athletic activities through compression and restoration of the cushioning member, which can provide further improved cushioning to a wearer.

In addition, it is possible to manufacture lightweight footwear due to structural characteristics of the cushioning member, i.e., an empty space between support pillars, upper ends, and lower ends.

In the midsole assembly of footwear according to an embodiment of the present invention, an energy return may be provided to the wearer while running and walking due to a material and shape of the pillar portion of the cushioning member.

According to the midsole assembly of the embodiment, the design of the support pillars for each area can be different, and thus, it is possible to design footwear having required cushioning ability for each area. Furthermore, footwear equipped with such a midsole assembly can increase stability while running and walking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view showing footwear having a midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing footwear having a midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the rear.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the footwear shown in FIG. 1 taken along its longitudinal axis.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a vertical cross-sectional profile of a cushioning member in a midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 6A-6C are views showing a variation of a support pillar of the midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 6A is a front view, FIG. 6B is a side view, and FIG. 6C is a perspective view.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a variation of a cushioning member of the midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, schematically showing a state viewed from a side of the footwear.

FIG. 8 is a view showing another variation of a cushioning member of the midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, schematically showing a state viewed from a side of the footwear.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a medial side showing footwear with a midsole assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lateral side of the footwear shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11A is an exploded perspective view showing a midsole assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 11 B is a combined perspective view thereof.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing footwear with a midsole assembly according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a coupling member of a midsole assembly according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a side view showing footwear with a midsole assembly according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those of ordinary skill in the art can easily implement exemplary embodiments. The drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification. In addition, the accompanying drawings are for easy understanding of the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present specification, and the technical ideas disclosed in the present specification are not limited by the accompanying drawings, and it should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes included in the ideas and technical scope of the present invention.

Although terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used herein to describe various members, components, regions, layers, or sections, and these members, components, regions, layers, or sections are not to be limited by these terms. Rather, these terms are only used to distinguish one member, component, region, layer, or section from another member, component, region, layer, or section.

Throughout the specification, when an element, such as a layer, region, or substrate, is described as being “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” the other element, or there may be one or more other elements intervening therebetween. In contrast, when an element is described as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element, there can be no other elements intervening therebetween.

It will be further understood that terms “comprise” or “have” used in the present specification specifies the presence of stated features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof. Unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing footwear having a midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing footwear having a midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the rear.

Referring to FIG. 1, footwear 10 according to the present embodiment may include an upper 12, a midsole 14 coupled to a bottom of the upper 12 to provide a cushioning function, a midsole assembly 100, and an outsole 16. The upper 12 may have a structure surrounding a user's foot, and may be formed from leather, fabric, or synthetic resin. The outsole 16 may be formed to have durability against contact with the ground since the outsole 16 is a portion in contact with the ground while being spaced apart from and disposed at a lower portion of upper 12. A material such as rubber having frictional durability may be used in a portion of the outsole 16 that directly contacts the ground. The midsole 14 may be attached to a bottom of upper 12 corresponding to a forefoot portion FF and a midfoot portion MF to provide cushioning. For example, the midsole 14 may be formed from a foam material that provides a cushioning function between the upper 12 and the outsole 16.

The midsole assembly 100 may include a coupling member 110 coupled to the upper 12 and a cushioning member 120 extending while forming an empty space E under the coupling member 110. The coupling member 110 may be coupled under the upper 12 to support it, and the cushioning member 120 may extend from a side surface of the coupling member 110 in a direction away from the upper 12. In this case, the cushioning member 120 is bent so as to be convexly curved outward while going away from an empty space E.

As the footwear 10 according to the present embodiment includes the outsole 16 under the upper 12, the midsole assembly 100 may be disposed between the upper 12 and the outsole 16. In this case, the cushioning member 120 of the midsole assembly 100 may extend from the coupling member 110 toward the outsole 16. The midsole assembly 100 may be provided under a rearfoot portion RF of the upper 12, wherein the coupling member 110 is coupled to and support the rearfoot portion RF of the upper 12. As another example, the midsole assembly 100 may be disposed at any region between the upper 12 and the outsole 16. The midsole assembly 100 may be coupled under a forefoot portion FF of the upper 12, coupled under the forefoot portion FF and the midfoot portion MF, or coupled under the forefoot portion FF, the midfoot portion MF, and the rearfoot portion RF.

Referring to FIG. 2, the coupling member 110 may include a base plate 112 supporting the bottom of the upper 12 and a side coupling portion 114 supporting the side surface of the upper 12. The base plate 112 may be coupled under the rearfoot portion RF of the upper 12 to support the rearfoot portion RF, and the side coupling portion 114 may be formed to be curved so as to surround the side surface and the heel of the upper 12.

Support pillars 124 of the cushioning member 120 may be arranged in plural to be spaced apart from each other at intervals along the side surface of the coupling member 110. Each of the plurality of support pillars 124 may provide cushioning to a wearer while distributing and supporting pressure according to a load of the wearer between the upper 12 and the outsole 16.

The plurality of support pillars 124 may be provided with, for example, two on a medial side, two on a lateral side, and two on a heel side, so that a total of six may be formed. However, the number of support pillars 124 in the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, support pillars 124 may be formed as a single body, and may be formed in a plurality of more or less than six.

Each of support pillars 124 configured in this way are fixed to the side coupling portion 114 of coupling member 110 that is coupled around a side circumference of the upper 12, thereby attenuating the shock transmitted from the ground during athletic activities. That is, the structural shape of the support pillar 124 as described above may guide the shock transmission in a vertical direction toward a sole of the wearer to be attenuated.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the footwear shown in FIG. 1 taken along its longitudinal axis.

Referring to FIG. 3, the cushioning member 120 may include an upper end 121 coupled to the coupling member 110 and a lower end 126 spaced apart from the coupling member 110, and a support pillar 124 is connected between the upper end 121 and the lower end 126. That is, the support pillar 124 has a first end 124a adjacent to the upper 12 and a second end 124b disposed opposite to the upper 12, and the support pillar 124 of the cushioning member 120 may include a pillar portion 124c that is convexly bent outward between the first end 124a and the second end 124b. Even at this time, the pillar portion 124c is partially bent convexly inward, and this also belongs to the scope of the present invention.

Referring to the enlarged view of FIG. 3, the first end 124a is connected to the upper end 121 and the second end 124b is connected to the lower end 126. In addition, the pillar portion 124c may include a transition portion A extending downward from the first end 124a while changing a direction, a curved portion B extending downward and outward from the transition portion A, and a lower connection portion C extending horizontally inward to the second end 124b and connected to the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120.

The upper end 121 of the cushioning member 120 may be coupled to the side coupling portion 114 of the coupling member 110. To this end, the coupling member 110 may include a coupling protrusion 115 protruding outward on a side thereof, and the cushioning member 120 may include a concave coupling groove 122 at the upper end 121 to accommodate the coupling protrusion 115. The coupling protrusion 115 may have a first horizontal portion and a first vertical portion, and the coupling groove 122 may include a second horizontal portion and a second vertical portion. When the upper end 121 of the cushioning member 120 is coupled to the side coupling portion 114 of the coupling member 110, the first horizontal portion of the coupling protrusion 115 is in contact with the second horizontal portion of the coupling groove 122, and the first vertical portion of the coupling protrusion 115 is in contact with the second vertical portion of the coupling groove 122. The coupling may be achieved, for example, through an adhesive, but, alternatively, may be achieved using a variety of methods including snap bonding, rivet bonding, bonding through hinge pins, and optional combinations thereof.

When the footwear 10 includes the outsole 16 under the cushioning member 120, the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120 may face and be attached to the outsole 16. That is, the outsole 16 may extend upward along the cushioning member 120. In this case, the outsole 16 may be attached to the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120 and the midsole 14, and the outsole 16 attached in this way may be manufactured as an integral type or a separate type. When the outsole 16 is manufactured as a separate type, a part of the outsole 16 attached to the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120 and a part of the outsole 16 attached to the midsole 14 of the footwear 10 may be separated. As another example, an integrated outsole may be attached to the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120 and the midsole 14 at the same time. In addition, the footwear 10 may further include an insole 13 inside the upper 12.

In the midsole assembly 100 according to the present embodiment, the support pillar 124 may have an oblong shape having a width measured along an edge of the coupling member 110 and a cross-sectional thickness different in size from the width. For example, the support pillar 124 may have a strip shape. The support pillar 124 of the cushioning member 120 may be configured to have different widths and different thicknesses for each supported region. At this time, the ‘width’ of the support pillar 124 is defined as a length measured in a transverse direction along a perimeter of the footwear when taking a transverse cross-section of the support pillar 124, and the ‘thickness’ of the support pillar 124 is defined as a length measured in a transverse direction from an outside to an inside of the footwear when taking a transverse cross-section.

For example, the width and thickness of the support pillar 124 on a medial side M may be set to be different from the width and thickness of the support pillar 124 on a heel side H. Likewise, the width and thickness of the support pillar 124 on a lateral side L may be set different from the heel side H and the medial side M. Accordingly, different settings of the width and thickness of the support pillar 124 according to an arrangement position may be determined for respective regions of the footwear. Variations in shape, cross-sectional thickness, cross-sectional width, and cross-sectional shape according to a height direction of the support pillars for respective regions are all within the scope of the present invention. Variations in these elements or combinations of elements may also change the cushioning provided by the midsole assembly.

The cross-sectional thickness of each support pillar 124 of the cushioning member 120 constituting the midsole assembly 100 according to the present embodiment may be formed to be within a range of 1 to 15 mm. In addition, the width of each support pillar 124 of the cushioning member 120 may be formed to be within a range of 2 to 250 mm. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these numerical ranges.

For example, the width W1 of the first pillar may be set to 25 mm, the width W2 of the second pillar may be set to 35 mm, and the width W3 of the third pillar may be set to 50 mm. As another example, when the width of each support pillar is set to 2 mm, the number of support pillars can be further increased. As yet another example, when the width of the support pillar is set to 250 mm, it may be formed as one support pillar. Accordingly, one or more support pillars of the cushioning member may be provided, and all of these also belong to the scope of the present invention. In addition, it is possible to cope with various static loads and dynamic loads by setting the number of supporting pillars and the thickness and width of each supporting pillar differently on the medial side or the lateral side.

Each of the support pillars 124 of the cushioning member 120 constituting the midsole assembly 100 according to the present embodiment may have different distances or intervals between support pillars 124 adjacent to each other. That is, the distance D1 between the center line L1 of the first pillar and the center line L2 of the second pillar adjacent to each other, and the distance D2 between the center line L2 of the second pillar and the center line L3 of the third pillar adjacent to each other, may be set differently. For example, D1 may be set to 40 mm and D2 may be set to 80 mm. The distance between support pillars adjacent to each other may vary depending on the number of support pillars, separation distance, etc., and may be set within a range of 10 to 200 mm.

In the support pillar 124 disposed on the heel side, the width of the first end 124a and the width of the second end 124b may be the same, and the width of the pillar portion 124c between them can be formed to vary with the height. It can also be formed on the medial side and the lateral side as well. Further, the pillar portion 124c of the support pillar 124 in each region may have a shape protruding outward, wherein the width of the pillar portion 124c may have a larger width than the width of the first end 124a and the second end 124b. That is, when taking a horizontal cross-section of the pillar portion 124c, an outer surface length of each cross-section may have different lengths depending on the height of the pillar portion 124c (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

According to another example, the side coupling portion 114 of the coupling member 110 may be separated into a plurality of coupling portions, and each coupling portion may be arranged and attached to the side surface of the upper 12. Each coupling portion may be configured to be coupled to the upper end 121 of each cushioning member 120 corresponding thereto, which is also within the scope of the present invention.

According to yet another example, the base plate 112 of the coupling member 110 may extend from the rearfoot portion RF to the midfoot portion MF, or from the rearfoot portion RF to the forefoot portion FF via the midfoot portion MF. In this case, the base plate 112 may have cushioning ability, and thus, the base plate 112 will be deformed when a load is applied to the forefoot portion FF, the midfoot portion MF, and/or the rearfoot portion RF, and the base plate 112 will return to its original shape when the load is removed. The cushioning ability of the base plate 112 can help the wearer during athletic activities including walking and running.

Meanwhile, the present invention is not limited to a shape in which the pillar portion of the support pillar is bent convexly outward, and thus, the pillar portion may have a shape that is partially bent convexly inward. This structure will be further described with reference to FIG. 4 below.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a vertical cross-sectional profile of a cushioning member in a midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The plurality of support pillars 124 of the cushioning member 120 may have different curved profiles for each region of the rearfoot portion RF. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a curved profile of one of the support pillars 124 among the plurality of support pillars 124 may be divided into 14 segments to have curved profiles each having a different radius of curvature. A segment having a large radius of curvature r may have a curved surface close to a plane, and a segment having a small radius of curvature r may have a curved surface that is rapidly bent.

The plurality of vertical section segments may include vertical section segments in which centers of curvature are disposed opposite to each other with respect to the support pillar 124. That is, the centers of curvature of some vertical section segments may be disposed outside of the support pillar 124, and the centers of curvature of some other vertical section segments may be disposed inside the support pillar 124. Referring to FIG. 4, it is shown that the centers of curvature C1 to C3 of the three segments S1 to S3 adjacent to the upper end 121 are formed outside, and the centers of curvature C4 to C11 of the remaining segments S4 to S11 are formed inside. Segments S1 to S3 are concave to the outside of the support pillar 124, that is, convex to the inside, and segments S4 to S11 are convex to the outside of the support pillar 124. This is only an exemplary illustration, and the present invention is not limited to the above position of the center of curvature. The drawings may be expressed in an exaggerated manner. For example, in FIG. 4, segments S1 to S14 forming a curved surface of the support pillar 124 are illustrated to describe an example of the support pillar. If segment S8 is close to a straight line, the center of curvature C8 may be disposed farther than that shown in FIG. 4.

Meanwhile, a part of the support pillar 124 may be composed of a straight segment, and segments S1 and S14 disposed at both ends of the support pillar 124 are connected to the upper end 121 and the lower end 126, respectively, and the upper end 121 and the lower end 126 may correspond to a straight segment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The midsole assembly 100 according to this embodiment may include an empty space E formed between the base plate 112 of the coupling member 110 supporting a bottom surface of the upper (12; See FIG. 3) and the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120 to form a hollow structure in the rearfoot portion RF of the footwear 10. The empty space E is an empty space without any other element therein. This empty space may have a height equal to the distance between the upper 12 and the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120, spaced apart by the plurality of support pillars 124. The adjacent support pillars 124 are connected to each other through the upper end 121 and the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120. As another example, the plurality of support pillars 124 may not be connected to each other at the upper end, and each may be directly coupled to the side coupling portion 114 of the coupling member 110.

The lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120 may have a solid plane to cover an entire area in contact with the outsole 16. As another example, the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120 may be formed to have a horseshoe-shaped plane with a removed center along an edge of the outsole 16 so as to connect second ends 124b of the support pillar 124.

The coupling member 110 may be formed from an elastomeric material and may be coupled to the upper end 121 of the cushioning member 120. In addition, the cushioning member 120 may also be formed from an elastomeric material. The support pillar 124, the upper end 121, and the lower end 126 constituting the cushioning member 120 may be molded into a single body, or each component may be separated, individually molded, and combined together. At this time, the coupling member 110 and the upper end 121 of the cushioning member 120 may be coupled to each other by a fusion bonding method, an adhesive method using an adhesive, or a stitch or rivet. Materials of the coupling member and the cushioning member are not limited to elastomeric materials, and may include various elastomeric materials or carbon fiber reinforced materials and other materials.

The support pillars 124 of the cushioning member 120 constituting the midsole assembly 100 may be provided as two on a medial side, two on a lateral side, and two on a heel side. Each of these support pillars 124 may be designed to attenuate impacts due to different loads according to their characteristics.

Each of the coupling member 110 and the cushioning member 120 constituting the midsole assembly 100 may be manufactured from a mold to be coupled to each other. The midsole assembly 100 may be subsequently attached to the upper 12 (see FIG. 3), and the outsole 16 may be further attached to a lower portion thereof. At this time, the upper end 121 and the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120 can perform a function of connecting the upper 12 and the outsole 16, and the support pillar 124 of the cushioning member 120 can perform a shock attenuation function.

The support pillar 124 of the cushioning member 120 may be formed from, for example, a TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), PEBA (Polyether Block Amide), or TPEE (Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer)-based thermoplastic elastomer. Thermoplastic elastomers are advantageous for injection molding, and can perform a cushioning function through their ability to compress when subjected to a load and restore to their original shape when the load is removed. As another example, the support pillar 124 of the cushioning member 120 may be manufactured using a carbon fiber and/or a nanotube material. As another example, the support pillar 124 of the cushioning member 120 may be manufactured using a material in which carbon fiber is reinforced in a material such as TPU, PEBA, TPEE, or the like. The present invention is not limited to such types of materials, and various materials can be used to achieve a desired function as a cushioning member.

The upper end 121 and the lower end 126 of the cushioning member 120 may be formed from the same material as the support pillar 124, or may be formed using a different material from the support pillar 124. When the upper end 121 and the lower end 126 and the support pillar 124 are formed from different materials, the material forming the upper end 121 and the lower end 126 may be a material having a relatively lesser degree of deformation and restoration than a material forming the support pillar 124.

The coupling member 110 may also be formed from the same or similar material as the support pillar 124 or may be formed using a different material, and may be formed by selecting a material having appropriate deformability compared to the material of the support pillar 124.

The plurality of support pillars 124 of the cushioning member 120 are connected to each other at the upper end 121 of each of the support pillars 124, but the upper end 121 may be separated for each support pillar 124 and attached to the side coupling portion 114 of the coupling member 110. The method of attaching the cushioning member 120 to the side coupling portion 114 of the coupling member 110 may be bonding them using an adhesive, an insert, a protrusion, and a hole. In addition, a bonding method such as laser bonding and high frequency (HF) pulse bonding may be used in combination.

Meanwhile, the base plate 112 and the side coupling portion 114 constituting the coupling member 110 may be manufactured as a single mold. The mold may include a product manufactured by injection molding, 3D printing, or other various mold techniques.

FIGS. 6A-6C are views showing a variation of a support pillar of the midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 6A is a front view, FIG. 6B is a side view, and FIG. 6C is a perspective view.

Referring to FIGS. 6A-6C, in a support pillar 124′ according to this variation embodiment, the width of a first end 124a′ and the width of a second end 124b′ are the same, and the width of a pillar portion 124c′ may have a width smaller than that of the first end 124a′ and the second end 124b′. In addition, the pillar portion 124c′ may have a width in a middle portion that is narrower than that in a lower portion, and the lower portion may be formed to be thicker than the middle portion.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a variation of a cushioning member of the midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, schematically showing a state viewed from a side of the footwear.

Referring to FIG. 7, in a cushioning member 120″ according to this variation, the support pillars may have different widths and thicknesses depending on their positions. For example, assuming that the midfoot portion is disposed on the left side and the heel side is disposed on the right side in the drawing, a support pillar 1241 close to the midfoot portion may be formed to have a wider width and thinner thickness than a support pillar 1242 close to the heel side. Alternatively, the support pillars close to the heel side may have a wider width and a thinner thickness than the support pillars close to the midfoot portion.

FIG. 8 is a view showing another variation of a cushioning member of the midsole assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, schematically showing a state viewed from a side of the footwear.

Referring to FIG. 8, in a cushioning member 120′″ according to this variation embodiment, the support pillar may have a different shape according to its position. For example, in the case where the midfoot portion is disposed on the left side and the heel side is disposed on the right side in the drawing, a support pillar 1244 close to the midfoot portion may be formed to have a shape that is curved to one side when viewed from the side of the footwear, and a support pillar 1245 close to the heel side may have a through hole 129 formed in the center. In this case, although the support pillar 1244 bent to one side is shown to have a shape that is convexly bent toward the heel side, alternatively, it is also possible to have a shape that is bent convexly toward the midfoot portion.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a medial side showing footwear having a midsole assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lateral side of the footwear shown in FIG. 9.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a cushioning member 220 of a midsole assembly 200 of footwear 20 according to the present embodiment may include a support pillar 224 divided into five, and in this case, the width and thickness of each of support pillars 224 may be formed to be different from each other.

In addition, each support pillar 224 may have opening 229 formed therethrough. One or more openings 229 may be formed in the pillar portion of the support pillar 224, and may be formed at the second end (lower end) of the support pillar 224. Openings 229 formed in each support pillar 224 may be formed to have different shapes. That is, each support pillar 224 may be designed to withstand different bending moments including compression loads and tension loads by changing the shape, width, height, and number of openings 229. In this case, the width and height of the opening 229 may be set smaller than the width and height of each support pillar 224.

In the present embodiment, the plurality of support pillars 224 may include a plurality of pillar portions separated from each other, and the plurality of pillar portions may gather at the second end (lower end) to form a bottom plate molded into a single body. The bottom plate formed in this way may form a lower end 226 of the cushioning member 220. An upper end 221 of the cushioning member 220 adjacent to the first end (upper end) of the plurality of support pillars 224 are separated from each other and coupled to a side coupling portion 214 of a coupling member 210.

FIG. 11A is an exploded perspective view showing a midsole assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 B is a combined perspective view thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 11A and 11B, a midsole assembly 300 according to the present embodiment may be formed by bonding a plurality of parts with each other in a longitudinal direction of the upper 12. Each of the plurality of parts may be integrally formed with a part of a coupling member 310 and a part of a cushioning member 320. That is, the rearfoot portion RF may be divided into a first region RF1, a second region RF2, and a third region RF3, and may be divided into a first assembly part 301, a second assembly part 302, and a third assembly part 303, respectively.

First assembly part 301 may be formed of a unit in which a first coupling member 310a and a first cushioning member 320a are integrally formed to support the heel of the upper 12 and provide a cushioning function. The second assembly part 302 may be formed of a unit in which a second coupling member 310b and a second cushioning member 320b are integrally formed to be adjacent to the first assembly part 301 and support a side surface of the upper 12. In addition, the third assembly part 303 may be formed of a unit in which a third coupling member 310c and a third cushioning member 320c are integrally formed to be adjacent to the second assembly part 302 and support a side of the midfoot portion MF of the upper 12. Each of the first assembly part 301, the second assembly part 302, and the third assembly part 303 may be formed in a separate mold. Alternatively, they may be formed in a single mold or in multiple molds at once.

The first assembly part 301, the second assembly part 302, and the third assembly part 303 may be coupled to each other to form the midsole assembly 300, and may be coupled to the rearfoot portion RF of the upper 12 to support it.

In this embodiment, an embodiment in which the rearfoot portion RF is divided into three regions and divided into three assembly parts 301, 302, and 303 respectively corresponding thereto has been described. However, it is also possible to form a midsole assembly by combining one integrally molded part or two or more divided assembly parts, and the midsole assembly may be divided in a direction other than the direction traversing the medial side-lateral side as in the embodiment above (the transverse direction of the upper).

Each mold of the first assembly part 301, the second assembly part 302, and the third assembly part 303 according to the present embodiment may be manufactured with an integral structure using injection molding, 3D printing, and various other molding methods. At this time, the first assembly part 301, the second assembly part 302, and the third assembly part 303 may be, for example, formed from a TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), PEBA (Polyether Block Amide), or TPEE (Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer)-based thermoplastic elastomer.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing footwear having a midsole assembly according to still another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a coupling member of a midsole assembly according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

In a midsole assembly 400 of footwear 40 according to the present embodiment, a coupling member 410 may be divided into a plurality of parts and each coupled to the upper 12, and a cushioning member 420 may be divided into a plurality of parts and each coupled to the coupling member 410. In this case, the coupling member 410 may include a base plate 412 and a side coupling portion 414.

The base plate 412 of the coupling member 410 may constitute a bottom of the coupling member 410 coupled to a bottom surface of the upper 12, and may have the same planar shape as the bottom surface of the upper 12 corresponding to the base plate 412. The base plate 412 may be formed in a lattice shape having one or more through holes, and may be coupled to the bottom surface of the upper 12. However, the present invention is not limited to the lattice shape on the bottom, and the base plate may have cut-outs on a medial side and on a lateral side. Based on the material properties and patterns of the base plate 412, the coupling member may cause a certain level of deformation according to a configuration. The material of the base plate 412 may be fabric, leather, or thermoplastic resin. The base plate 412 coupled to the upper 12 may be configured to have one or more through holes rather than a lattice shape, or may be formed of a combination of a plurality of materials.

The base plate having a lattice shape described with reference to FIG. 13 is not limited to this embodiment, and thus, the lattice plate can be applied to all embodiments including FIG. 1, which also falls within the scope of the present invention.

The side coupling portion 414 of the coupling member 410 may be bent upward from an edge of the base plate 412 and may be coupled to a circumference of the upper 12. The side coupling portion 414 may include a pocket portion 414a opened downward, and the pocket portion 414a may be formed of a plurality of parts separated from each other and may be disposed along a circumference of the base plate 412. The pocket portion 414a may be provided to protrude from an outer surface of the coupling member 410. The side coupling portion 414 may be formed from a soft material such as fiber or leather, or may be formed of a nylon-based elastomer having a certain level of strength. As another example, the side coupling portion 414 of the coupling member 410 may be attached through a reinforcing member when coupled to a side surface of the upper 12, which is also within the scope of the present invention.

The cushioning member 420 may include an upper end 421 accommodated in the pocket portion 414a of the coupling member 410, a lower end 426 spaced apart from the coupling member 410 and formed in a planar shape, and a support pillar 424 extending from the lower end 426 and connected to the upper end 421. The upper end 421 of the cushioning member 420 may extend, for example, in a vertical direction from a support pillar 424 to be fitted and coupled to the pocket portion 414a of the coupling member 410. The upper end 421 extending from the plurality of support pillars 424 may be individually inserted into and fixed to corresponding pocket portions 414a, respectively.

FIG. 14 is a side view showing footwear with a midsole assembly according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

In a midsole assembly 500 of the footwear (50) according to the present embodiment, a pocket portion 514a is provided inside a side of an upper 52. The upper 52 may include an inner skin 52a, an outer skin 52c, and a middle skin 52b, and the middle skin 52b may have a form in which a plurality of pocket portions 514a are connected to each other and fitted between the inner skin 52a and the outer skin 52. A lower end of the middle skin 52b may be connected to the outer skin 52c, and a slit 52d capable of communicating with the pocket portion 514a may be cut out through the outer skin 52c.

The cushioning member 520 may include an upper end 521 accommodated in the pocket portion 514a of the coupling member 510, a lower end 526 spaced apart from the coupling member 510 and formed in a planar shape, and a support pillar 524 extending from the lower end 526 and connected to the upper end 521.

Referring to the cross-section taken along the line A-A′ shown in FIG. 14, an upper end 521 of a cushioning member 520 may pass through the slit 52d formed in the outer skin 52c of the upper 52 to be coupled to the pocket portion 514a of the middle skin 52b. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the middle skin 52b may perform a function corresponding to a side coupling portion 514 of a coupling member 510. The pocket portion 514a disposed on the middle skin 52b is formed in plural, and may individually accommodate upper ends 521 extending from the plurality of support pillars 524. Bonding of the coupling member 510 and the cushioning member 520 may use an adhesive bonding, laser bonding, or a HF pulse bonding method, but the present invention is not limited to this bonding method. The material of the middle skin 52b may be rubber, elastomer, resin, fiber, fabric, or a combination thereof, however, the present invention is not limited by these materials.

In this embodiment, the middle skin 52b of the upper 52 performs a function of the coupling member 510 to which the cushioning member 520 is connected, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Similar to other embodiments, the base plate may be installed individually under the upper or together with the middle skin 52b or the outer skin 52c of the upper 52.

The cushioning member is coupled to a side surface of the upper in all embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the cushioning member may be coupled to the side surface of the upper through existing reinforcement at the heel side.

In the midsole assembly according to the embodiments of the present invention described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 14, it has been described that the cushioning member is installed on the rearfoot portion of the footwear, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the cushioning member may be installed extending to the midfoot portion or the forefoot portion of the footwear. It is natural that the width, distance, and number of support pillars of at least one support pillar may be set differently as described above when the midsole assembly as described above is installed on a lower side boundary of an entire area of the footwear including the rearfoot portion, the forefoot portion, and the midfoot portion.

Meanwhile, when the outsole is omitted according to a type of footwear, the lower end of the cushioning member of the midsole assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention may be configured to directly contact the ground. In this case, the lower end of the cushioning member may be formed of a solid plate or a horseshoe plate to which support pillars of the cushioning member are gathered and connected.

With respect to the coupling member described in the above embodiments, if a structure is coupled to the upper to support the upper and the cushioning member can be connected thereto, it can naturally be interpreted as the coupling member of the present disclosure regardless of the name used in the conventional footwear structure or its inherent function.

It is possible to manufacture all components such as the midsole assembly, the upper, and the outsole using a 3D printer, or to manufacture the entire footwear including this configuration by molding with a 3D printer, and this also falls within the scope of the present invention.

Although the present disclosure has been described with emphasis on sports shoes for athletic activities such as running, it can be applied to other types of footwear.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is possible to implement various modifications within the scope of the claims, the description of the invention, and the accompanying drawings, and it is natural to fall within the range.

Claims

1. A midsole assembly of footwear providing a cushioning function to the footwear having an upper, the midsole assembly comprising:

a coupling member coupled to the upper to support the upper; and

a cushioning member coupled to a side surface of the coupling member, bent to be convexly curved outward, and extending in a direction away from the upper to form an empty space under the coupling member.

2. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 1, wherein

the footwear comprises an outsole under the upper, and

the cushioning member extends from the coupling member toward the outsole.

3. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 1, wherein

the coupling member is configured to be coupled under at least a rearfoot portion of the upper to support the rearfoot portion.

4. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 1, wherein the coupling member comprises:

a base plate supporting a bottom of the upper; and

a side coupling portion supporting a side surface of the upper.

5. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 4, wherein

the base plate is configured to be coupled under a rearfoot portion of the upper to support the rearfoot portion,

wherein the side coupling portion is formed to be curved to surround a side surface of the rearfoot portion and a heel of the upper.

6. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 1, wherein

the coupling member comprises a side coupling portion configured to support a side surface of the upper,

wherein the side coupling portion is formed as a single body or divided into plural to be coupled to the upper, and

wherein the cushioning member is divided into a plurality thereof, and the divided cushioning members are coupled to the single body or coupled respectively to the divided side coupling portion.

7. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 1, wherein the cushioning member comprises:

an upper end coupled to a side surface of the coupling member;

a support pillar having a first end connected to the upper end, a second end disposed opposite to the first end, and a pillar portion that is bent convexly outward and extends from the first end to the second end; and

a lower end spaced apart from the coupling member and connected to the second end of the support pillar.

8. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 7, wherein

the support pillars are arranged in plural to be spaced apart from each other at intervals along the side surface of the coupling member.

9. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 8, wherein

at least one of the plurality of support pillars comprises a plurality of vertical section segments having different centers of curvature,

wherein the plurality of vertical section segments comprise vertical section segments with centers of curvature disposed opposite to each other with respect to the support pillar.

10. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 8, wherein

at least one of the plurality of support pillars has a width at the pillar portion that is different from a width at the first end or the second end.

11. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 8, wherein

each of the plurality of support pillars has an oblong shape having a cross-sectional thickness that is different in size from a width measured along an edge of the coupling member,

wherein the plurality of support pillars are spaced apart at different intervals between neighboring ones, or the plurality of support pillars have different widths from each other.

12. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 7, wherein

the footwear comprises an outsole under the cushioning member,

wherein the lower end of the cushioning member is attached to the outsole.

13. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 7, wherein

the coupling member comprises a coupling protrusion protruding outwardly on a side surface of the coupling member,

wherein the upper end of the cushioning member comprises a concave coupling groove to receive the coupling protrusion of the coupling member.

14. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 7, wherein

the support pillar of the cushioning member has an opening formed in the pillar portion.

15. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 1, further comprising:

a first assembly part comprising a first coupling member supporting a heel of the upper and a first cushioning member formed under the first coupling member; and

a second assembly part comprising a second coupling member supporting a side surface of the upper and a second cushioning member formed under the second coupling member.

16. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 1, wherein

the coupling member comprises a pocket portion opened downward,

wherein the cushioning member comprises an upper end accommodated in the pocket portion.

17. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 16, wherein

the pocket portion is provided to protrude from an outer surface of the coupling member.

18. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 16, wherein

the pocket portion is provided by being inserted inside an outer skin of the upper.

19. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 1, wherein

the coupling member comprises a base plate supporting a bottom of the upper,

wherein the base plate is configured to have at least one through hole.

20. Footwear comprising the midsole assembly of claim 1.

21. The footwear of claim 20, wherein

the midsole assembly is coupled under at least a rearfoot portion of the upper to support the rearfoot portion.

22. A midsole assembly of footwear having an upper and an outsole, the midsole assembly comprising

a support body that supports a side surface of the upper, is bent convexly outward from a side surface of the upper, and extends to the outsole to form an empty space between the upper and the outsole.

23. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 22, wherein

the support body is divided into a plurality of parts along an edge of the upper,

wherein the plurality of parts are spaced apart from each other and supported between the upper and the outsole.

24. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 23, wherein

each of the plurality of parts of the support body has a strip shape having a width measured along an edge of the upper.

25. The midsole assembly of footwear of claim 22, wherein

the support body comprises a plurality of vertical section segments having different centers of curvature,

wherein the plurality of vertical section segments comprise vertical section segments with centers of curvature disposed opposite to each other with respect to the support body.