Saucony, Inc.

A footwear construction is provided including a sole assembly configured to slow a rate of pronation or roll during the gait cycle of a user. The sole assembly can include a midsole body, a stability platform joined with the midsole body, and a stability frame adjacent the midsole body and the stability platform on a medial side of the sole assembly. An outsole can be disposed below the midsole body and/or stability platform. The stability platform can include a lateral wing and a larger medial wing forming an unbalanced hourglass shape across the sole assembly. The stability frame and the stability platform on the medial side can be operatively configured to reduce a rate of pronation of a wearer of the footwear construction during a gait cycle of the wearer.

A footwear construction including a sole assembly, which can include a midsole including a midsole support wall forming a compartment and a compression molded core constructed from thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) disposed in the compartment and shielded from abrasion in the environment of the footwear in use via the midsole support wall. The core can be formed by compressing a foam core to increase its density, for example, from a first density between 0.05 g/cm 3 and 0.08 g/cm 3 , inclusive, to a second density between about 0.09 g/cm 3 and 0.12 g/cm 3 , inclusive. Such compression molding and the attendant density increase of the TPEE core can increase energy efficiency to at least 95% energy efficiency, when the midsole is installed in footwear. A related method of manufacture is provided.

A footwear construction includes a sole assembly including a first midsole, a second midsole, a spring plate between the first and second midsoles, and an outsole. The plate can include an upward curving, multi-radii transition portion extending from a lowermost portion to a forward most portion of the plate so as to roll a wearer's foot forward into a next stride in a gait cycle of the wearer. The plate can include a lateral arm and a medial arm in the forefoot region separated by a plate slot extending rearward from the forwardmost portion of the plate toward the lowermost portion. The medial arm can be longer than the lateral arm. The plate can have a first bending stiffness during bending in a first direction, and a second bending stiffness greater than the first bending stiffness during bending in a second direction.

A footwear construction including a sole assembly, which can include a midsole including a midsole support wall forming a compartment and a compression molded core constructed from thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) disposed in the compartment and shielded from abrasion in the environment of the footwear in use via the midsole support wall. The core can be formed by compressing a foam core to increase its density, for example, from a first density between 0.05 g/cm 3 and 0.08 g/cm 3 , inclusive, to a second density between about 0.09 g/cm 3 and 0.12 g/cm 3 , inclusive. Such compression molding and the attendant density increase of the TPEE core can increase energy efficiency to at least 95% energy efficiency, when the midsole is installed in footwear. A related method of manufacture is provided.

A sole assembly for an article of footwear. The sole assembly includes a top midsole layer, a bottom midsole layer and a plate disposed between the top midsole layer and the bottom midsole layer. The plate includes a forefoot portion with lateral, medial and central longitudinal extensions, and a heel portion with a heel cup and a heel flange extending outwardly from the heel cup. The central and lateral longitudinal extensions are joined by a bridge. The top midsole layer is seated within the heel cup and does not cover the upper surface of the heel flange. The bottom midsole layer underlies and supports the heel flange.

A footwear construction includes a midsole including a lateral sidewall and a medial sidewall, and a mesh substrate layer covering the lateral sidewall and medial sidewall to protect the surfaces of those sidewalls from abrasion, wear and damage, and in some cases to provide tuned stiffness to the sidewalls and thus the midsole. The mesh substrate layer can wrap partially above and below the midsole so that edges of the layer can be conceals between the midsole and an upper, or between the midsole and an outsole layer. The mesh substrate can include a mesh material and a film sheet bonded to one another, with the film sheet facing the midsole and the mesh textile facing outward in the finished footwear. A related method of manufacture also is provided.

A footwear construction includes a sole assembly including a first midsole platform, a second midsole platform below the first midsole platform, a spring plate disposed between the first and second midsole platforms, and an outsole layer disposed below and joined directly with at least one of the plate, the first and the second midsole platforms. The outsole layer can be substantially the only layer below the plate in the forefoot region of the footwear so an underfoot force engaging the outsole layer is transmitted directly to the plate, which also can have an upward curving, multi-radii transition portion extending from a lowermost portion to a forward most portion of the plate so as to roll a wearer's foot forward into a next stride in a gait cycle of the wearer. The plate can define an aperture. A mounting cap can extend through the aperture and can receive a traction spike.

A system and method for molding a component within a molding system having a mold cavity that includes at least one controlled compression region associated with and adjacent to a movable mold part. In one embodiment, the mold cavity may include a reference compression region for which the movable mold part is configured to substantially avoid affecting or to substantially act independently, or both.

A footwear construction includes a sole assembly including a first midsole, a second midsole, a spring plate between the first and second midsoles, and an outsole. The plate can include an upward curving, multi-radii transition portion extending from a lowermost portion to a forward most portion of the plate so as to roll a wearer's foot forward into a next stride in a gait cycle of the wearer. The plate can include a lateral arm and a medial arm in the forefoot region separated by a plate slot extending rearward from the forwardmost portion of the plate toward the lowermost portion. The medial arm can be longer than the lateral arm. The plate can have a first bending stiffness during bending in a first direction, and a second bending stiffness greater than the first bending stiffness during bending in a second direction.

A footwear construction includes a midsole including a lateral sidewall and a medial sidewall, and a mesh substrate layer covering the lateral sidewall and medial sidewall to protect the surfaces of those sidewalls from abrasion, wear and damage, and in some cases to provide tuned stiffness to the sidewalls and thus the midsole. The mesh substrate layer can wrap partially above and below the midsole so that edges of the layer can be conceals between the midsole and an upper, or between the midsole and an outsole layer. The mesh substrate can include a mesh material and a film sheet bonded to one another, with the film sheet facing the midsole and the mesh textile facing outward in the finished footwear. A related method of manufacture also is provided.