Patent ID: 11918078
Assignee: NIKE, INC.
Field: Other consumer goods (Other fields)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A foot support member, comprising:
a plantar support component including a first surface for supporting at least a portion of a plantar surface of a wearer's foot and a second surface of the plantar support component opposite the first surface includes plural gaps defined therein; and
a flexible support member engaged with the plantar support component, wherein the flexible support member includes a wave shaped portion, wherein the wave shaped portion is oriented such that plural wave crests extend toward the first surface of the plantar support component and plural wave troughs extend away from the first surface of the plantar support component, wherein the wave shaped portion includes a rigid plate formed of a plastic material capable of flexing under weight of a wearer, and wherein flexing of the rigid plate under weight of a wearer changes a longitudinal dimension of the plural gaps,
wherein flexing of the rigid plate under weight of a wearer causes at least a first portion of the rigid plate to become flatter to thereby increase the longitudinal dimension of the plural gaps and a first portion of the wave shaped portion, and further wherein flexing of the ridge plate under the weight of the wearer causes at least a second portion of the rigid plate to compress together to thereby decrease the longitudinal dimension of the plural gaps and a second portion of the wave shaped portion, different from the first portion of the wave shaped portion,
wherein the first portion of the wave shaped portion is located in a heel area of the foot support member and has no overlapping areas in a direction perpendicular to a heel wave propagation direction, wherein peaks of the plural wave crests and peaks of the plural wave troughs in the first portion have a curved shape, and wherein the heel area of the foot support member expands and increases in dimensions under an applied heel force,
wherein the second portion of the wave shaped portion is located in a forefoot area of the foot support member and has overlapping areas in a direction perpendicular to a forefoot wave propagation direction, wherein the forefoot area of the foot support member contracts and decreases in dimensions under an applied forefoot force.