Patent ID: 9345283
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: A43B

Claim Text:
1. A method of customizing a stiffness of an article of footwear, comprising: inserting an inner liner within an interior of an outer shell, the outer shell including an upper and a sole structure; removing the inner liner from the interior of the outer shell, the inner liner including an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion; inserting a first end of a stiffener element within a first retaining enclosure comprising a first securing end and a first receiving end disposed on the upper liner portion of the inner liner; inserting an opposite second end of the stiffener element within a second retaining enclosure comprising a second securing end and a second receiving end, wherein the second retaining enclosure is disposed across at least a portion of the upper liner portion and a portion of the lower liner portion, the second retaining enclosure being disposed beneath the first retaining enclosure; wherein the first end of the stiffener element is shaped approximately the same as the first securing end; wherein the opposite second end is shaped approximately the same as the second securing end; wherein the stiffener element has an oval shape with concavity on one side, and wherein the first end and the opposite second end are curved; and the first retaining enclosure and the second retaining enclosure receiving the stiffener element that extends from the first retaining enclosure to the second retaining enclosure.