Article of apparel with zonal force attenuation properties

摘要

An article of apparel, such as a sock or a shoe, is disclosed as having a foot-supporting area for extending adjacent to a plantar surface of a foot. The foot-supporting area has various zones of differing thickness that attenuate forces upon the plantar surface to different degrees. The apparel may be manufactured through a process that includes utilizing a force mapping device to obtain data relating to forces upon the plantar surface of the foot. The sock is then formed to have zones of different thickness located to correspond with the areas of the plantar surface subjected to different magnitudes of forces.

主权项

1. An article of apparel comprising a foot-supporting area for extending adjacent to a plantar surface of a foot, the foot-supporting area having:
a forefoot region having a first zone positioned on a medial side of the foot-supporting area, a first portion of the first zone extending along the medial side of the foot-supporting area, and a second portion of the first zone extending into a center of the foot-supporting area and terminating in the center of the foot supporting area, the first zone having a first thickness, each of a lateral edge and a rear edge of the first zone abutting edges of a zone having a thickness different than the first thickness, and an entire continuous outer periphery of the first zone having an L shaped configuration; an arch region having (a) a second zone positioned on a lateral side of the foot-supporting area, the second zone having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness and (b) a third zone positioned on the medial side of the foot-supporting area, the third zone having a third thickness that is less than the second thickness; and a heel region having a fourth zone positioned on at least the lateral side of the foot-supporting area, the fourth zone having the first thickness.