Article of footwear with customizable stiffness

摘要

An article of footwear with customizable stiffness is provided. The article of footwear in the form of a snowboard boot is provided with stiffness elements that are inserted within retaining enclosures disposed on either side of an inner liner of the snowboard boot. Depending on the level of stiffness of the stiffener element, or lack thereof, different flex profiles having varying degrees of stiffness are available to the wearer to customize the stiffness of the snowboard boot when secured within a binding. A kit of parts is also disclosed that includes a pair of boots and two sets of interchangeable stiffener inserts to allow a wearer to customize the stiffness of the boots as desired.

主权项

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.