Footwear Soles With Auxetic Material

摘要

An article of footwear has an auxetic sole structure formed from members surrounding apertures. The members may have a trapezoidal geometry. Adjoining members are hingedly connected, so that they can rotate with respect to each other in the plane of the sole structure. The rotation allows the auxetic sole structure to expand when tension is applied.

主权项

1. A structure comprising:
a group of members comprised of a first group and a second group; the structure further includes a group of connecting portions and a group of interior apertures; the first group comprising a first exterior member connected to a first interior member at a first connecting portion, the first interior member connected to a second interior member at a second connecting portion forming a first peripheral aperture, and the second interior member connected to a second exterior member at a third connecting portion; the second group comprises a third exterior member connected to a third interior member at a fourth connecting portion, the third interior member connected to a fourth interior member at a fifth connecting portion forming a second peripheral aperture, and the fourth interior member connected to a fourth exterior member at sixth connecting portion; wherein the first group is connected to the second group at a seventh connecting portion connecting the first exterior member and the third exterior member and forming a third peripheral aperture, at an eighth connecting portion connecting the first interior member and the third interior member, at a ninth connecting portion connecting the second interior member and the fourth interior member, and at a tenth connecting portion connecting the second exterior member and the fourth exterior member and forming a fourth peripheral aperture; wherein the first exterior member, the first interior member, the third exterior member, and the third interior member circumscribe a first interior aperture oriented in a first direction; wherein the second interior member, the second exterior member, the fourth interior member, and the fourth exterior member circumscribe a second interior aperture oriented in the first direction; wherein the first interior member, the second interior member, the third interior member, and the fourth interior member circumscribe a third interior aperture oriented in a second direction; wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; wherein the third interior aperture has a first aperture diagonal oriented in the first direction, and a second aperture diagonal oriented in the second direction; and wherein a thickness of the structure is greater than the first aperture diagonal.