Article of Footwear with Multiple Cleat Sizes

• US 20080216352A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Morag, Erez, Gerber, Clifford B., Ervin, Jon, Baucom, Jim
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/83
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/026 Composites, e.g. carbon fibre or aramid fibre; the sole, one or more sole layers or sole part being made of a composite
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/165 pointed or conical, e.g. calks, spikes, pins
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/167 frusto-conical or cylindrical

Abstract

An article of footwear including different cleat sizes is disclosed. The article of footwear includes cleats of a first size along the medial side of the outsole and cleats of a second size along the lateral side of the outsole. The cleats also include spherical indentations along their tips. The outsole also includes an internal structural plate with notches associated with the cleats.

Claims

1. An article of footwear including an outsole, comprising:

a first portion including a medial side and a lateral side;

a first group of cleats having a first size and a second group of cleats having a second size; and

wherein the first group is associated with the medial side of the first portion and the second group is associated with the lateral side of the first portion.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the first size is smaller than the second size.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein there is a third group of cleats.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein there is a fourth group of cleats.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 4, wherein the fourth group of cleats has a size smaller than the first group of cleats and the second group of cleats.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein the third group of cleats is larger than the first group of cleats and the second group of cleats.

7. An article of footwear including an outsole, comprising:

a first portion of the outsole including an outer surface;

a first group of cleats disposed along the outer surface, each cleat including a base portion and a tip portion;

a second surface formed by the tip portions of the first group of cleats; and

wherein the second surface is substantially congruent to the outer surface of the first portion.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the outsole includes a second group of cleats disposed along the outer surface, each cleat including a base portion and a tip portion.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 8, wherein a third surface is formed by the tip portions of the second group of cleats.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein the third surface is substantially congruent to the outer surface of the first portion.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein each cleat of the first cleat group includes an indentation.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the indentation is spherical.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the outsole includes a third cleat group and a fourth cleat group.

14. An article of footwear including an outsole, comprising:

at least one cleat disposed along an outer surface of the outsole;

an internal structural plate disposed along a central portion of the outsole;

the internal structural plate including at least one notch; and

wherein the at least one notch is disposed above the at least one cleat.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the outsole includes multiple cleats disposed along the outer surface.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein the outsole includes a first cleat group and a second cleat group.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein the first cleat group is smaller than the second cleat group.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein the internal structural plate includes notches associated with the multiple cleats.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the multiple cleats are associated with indentations.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the internal structural plate is constructed of nylon with a glass fill.

21. An article of footwear including an outsole, comprising:

an internal structural plate disposed along a central portion of the outsole;

the internal structural plate including a first portion; and

wherein the first portion includes a first projecting portion and a second projecting portion wherein a gap is disposed between the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion.

22. The article of footwear according to claim 21, wherein the outsole includes at least one cleat.

23. The article of footwear according to claim 22, wherein the internal structural plate includes at least one notch.

24. The article of footwear according to claim 23, wherein the at least one cleat is associated with the at least one notch.

25. The article of footwear according to claim 22, wherein the outsole includes multiple cleats.

26. The article of footwear according to claim 25, wherein each of the multiple cleats includes an indentation along a tip portion.

27. The article of footwear according to claim 26, wherein the indentation is spherical.

28. An article of footwear including an outsole, comprising:

a forefoot portion and a heel portion, the forefoot portion including an outer periphery and an inner portion;

the outer periphery of the forefoot portion including a first cleat having a first diameter and a second cleat having a second diameter;

the inner portion of the forefoot portion including a third cleat having a third diameter; and

wherein the heel portion includes a fourth cleat having a fourth diameter.

29. The article of footwear according to claim 28, wherein the outer periphery of the forefoot portion includes eleven cleats.

30. The article of footwear according to claim 28, wherein the inner portion of the forefoot portion includes six cleats

31. The article of footwear according to claim 28, wherein the heel portion includes four cleats

32. The article of footwear according to claim 28, wherein the fourth diameter is larger than the first diameter, the second diameter and the third diameter.

33. The article of footwear according to claim 32, wherein the third diameter is smaller than the first diameter and the second diameter.

34. The article of footwear according to claim 28, wherein the cleats disposed along the inner portion of the forefoot portion are shorter than the cleats disposed along the outer periphery of the forefoot portion.

35. The article of footwear according to claim 28, wherein the cleats disposed along the heel portion are longer than the cleats disposed along the forefoot portion.

36. An article of footwear including an outsole, comprising:

a first portion, the first portion including an outer periphery and an inner portion;

the outer periphery including a first cleat having a first size; and

wherein the outer periphery includes a second cleat having a second size.

37. The article of footwear according to claim 36, wherein the inner portion includes a third cleat.

38. The article of footwear according to claim 37, wherein the third cleat has a third size.

39. The article of footwear according to claim 36, wherein the first size is larger than the second size.

40. The article of footwear according to claim 38, wherein the third size is smaller than the first size and the second size.

41. The article of footwear according to claim 39, wherein the outsole includes a second portion.

42. The article of footwear according to claim 40, wherein the second portion is a heel portion.

43. The article of footwear according to claim 42, wherein the heel portion includes a fourth cleat having a fourth size.

44. The article of footwear according to claim 36, wherein the first portion is a forefoot portion.