Sole with skewed cleating arrangement
First Claim
1. A sole for an athletic shoe comprising a molded base having a forefoot region and a rearfoot region, the forefoot and rearfoot regions being separated by a transverse plane which is perpendicular to a major exterior surface of the base and to a first line which substantially bisects the rearfoot region in the longitudinal direction, a plurality of discrete cleats integrally molded to said base and extending outwardly from the major exterior surface in the forefoot region of the sole, said cleats being spaced in both the longitudinal and transverse direction of the sole, said cleats having rearwardly facing gripping edges from which projecting lines extend to intersect the transverse plane to the inside of the sole at angles which correspond in magnitude to an angle of abduction formed between the first line and a line defining the direction of travel during the propulsion phase of running by a typical athlete who abducts his or her feet slightly outward while pushing forwardly against the ground.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Curved last soles for athletic shoes are disclosed, including one embodiment wherein cleats are arranged with gripping edges in the arch and heel that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis passing therethrough, whereas in the toe cleats are arranged with gripping edges that are aligned in rows that are perpendicular to a line generally defining the direction of travel while the athlete abducts his or her feet during the propulsion phase of running. Cleats in the ball portion of the sole fan out to provide a smooth transition from the cleats in the arch to the cleats in the toe.
In a second embodiment the cleats are disposed throughout the sole in rows which maintain a perpendicular relationship relative to the longitudinal axis of the heel, but the orientation of the gripping edges of the cleats in the toe and ball portions are varied in such manner as to compensate for the aforementioned abducting effect. Cleats of two different heights are provided, relatively tall ones in the ball, relatively short ones in the toe and arch and both heights in the heel.
In a third embodiment especially intended for racing, the cleats are closely spaced between curved-bottom grooves in a very lightweight sole of expanded synthetic rubber. The cleats are aligned in bar-like rows which are oriented to compensate for the aforementioned abducting effect.
247 Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A sole for an athletic shoe comprising a molded base having a forefoot region and a rearfoot region, the forefoot and rearfoot regions being separated by a transverse plane which is perpendicular to a major exterior surface of the base and to a first line which substantially bisects the rearfoot region in the longitudinal direction, a plurality of discrete cleats integrally molded to said base and extending outwardly from the major exterior surface in the forefoot region of the sole, said cleats being spaced in both the longitudinal and transverse direction of the sole, said cleats having rearwardly facing gripping edges from which projecting lines extend to intersect the transverse plane to the inside of the sole at angles which correspond in magnitude to an angle of abduction formed between the first line and a line defining the direction of travel during the propulsion phase of running by a typical athlete who abducts his or her feet slightly outward while pushing forwardly against the ground.
- 3. A sole for an athletic shoe comprising a molded base having a plurality of integrally molded cleats extending outwardly from a major exterior surface of the base including first cleats in a rearfoot region of the base and second cleats in a forefoot region of the base, the forefoot and rearfoot regions being separated by a transverse plane which is perpendicular to the major exterior surface and to a first line which substantially bisects the rearfoot region in the longitudinal direction, the first cleats having gripping edges aligned substantially parallel to the transverse plane, the second cleats having gripping edges from which projecting lines extend to intersect the transverse plane to the inside of the sole at angles which correspond in magnitude to an angle of abduction formed between the first line and a line defining the direction of travel during the propulsion phase of running by a typical athlete who abducts his or her feet slightly outward while pushing forwardly against the ground.
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14. A sole for an athletic shoe comprising an outer sole member of a resilient polymeric material having a base and a plurality of integrally molded cleats extending outwardly from the base, the base having a forefoot region corresponding to the toe and ball portions of the human foot and a rearfoot region corresponding to the arch and heel portions of the human foot, the base being characterized by a first line substantially bisecting the rearfoot region in the longitudinal direction and a second line passing through the forefoot region to the inside of the first line, the lines intersecting to form an angle of abduction between 10°
- and 14°
, the cleats including a plurality of first cleats disposed in the rearfoot region, a plurality of second cleats disposed throughout the toe portion of the forefoot region and a plurality of third cleats disposed throughout the ball portion of the forefoot region, each of the cleats having a generally rearward-facing surface and an outer surface which meet to define a gripping edge, the gripping edges of the second cleats being substantially perpendicular to the second line. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- and 14°
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20. An athletic shoe comprising a shoe upper, an intermediate sole joined to the upper and an outer sole joined to the intermediate sole, said outer sole being formed of a resilient polymeric material having a base and a plurality of integrally molded cleats extending outwardly from the base, the base having a forefoot region corresponding to the toe and ball portions of the human foot and a rearfoot region corresponding to the arch and heel portions of the human foot, the base being characterized by a first line substantially bisecting the rearfoot region in the longitudinal direction and a second line passing through the forefoot region to the inside of the first line, the lines intersecting to form an angle of abduction between 10°
- and 14°
, the cleats including a plurality of first cleats disposed in the rearfoot region, a plurality of second cleats disposed throughout the toe portion of the forefoot region and a plurality of third cleats disposed throughout the ball portion of the forefoot region, each of the cleats having a generally rearward-facing surface and an outer surface which meet to define a griping edge, the griping edges of the second cleats being substantially perpendicular to the second line, said second cleats being aligned in a plurality of transverse rows substantially perpendicular to the second line, said third cleats being aligned in rows and having a cross sectional area which progressively decreases from the outer edge of the sole to the inner edge of the sole in each respective row of third cleats. - View Dependent Claims (21)
- and 14°
Specification