Golf shoe

• US 4,754,561 A
• Filed: 05/11/1987
• Issued: 07/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salomon SA (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dufour, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/048,206
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 36/28, 36/30 R, 36/30 A, 36/31, 36/59 R, 36/59 B, 36/59 C, 36/103, 36/113, 36/114, 36/124, 36/127, 36/134
• US Class Current: 36/127
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/188 Differential cushioning regions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/001 Golf shoes

Abstract

Golf shoe (1), the sole (2) of which has two separate areas (3) and (4), one of which (4) is provided with a shock absorbing element (5) and a deformable structure (6) to allow the golfer'"'"'s foot to roll on the outer edge of the sole.

Claims

1. Golf shoe wherein the sole is divided into two support zones for the plantar surface of the golfer'"'"'s foot, with these two zones (3, 4;

19, 21;

25, 26;

35, 37;

50, 51;

81,

     84) extending continuously from each other, and defining a first, "passive" zone (3, 21, 26, 35, 50,

     81) which is made of a material having a certain hardness, with said passive zone constituting the main seating for the foot, and a second, "active" zone (4, 19, 25, 37, 51,

     84) having a shock absorbing element (5, 22, 27, 37'"'"', 52, 71, 76,

     83), whose constituent material is relatively softer than that of the passive zone, and with which is associated a walking surface having at least one zone whose structure can deform transversely to the longitudinal axis of the sole.

2. Golf shoe according to claim 1, wherein the active support zone (4, 19, 25, 37, 51, 84) covers at least the surface corresponding substantially to the zone of a golfer'"'"'s foot going from the 3rd, 4th and 5th metatarsals to the respective first phalanges thereof.

3. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shock absorbing element (5, 22, 27, 52, 71, 76, 83) extends over a surface corresponding at least to that of the active zone.

4. Golf shoe according to claim 3, wherein the shock absorbing element (5, 22, 27, 52, 71, 76, 83) extends over a surface greater than that of the active zone.

5. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the zone having a transversely deformable structure (6, 18, 86) of the walking sole extends over a surface corresponding at least to that of the active support zone.

6. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shock absorbing element (5, 22, 27, 52, 71, 76, 83) is inserted in the sole (2, 20, 31, 45, 70, 75, 80) continuously, on the side of the plantar surface of the foot, with the first passive support zone (4, 19, 25, 51, 84).

7. Golf shoe according to claim 5, wherein the deformable structure (6, 18, 86) is comprised of a series of grooves (6'"'"', 15, 29, 85) made in the sole on the side of the walking surface (11, 23'"'"', 31'"'"', 36, 57, 86).

8. Golf shoe according to claim 7, wherein the grooves (6'"'"') are essentially parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the sole (2).

9. Golf shoe according to claim 7, wherein the grooves (15) are sinuous and define at least one circle arc curve the ends of which face the left outer edge (16) of the sole (17).

10. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the deformable structure (6, 86) is comprised of a tapered extension (9, 38, 82) of the passive support zone (3, 35, 81), constituting the walking sole which extends under the shock absorbing element (5, 37'"'"', 83).

11. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sole (55) comprises an inclined plane (59) on the outer edge thereof (58), and this inclined plane is secant to the walking surface (57) of the sole.

12. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shock absorbing element (71, 76) extends longitudinally at least into a zone approximately between the position of the 3rd, 4th and 5th first phalanges of the foot, and the heel (73, 78).

13. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the thickness of the shock absorbing element (22, 27, 52) is constant in the active support zone (19, 25, 51).

14. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shock absorbing element (5, 71, 76, 83) comprises a thickness which tapers towards the passive support zone (3, 81), from the outer edge of the active support zone (4, 84).

15. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sole (2, 17, 20, 31, 39) has a general transverse section in which the plantar surface of the foot is parallel to the lower surface (11, 23, 28, 36) (or walking surface) which comes into contact with the ground.

16. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sole (45, 55, 80) has a general transverse section in which the plantar surface of the foot is substantially inclined with respect to the lower surface (47, 57, 87) (or walking surface) which comes into contact with the ground, with the thickness of the sole increasing from the inside towards the outside of the foot.

17. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sole (60) has a transverse section in which the position of the plantar surface of the foot varies progressively from the heel to the front of the foot, from a parallel position (61) to an inclined position (63) with respect to the walking surface (62).

18. Golf shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the walking surface (11, 23'"'"', 31'"'"', 36, 53, 57) of the sole (2, 20, 31, 39, 45, 55) is provided with a certain number of spikes (10, 24, 30).

19. Golf shoe according to claim 18, wherein the spikes are attached to the walking surface of the sole.

20. Golf shoe according to claim 18, wherein the spikes are unitary with the outsole (23).

21. Golf shoe according to claim 19, wherein the number of spikes (10, 24, 30) is greater in the part of the sole corresponding to the active support zone (4, 19, 25) than in the passive support zone.