Traction elements for an article of footwear
First Claim
1. An article of footwear for resisting a rotational motion, said footwear including an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure comprising:
- an outsole with an exposed surface; and
a plurality of traction elements projecting from said exposed surface, each said traction element having an end portion located opposite said exposed surface, and each said traction element having an undercut surface that extends between said exposed surface and said end portion, said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said exposed surface, wherein a forefoot portion of said plurality of said traction elements are located in a forefoot area of said sole structure, and a heel portion of said plurality of said traction elements are located in a heel area of said sole structure, substantially all of said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face a lateral side of said footwear, and said undercut surfaces of said heel portion being oriented to generally face a medial side of said footwear.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is a traction element for an article of footwear that reduces rotation in the footwear during activities such as golf. The traction elements are configured to penetrate the ground and include undercut surfaces that contact the ground. During a golf swing, for example, the ground will induce a force upon the undercut surfaces, thereby deforming the traction element and securely engaging the traction element with the ground. The traction elements may also have back surfaces opposite the undercut surface that assist with disengaging the traction elements following the golf swing.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. An article of footwear for resisting a rotational motion, said footwear including an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure comprising:
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an outsole with an exposed surface; and
a plurality of traction elements projecting from said exposed surface, each said traction element having an end portion located opposite said exposed surface, and each said traction element having an undercut surface that extends between said exposed surface and said end portion, said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said exposed surface, wherein a forefoot portion of said plurality of said traction elements are located in a forefoot area of said sole structure, and a heel portion of said plurality of said traction elements are located in a heel area of said sole structure, substantially all of said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face a lateral side of said footwear, and said undercut surfaces of said heel portion being oriented to generally face a medial side of said footwear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An article of footwear including an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure comprising:
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an outsole with an exposed surface; and
a plurality of traction elements projecting from said exposed surface, said traction elements having an end portion located opposite said exposed surface and an undercut surface that extends between said exposed surface and said end portion, said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said exposed surface, at least a forefoot portion of said plurality of said traction elements being located in a forefoot area of said footwear, substantially all of said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face a lateral side of said footwear, wherein said traction elements are formed of a deformable material and deform in response to a force that is incident said undercut surface, thereby increasing said acute angle formed between said undercut surface and said exposed surface, and each said traction element returns to an undeformed configuration following a removal of said force. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An article of footwear having a sole structure, said sole structure including an outsole and a plurality of traction elements projecting from an exposed surface of said outsole, said traction elements comprising:
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an end portion located opposite said exposed surface;
an undercut surface that extends between said exposed surface and said end portion, said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said exposed surface; and
a back surface located opposite said undercut surface, said back surface extending between said exposed surface and said end portion to thereby intersect said undercut surface, a forefoot portion of said plurality of said traction elements being located in a forefoot area of said sole structure, said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face towards a lateral side of said sole structure, and said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face away from a localized region spaced outward from a medial side of said sole structure, and a heel portion of said plurality of said traction elements being located in a heel area of said sole structure, substantially all of said undercut surfaces of said heel portion being oriented to generally face a medial side of said sole structure. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An article of footwear having a sole structure, said sole structure including an outsole and a plurality of traction elements formed of a deformable material, said traction elements projecting from an exposed surface of said outsole, and said traction elements comprising:
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an end portion located opposite said exposed surface;
a substantially planar undercut surface that extends between said exposed surface and said end portion, said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said exposed surface; and
a curved surface located opposite said undercut surface, said cured surface extending between said exposed surface and said end portion to thereby intersect said undercut surface, a forefoot portion of said plurality of said traction elements being located in a forefoot area of said sole structure and spaced inward from a perimeter of said sole structure, said forefoot portion being aligned along a plurality of radial lines that emanate from a localized region spaced outward from a medial side of said sole structure, said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face away from said localized region and towards a lateral side of said footwear, and a heel portion of said plurality of said traction elements being located in a heel area of said sole structure, said undercut surfaces of said heel portion being oriented to generally face a medial side of said sole structure. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. An article of footwear for resisting a rotational motion, said footwear including an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure comprising:
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an outsole with an exposed surface; and
a plurality of traction elements projecting from said exposed surface, each said traction element having an end portion located opposite said exposed surface, and each said traction element having an undercut surface that extends between said exposed surface and said end portion, said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said exposed surface, wherein a forefoot portion of said plurality of said traction elements are located in a forefoot area of said sole structure and are spaced inward from a perimeter of said sole structure and a heel portion of said plurality of said traction elements are located in a heel area of said sole structure, said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face a lateral side of said footwear, and said undercut surfaces of said heel portion being oriented to generally face a medial side of said footwear. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An article of footwear for resisting a rotational motion, said footwear including an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure comprising:
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an outsole with an exposed surface; and
a plurality of traction elements projecting from said exposed surface, each said traction element having an end portion located opposite said exposed surface, and each said traction element having an undercut surface that extends between said exposed surface and said end portion, said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said exposed surface, and said undercut surface being substantially planar, at least one said traction elements including a curved surface located opposite said undercut surface, said curved surface extending between said exposed surface and said end portion, and said cured surface being bifurcated adjacent to said exposed surface, wherein a forefoot portion of said plurality of said traction elements are located in a forefoot area of said sole structure, and a heel portion of said plurality of said traction elements arc located in a heel area of said sole structure, said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face a lateral side of said footwear, and said undercut surfaces of said heel portion being oriented to generally face a medial side of said footwear.
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37. An article of footwear including an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure comprising:
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an outsole with an exposed surface; and
a plurality of traction elements projecting from said exposed surface and spaced inward from a perimeter of said sole structure, said traction elements having an end portion located opposite said exposed surface and an undercut surface that extends between said exposed surface and said end portion, said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said exposed surface, at least a forefoot portion of said plurality of said traction elements being located in a forefoot area of said footwear, said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face a lateral side of said footwear, wherein said traction elements are formed of a deformable material and deform in response to a force that is incident said undercut surface, thereby increasing said acute angle formed between said undercut surface and said exposed surface, and each said traction element returns to an undeformed configuration following a removal of said force. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An article of footwear having a sole structure, said sole structure including an outsole and a plurality of traction elements projecting from an exposed surface of said outsole, said traction elements comprising:
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an end portion located opposite said exposed surface;
an undercut surface that extends between said exposed surface and said end portion, said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said exposed surface; and
a back surface located opposite said undercut surface, said back surface extending between said exposed surface and said end portion to thereby intersect said undercut surface, a forefoot portion of said plurality of said traction elements being located in a forefoot area of said sole structure and spaced inward from a perimeter of said sole structure, said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face towards a lateral side of said sole structure, and said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face away from a localized region spaced outward from a medial side of said sole structure, and a heel portion of said plurality of said traction elements being located in a heel area of said sole structure, said undercut surfaces of said heel portion being oriented to generally face a medial side of said sole structure. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An article of footwear having a sole structure, said sole structure including an outsole and a plurality of traction elements formed of a deformable material, said traction elements projecting from an exposed surface of said outsole, and said traction elements comprising:
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an end portion located opposite said exposed surface;
a substantially planar undercut surface that extends between said exposed surface and said end portion, said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said exposed surface; and
a curved surface located opposite said undercut surface, said curved surface extending between said exposed surface and said end portion to thereby intersect said undercut surface, said curved surface being bifurcated adjacent to said exposed surface, a forefoot portion of said plurality of said traction elements being located in a forefoot area of said sole structure, said forefoot portion being aligned along a plurality of radial lines that emanate from a localized region spaced outward form a medial side of said sole structure, said undercut surfaces of said forefoot portion being oriented to generally face away from said localized region and towards a lateral side of said footwear, and a heel portion of said plurality of said traction elements being located in a heel area of said sole structure, said undercut surfaces of said heel portion being oriented to generally face a medial side of said sole structure.
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Specification