Golf shoe outsole with oriented traction elements

• US 6,817,117 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Campbell, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US10/093,362
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 361/27, 36/59.R, 36/67.R, 36/67.A, 36/59.C, 361/26, 361/28
• US Class Current: 36/127
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/001 Golf shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/162 characterised by the shape

Abstract

An outsole for an athletic shoe, in particular a golf shoe, having a plurality of traction elements of resisting rotational movement parallel to a plane surface of the ground. Traction elements in a forefoot region of the outsole are oriented with resist surfaces facing a lateral edge and traction elements in a rearfoot region of the outsole are oriented with resist surfaces a medial direction. The resist surfaces of the traction elements are substantially perpendicular to a base surface of the outsole and other surfaces of the traction element can be connected to the base surface by concave curvatures. The traction elements may have an indented surface. A plurality of the traction elements may be arranged along longitudinal and radial arrays in a forefoot region.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having an outsole, the outsole having a base surface and a traction element, the base surface being exposed to a ground surface, and said traction element being a protrusion extending from the base surface to a tip surface, said protrusion being connected to the base surface by a concave curvature along at least one edge, and having at least one resist surface with a substantially planar wall sue extending substantially perpendicular from said base surface and being adapted to resist shear force slippage of the outsole with respect to the ground surface in at least one of a lateral or medial direction, said protrusion having a convexly curved edge opposite said resist surface, and said tip surface having an indented portion.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein said protrusion is connected to the base surface by said concave curvature along three edges.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein said tip surface is substantially perpendicular to said resist surface.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein said protrusion has a first plate portion and a second plate portion disposed on opposite sides of a spacer portion, said first and second plate portions protruding to a greater extent outward from said base surface than said spacer portion, thereby forming said indented portion of said tip surface.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4, wherein said first and second plate portions extend along the base surface to a greater extent than said spacer portion.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5, wherein said first and second plate portions and said spacer portion are integral.

7. The article of footwear of claim 4, wherein said first and second plate portions flare outwardly from one another in a direction from said tip surface toward said base surface.

8. A golf article of footwear comprising:

an upper and a sole attached to said upper;

said sole including an outsole comprising a forefoot region having a medial, lateral, and front edge surrounding a forefoot interior area, a forefoot base surface and a plurality of forefoot traction elements extending from said forefoot base surface in said forefoot interior area, each of said forefoot traction elements having a resist surface extending substantially at a right angle to said forefoot base surface and a concavely curved edge connected to said forefoot base surface at a location opposite from said resist surface, each resist surface facing said lateral edge of said forefoot region, said forefoot traction elements being arranged in a plurality of longitudinal arrays in an interior area of said forefoot region, one of said plurality of longitudinal arrays extending along a first curved line generally parallel to said lateral edge of said forefoot region, and another of said plurality of longitudinal arrays extending along at least one additional curved line generally parallel to said first line, and groups of said plurality of forefoot traction elements being positioned along radial lines extending from a localized region medial to said forefoot region;

a rearfoot region having lateral, medial and rear edges surrounding an interior rearfoot area, a rearfoot base surface and a plurality of rearfoot traction elements extending from said rearfoot base surface in said interior rearfoot area, said each of rearfoot traction elements having a resist surface facing said medial edge of said rearfoot region;

wherein said resist surface of said plurality of forefoot traction elements resist slippage of the forefoot region of said outsole in a lateral direction, and said resist surface of said rearfoot traction elements resist slippage of the rearfoot region of said outsole in a medial direction; and

a protruding rim at said lateral and medial edges, said protruding rim extending outward from said forefoot and rearfoot base surfaces at least ally along a perimeter of said outsole.

9. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein the majority of said plurality of traction elements protrude a greater distance from said base surface than said protruding rim.

10. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein each of said forefoot and rearfoot plurality of traction elements have said concavely curved edge connected to said base surface.

11. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of traction elements has an indentation at said resist surface.

12. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein said indentation extends from said base surface and along said resist surface to a tip surface of each said traction elements, said indentation continuing at least across said tip surface of each said traction elements.

13. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein at least a majority of said plurality of traction elements comprises a first plate portion, a second plate portion, and a spacer portion in between said first and second plate portions, said spacer portion having smaller dimensions than said first and second plate portions to form an indentation.

14. An article of footwear having an outsole, the outsole comprising:

a forefoot region having a medial, a lateral, and front edges, surrounding a forefoot interior area, a forefoot base surface and a plurality of forefoot traction elements extending from said forefoot base surface in said forefoot interior area, each of said forefoot traction elements having a resist surface extending substantially at a right angle to said forefoot base surface, each resist surface facing said lateral edge of said forefoot region, said forefoot traction elements being arranged in a plurality of longitudinal arrays in an interior area of said forefoot region, one of said plurality of longitudinal arrays extending along a first curved line generally parallel to said lateral edge of said forefoot region, and another of said plurality of longitudinal arrays extending along at least one additional curved line generally parallel to said first line, and groups of said plurality of forefoot traction elements being positioned along radial lines extending from a localized region medial to said forefoot region;

a rearfoot region having lateral, medial and rear edges surrounding an interior rearfoot area, a rearfoot base surface and a plurality of rearfoot traction elements extending from said rearfoot base surface in said interior rearfoot area, said each of rearfoot traction elements having a resist surface facing said medial edge of said rearfoot region;

wherein said resist surfaces of said plurality of forefoot traction elements resist slippage of the forefoot region of said outsole in a lateral direction, and said resist surface of said rearfoot traction elements resist slippage of the rearfoot region of said outsole in a medial direction, and each of said plurality of traction elements has a concavely curved edge connected to said base surface, said concavely curved edge located opposite from said resist surface at said base surface.

15. An article of footwear having an outsole, the outsole comprising:

a forefoot region having a medial, a lateral, and front edges, surrounding a forefoot interior area, a forefoot base surface and a plurality of forefoot traction elements extending from said forefoot base surface in said forefoot interior area, each of said forefoot traction elements having a resist surface extending substantially at a right angle to said forefoot base surface, each resist surface facing said lateral edge of said forefoot region, said forefoot traction elements being arranged in a plurality of longitudinal arrays in an interior area of said forefoot region, one of said plurality of longitudinal arrays extending along a first curved line generally parallel to said lateral edge of said forefoot region, and another of said plurality of longitudinal arrays extending along at least one additional curved line generally parallel to said first line, and groups of said plurality of forefoot traction elements being positioned along radial lines extending from a localized region medial to said forefoot region;

a rearfoot region having lateral, medial and rear edges surrounding an interior rearfoot area, a rearfoot base surface and a plurality of rearfoot traction elements extending from said rearfoot base surface in said interior rearfoot area, said each of rearfoot traction elements having a resist surface facing said medial edge of said rearfoot region;

wherein said resist surfaces of said plurality of forefoot traction elements resist slippage of the forefoot region of said outsole in a lateral direction, and said resist surface of said rearfoot traction elements resist slippage of the rearfoot region of said outsole in a medial direction, and each of said plurality of traction elements has an indentation at said resist surface.

16. The article of footwear of clam 15, wherein said indentation extends from said base surface and along said resist surface to a tip surface of each said traction elements, said indentation continuing at least across said tip surface of each said traction elements.

17. An article of footwear having an outsole, the outsole comprising:

a forefoot region having a medial, a lateral, and front edges, surrounding a forefoot interior area, a forefoot base surface and a plurality of forefoot traction elements extending from said forefoot base surface in said forefoot interior area, each of said forefoot traction elements having a resist surface extending substantially at a right angle to said forefoot base surface, each resist surface facing said lateral edge of said forefoot region, said forefoot traction elements being arranged in a plurality of longitudinal arrays in an interior area of said forefoot region, one of said plurality of longitudinal arrays extending along a first curved line generally parallel to said lateral edge of said forefoot region, and another of said plurality of longitudinal arrays extending along at least one additional curved line generally parallel to said first line, and groups of said plurality of forefoot traction elements being positioned along radial line extending from a localized region medial to said forefoot region;

a rearfoot region having lateral, medial and rear edges surrounding an interior rearfoot area, a rearfoot base surface and a plurality of rearfoot traction elements extending from said rearfoot base surface in said interior rearfoot area, said each of rearfoot traction elements having a resist surface facing said medial edge of said rearfoot region;

wherein said resist surfaces of said plurality of forefoot traction elements resist slippage of the forefoot region of said outsole in a lateral direction, and said resist surface of said rearfoot traction elements resist slippage of the rearfoot region of said outsole in a medial direction, and at least a majority of said plurality of traction elements comprises a first plate portion, a second plate portion and a spacer portion in between said first and second plate portions, said spacer portion having smaller dimensions than said first and second plate portions to form an indentation.

18. The article of footwear of claim 17, wherein said first and second plate portions and said spacer portion are integral.

19. An article of footwear with an upper and a sole secured to the upper, the sole comprising:

an outsole that defines a lateral edge and an opposite medial edge, the outsole being located in at least a forefoot region and a rearfoot region of the footwear; and

a plurality of traction elements extending from the outsole, each of the traction elements including a resist surface and an opposite convexly-curved surface, each of the resist surfaces extending at a substantially right angle to the outsole,

wherein, the resist surfaces of substantially all of the traction elements located in the forefoot region are oriented to face the lateral edge, and the resist surfaces of substantially all of the traction elements located in the rearfoot region are oriented to face the medial edge, and at least on of the traction elements has a concavely curved edge connected to the outsole.

20. The article of footwear of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of cleat members.

21. The article of footwear of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of receptacles adapted to removeably receive the plurality of cleat members.

22. The article of footwear of claim 21, wherein the plurality of receptacles are positioned adjacent the lateral edge and the medial edge.

23. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the traction elements located in the forefoot region are arranged in a plurality of longitudinal arrays.

24. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein one of the longitudinal arrays extends along a first curved line generally parallel to the lateral edge, and another of the longitudinal arrays is parallel to the first line.

25. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein groups of the traction elements are positioned along radial lines extending from a localized region medial to the forefoot region.

26. The article of footwear of claim 19, an indentation is formed in at least one of the traction elements.

27. The article of footwear of claim 26, wherein the traction elements include a first plate portion, a second plate portion, and a spacer portion positioned in between the first and second plate portions, the spacer portion having lesser dimensions than the first and second plate portions to form the indentation.

28. An article of footwear with an upper and a sole secured to the upper, the sole comprising:

an outsole that defines a lateral edge and an opposite medial edge, the outsole being located in at least a forefoot region and a rearfoot region of the footwear; and

a plurality of traction elements protruding from the outsole, the traction elements in the forefoot region being arranged in a plurality of longitudinal arrays extending in a direction that is generally parallel to one of the lateral edge and the medial edge, and the traction elements in the forefoot region being positioned along radial lines that are generally perpendicular to the lateral edge and the medial edge, each of the traction elements including a resist surface and an opposite convexly-curved surface, each of the resist surface extending at a substantially right angle to the outsole.

29. The article of footwear of claim 28, wherein the radial lines emanate from a localized region spaced outward from one of the lateral edge and the medial edge.

30. The article of footwear of claim 28, wherein the radial lines emanate from localized region spaced outward from the medial edge.

31. The article of footwear of claim 28, wherein a first portion of the traction elements are located in the forefoot region, each of the resist surfaces of the fist portion facing the lateral edge.

32. The article of footwear of claim 31, wherein a second portion of the traction elements are located in the rearfoot region, each of the resist surfaces of the second portion facing the medial edge.

33. The article of footwear of claim 28, wherein at least one of the traction elements has a concavely curved edge connected to the outsole.

34. The article of footwear of claim 28, an indentation is formed in at least one of the traction elements.

35. The article of footwear of claim 28, wherein the traction elements include a first plate portion, a second plate portion, and a spacer portion positioned in between the first and second plate portions, the spacer portion having lesser dimensions than the first and second plate portions to form the indentation.