Medial rotational traction element arrangement for an article of footwear
First Claim
1. An article of footwear, comprising:
- a sole structure including a partially rigid plate that extends across a substantial majority of a bottom surface of the sole structure, the sole structure having a forward edge, a rearward edge disposed opposite the forward edge, and a longitudinal axis extending through a center of the sole structure, including a center of the rearward edge and a center of the forward edge, and dividing the sole structure into a medial side and a lateral side;
a first group of traction elements disposed on the bottom surface;
a second group of traction elements integrally formed with the plate on the bottom surface;
the second group of traction elements comprising a plurality of medial rotational cleats including at least a first medial rotational cleat and a second medial rotational cleat, wherein the first medial rotational cleat is spaced entirely apart from the second medial rotational cleat;
each of the first medial rotational cleat and the second medial rotational cleat comprising;
a raised ring, the raised ring extending from the bottom surface of the sole structure;
a plurality of stud elements extending away from the bottom surface, wherein the plurality of stud elements are arranged along the raised ring of the respective medial rotational cleat in a generally circular grouping positioned around a center point of the respective medial rotational cleat, wherein each stud element includes;
a curved, concave, inner face oriented towards and curved towards the center point of the respective medial rotational cleat such that the plurality of stud elements define an inside portion of the medial rotational cleat, wherein the plate is exposed at the inside portion of the respective medial rotational cleat, and wherein the center point of the first medial rotational cleat is positioned closer to the forward edge of the sole structure than the center point of the second medial rotational cleat is positioned; and
a curved outer face on a radially opposite side of the stud element from the curved, concave, inner face, and wherein the curved outer face is convex; and
wherein the first group of traction elements are disposed on a lateral side of the sole structure and the second group of traction elements are disposed substantially on a medial side of the sole structure.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A traction element arrangement for a sole structure of an article of footwear is described. Traction elements of a first group are associated with a lateral side of the sole structure. Traction elements of a second group are associated with a medial side of the sole structure. Traction elements of the second group include medial rotational traction elements that have a plurality of stud elements arranged in a circular grouping. Stud elements may be aligned laterally across the sole structure with traction elements of the first group. Stud elements may be aligned longitudinally across the sole structure to be arranged in different configurations along an outside medial side or an inside medial side.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An article of footwear, comprising:
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a sole structure including a partially rigid plate that extends across a substantial majority of a bottom surface of the sole structure, the sole structure having a forward edge, a rearward edge disposed opposite the forward edge, and a longitudinal axis extending through a center of the sole structure, including a center of the rearward edge and a center of the forward edge, and dividing the sole structure into a medial side and a lateral side; a first group of traction elements disposed on the bottom surface; a second group of traction elements integrally formed with the plate on the bottom surface; the second group of traction elements comprising a plurality of medial rotational cleats including at least a first medial rotational cleat and a second medial rotational cleat, wherein the first medial rotational cleat is spaced entirely apart from the second medial rotational cleat; each of the first medial rotational cleat and the second medial rotational cleat comprising; a raised ring, the raised ring extending from the bottom surface of the sole structure; a plurality of stud elements extending away from the bottom surface, wherein the plurality of stud elements are arranged along the raised ring of the respective medial rotational cleat in a generally circular grouping positioned around a center point of the respective medial rotational cleat, wherein each stud element includes; a curved, concave, inner face oriented towards and curved towards the center point of the respective medial rotational cleat such that the plurality of stud elements define an inside portion of the medial rotational cleat, wherein the plate is exposed at the inside portion of the respective medial rotational cleat, and wherein the center point of the first medial rotational cleat is positioned closer to the forward edge of the sole structure than the center point of the second medial rotational cleat is positioned; and a curved outer face on a radially opposite side of the stud element from the curved, concave, inner face, and wherein the curved outer face is convex; and wherein the first group of traction elements are disposed on a lateral side of the sole structure and the second group of traction elements are disposed substantially on a medial side of the sole structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13)
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10. An article of footwear, comprising:
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a sole structure including a bottom surface, the sole structure having a longitudinal axis extending through a center of the sole structure and dividing the sole structure into a lateral side and a medial side; a first group of traction elements disposed on a lateral side of the bottom surface, and extending away from the bottom surface a first height; a second group of traction elements molded with the sole structure on a medial side of the bottom surface, including a first medial rotational cleat and a second medial rotational cleat; wherein the first group of traction elements has a different shape than the second group of traction elements and wherein the first group of traction elements are disposed on a lateral side of the sole structure and the second group of traction elements are disposed substantially on a medial side of the sole structure; and wherein the first medial rotational cleat is spaced entirely apart from the second medial rotational cleat, each of the first medial rotational cleat and the second medial rotational cleat comprising; a raised ring, the raised ring extending from the bottom surface of the sole structure; a plurality of stud elements extending away from the bottom surface a second height substantially similar to the first height, wherein the plurality of stud elements are arranged along the raised ring of the respective medial rotational cleat in a generally circular grouping positioned around a center point of the respective medial rotational cleat, and wherein each stud element includes; a curved, concave inner face oriented towards and curved towards the center point of the respective medial rotational cleat such that the plurality of stud elements define an inside portion of the medial rotational cleat; and a curved outer face on a radially opposite side of the stud element from the curved, concave, inner face, and wherein the curved outer face is convex; and wherein the plate is exposed at the inside portion of the respective medial rotational cleat, and wherein the center point of the first medial rotational cleat and the center point of the second medial rotational cleat are both positioned on the medial side of the sole structure in different positions from one another. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 26)
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19. A traction element arrangement for a sole structure of an article of footwear, the traction element arrangement comprising:
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a plate on a bottom surface of the sole structure, wherein the plate extends across a substantial majority of the bottom surface and includes a longitudinal axis extending through a center of the plate and divides the plate into a medial side and a lateral side; at least a first medial rotational traction element and a second medial rotational traction element integrally molded with the plate, wherein both the first medial rotational traction element and the second rotational traction element are disposed substantially on the medial side and wherein the first medial rotational traction element is spaced entirely apart from the second medial rotational traction element, the first medial rotational traction element and the second medial rotational traction element each comprising; a raised ring extending out from the bottom surface a first height and a plurality of stud elements disposed on the raised ring and extending out from the bottom surface a second height, the second height being substantially larger than the first height, wherein each of the stud elements includes; a curved inner face oriented towards and curved towards an inside portion of the respective medial rotational cleat, the curved inner face being concave; and a curved outer face on a radially opposite side of the stud element from the inner face, and wherein the curved outer face is convex; and wherein the raised ring of each respective medial rotational traction element is disposed between at least two or more of the plurality of stud elements; wherein the raised ring and the plurality of stud elements of the first medial rotational traction element are arranged in an approximately circular grouping positioned radially around a center point in a forefoot region on a medial side of the bottom surface; wherein the raised ring and the plurality of stud elements of the second medial rotational traction element are arranged in an approximately circular grouping positioned radially around a center point in a forefoot region on a medial side of the bottom surface, the center point of the second medial rotational traction element being spaced apart from the center point of the first medial rotational traction element; wherein the bottom surface includes a central portion disposed radially inward of the raised ring; wherein the plate is exposed at the central portion; and wherein the first height of the raised ring is higher than the central portion. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification