FLEXIBLE SOLE FOR AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR
A sole for an article of footwear is provided. The article of footwear defines a lateral edge, a medial edge, a forefoot region, a midfoot region and a heel region. The sole includes an outsole having a thickness and at least one slot in the outsole. The slot extends in a substantially longitudinal direction. A longitudinal centerline is defined midway between the lateral edge and the medial edge. The slot crosses over the longitudinal centerline in at least one of the forefoot region and the midfoot region. An article of footwear having the sole attached to an upper is also provided.
The present invention relates to a sole for an article of footwear. More particularly, various examples of the invention relate to a sole having improved flexibility.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSkateboarding has been a very popular activity for a number of years. In addition to simply riding on a skateboard, however, many skateboarders now try to perform complex tricks, which have become more and more difficult as each new generation of skateboarders tries to outdo the last.
Many skateboarding tricks require the skateboarder to apply pressure to one or the other portions of the skateboard using his or her feet, depending upon the trick they are trying to perform. This requires that skateboarders be able to apply pressure to the board through their shoes at different locations on the bottom and edges of the shoes. For example, for some tricks, pressure is applied along the lateral edge of the foot, approximately at the outer toe line location. For other tricks, pressure is applied on the lateral edge of the foot somewhat forward of the outer toe line location. For still other tricks, pressure is applied even more forward of that location, almost at the forward-most toe location of the sole.
As the interaction between the skateboarder and the skateboard is particularly important when performing such tricks, skateboarders typically prefer shoes having relatively thin and flexible soles that allow the skateboarder to “feel” the board.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide footwear for use in skateboarding that allows the skateboarder to better feel the skateboard and to better control the movement of the board.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONVarious aspects of the invention relate to footwear having a grooved or slotted sole. More particularly, some aspects of the invention relate to footwear having an outsole with a slot formed therein, to allow flexing of the outsole, particularly in the forefoot region of the footwear. The slot extends, in a generally longitudinal direction, from the medial side to the lateral side of the foot. Having the slot curve across the bottom of the sole from the medial side toward the lateral side enhances the ability for the sole to cup inward, no matter where the pressure is applied during various tricks.
Thus, according to some aspects of the invention, a sole for an article of footwear is provided with an outsole and a slot in the outsole. The article of footwear defines a lateral edge, a medial edge, a forefoot region, a midfoot region and a heel region. The outsole has a thickness, with a longitudinal centerline defined midway between the lateral edge and the medial edge. At least one slot is provided in the outsole. The slot extends, in a substantially longitudinal direction. The slot crosses over the longitudinal centerline in at least one of the forefoot region and the midfoot region. Further, the slot may extend at least substantially over a longitudinal length of the forefoot region.
During use, the slot allows the sole to flex or cup upward (i.e., the central region of the sole in the forefoot region moves upward, away from the ground), while the edges of the sole remain relatively stationary or roll slightly outward.
In other instances, the foot may slide along the skateboard as it also rotates toward the lateral edge of the sole. The slot allows the skateboarder to keep a larger percentage of the sole on the board for a longer time period. This is an improvement over existing skateboarding shoes that tend to have an abrupt transition from having good contact with the board to having little or no contact with the board as the foot slides along the board.
Further, according to an aspect of the invention, the slot extends through the thickness of the outsole. Having a slot extending through the outsole provides a greater degree of flexibility.
According to another aspect of the invention, the sole further includes a midsole attached to the outsole, wherein the midsole includes a groove that at least partially complements the slot in the outsole.
According to even other aspects of the invention, an article of footwear is provided with a sole having a slot that crosses over the longitudinal centerline in at least one of the forefoot region or the midfoot region. The article of footwear may also include a grooved midsole. An article of footwear having a generally longitudinal slot formed in an outsole and a generally longitudinal, complementary groove in the midsole may provide a desired degree of flexibility in the sole for skateboarders.
The foregoing Summary, as well as the following Detailed Description, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose an article of footwear having sole with a slot in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. Concepts related to the slotted sole are disclosed with reference to an article of athletic footwear having a configuration suitable for the activity of skateboarding. The slotted sole is not solely limited to footwear designed for skateboarding, however, and may be incorporated into a wide range of athletic footwear styles, including shoes that are suitable for baseball, basketball, cross-training, football, rugby, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and walking, for example. In addition, a slotted sole according to various embodiments of the invention may be incorporated into footwear that is generally considered to be non-athletic, including a variety of dress shoes, casual shoes, sandals, and boots. An individual skilled in the relevant art will appreciate, given the benefit of this disclosure, that the concepts disclosed herein with regard to the slotted sole apply to a wide variety of footwear styles, in addition to the specific styles discussed in the following material and depicted in the accompanying figures.
An article of footwear 100 is depicted in
For purposes of reference in the following material and referring to
For further purposes of reference, sole structure 10 includes a longitudinal centerline 16. Longitudinal centerline 16 extends from front edge 14 to back edge 15 and bisects sole structure 10. A medial edge 17 and a lateral edge 18 extend from front edge 14 to back edge 15 along the medial and lateral sides of sole structure 10, respectively. Additionally, longitudinal centerline 16 defines a medial side 17a and a lateral side 18a.
With respect to upper 20 and for purposes of reference, upper 20 may include an ankle opening that provides the foot with access to the void within upper 20. As is conventional, upper 20 may also include a vamp area having a throat and a closure mechanism. The closure mechanism may include a lace 25. Other closure or size adjustment mechanisms may be utilized in a conventional manner to modify the dimensions of upper 20 relative the foot, thereby adjusting the fit of footwear 100.
Sole structure 10 is secured to a lower surface of upper 20 and has a structure that includes an outsole 30. Outsole 30 may be formed of a wear-resistant material, such as natural or synthetic rubber or a combination thereof. One particular composite rubber mixture may include approximately 75% natural rubber and 25% synthetic rubber. The synthetic rubber could include a styrene-butadiene rubber. Other suitable polymeric materials for outsole 30 include plastics, such as PEBAX® (a poly-ether-block co-polyamide polymer available from Atofina Corporation of Puteaux, France), silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylvinylacetate, and styrene ethylbutylene styrene, etc. The material of outsole 30 may also include fillers or other components to tailor its wear, durability, abrasion-resistance, compressibility, stiffness and/or strength properties. Thus, for example, outsole 30 may include reinforcing fibers, such as carbon fibers, glass fibers, graphite fibers, aramid fibers, basalt fibers, etc. Multiple different materials may be used to form outsole 30. The material forming outsole 30 may be textured to impart enhanced traction and slip resistance. Further, outsole 30 may include coatings to enhance traction and slip resistance.
Referring to
Footwear 100 may also include a sockliner 22, which is generally a thin, compressible member that is located within the void in upper 20 and adjacent to a lower surface of the foot to enhance the comfort of footwear 100.
As seen in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Further, outsole 30 may include more than one slot. Thus, as shown in
In another embodiment, as shown in
Slot 50 may be linear, curvilinear, or composed of a combination of either linear or curvilinear segments. In one embodiment, the slot depth is greater than 60% of the thickness of the bottom layer of outsole 30. The greater the slot depth, the more flexible the sole. In other embodiments, the depth of the slot could be greater than 70% of the thickness of outsole 30, preferably greater than 80%, more preferably greater than 90%, and even more preferably a depth of 100% (i.e. a through thickness slot). Moreover, slot 50 need not have a constant depth.
Because of the inward cupping of the outsole, it may be desirable to control the width of the slot in the outsole to within a certain range. If the width is too small, it would interfere with the cupping action (i.e. the edges of the slot might pinch against one another and inhibit complete cupping). If, on the other hand, the width is too large, the slot might catch on the board or other edges as the foot moves and slides along the board during use. In such case, the thickness of the slot is preferably designed to prevent or minimize interference between the two sides of the slot during the cupping action and also to prevent or minimize the edges of the slots from catching on the skateboard or other surfaces. In one embodiment, the slot width is approximately 7 mm. In other embodiments, the width of the slot could range from approximately 4 mm to approximately 10 mm, preferably from slot 4 mm to approximately 8 mm, and more preferably from approximately 6 mm to approximately 7 mm. Further, slot 50 need not have a constant width. It may be particularly desirable to control the width of the slot when the slot extends through the thickness of outsole 30 and particularly when the slot extends through the thickness in the forefoot region.
According to another aspect of the invention as shown in
Another aspect of the footwear relates to the upper. The upper, or a portion of the upper, may be made from a material capable of “gripping” the board. This “gripping” capability may be particularly desirable on the lateral forefoot side of the shoe. In one embodiment, enhanced gripping may be achieved by providing a relatively soft durometer rubber (or like material) on the upper. In another embodiment, enhanced gripping may be achieved by providing a textured surface.
Thus, referring back to
Further, with respect to another aspect of the invention, at least a portion of the outsole may be provided with a grip enhancing component. The grip enhancing component may provide improved gripping properties as the foot moves and rolls along the board, while the base portion of the outsole may provide long term durability and wear resistance. Further, the grip enhancing component may allow a larger area of the edge to maintain contact with the board as the foot moves and rolls along the board.
Thus, with respect to this aspect of the invention and referring to
In even another aspect of the invention, the article of footwear may be laced. The laces may include reinforcing fibers. Further, the lace aglets may include fibers or whiskers.
Thus, according to this aspect and referring to
While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth above. Thus, for example, a wide variety of materials, having various properties, i.e., flexibility, hardness, durability, etc., may be used without departing from the invention. All examples, whether preceded by “for example,” “such as,” “including, or other itemizing terms or followed by “etc.,” are meant to be non-limiting examples, unless otherwise stated or obvious from the context of the specification.
Claims
1. A sole for an article of footwear, the article of footwear having a lateral edge, a medial edge, a forefoot region, a midfoot region and a heel region, the sole comprising:
- an outsole having a thickness, with a longitudinal centerline defined midway between the lateral edge and the medial edge; and
- at least one slot in the outsole,
- wherein the slot extends in a substantially longitudinal direction, and
- wherein the slot crosses over the longitudinal centerline in at least one of the forefoot region and the midfoot region.
2. The sole of claim 1, wherein the slot crosses the centerline in the forefoot region.
3. The sole of claim 1, wherein the slot crosses the centerline in a toe portion of the forefoot region.
4. The sole of claim 1, wherein the slot extends over more than approximately 50 percent of a longitudinal length of the forefoot region.
5. The sole of claim 1, wherein the slot extends over more than approximately 60 percent of a longitudinal length of the forefoot region.
6. The sole of claim 1, wherein the slot extends over more than approximately 70 percent of a longitudinal length of the forefoot region.
7. The sole of claim 1, wherein the slot further extends into the midfoot region.
8. The sole of claim 7, wherein an end of the slot is located in the toe portion.
9. The sole of claim 1, wherein the slot crosses the centerline in the midfoot region.
10. The sole of claim 3, wherein an end of the slot is located in the heel region.
11. The sole of claim 1, wherein the outsole is a cup sole.
12. The sole of claim 1, wherein the outsole includes a material having a Shore A hardness in a range of approximately 60 to approximately 75.
13. The sole of claim 1, wherein, in the forefoot region, at least a portion of the slot has a depth that extends at least 90 percent through the thickness of the outsole.
14. The sole of claim 1, wherein, in the forefoot region, at least a portion of the slot has a depth that extends 100 percent through the thickness of the outsole.
15. The sole of claim 10, wherein, in the forefoot region, at least a portion of the slot has a width that ranges from approximately 4 mm to approximately 10 mm.
16. The sole of claim 10, wherein, in the forefoot region, at least a portion of the slot has a width that ranges from approximately 6 mm to approximately 7 mm.
17. The sole of claim 1, wherein, in the forefoot region, the slot defines a concave curve relative to the medial edge.
18. The sole of claim 1, further comprising:
- a midsole attached to the outsole,
- wherein the midsole includes a groove that at least partially complements the slot in the outsole.
19. An article of footwear comprising:
- the sole according to claim 1; and
- an upper attached to the sole.
20. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the slot crosses the centerline in the forefoot region.
21. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the slot crosses the centerline in a toe portion of the forefoot region.
22. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the slot extends over more than approximately 50 percent of a longitudinal length of the forefoot region.
23. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the slot extends over more than approximately 70 percent of a longitudinal length of the forefoot region.
24. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the slot further extends into the midfoot region.
25. The article of footwear of claim 24, wherein an end of the slot is located in the toe portion.
26. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the slot crosses the centerline in the midfoot region.
27. The article of footwear of claim 26, wherein an end of the slot is located in the heel region.
28. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the outsole is a cup sole.
29. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein, in the forefoot region, at least a portion of the slot has a depth that extends 100 percent through the thickness of the outsole.
30. The article of footwear of claim 29, wherein, in the forefoot region, at least a portion of the slot has a width that ranges from approximately 4 mm to approximately 10 mm.
31. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the outsole includes a material having a Shore A hardness within a range of approximately 60 to approximately 75.
32. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the upper includes a portion in the forefoot region having a Shore A hardness of approximately 60 to approximately 75.
33. A sole for an article of footwear, comprising:
- an outsole having a toe portion, a ball portion and a midfoot region, the outsole further having a medial side and a lateral side; and
- a slot located in the outsole, the slot having a first end, a second end and an elongate portion therebetween,
- wherein the first end of the slot is located on the medial side in the toe portion,
- wherein at least a section of the elongate portion of the slot is located on the lateral side of the ball portion, and
- wherein at least another section of the elongate portion of the slot is located in the medial side in the midfoot region.
34. The sole of claim 33, wherein at least a portion of the slot extends through the thickness of the outsole.
35. The sole of claim 33, further comprising:
- a midsole having a groove that has at least portions that generally correspond to the slot.
36. A lace for an article of footwear comprising:
- aramid fibers.
37. The lace of claim 36, having approximately 1 percent to approximately 30 percent by weight of aramid fibers.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 20, 2008
Publication Date: Dec 24, 2009
Inventor: James K. Arizumi (Portland, OR)
Application Number: 12/143,155
International Classification: A43B 13/18 (20060101); A43B 13/00 (20060101); A43C 11/00 (20060101);