Patent ID: 8671589
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: A43B

Abstract:
1. A shoe, comprising: an upper; a sole secured to the upper; and a plurality of protrusions projecting from both a bottom surface of the sole and from a lateral side surface of the sole, the plurality of protrusions located at least in a heel region of the shoe and a forefoot region of the shoe, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions are arranged to extend along the sole in a substantially transverse direction, wherein one or more of the plurality of protrusions located in the forefoot region of the shoe are designed to be angled rearwardly towards the heel region of the shoe such that the protrusions located in the forefoot region are bent rearwardly towards the heel region to absorb a load as the protrusions located in the forefoot region contact a ground surface, wherein one or more of the plurality of protrusions located in the heel region of the shoe are designed to be angled forwardly towards the forefoot region of the shoe such that the protrusions in the heel region are bent forwardly towards the forefoot region to absorb a load as the protrusions located in the heel region contact a ground surface, wherein at least one single continuous protrusion located in the heel region extends at least substantially an entire width of the sole from a lateral edge of the sole to a medial edge of the sole, wherein at least one protrusion located in the forefoot region extends from one of the lateral edge and the medial edge only partially across the width of the sole, wherein one or more of the plurality of protrusions include a first side surface and a second side surface substantially parallel to the first side surface, wherein the protrusions are designed such that a plane formed by a portion of the sole formed in gaps between adjacent protrusions is substantially parallel to a plane formed by a ground engaging surface of an adjacent protrusion, wherein the heel region and the forefoot region are separated by an arch region containing protrusions that intersect each other to overlap and form a crosshatching pattern, and wherein at least one of the protrusions in the arch region continuously extends at least substantially an entire width of the sole from a lateral edge of the sole to a medial edge of the sole.