Patent ID: 9009992
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: A43B,A43C

Abstract:
1. An article of footwear, comprising: an upper including a forefoot portion, a heel portion and a midfoot portion disposed between the forefoot portion and the heel portion; a ball contacting member disposed on the upper of the article of footwear, the ball contacting member extending through a substantial majority of a vamp portion of the article, and including a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion being closer to the heel portion of the upper than the first end portion; wherein the ball contacting member, when viewed in a longitudinal cross section of the article of footwear taken through a lateral midline of the article of footwear, increases in thickness from the first end portion to the second end portion; wherein the ball contacting member includes an interior portion extending between an upper surface of the ball contacting member and an exterior surface of the upper and wherein the interior portion comprises a substantially continuous material from the exterior surface of the upper to the upper surface of the ball contacting member; wherein, when viewed in the longitudinal cross section of the article of footwear taken through the lateral midline of the article of footwear, the upper surface of the ball contacting member has a concave shape with a radius of curvature approximately equal to a curvature of a ball that the article of footwear is intended to contact; a first set of gripping members disposed on the upper surface of the ball contacting member and a second set of gripping members disposed on a toe portion of the upper; and wherein, when viewed in the longitudinal cross section of the article of footwear taken through the lateral midline of the article of footwear, the first set of gripping members is aligned with the second set of gripping members along the radius of curvature of the ball contacting member.