Abstract:
A cleated shoe is presented which provides cushion support and lateral stability in a lightweight construction. The shoe includes a lower and an upper. The lower may include a primary midsole, cushion elements, and an outsole. A cleat may be connected to the outsole. At least one cushion may be located between the primary midsole and outsole. Various embodiments of cushions are presented and may be consistent with specific types of shoes associated with various types of activities such as football, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, or golf. The lower may be consistent with approaches to remediate a wearer&#39;s pronation or supination.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to footwear having an upper and a lower, more specifically to a cushion structure integrated as part of a cleat included in the lower. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The modern shoe is a system of various parts, all contributing an important part to the performance of the athlete and to the support, comfort, and protection of the athlete&#39;s foot. There are specialized shoes designed for athletes in very different activities from: football, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, and golf. Each of these activities require a special blend of performance specifically tied to weight, traction, support, comfort, and protection. Shoes may also be customized for the user&#39;s physical characteristics such as the user&#39;s weight, shoe size and gait (i.e. pronated, supinated, neutral). Specifically, the weight, cushioning, and lateral stability characteristics of a shoe can be a strong determinant of performance because they may directly impact an athlete&#39;s speed, endurance, and sure-footing. 
     There have been previous attempts to create shoe cleats to improve shock absorption, stability, and traction. Yet these efforts have produced overly stiff shoes, shoes with inadequate lateral stability, or unnecessarily heavy shoes not meeting the requirements of serious athletes and active athletic participants. 
     Although foregoing efforts have been met with varying degrees of success, there remains an unresolved need for cleated athletic footwear with improved shock absorption, lateral stability, and low weight. The problem is that the previous shoe technology does not provide the level of shock absorption required by the wearer for demanding applications without an unacceptable stiff sole, heavier weight, or high center of gravity. There are additional issues to consider such as the shoe&#39;s flexing characteristics as shock absorbing materials are used that might compromise measures to control pronation or other undesirable walking or running characteristics of the wearer. 
     SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the present invention is to address and resolve the above-noted limitations with conventional footwear wherein the integration of shock absorption elements unsatisfactorily compromises lateral stability, increases the weight, or increases the thickness of the midsole. 
     In a first aspect, the present invention may include a lower adapted to attached to an upper. The lower may include a primary midsole, an outsole, a cushion, and a cleat. The primary midsole may be sized to be the full length of the wearer&#39;s foot. The outsole may be attached to the bottom of primary midsole. The cleat may be connected to the outsole. The cushion may be made of a flexible planar material and attached to the bottom surface of the primary midsole and disposed between the primary midsole and the outsole. The cushion may be located only above the cleat. There may be open space between the primary midsole and the outsole to allow the cushion edges to expand when under compression forces. The components may be attached together using cement glue or a general epoxy adhesive. 
     In a second aspect, the lower may include a primary midsole, an outsole, a cushion, a cleat, and a disk cylinder. The outsole may be attached to one or more cleats. Each cleat may be attached to the outsole at a hollow raised protrusion. The hollow raised protrusion may have opening at the bottom surface and may include a disk cylinder. The disk cylinder may be located inside the hollow raised protrusion and provide an interface to attach the cleat to the outsole through the opening in the outsole. The interface may be an interference or a threaded mechanical interface to attach the cleat to the outsole. The cushion may be made of a flexible planar material and attached to the bottom surface of the primary midsole and disposed between the primary midsole and the cleat. The cushion may contact a top surface of the disk cylinder and/or a perimeter of the hollow raised protrusion. There may be open space between the primary midsole and the outsole to allow the cushion edges to expand when under compression forces. The components may be attached together using cement glue or a general epoxy adhesive. 
     In a third aspect, there may be more than one cleat attached to the outsole. Adjacent hollow raised protrusion may be associated with adjacent cleats may be connected by an outsole bridge that may contact the ground. The outsole bridge may provide extra support for the adjacent cleats as they come under stress during activity. Further, the outsole bridge may provide additional forward traction as the bridge established contact with the ground. The outsole bridge may include spikes to enable the bridge to more easily penetrate the ground and thereby provide more traction. 
     In a fourth aspect, the lower may include a primary midsole, a cushion, and an outsole, wherein a cleat is integrated in the outsole. The cushion may be made of a flexible planar material and attached to the bottom surface of the primary midsole and disposed between the primary midsole and the outsole. The cushion may be located only above the cleat. 
     As should be apparent, the invention can provide a number of advantageous features and benefits. It is to be understood that, in practicing the invention, an embodiment can be constructed to include one or more features or benefits of embodiments disclosed herein, but not others. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the preferred embodiments discussed herein are provided as examples and are not to be construed as limiting, particularly since embodiments can be formed to practice the invention that do not include each of the features of the disclosed examples. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood from reading the description which follows and from examining the accompanying figures. These are provided solely as non-limiting examples of the invention. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the bottom; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a lower as part of a shoe upon the ground according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a primary midsole according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the top and medial side; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an outsole according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the bottom and medial side; 
         FIG. 6A  illustrates a schematic of a hollow raised protrusion on the outsole according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the medial side; 
         FIG. 6B  illustrates a schematic of the hollow raised protrusion on the outsole according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the top side; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an exploded schematic of a cleat assembly of the first embodiment as viewed from the medial side; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a schematic of a tightened cleat assembly of the first embodiment as viewed from the medial side; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a cushion according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the top and medial side; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a schematic of a disk cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the medial side; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an exploded schematic of a cleat assembly of the second embodiment as viewed from the medial side; 
         FIG. 12A  illustrates a schematic of a solid raised protrusion on the outsole according to the second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the medial side; 
         FIG. 12B  illustrates a schematic of the hollow raised protrusion on the outsole according to the second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the top side; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a schematic of a tightened cleat assembly of the second embodiment as viewed from the medial side; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a schematic of a cleat assembly of the third embodiment as viewed from the medial side; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates the shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the bottom; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates an outsole according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the bottom and medial side; and 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a schematic of a cleat assembly of the fourth embodiment as viewed from the rear and medial side. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference characters will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a left cleated athletic shoe  1  consistent with the present invention showing an opening  9  where the wearer&#39;s foot may be inserted or withdrawn from the shoe. The shoe  1  includes both an upper  2  and a lower  3 .  FIG. 2  illustrates the shoe  1  from the bottom showing the lateral  4 , medial  5 , front  6 , and back  7  sides of the shoe  1 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a left cleated athletic shoe  1  resting on the ground  8  consistent with the present invention showing the upper  21  and lower  20  of the shoe. A three dimensional axis shows X and Y directions as horizontal directions with respect to the ground and Z as a vertical direction. 
     The opening  9  may be loosened or tightened upon a portion of the wearer&#39;s foot using a variety of closures including laces, buckles, hook-and-loop fasteners, and other means. An upper  21  consistent with this disclosure may also be an assembly that merely serves the purpose of attaching the lower to the sole of the foot for a desired time period. The upper  21  may be made of various materials to optimize shoe performance in certain conditions such as leather, canvas, or synthetic materials such as plastic, artificial suede, synthetic leather, nylon weave, nylon mesh, or the like. The components of the upper  21  may be attached using stitching or an adhesive, such as cement glue. 
     The lower  20  may include a footbed, a midsole, and an outsole. In one embodiment the footbed may include a full length insole made of a structural member, such as cardboard, to provide stability in a construction that is known as “board lasting.” 
     Another embodiment, called “slip lasting” replaces the structural member with a cloth structure to maximize flexibility for the shoe to twist. A further embodiment provides may be a “combination last” where the front of the shoe may be slip lasted and the back may be board lasted. Another embodiment may be a construction without the cloth structure as part of the footbed and the upper may be attached to the midsole by sewing or adhesive. The footbed may be the structural foundation of the shoe wherein the upper may be attached to the footbed with the wearer&#39;s foot between a portion of the upper and the insole. A removable sock liner may be used to provide an interface between the wearer&#39;s foot and the top of the footbed structure. 
     The outsole may be attached to the footbed via the midsole. The outsole provides the contact surface between the shoe and the ground. The outsole may contain a thermoplastic elastomer, a flexible polyether, a rigid polyamide, and the like. An assortment of other materials and pigments may also be used to produce different textures and colors for the outsole. 
       FIG. 4  shows a primary midsole  30  consistent with the first embodiment of the present invention. The primary midsole  30  may comprise a top midsole surface  31 , a bottom midsole surface  32  and a midsole periphery edge  33 . The primary midsole  30  may also have built-in arch support. At the bottom of the primary midsole  30  there may be a sunken surface  40 . The primary midsole  30  may be made from ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyurethane, compounds having EVA and rubber, polyether urethane, polyester urethane, ethylenevinylacetate/-polyethylene copolymer, polyester elastomer, nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene, polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene (SBR), carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR), and the like. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an outsole  60  consistent with embodiments of the invention. The outsole  60  may include a hollow raised protrusion  70  where a cleat  50  may be attached. The outsole  60  may include a top outsole surface  61  and a bottom outsole surface  62 .  FIG. 2  illustrates that the outsole may have grooves  63  orientated length-wise relative the shoe  1  to improve stiffness. The outsole  60  may also include length-wise grooves  64  in the front of the outsole  60  to stiffen the outsole  60 . The grooves  64  may provide additional traction for the wearer. The outsole  60  may be made of polyurethane material, thermoplastic urethane, or the like. 
       FIG. 6A  illustrates a close-up of the hollow raised protrusion  70  from the medial side  5  consistent with the first embodiment of the invention. The outsole  60  is formed with a hollow protrusion  70  that includes a bottom raised surface  71 , an outsole inner bore  72 , and an outsole opening  73 . As shown in  FIG. 6B  the hollow raised portion  70  has a primary perimeter  74 . The hollow raised protrusion  70  may be made of the same material or a different material as to the rest of the outsole  60 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a schematic close-up of the cleat assembly according to the first embodiment. In exploded view the following components are illustrated: the primary midsole  30 , a cushion  90 , a disk cylinder  80 , the outsole  60 , and the cleat  50 .  FIG. 8  illustrates the components fully assembled. 
       FIG. 9  shows a cushion  90  consistent with this embodiment. The cushion may be made from a flexible material having opposing sides  91 ,  92  (top, bottom) that are parallel or substantially parallel. These cushions may be manufactured using an injection molding process or in sheets to be cut or stamped to the desired final shapes. The shape may be designed to easily contact an interface surface on another footwear component and/or to allow optimal expansion to meet the cushioning objectives of the footwear. The shape of the cushions may be curvilinear or not. These cushions may be attached to other components using adhesive and/or attached via an interference fit. 
     The top surface  91  of the cushion  90  interfaces respectively with a sunken midsole area  40  on the primary midsole  30  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The cushion  90  may be attached to the sunken midsole area  40  via cement glue, epoxy-based adhesive, or the like. The cushion  90  may be made of polymer gel, polyurethane gel, silicone rubber, blown rubber, polyurethane foam, or the like. 
     The cleat  50  is shown in the schematic version in  FIG. 7  consistent with the first embodiment. It may include a bottom cleat surface  51  designed to contact the ground  8 . It may have a top cleat surface  52  and threaded protrusion  53  to assist in attachment to the outsole  60 . The cleat may be various shapes, including a shape having circular cross section as viewed from the bottom  3 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the cleat  50  may be attached to the outsole  60  via a disk cylinder  80 . The disk cylinder  80  may include a support disk  81  having a top surface  84 . The support disk  81  may be circular in cross section and may also include a hollow cylindrical body  82  which includes a threaded internal bore  83  as shown in schematic in  FIG. 10 . The disk cylinder  80  may be attached to the top outsole surface  61  by inserting the hollow cylindrical body  82  into the outsole inner bore  72  so that the threaded internal bore  83  is accessible from the bottom outsole surface  62 . The cleat  50  then may be attached to the outsole by inserting the threaded cleat protrusion  53  into the outsole opening  73  and threading the threaded cleat protrusion  53  into the threaded internal bore  83  of the disk cylinder  80  until the top cleat surface  52  may be tightly contacting the bottom raised surface  71  of the hollow raised protrusion  70 . The top cleat surface  52  and the bottom raised surface  71  may include means to prevent unwanted loosening during use. 
     The primary midsole  30  may be attached to the outsole  60  so that the hollow raised portion  70  is positioned under the cushion  90 , when the cushion  90  is disposed within the sunken midsole area  40  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The sunken midsole area  40  may be sized larger than the cushion  90  to allow for the cushion  90  to expand unobstructed into an empty space  94  when the cushion is compressed by the top surface  81  of the disk cylinder  80 . 
     A second embodiment of a cleat assembly may be shown by  FIG. 11  in exploded view. The second embodiment may include a primary midsole  30  having a sunken surface  40 , a cushion  90 , an outsole  260 , and a cleat  50 . 
     The outsole  260  consistent with the second embodiment may include solid raised protrusions  270  where a cleat  50  may be attached. The outsole  260  may include a top outsole surface  261  and a bottom outsole surface  262 , as well as grooves  63 ,  64  (not shown) to improve stiffness. The outsole  260  may be made of polyurethane material, thermoplastic urethane, or the like. 
       FIG. 12A  illustrates a close-up of the solid raised protrusion  270  from the medial side  5  consistent with the second embodiment of the invention. The outsole  260  is formed with a solid protrusion  270  having a bottom raised surface  271 , an outsole inner bore  272 , and an outsole opening  273 . The solid raised protrusion may be made of the same material or a different material as to the rest of the outsole  260  and may include a disk cylinder  280  integrated as part of the solid raised protrusion  270 . The disk cylinder  280  includes a support disk  281  attached to a hollow cylindrical body  282 . The hollow cylindrical body may include a threaded internal bore  283 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , the cleat  50  may be attached to the outsole  260  by inserting the threaded cleat protrusion  53  into the outsole opening  273  and threading the threaded cleat protrusion  53  into the threaded internal bore  283  of the disk cylinder  280  until the top cleat surface  52  may be tightly contacting the bottom raised surface  271  of the solid raised protrusion  270 . The top cleat surface  52  and the bottom raised surface  271  may include means to prevent unwanted loosening during use. 
     The primary midsole  30  may be attached to the outsole  260  so that the solid raised protrusion  270  may be positioned under the cushion  90 , when the cushion  90  is disposed within the sunken midsole area  40  as shown in  FIG. 13 . The sunken midsole area  40  may be sized larger than the cushion  90  to allow for the cushion  90  to expand unobstructed into an empty space  94  when the cushion is compressed by the top surface of the solid raised protrusion  270 . 
     A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 14 , may include a primary midsole  30  having a sunken surface  40 , a cushion  90 , an outsole  160 , and a cleat  150 . 
     The cleat  150  may be molded to the outsole  160 . The cleat  150  may include a bottom cleat surface  151 . The primary midsole  30  may be attached to the outsole  160  so that the cleat  150  may be positioned under the cushion, when the cushion  90  is disposed within the sunken midsole area  40  as shown in  FIG. 14 . The sunken midsole area  40  may be sized larger than the cushion  90  to allow for the cushion  90  to expand unobstructed into an empty space  94  when the cushion is compressed by the top surface  161  of the outsole  160 . The cushion  90  may be located only above the cleat  150 . 
       FIG. 15  illustrates a fourth embodiment of the present invention shown from the bottom, showing the lateral  4 , medial  5 , front  6 , and back  7  sides of the shoe  1 . A protrusion  364  disposed towards the back side of the shoe may provide additional traction for the wearer. Protrusions  365  disposed closer to the medial side of the shoe and arranged in a helical manner may provide additional traction for the wearer 
       FIG. 16  illustrates an outsole  360  consistent with the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The outsole may have a top outsole surface  361  and a bottom outsole surface  362 . The outsole  360  may include a raised portion  370 . The raised portion may be made of polyurethane material, thermoplastic urethane, or the like. A blade-like cleat  350  may be integrated with the raised portion  370 . The blade-like cleat  350  may be a single piece with a base portion  352  and an extending portion  353 . The base portion  352  and the extending portion  353  may be substantially perpendicular to each other. The base portion  352  may be completely integrated with the raised portion  370  while the extending portion  353  protrudes through a bottom surface  371  of the raised portion  370 . The extending portion  353  may include a bottom cleat surface  351  designed to contact the ground. The blade-like cleat  350  may include metal. 
     The primary midsole  30  may be attached to the outsole  360  so that the raised portion  370  may be positioned under the cushion  90 , when the cushion  90  is disposed within the sunken midsole area  40  as shown in  FIG. 17 . The sunken midsole area  40  may be sized larger than the cushion  90  to allow for the cushion  90  to expand unobstructed into an empty space  94  when the cushion is compressed by the top surface of the raised portion  370 . 
     All embodiments of the shoe  1  are intended to be used by the wearer in a similar way. The wearer inserts the foot into the upper opening  9 . The wearer fastens the upper  21 , as needed, to the foot so that there is a comfortable fit and the foot is disposed between the upper  21  and the lower  20 . The wearer may engage in whatever activity desired so that the bottom cleat surface may have a set of impacts with the ground  8 . The set of impacts cause a set of forces to be applied to the cleat that are partially dampened by the cushion  90  and further dampened by the primary midsole  30 . The dampened set of forces may provide a safer and less tiring experience to the wearer than without damping, particularly as the user travels on a hard surface that do not allow the cleat to penetrate soft ground  8 . Further, during the activity the wearer may run side-to-side with quick cuts and the side-to-side forces subsequently created and applied to the outsole  70  may be dampened by the cushion  90  and further dampened by the primary midsole  30 . The softness of material used for the cushion  90  allow a much thinner lower to be created and with less weight than if the entire lower were to be manufactured using traditional approaches. When the activity has been completed the wearer merely unfastens the upper  21  as needed and removes the foot from the opening  9 . 
     Further, it should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiments of the invention are not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described above. While this invention has been described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations and/or improvements, whether known or that are, or may be, presently unforeseen, may become apparent. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention, as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. The various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the systems and methods according to exemplary embodiments of this invention are intended to embrace all now known or later-developed alternatives, modifications, variations and/or improvements.