Patent Publication Number: US-8528234-B2

Title: Article of footwear with thong portion including grooves

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates generally to an article of footwear, and in particular to an article of footwear with a thong portion including grooves. 
     Meltzer (U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,191) teaches an article of footwear that includes a toe thong that is composed of a tube of woven fabric that is enveloped around a coil spring which extends coaxially through the tube. The spring is attached at its upper hooked end to an attachment loop that is located on the underside of an ornamental button. The upper end of the tube is pushed up to the concealed hooked end. The tube and the spring pass through an opening in the inner sole where an anchoring means penetrates the tube and engages a loop at the lower end of the spring in the outer sole. The tube is adhesively secured to the button and the outer sole. In another embodiment, the thong is connected to and extends through a portion of an upper. Meltzer teaches that the woven fabric of the tube is elastic so that the tube is stretchable in a longitudinal direction for a limited extent to assure a proper fit for different foot and toe sizes. 
     The related art requires a toe thong including multiple pieces, which can increase manufacturing costs and reduce manufacturing efficiency. There is a need for articles that address the limitations of the related art. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the invention provides an article of footwear, comprising: a sole; a thong portion configured to be received between two toes of a foot; the thong portion including a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion; the first end portion associated with a portion of the sole; the second end portion associated with a strap, the strap wrapping around a portion of the foot; and where the intermediate portion includes a groove. 
     In another aspect, the invention provides an article of footwear, comprising: a sole; a thong portion including a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion; the first end portion associated with a first portion of the sole; the second end portion associated with a strap, the strap wrapping around a portion of a foot; the thong portion comprising a substantially monolithic portion including a first portion and a second portion; and where the first portion is configured to provide more grip with a portion of the foot than the second portion. 
     In another aspect, the invention provides an article of footwear, comprising: a sole; a thong portion including a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion; the first end portion associated with a first portion of the sole; the second end portion associated with a strap, the strap wrapping around a portion of a foot; the intermediate portion comprising a first groove and a second groove; and where a first depth of the first groove is different from a second depth of the second groove. 
     Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description and this summary, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwear; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of an embodiment of a thong portion of an article of footwear; 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwear receiving a foot; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of an embodiment of a thong portion of an article of footwear with a stepped groove configuration; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of an embodiment of a thong portion of an article of footwear with an irregular groove configuration; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of an embodiment of a thong portion of an article of footwear with a shallow groove configuration; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of an embodiment of a thong portion of an article of footwear with a deep groove configuration; 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwear; 
         FIG. 9  is an isometric view of a thong portion with grooves having semi-circular shapes; 
         FIG. 10  is an isometric view of a thong portion with grooves having crescent-like shapes; 
         FIG. 11  is an isometric view of a thong portion with grooves disposed on side portions of the thong portion; 
         FIG. 12  is an isometric view of a thong portion with grooves disposed on side portions of the thong portion; and 
         FIG. 13  is an isometric view of a thong portion including a reinforcing portion. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a view of an exemplary embodiment of article of footwear  100 . For clarity, the following detailed description discusses an exemplary embodiment, in the form of a sandal or flip-flop, but it should be noted that the present invention could take the form of any article of footwear including, but not limited to: hiking boots, soccer shoes, football shoes, sneakers, rugby shoes, basketball shoes, baseball shoes as well as other kinds of shoes. As shown in  FIG. 1 , article of footwear  100 , also referred to simply as article  100 , is intended to be used with a left foot; however, it should be understood that the following discussion may equally apply to a mirror image of article of footwear  100  that is intended for use with a right foot. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , for purposes of reference, article  100  may be divided into forefoot portion  10 , midfoot portion  12  and heel portion  14 . Forefoot portion  10  may be generally associated with the toes and joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. Midfoot portion  12  may be generally associated with the arch of a foot. Likewise, heel portion  14  may be generally associated with the heel of a foot, including the calcaneus bone. In addition, article  100  may include lateral side  16  and medial side  18 . In particular, lateral side  16  and medial side  18  may be opposing sides of article  100 . Furthermore, both lateral side  16  and medial side  18  may extend through forefoot portion  10 , midfoot portion  12  and heel portion  14 . 
     It will be understood that forefoot portion  10 , midfoot portion  12  and heel portion  14  are only intended for purposes of description and are not intended to demarcate precise regions of article  100 . Likewise, lateral side  16  and medial side  18  are intended to represent generally two sides of an article, rather than precisely demarcating article  100  into two halves. In addition, forefoot portion  10 , midfoot portion  12  and heel portion  14 , as well as lateral side  16  and medial side  18 , can also be applied to individual components of an article, such as a sole structure and/or an upper. 
     For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives are employed throughout this detailed description corresponding to the illustrated embodiments. The term “longitudinal” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims refers to a direction extending a length of an article. In some cases, the longitudinal direction may extend from a forefoot portion to a heel portion of the article. Also, the term “lateral” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims refers to a direction extending a width of an article. In other words, the lateral direction may extend between a medial side and a lateral side of an article. Furthermore, the term “vertical” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims refers to a direction generally perpendicular to a lateral and longitudinal direction. For example, in cases where an article is planted flat on a ground surface, the vertical direction may extend from the ground surface upward. It will be understood that each of these directional adjectives may be applied to individual components of an article, such as an upper and/or a sole structure. 
     Article  100  can include sole structure  110 . In some embodiments, sole structure  110  may be configured to provide traction for article  100 . In addition to providing traction, sole structure  110  may attenuate ground reaction forces when compressed between the foot and the ground during walking, running or other ambulatory activities. The configuration of sole structure  110  may vary significantly in different embodiments to include a variety of conventional or non-conventional structures. In some cases, the configuration of sole structure  110  can be configured according to one or more types of ground surfaces on which sole structure  110  may be used. Examples of ground surfaces include, but are not limited to: natural turf, synthetic turf, dirt, as well as other surfaces. 
     Sole structure  110  extends between the foot and the ground when article  100  is worn. In different embodiments, sole structure  110  may include different components. For example, sole structure  110  may include an outsole, a midsole, and/or an insole. In some cases, one or more of these components may be optional. Although the exemplary embodiment does not include an upper, in other embodiments article  100  could include an upper. 
     Sole  110  can include upper portion  112  that is configured to receive a foot. In some cases, upper portion  112  can include provisions for increasing grip with a foot. In the exemplary embodiment, for example, upper portion  112  can comprise a ribbed surface that helps increase grip on a bottom surface of a foot. In other cases, other provisions for increasing grip with a foot can be used including, but not limited to: nubs, grooves, as well as any other provisions. Still further, in some cases, upper portion  112  can comprise a material with a high coefficient of friction. 
     In some embodiments, article  100  can include provisions for securing a foot to sole structure  110 . In some cases, article  100  can include one or more straps that may wrap around a portion of a foot. In one embodiment, article  100  can include first strap  120  and second strap  122 . First strap  120  may include first end portion  131  that is attached to lateral side  16  of sole structure  110 . Second strap  122  may include first end portion  141  that is attached to medial side  18  of sole structure  110 . Furthermore, in some cases, first end portion  131  of first strap  120  and first end portion  141  of second strap  122  may be attached to sole structure  110  at heel portion  14 . 
     In some embodiments, first strap  120  and second strap  122  may comprise two distinct straps. In other embodiments, however, first strap  120  and second strap  122  may comprise different portions of a single strap. For example, in one embodiment, first end portion  131  of first strap  120  and first end portion  141  of second strap  122  may be attached through sole structure  110 . 
     In addition, while two straps are illustrated in the current embodiment, other embodiments could include additional straps or provisions for securing sole structure  110  to a foot. In another embodiment, for example, article  100  could include a heel strap that extends across a heel of a foot. In still other embodiments, additional straps could be provided in forefoot portion  10  and/or midfoot portion  12  for securing a foot to sole structure  110 . 
     Article  100  can include provisions for attaching first strap  120  and second strap  122  to forefoot portion  10  of sole structure  110 . In some embodiments, article  100  can include a thong portion that is configured to extend between forefoot portion  10  of sole structure  110  and portions of first strap  120  and second strap  122 . In other embodiments, first strap  120  and second strap  122  may be directly attached to forefoot portion  10 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment, article  100  may include thong portion  200 . Thong portion  200  can include first end portion  202  and second end portion  204 . In addition, thong portion  200  can include intermediate portion  206  that is disposed between first end portion  202  and second end portion  204 . In some cases, first end portion  202  may be configured to attach to second end portion  132  of first strap  120  as well as second end portion  142  of second strap  122 . Second end portion  204  of thong portion  200  may be attached to sole structure  110 . With this arrangement, thong portion  200  can help to connect first strap  120  and second strap  122  with sole structure  110 . 
     Thong portion  200  can be attached to sole structure  110  in any manner. In some cases, second end portion  204  may be inserted through aperture  150  in upper portion  112 . Also, second end portion  204  can be associated with an anchor portion or engaging portion that is larger than aperture  150  and so prevents second end portion  204  from pulling out of aperture  150 . In other cases, second end portion  204  can be fastened to sole structure  110  in any other manner, including, but not limited to: gluing, stitching, as well as any other method of fastening. In still other cases, second end portion  204  can be integrally formed with a portion of sole structure  110 . 
     Thong portion  200  can be attached to first strap  120  and/or second strap  122  in any manner. In some cases, first end portion  202  may be attached to second end portion  132  of first strap  120  and/or second end portion  142  of second strap  122  using an adhesive. In other cases, first end portion  202  may be integrally formed with a portion of first strap  120  and/or second strap  122 . In still other cases, first end portion  202  can be stitched to second end portion  132  and/or second end portion  142 . 
     In some embodiments, thong portion  200  can be configured to insert between two adjacent toes of a foot. For example, in one embodiment, thong portion  200  may be attached to a portion of sole structure  110  so that thong portion  200  is inserted between the hallux (big toe) and the index toe of the foot. In another embodiment, thong portion  200  could be inserted between other adjacent toes of a foot. In other cases, thong portion  200  could be inserted between the index toe and the middle toe. In still other cases, thong portion  200  could be inserted between the middle toe and the fourth toe. In still other cases, thong portion  200  could be inserted between the fourth toe and the little toe. With this arrangement, thong portion  200  can facilitate securing sole structure  110  to a foot. 
     In order to enhance the fit of straps to a foot, a thong portion can include provisions for increasing grip with a portion of the foot. In some embodiments, a thong portion can be configured with increased grip for engaging a portion of a foot disposed between adjacent toes. For example, a thong portion can include a portion that is configured to engage with the skin or webbing that connects adjacent toes of the foot. In some cases, a thong portion can include a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may be configured to provide enhanced grip over the second portion. For example, the first portion may be a portion of the thong portion that is oriented towards a heel portion of the article in order to engage with a portion of the foot when the thong portion is inserted between adjacent toes. In contrast, the second portion may be a generally smooth portion of the thong portion that is disposed opposite of the first portion. 
     In one embodiment, thong portion  200  can include first portion  210  and second portion  212 . In some cases, first portion  210  is a portion of thong portion  200  that is configured to engage with the region between two adjacent toes of a foot. In this case, first portion  210  may generally be oriented to face heel portion  14  of article  100 . Also, in some cases, second portion  212  may be a generally smooth portion of thong portion  200  that is disposed opposite of first portion  210 . In some cases, second portion  212  may be oriented in a direction towards the front of forefoot portion  10 . 
     In some embodiments, first portion  210  may be a grip enhancing portion. In some cases, first portion  210  may comprise a material that helps enhance grip. For example, first portion  210  could comprise a rubber material with a substantially high coefficient of friction. In other cases, first portion  210  may be configured with structural features that help to enhance grip. In an exemplary embodiment, first portion  210  may be provided with a plurality of grooves for enhancing the grip of thong portion  200 . The term “groove” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims refers to any channel, slot, sipe, recess, indentation or other similar structural feature. The term groove is not intended to be limited to any particular geometry or dimensions. Additionally, the term groove is not limited to use with any particular type of material or combination of materials. 
     First portion  210  can include plurality of grooves  220 . In some cases, plurality of grooves  220  can include at least one grove. In other cases, plurality of grooves  220  can include two or more grooves. In still other cases, plurality of grooves  220  can include five grooves. In still other cases, plurality of grooves  220  can include more than five grooves. In the exemplary embodiment, plurality of grooves  220  can include first groove  221 , second groove  222 , third groove  223 , fourth groove  224  and fifth groove  225 . 
     The material properties of thong portion  200 , including first portion  210  and second portion  212 , can vary. First portion  210 , including plurality of grooves  220 , can comprise a first material. Second portion  212  may comprise a second material. In some cases, the first material may be substantially different than the second material. In other cases, the first material may be substantially similar to the first material. In an exemplary embodiment, the first material and the second material may be substantially similar. In other words, thong portion  200  may comprise a substantially monolithic material. With this arrangement, the durability of thong portion  200  may be increased over designs comprising multiple distinct components or materials. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an enlarged view of thong portion  200  as seen in profile. Referring to  FIG. 2 , in different embodiments, the geometry of one or more grooves of plurality of grooves  220  can vary. For example, the cross sectional-shapes of one or more grooves can vary. Examples of different cross-sectional shapes that could be used include, but are not limited to: circular, semi-circular, elliptical, triangular, rectangular, polygonal, regular, irregular as well as any other kind of cross-sectional shapes. In an exemplary embodiment, each groove of plurality of grooves  220  may have an approximately semi-circular cross-sectional shape. In other embodiments, however, different grooves could be provided with different cross-sectional shapes. Furthermore, in other embodiments, other aspects of the groove geometry could be varied. 
     In different embodiments, the height, width and/or depth of one or more grooves can be varied. In some embodiments, the height of one or more grooves can vary. The term “height” refers to a dimension of the grooves extending along the length of thong portion  200 . The term height as used here may also refer to the pitch of a groove. In some cases, the height of each groove of plurality of grooves can have a value in the range between 0.1 mm and 1 cm. In other cases, the height of each groove can have a value in the range between 1 mm and 10 mm. In addition, in some cases, each groove of plurality of grooves  220  can have substantially similar heights. In other cases, however, two or more grooves of plurality of grooves  220  can have substantially different heights. 
     In some embodiments, the width of one or more grooves can vary. The term “width” refers to a dimension of the grooves extending from a lateral side to a medial side of thong portion  200 . In some cases, each groove of plurality of grooves  220  can have a variable width. In other cases, each groove of plurality of grooves  220  can have a substantially constant width. Furthermore, in some cases, each grove of plurality of groves  220  can have substantially similar widths to one another. In other cases, however, two or more grooves of plurality of grooves  220  can have substantially different widths. 
     In some embodiments, the depth of one or more grooves can vary. The term “depth” refers to a dimension of the groove that extends inwardly from an outer surface of thong portion  200 . In some embodiments, each groove of plurality of grooves  220  can have substantially similar depths. In other embodiments, two or more grooves of plurality of grooves  220  can have substantially different depths. In the exemplary embodiment, first groove  221  may have a depth D 1 . In addition, fifth groove  225  may have a depth D 5 . In some cases, depth D 5  may be substantially greater than depth D 1 . Also, the depths of second groove  222 , third groove  223  and fourth groove  224  may increase monotonically between depth D 1  and depth D 5 . In other words, second groove  222  may be substantially deeper than first groove  221 , third groove  223  may be substantially deeper than second groove  222 , fourth groove  224  may be substantially deeper than third groove  223  and fifth groove  225  may be substantially deeper than fourth groove  224 . In one embodiment, depth D 1  may have a value in the range between 0.1 mm and 5 mm. Also, depth D 5  may have a value in the range between 1 mm and 20 mm. In other embodiments, however, depth D 1  and depth D 5  can have any other values. 
     Using this arrangement of grooves of varying depths, the gripping properties of thong portion  200  can be varied over the length of thong portion  200 . In particular, the grip of thong portion  200  may be greatest at second end portion  204  since fifth groove  225  has the largest depth. Likewise, the gripping properties of thong portion  200  may decrease from second end portion  204  to first end portion  202 , as the depth of plurality of grooves  220  decreases between second end portion  204  and first end portion  202 . 
     In some embodiments, the depths of plurality of grooves  220  can vary in a nonlinear manner. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the depths of plurality of grooves  220  can be associated with curve  250 . In other words, the end portions of each groove of plurality of grooves  220  can be approximately aligned with curve  250 . In other embodiments, however, the depths of plurality of grooves  220  can vary in a linear manner. In still other embodiments, the depths of plurality of grooves  220  can vary in any other manner. Alternative configurations for the depths of a plurality of grooves are discussed in detail below. 
     In some embodiments, providing a plurality of grooves can also help to vary the flexibility of a thong portion. This increased flexibility may result from the reduced cross-sectional profile of the thong portion in the grooved regions. Furthermore, in some cases, differential flexibility may be achieved along a thong portion by varying the geometry, including the depths, of one or more grooves. In the current embodiment, plurality of grooves  220  may provide enhanced flexibility for thong portion  200  at first portion  210 . In addition, the varying depths of plurality of grooves  220  may provide differential flexibility over the length of thong portion  200 . In particular, the flexibility of first portion  210  may increase from first groove  221  to fifth groove  225  on thong portion  200  since first groove  221  is shallower than fifth groove  225 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an isometric view of an embodiment of thong portion  200  engaging with foot  300 . First strap  120  and second strap  122  are secured around foot  300 . In particular, first strap  120  and second strap  122  wrap around an upper portion of foot  300  as well as along lateral and medial sides of foot  300 . In addition, thong portion  200  is inserted between big toe  302  and index toe  304 . In particular, first portion  210 , which includes plurality of grooves  220 , may engage with skin or webbing disposed between big toe  302  and index toe  304 . With this arrangement, thong portion  200  can be prevented from sliding in between big toe  302  and index toe  304  in order to help enhance the fit of article  100  on foot  300 . In particular, thong portion  200  may be substantially fixed in place in a generally vertical direction, which can help to keep first strap  120  and second strap  122  secured in place on foot  300 . 
     In addition to enhancing grip between thong portion  200  and foot  300 , plurality of grooves  220  can also facilitate the bending of thong portion  200 . In some cases, first portion  210  of thong portion  200  may be configured to conform to foot  300  in the vicinity of big toe  302  and index toe  304 . This arrangement can help improve comfort and fit for article  100 . 
       FIGS. 4 through 7  illustrate alternative embodiments of a thong portion including various arrangements for a plurality of grooves. For purposes of clarity, only the thong portions are shown in these alternative embodiments. However, it will be understood that the thong portions discussed here may be associated with articles similar to article  100  of the previous embodiment. Furthermore, the thong portions may generally extend between a forefoot portion of the corresponding article and one or more straps, in a similar manner to the arrangement described in the previous embodiment. 
     In different embodiments, a thong portion including a plurality of grooves can include provisions for fine tuning the gripping properties of the plurality of grooves to enhance the fit of an article. In some embodiments, the gripping properties and/or flexibility of a plurality of grooves can be fine tuned by varying the number of grooves. In other embodiments, the arrangement of grooves can be varied to fine tune the gripping properties and/or flexibility of the plurality of grooves. For example, by using different groove depths, the gripping properties and/or flexibility can be varied. Also, by arranging grooves of varying depths in different arrangements, the gripping properties and/or flexibility of the thong portion can be fine tuned. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , thong portion  400  may comprise plurality of grooves  402 . In some cases, plurality of grooves  402  can be arranged in a step-like configuration. In other words, the depths of two or more grooves may vary in a step-like manner. In this embodiment, first groove  411  and second groove  412  have a substantially similar depth. Also, third groove  413  and fourth groove  414  have a substantially similar depth. Furthermore, fifth groove  415  and sixth groove  416  have a substantially similar depth. In addition, the depths of third groove  413  and fourth groove  414  are substantially greater than the depths of first groove  411  and second groove  412 . Likewise, the depths of fifth groove  415  and sixth groove  416  are substantially greater than the depths of third groove  413  and fourth groove  414 . By using this stepped arrangement for the groove depths, the grip provided by thong portion  400  can vary substantially over the length of thong portion  400 . Also, the stepped arrangement may help facilitate differential flexibility over the length of thong portion  400 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , thong portion  500  may comprise plurality of grooves  502 . In some cases, plurality of grooves  502  may have an irregular configuration. In particular, the depths of first groove  511 , second groove  512 , third groove  513 , fourth groove  514 , fifth groove  515  and sixth groove  516  can vary in an irregular manner. By using this irregular arrangement for the groove depths, the grip and/or flex provided by thong portion  500  can be varied in an irregular manner over the length of thong portion  500 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , thong portion  600  may comprise plurality of grooves  602 . In some cases, plurality of grooves  602  may be substantially shallow grooves. For example, in one embodiment, the depth of each groove of plurality of grooves  602  may have a value approximately in the range between 1 percent and 20 percent of the diameter of thong portion  600 . In some cases, providing substantially shallow grooves on thong portion  600  may provide only a small amount of gripping and/or flexibility for thong portion  600 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , thong portion  700  may comprise plurality of grooves  702 . In some cases, plurality of grooves  702  may be substantially deep grooves. For example, in one embodiment, the depth of each groove of plurality of grooves  702  may have a value approximately in the range between 80 percent and 99 percent of the diameter of thong portion  700 . In some cases, providing substantially deep grooves on thong portion  700  may provide a high amount of gripping and/or flexibility for thong portion  700 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates another embodiment of article of footwear  800 . In this embodiment, article  800  includes thong portion  820 . In some cases, thong portion  820  can be provided with plurality of grooves  830 . In one embodiment, plurality of grooves  830  may comprise approximately 10 grooves. In other embodiments, however, the number of grooves comprising plurality of grooves  830  can vary. 
     Plurality of grooves  830  can be provided with a relatively small or narrow pitch. The term pitch refers to a dimension of a groove as measured along an axial direction of thong portion  820 . In some cases, the pitch of each groove can vary in the range between 0.001 millimeters and 10 millimeters. In other cases, the pitch of each groove can vary in the range between 0.01 millimeters and 1 millimeter. In still other cases, the pitch of each groove could be greater than 10 millimeters. 
     Although the current embodiment includes grooves with a relatively constant pitch, in other embodiments the pitch of each groove could vary. For example, in one embodiment, a thong portion could comprise a plurality of grooves including some grooves with a first pitch and some grooves with a second pitch that is greater than the first pitch. In still other embodiments, the pitch of each groove could vary in any other manner. By varying the pitch of each groove, the flexibility and/or gripping characteristics of a thong portion can be fine tuned. 
     In some embodiments, the spacing between adjacent grooves can also vary. In some cases, the spacing between adjacent grooves can vary in the range between 0.001 millimeters and 10 millimeters. In other cases, the spacing between adjacent grooves can vary in the range between 0.01 millimeters and 1 millimeter. In still other cases, the spacing between adjacent grooves can be greater than 10 millimeters. 
     Although the current embodiment includes grooves that are evenly spaced, in other embodiments, the spacing between adjacent grooves could vary. For example, in one embodiment, a thong portion could comprise a plurality of grooves with one pair of adjacent grooves that are spaced by a first spacing and a second pair of adjacent grooves that are spaced apart by a second spacing that is greater than the first spacing. In still other embodiments, the spacing between adjacent grooves could vary in any other manner. 
     It will also be understood that in some other embodiments, both the pitches of grooves and the spacing between grooves can be varied to accomplish various configurations for a plurality of grooves. By varying both the pitches of grooves as well as the spacing between grooves, the flexibility and/or gripping characteristics of a thong portion can be fine tuned. 
     An article can include provisions for enhancing grip between a thong portion and different portions of one or more toes. In different embodiments, the shape of a groove can be varied to extend over different regions of a thong portion for enhancing grip with sides of the toes as well as with the region between adjacent toes. For example, in some cases, regions of a thong portion that may be disposed against the sides of a big toe and an index toe may include grooves. In other cases, regions of a thong portion that may be disposed against the webbing between a big toe and an index toe may include grooves. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an isometric view of an embodiment of thong portion  900 . Thong portion  900  can include forward portion  910  that is oriented towards a front of an article and rearward portion  912  that is oriented towards a rear of an article. Thong portion  900  can also include first side portion  914  and second side portion  916 , which extend between forward portion  910  and rearward portion  912 . Thong portion  900  can further include plurality of grooves  902 . In the current embodiment, thong portion  900  includes six grooves. However, in other embodiments, thong portion  900  can include any other number of grooves. 
     In some embodiments, plurality of grooves  902  can be provided with a substantially semi-circular shape. For example, in this embodiment, groove  920  has a substantially semi-circular shape. In particular, groove  920  is bounded between lower groove surface  922 , an upper groove surface (not shown) disposed opposite of lower surface  922  and rear groove surface  924 . Lower groove surface  922  and the upper groove surface may have substantially similar semi-circular shapes. In addition, rear groove surface  924  has a substantially rectangular shape. In this case, rear groove surface  924  is a substantially straight rear groove surface. 
     With this arrangement, groove  920  may extend from rearward portion  912  of thong portion  900  to first side portion  914  and second side portion  916 . In some cases, first lateral end  932  of groove  920  may be disposed midway between forward portion  910  and rearward portion  914  of thong portion  900 . Likewise, second lateral end  934  of groove  920  may be disposed midway between forward portion  910  and rearward portion  912 . In a similar manner, each of the remaining grooves of plurality of grooves  902  may have substantially similar shapes to groove  920 . In particular, each groove may have a substantially similar semi-circular shape to groove  920 . Using this configuration, plurality of grooves  902  may be configured to enhance grip between a webbing of two adjacent toes and thong portion  900 , since plurality of grooves  902  are disposed on rearward portion  912  of thong portion  900 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an isometric view of an embodiment of thong portion  1000 . Thong portion  1000  can include forward portion  1010  that is oriented towards a front of an article and rearward portion  1012  that is oriented towards a rear of an article. Thong portion  1000  can also include first side portion  1014  and second side portion  1016 , which extend between forward portion  1010  and rearward portion  1012 . Thong portion  1000  can further include plurality of grooves  1002 . In the current embodiment, thong portion  1000  includes six grooves. However, in other embodiments, thong portion  1000  can include any other number of grooves. 
     In some embodiments, plurality of grooves  1002  can be provided with a crescent-like shape. For example, in this embodiment, groove  1020  has a substantially crescent-like shape. In particular, groove  1020  is bounded between lower groove surface  1022 , an upper groove surface (not shown) disposed opposite of lower surface  1022  and rear groove surface  1024 . Lower groove surface  1022  and the upper groove surface may have substantially similar crescent-like shapes. In addition, rear groove surface  1024  has a substantially curved shape. 
     With this arrangement, groove  1020  may extend from rearward portion  1012  of thong portion  1000  to front portion  1010  in a crescent-like configuration. In some cases, first lateral end  1032  of groove  1020  may be disposed within forward portion  1010 . Likewise, second lateral end  1034  of groove  1020  may be disposed within forward portion  1010 . In a similar manner, each of the remaining grooves of plurality of grooves  1002  may have substantially similar shapes to groove  1020 . In particular, each groove may have a substantially similar crescent-like shape to groove  1020 . Using this configuration, plurality of grooves  1002  may be configured to enhance grip between a webbing of two adjacent toes and thong portion  1000 . Additionally, as plurality of grooves  1002  extend through a majority of both first side portion  1014  and second side portion  1016 , plurality of grooves  1020  may provide enhanced grip between thong portion  1000  and side of toes that may be disposed against first side portion  1014  and second side portion  1016 . This arrangement can help to increase grip between a thong portion and toes adjacent to the thong portion since the grooves extend throughout the contact region between the toes and the thong portion. 
     In another embodiment, grooves could be disposed primarily on side portions of a thong portion. In some cases, grooves could be disposed on a first side portion of a thong portion. In other cases, grooves could be disposed on a second side portion of a thong portion, where the second side portion is disposed opposite of a first side portion. In an exemplary embodiment, grooves could be disposed on a first side portion and a second side portion. 
       FIGS. 11-12  illustrate isometric views of an embodiment of thong portion  1100 . Thong portion  1100  can include forward portion  1110  that is oriented towards a front of an article and rearward portion  1112  that is oriented towards a rear of an article. Thong portion  1100  can also include first side portion  1114  and second side portion  1116 , which extend between forward portion  1110  and rearward portion  1112 . 
     Thong portion  1100  can further include plurality of grooves  1102 . In some cases, plurality of grooves  1102  can include first groove set  1104  and a second groove set  1106 . First groove set  1104  can comprise six grooves disposed on first side portion  1114  of thong portion  1100 . In addition, second groove set  1106  may comprise six grooves disposed on second side portion  1116 . In some cases, grooves of first groove set  1104  may be approximately aligned with grooves of the second groove set. For example, in the current embodiment, first groove  1120  of first groove set  1104  can be aligned with second groove  1122  of second groove set  1106 . 
     Using this arrangement, plurality of grooves  1102  may be configured enhance grip between the sides of adjacent toes and thong portion  1100 . For example, in one embodiment, grooves of first groove set  1104  can be configured to enhance grip between the side of a big toe and thong portion  1100 . In addition, grooves of second groove set  1106  can be configured to enhance grip between the side of an index toe and thong portion  1100 . 
     In another embodiment, grooves could extend through a substantial majority of a thong portion to maximize grip between adjacent toes and the thong portion.  FIG. 13  illustrates an embodiment of thong portion  1200 . Thong portion  1200  can include forward portion  1210  that is oriented towards a front of an article and rearward portion  1212  that is oriented towards a rear of an article. Thong portion  1200  can also include first side portion  1214  and second side portion  1216 , which extend between forward portion  1210  and rearward portion  1212 . Thong portion  1200  can further include plurality of grooves  1202 . In the current embodiment, thong portion  1200  includes six grooves. However, in other embodiments, thong portion  1200  can include any other number of grooves. 
     Plurality of grooves  1202  can comprise first groove  1220 . In some embodiments, first groove  1220  can be configured with a substantially large cross-sectional area. In some cases, first groove  1220  may extend through rearward portion  1212 , first side portion  1214  and second side portion  1216 . In addition, first groove  1220  may extend into forward portion  1210 . In an exemplary embodiment, first groove  1220  may extend through a substantially majority of the cross-sectional area of thong portion  1200 . 
     In one embodiment, thong portion  1200  can comprise a plurality of connecting portions that extend between adjacent portions of thong portion  1200  that are separated by grooves. For example, thong portion  1200  can include connecting portion  1240  that extends between first portion  1242  and second portion  1244  of thong portion  1200 . In this case, first portion  1242  and second portion  1244  may have substantially circular or oval-like cross-sectional areas. In contrast, connecting portion  1240  may have a polygonal-like cross-sectional shape including distinct edges. In this case, connecting portion  1240  may include first edge  1261 , second edge  1262  and third edge  1263 . First edge  1261 , second edge  1262  and third edge  1263  can have any shapes including, but not limited to straight shapes, convex shapes, concave shapes as well as any other shapes. In an exemplary embodiment, first edge  1261  and second edge  1262  may have substantially concave edges, while third edge  1263  may have an approximately straight edge. Similarly, thong portion  1200  can include a plurality of connecting portions associated with each groove of plurality of grooves  1202 . 
     In some embodiments, thong portion  1200  can include provisions for reinforcing regions of a thong where grooves are located. In some embodiments, thong portion  1200  can be provided with one or more reinforcing portions. In an exemplary embodiment, thong portion  1200  can be provided with reinforcing portion  1250  that extends along the length of thong portion  1200  adjacent to plurality of grooves  1202 . This arrangement may provide an increased cross-sectional area for thong portion  1200  in the regions associated grooves, to help increase the rigidity of thong portion  1200  in these regions. For example, in the current embodiment, first portion  1252  of reinforcing portion  1250  may provided an extended cross-sectional area for connecting portion  1240  in order to enhance the strength of thong portion  1200  at first groove  1220 . 
     In different embodiments, the shape of a reinforcing portion could vary. In one embodiment, a reinforcing portion could have a rib-like shape. In an exemplary embodiment, a reinforcing portion could have a fin-like shape. Additionally, in some embodiments, a reinforcing portion could have a substantially constant cross-sectional area. In other embodiments, the cross-sectional area of a reinforcing portion could vary. For example, in one embodiment, a reinforcing portion may have a larger cross-sectional area on regions of a thong portion associated with grooves. In addition, while the current embodiment illustrates a single reinforcing portion that extends across a majority of a thong portion, in other embodiments multiple reinforcing portions could be used. 
     In different embodiments, the material properties of a reinforcing portion could vary. In some cases, a reinforcing portion could be more rigid than a thong portion. In other cases, a reinforcing portion could be less rigid than a thong portion. In one embodiment, reinforcing portion  1250  may be made of a first material that is substantially different from a second material used to make thong portion  1250 . In some cases, the first material could be substantially more rigid than the second material. This arrangement may help reinforcing portion  1250  to reinforce thong portion  1200  in regions adjacent to plurality of grooves  1202 . 
     Articles of the embodiments discussed above may be made from materials known in the art for making articles of footwear. For example, a sole structure may be made from any suitable material, including, but not limited to: elastomers, siloxanes, natural rubber, other synthetic rubbers, aluminum, steel, natural leather, synthetic leather, foams or plastics. In addition, a thong portion used with an article of footwear can be may from any suitable material, including, but not limited to: elastomers, siloxanes, natural rubber, other synthetic rubbers, leathers, foams or plastics. In one embodiment, a thong portion may be made from an elastomer material. 
     It will be understood that grooves can be provided in a thong portion of an article of footwear in any manner. In some cases, grooves can be formed during a molding process for forming the thong portion. In other cases, grooves can be formed in a thong portion using cutting or similar techniques. In still other cases, grooves can be formed in any other manner. 
     While various embodiments of the invention have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the attached claims.