Patent Publication Number: US-2023135125-A1

Title: Article of Footwear with Athletic Cleats

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This document is a divisional of U.S. Pat. Application No. 16/781,611, filed Feb. 4, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,540,595, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. Application No. 15/598,254, filed May 17, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,568,391, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. Application Serial No. 62/337,585 filed May 17, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This document relates to the field of athletics, and particularly to athletic cleats. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Cleats are commonly used by athletes participating in any of various sports and other athletic activities. The configuration and arrangement of cleats on the sole of the shoe typically varies from sport-to-sport in order to provide the athlete with desired ground engagement when participating in a particular sport. 
     In the sport of golf, cleats contribute to stabilizing the golfer during backswing, downswing, and follow-through. Each golfer has a unique swing resulting in different traction and stability requirements on the foot of the user during the swing. As a result, golfers with different types of swings may be interested in different levels of stability and traction in different locations on the sole of the golf shoe. 
     In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a cleat configured to provide unique athletic performance characteristics not offered by other cleats. In addition, it would be advantageous to provide a cleat that is capable of being configured differently on the shoe for different athletes depending on the athlete’s unique motion. It would also be advantageous if the cleat could be manufactured relatively easily and at a reasonable cost. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to at least one embodiment of the disclosure, an article of footwear includes an upper, a sole, a plurality of first cleats and a plurality of second cleats. The sole is connected to the upper and includes a plurality of cleat mounts. The plurality of first cleats is releasably connected to the cleat mounts on a lateral side of the sole. Each of the plurality of first cleats includes a mount coupling, a hub connected to the mount coupling, and a plurality of legs connected to the hub. The mount coupling releasably engages one of the plurality of cleat mounts. The plurality of legs include one or more static legs on a first side of the hub and one or more dynamic legs on a second side of the hub. All of the one or more static legs have a first hardness and all of the one or more dynamic legs have a second hardness. The plurality of second cleats is releasably connected to the cleat mounts on a medial side of the sole. Each of the plurality of second cleats have a limited number of legs, wherein all of the limited number of legs share a common hardness. 
     Pursuant to another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, an article of footwear comprises at least one first cleat mounted on a lateral side of the article of footwear and a least one second cleat mounted on a medial side of the article of footwear. The at least one first cleat includes at least one lateral leg and at least one medial leg, the at least one lateral leg having a first hardness and at least one medial leg having a second hardness, wherein the first hardness is greater than the second hardness. The at least one second cleat includes legs, and all the legs of the at least one second cleat have a same hardness that is less than the first hardness. 
     In yet another embodiment, an article of footwear comprises a plurality of first cleats mounted on a first side of the article of footwear and a plurality of second cleats mounted on a second side of the article of footwear. Each of the first cleats includes at least one lateral leg and at least one medial leg, the at least one lateral leg having a first hardness and the at least one medial leg having a second hardness, wherein the first hardness is different than the second hardness. Each of the second cleats includes a limited number of legs, wherein all the limited number of legs on the at least one second cleat have a same hardness. 
     The above described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. While it would be desirable to provide an athletic cleat that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features, the teachings disclosed herein extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned advantages. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    shows a lateral side view of an article of footwear including athletic cleats in the form of a golf shoe with a plurality of golf cleats; 
         FIG.  2    shows a bottom plan view of the golf shoe and golf cleats of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    shows a bottom plan view of one of the golf cleats of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4    shows a lateral side elevational view of the golf cleat of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  5    shows a top plan view of the golf cleat of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  6    shows a bottom plan view of an alternative embodiment of the golf cleat of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  7    shows a top plan view of the golf cleat of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  8    shows a lateral side elevational view of the golf cleat of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  9    shows a cross-sectional view of the golf cleat along line IX-IX of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  10    shows a bottom perspective view of the golf cleat of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  11    shows a top perspective view of a lateral side of the golf cleat of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  12    shows a top perspective view of a medial side of the golf cleat of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  13    shows a bottom plan view of an alternative embodiment of the golf shoe of  FIG.  1    with the golf cleats in a first configuration; 
         FIG.  14    shows an enlarged view of a group of polyhedron structures visible on the outsole of  FIG.  13   ; 
         FIG.  15 A  shows a bottom view of an outer surface of the outsole of  FIG.  13   , the outer surface including a plurality of secondary traction members; 
         FIG.  15 B  shows front perspective view of the outer surface of the outsole of  FIG.  15 A ; 
         FIG.  15 C  shows a rear perspective view of the outer surface of the outsole of  FIG.  15 A ; 
         FIG.  15 D  shows a side view of the outer surface of the outsole of  FIG.  15 A ; 
         FIG.  16 A  shows the shoe of  FIG.  1    with counter-clockwise rotational forces applied thereto; and 
         FIG.  16 B  shows the shoe of  FIG.  1    with forward rotational forces applied thereto. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     With In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying figures which form a part hereof wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, embodiments that may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     Aspects of the disclosure are disclosed in the accompanying description. Alternate embodiments of the present disclosure and their equivalents may be devised without parting from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. It should be noted that any discussion herein regarding “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an exemplary embodiment”, and the like indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, and that such particular feature, structure, or characteristic may not necessarily be included in every embodiment. In addition, references to the foregoing do not necessarily comprise a reference to the same embodiment. Finally, irrespective of whether it is explicitly described, one of ordinary skill in the art would readily appreciate that each of the particular features, structures, or characteristics of the given embodiments may be utilized in connection or combination with those of any other embodiment discussed herein. 
     Various operations may be described as multiple discrete actions or operations in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the claimed subject matter. However, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations may not be performed in the order of presentation. Operations described may be performed in a different order than the described embodiment. Various additional operations may be performed and/or described operations may be omitted in additional embodiments. 
     For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “A and/or B” means (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “A, B, and/or C” means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C). 
     The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodiments of the present disclosure, are synonymous. 
     As used herein, an “article of footwear” refers to an article of apparel designed and configured to be worn on a user’s foot. Examples of articles of footwear include, but are not limited to: athletic shoes such as basketball shoes, running shoes, walking shoes, and tennis shoes; athletic cleated or spiked shoes such as golf shoes, football cleats, soccer cleats, baseball cleats, lacrosse cleats, and track spikes; boots such as hiking boots or skiing boots; ice skates; and roller skates or roller blades. The illustrated embodiments depict golf cleats, though the reader should appreciate that the midsole described herein may be used with any desired article of footwear. 
     With reference now to  FIGS.  1 - 5   , an article of footwear is shown in the form of a cleated shoe and, in particular, golf shoe  20 . The golf shoe  20  includes an upper  22  coupled (e.g., connected) to a sole  24  with a plurality of cleats  30  provided on the sole  24 . The upper  22  includes a plurality of components that cover the foot of a wearer when the article of footwear  20  is worn on the foot. Exemplary components of the upper  22  include a heel (or heel counter), a tongue, a vamp, and a toe (or toe cap), along with any of various other components as will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art. While the configuration of the upper  22  disclosed herein provides a low-cut shoe, the article of footwear may also be provided in the form of a high-top shoe, a boot, a sandal, or any of various other types of footwear. 
     In addition to being provided in any of various forms and configurations, the upper  22  may also be comprised of any of various materials. For example, the upper  22  may include one or more panels comprised of polyester, elastane, mesh, synthetic leather or natural leather, or any of various other materials or combinations thereof. Additionally, the upper may include additional materials and components such as foam padding, polymer sheets, fastening members, support structures, as well as any of various other materials and components. The materials and components used on the upper  22  may depend, in part, on the particular type of footwear formed by the upper  22 . 
     The sole  24  generally includes a midsole and an outsole or plate  27 . The midsole may be formed of a compressible material such as foam (e.g., ethylene vinyl acetate foam. The outsole  27  may be formed of a resilient elastomer such as thermoplastic polyurethane. The downward- or ground-facing surface  26  of the outsole includes a clear system operable to provide directional and, in particular, rotational traction during game play, in particular, during the backswing, down swing, and/or follow-through of a golf swing. During a golf swing, a golfer rotates their hips, swings their arms, and shifts their weight and how their weight is distributed on their feet. These movements of the golfer during the golf swing leads to forces that result in the rotation of the feet. More specifically, the lead foot of the golfer (e.g., the left foot of the right handed golfer) wants to rotate such that the forefoot rotates in the lateral direction (i.e., a counter-clockwise direction for a right handed golfer) direction while the heel end rotates in the medial direction (i.e., also a counter-clockwise direction for a right handed golfer). An illustration of these forces is shown in  FIG.  16 A , with arrow  160  illustrating forces on the forefoot, and arrow  162  illustrating forces on the heel end. Conventional golf shoes with standard cleat systems fail to properly account for this rotation, allowing the feet of golfers to rotate, resulting in inconsistent and/or inaccurate golf shots. 
     With particular reference to  FIG.  2   , the ground-facing side or the sole  24  includes a plurality of cleat mounts  28 . Each cleat mount  28  is configured to releasably receive a cleat  30 . In at least one embodiment, the cleat mounts  28  receive the cleats  30  in a quick-lock engagement such that each cleat  30  may be easily secured to a cleat mounts  28  with a partial turn of the cleat  30  in one direction, and removed from the cleat mount  28  with a partial turn of the cleat  30  in the opposite direction. The cleat mounts  28  are arranged on the sole  24  to position each cleats  30  in a pre-determined orientation, as described in further detail below. 
     The cleats  30  include a plurality of stability cleats  33  and a plurality of standard cleats  35 . As described in further detail below with reference to  FIGS.  1 - 9   , the stability cleats  33  include one or more static traction elements  50  (which may also be referred to herein as static legs  50 ) and one or more dynamic traction elements  60  (which may also be referred to herein as dynamic legs  60 ). Static legs  50  are defined by a first durometer value, while the dynamic legs  60  are defined by a second durometer value that is lower than the first durometer value (on the same hardness scale). In an embodiment, the stability cleat  33  is formed of an elastomer such as thermoplastic polyurethane, with the dynamic legs  60  possessing a hardness value of  80  Shore A to  100  Shore A, and the static legs  50  possessing a hardness value of  60  Shore D to  80  Shore D. Accordingly, dynamic legs  60  tend to resiliently flex under load, while static legs  50  are generally rigid and inflexible. 
     The static and dynamic legs of the stability cleats  33  are oriented on a generally circular hub  39  such that the static leg spans one hemisphere of the hub  39  and the dynamic legs span the other hemisphere of the hub  39  (with the equator being aligned with the longitudinal axis of the sole). In general, each stability cleat  33  may be positioned in one or two angular orientations. In a first orientation, the static leg is positioned outboard, facing the sole perimeter. In this orientation, the static leg is positioned to resist foot rotation. In a second orientation, the dynamic legs are positioned outboard (i.e., facing the sole perimeter). With this second orientation, the stability cleats  33  function similar to standard cleats, permitting rotation (relative to the static cleats in the first orientation). 
     With this configuration, a user may customize the rotational traction of each shoe based on the user’s performance tendencies. By way of example, a user who experiences prominent forefoot rotation during the swing (counter clockwise rotation in the left foot and clockwise rotation in the right foot) may couple the stability cleats  33  to the lateral forefoot receptacles of the sole the first orientation to inhibit rotation of the forefoot during game play (e.g., the golf swing). Similarly, a user who experiences prominent rearfoot (heel) rotation may couple the stability cleats to the medial rearfoot receptacles in the first orientation to inhibit such rotation. Specific cleat structures and cleat layouts are discussed in greater detail, below. 
     Standard cleats  35  may be coupled to the sole at desired receptacle locations. In an embodiment, standard cleats include dynamic traction elements that are secured to and project downwardly and outwardly from a hub  39  and resiliently flex under the load of the weight of a wearer. 
     Turning to specific embodiments, in  FIGS.  1 - 5   , the stability cleats  33  are provided as lateral cleats  32  mounted along a lateral side of the golf shoe  20  and the standard cleats are provided as medial cleats  34  mounted along a medial side of the golf shoe  20 . The plurality of lateral cleats  32  differs from the plurality of medial cleats  34 . As explained in further detail below, the plurality of lateral cleats  32  include different types of legs of differing hardness. In contrast, all of the legs  36  on the medial cleats  34  have the same form and the same hardness. The medial cleats  34  may be provided by any number of different commercially available golf cleats having a generally uniform construction, such as those golf cleats offered under the CHAMP® trademark, the SOFTSPIKES® trademark, or any of various other commercially available golf cleats. While the stability cleats  33  are provided in the embodiment of  FIGS.  1 - 5    as lateral cleats  32 , and the standard cleats  35  are provided in the embodiment of  FIGS.  1 - 5    as medial cleats  34 , it will be recognized that the stability cleats and the standard cleats may be provided in any of various configurations on the sole  24 , including stability cleats  33  provided on the medial side of the shoe  20  and standard cleats  35  provided on the lateral side of the shoe  20 . Examples of such arrangements are described in further detail below, including those arrangements discussed associated with  FIGS.  13 ,  16 A and  16 B . 
     With particular reference now to  FIGS.  3 - 5   , an exemplary embodiment of a stability cleat  33  is shown. Each of the plurality of stability cleats  33  includes a mount coupling  40 , a hub  39  connected to the mount coupling, and a plurality of legs extending from the hub  39 . The plurality of legs include one or more lateral or static legs  50  on a lateral side  52  of the cleat  33  (the lateral hemisphere) and one or more medial or dynamic legs  60  on a medial side  62  of the cleat  33  (the medial hemisphere). As illustrated, the stability cleat  33  does not include any legs on the lateral side  52  other than the static legs  50 , and does not include any legs on the medial side  62  other than the dynamic legs  60 . 
     It will be recognized that the terms “lateral side” and “medial side” of the stability cleat  33  are used herein to simply differentiate two different sides of the stability cleat. Although the lateral side of the stability cleat  33  includes static legs  50  that are specifically designed to face outwardly on the sole  24  toward a perimeter (and such static legs  50  may therefore be referenced herein as “lateral legs”), it will be recognized that in some embodiments the static legs  50  of the stability cleat  33  may be oriented to face inwardly, toward a longitudinal centerline on the sole  24 . Similarly, although the medial side of the stability cleat  33  includes dynamic legs  60  that are specifically designed to face inwardly on the sole  24  toward the longitudinal centerline (and such dynamic legs  60  may therefore be referenced herein as “medial legs”), it will be recognized that in some embodiments the dynamic legs  60  of the stability cleat  33  may be oriented to face outwardly on the sole  24 , toward the perimeter. 
     The mount coupling  40  includes a perimeter rim  42  on the upper side of the cleat  33  with a short threaded post  44  centrally located within the perimeter rim  42 . The threaded post  44  defines an axis of insertion  46  for cleat  33 . The cleat  33  is configured to be rotated about the axis of insertion  46  when the cleat  33  engages to the cleat mounts  28  on the sole  24  of the golf shoe  20 . Two wrench recesses  48  are provided on the bottom side of the cleat  33 . The wrench recesses  48  define recess walls  49  and are configured to receive the prongs of a wrench and facilitate rotation of the cleat  33 . The mount coupling  40  is comprised of a material having a sufficient hardness to properly secure the cleat  33  to the cleat mount  28 . In at least one embodiment, the mount coupling is a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material having a hardness similar to that of the static legs  50  of the cleat  33 . 
     The one or more static legs  50  extend outwardly and downwardly from the mount coupling  40 . The one or more static legs  50  are relatively wide in comparison to the dynamic legs  60 . The one or more static legs  50  span across an arc of the cleat  33  that extends about the same distance as an arc spanned by the one or more dynamic legs  60 . The one or more static legs include a tapered notch  51  centrally located along the arc of the leg. Each static leg  50  includes a flared outer surface  54  that terminates in a distal end of the static leg  50 . The outer surface  54  is angled away from the axis of insertion  46  and defines an angle α relative to the axis of insertion  46 . The angle α may be, for example, between 15° and 75°. In the embodiment of  FIGS.  3 - 5   , the angle α is about 30°. 
     A relatively sharp edge  56  is defined at the distal end of the static leg  50 . In the embodiment of  FIGS.  3 - 5   , the edge  56  is defined along a first segment  58  and a second segment  59 . The first segment  58  and the second segment  59  of the edge  56  are both relatively straight and are oriented in a generally perpendicular arrangement relative to one another with a corner provided between the first segment  58  and the second segment  59 . As shown in  FIG.  2   , the first segment  58  is designed to extend substantially parallel to a lateral edge  25  of the sole  24  when the cleat  33  is connected to the shoe  20  in the predetermined orientation, and the second segment  59  is designed to extend substantially perpendicular to the lateral edge  25  of the sole  24 . The length of the first segment  58  may be between 7 mm and 25 mm. In at least one embodiment, the length of the first segment is at least 10 mm but less than 20 mm. This length of the first segment  58  is advantageous to provide a sufficient length for the first segment to cut into the ground and provide stability and traction for the foot of the wearer during lateral movement of the body during a golf swing. 
     The static legs  50  are relatively stiff and defined by a first hardness. In particular, the static legs  50  have a hardness that is significantly greater than the hardness of the dynamic legs  60 . In at least one embodiment, the static legs  50  are formed by a TPU material having a shore durometer between 60D and 80D. In at least one embodiment, the static legs  50  are defined by a shore durometer of 71D. By way of example, this shore durometer is similar to that of a typical hard hat used on a construction site. While the static legs  50  have been described herein as being formed by a TPU material with a particular shore durometer, it will be appreciated that any of various materials may be used to form the static legs  50  and the material may have a different shore durometer than that disclosed herein. 
     With continued reference again to  FIGS.  3 - 5   , the one or more dynamic legs  60  also extend outwardly and downwardly from the mount coupling  40 . The one or more dynamic legs  60  generally extend toward the medial side of the golf shoe  20 . The one or more dynamic legs  60  are relatively narrow in comparison to the static legs  50 . A relatively large gap  61  separates each of the one or more legs. A similar sized gap separates the dynamic legs  60  from the static legs  50 . The gap  61  is significantly larger than the notch  51  present in the one or more static legs  50 . Each dynamic leg  60  includes a flared outer surface  64  that terminates at the distal end of the static leg  50 . The outer surface  64  defines an angle relative to the axis of insertion  46 . The angle is the same as or similar to the angle α. 
     An edge  66  is defined at the distal end of the dynamic leg  60 . In the embodiment of  FIGS.  3 - 5   , the edge  66  is curved along an arc that is centered about the axis of insertion  46 . The length of the edge  66  on the dynamic legs  60  is significantly less than the length of the edge  56  on the static legs  50  because the dynamic legs  60  are significantly thinner than the static legs  50 . In at least one embodiment, the length of the edge  66  may be between 3 mm and 7 mm. 
     The dynamic legs  60  are relatively flexible compared to the static legs  50 . Accordingly, the dynamic legs  60  are defined by a second hardness that is different than the first hardness of the static legs  50 . In at least one embodiment, the dynamic legs  60  are formed by a TPU material having a shore durometer between 80A and 100A. In at least one embodiment, the dynamic legs  60  are defined by a shore durometer of 90A. By way of example, this shore durometer is similar to that of a typical hydraulic O-ring. As mentioned previously, the standard cleats  35  may have a hardness that is similar to that of the dynamic legs  60  of the stability cleats  33 . While the dynamic legs  60  of the stability cleats  33  have been described herein as being formed by a TPU material with a particular shore durometer, it will be appreciated that any of various materials may be used to form the dynamic legs  60  and the material may have a different shore durometer than that disclosed herein. 
     With reference now to  FIGS.  6 - 12   , an alternative embodiment of the stability cleat  33  is shown. This embodiment is substantially similar to the embodiment of  FIGS.  3 - 5   , but in this embodiment, the shape of the static leg  50  is slightly different. In particular, the edge  56  of each static leg  50  in the embodiment of  FIGS.  6 - 12    is curved rather than substantially straight. For example, as shown in  FIG.  6   , the edge  56  of the static leg  50  extends along an arc defining an angle β between 45° and 90°, and particularly about 75°. Accordingly, in the embodiment of  FIGS.  6 - 12   , the edge  56  does not include the first portion  58  and the second portion  59  with a corner therebetween, but instead includes a continuously curved edge. 
     In addition to the difference in the shape of the static leg  50 , the materials forming the static legs  50  and the dynamic legs  60  also cover different regions of the cleat  33  in the embodiment of  FIGS.  6 - 12    than in the embodiment of  FIGS.  3 - 5   . As shown in  FIG.  6   , the material forming the static legs  50  and the dynamic legs  60  substantially covers the lower side of the cleat  33 , with the wrench recesses  48  extending through the material such that recess walls  49  of the wrench recesses are exposed on the lower side of the cleat  33 . The material forming the dynamic legs  60  surrounds the mount coupling  40  on the lower side of the cleat and substantially covers a central portion  38  of the lower side of the cleat  33 , without covering the wrench recesses  48 . As shown in  FIG.  7   , the material forming the static legs  50  surrounds the perimeter rim  42  of the mount coupling  40  on the upper side of the cleat  33 . Accordingly, both the material that forms the static legs  50  and the material that forms the dynamic legs  60  completely encircles the mount coupling  40  in the embodiment of  FIGS.  6 - 12   , with the material that forms the static legs  50  positioned superior to the material that forms the dynamic legs  60  around the mount coupling  40 .  FIG.  9    shows a cross-sectional view of the cleat  33  with the material that forms the dynamic legs  60  extending across the lower side of the cleat  33  from the medial side  62  to the lateral side  52 , and the material that forms the static legs  50  surrounding the mount coupling  40  and extending from the lateral side  52  to the medial side  62 . 
     The cleat  33  is a unitary component that is intractably indivisible. In other words, the mount coupling, static legs  50  and dynamic legs  60  are monolithic and cannot be separated without destruction of one or more components of the cleat  33 . In at least one embodiment, the cleat  33  may be formed by a three shot injection molding process wherein a first material is used to form the static legs  50 , a second material is used to form the dynamic legs  60 , and a third material is used to form the mount coupling  40 . As discussed previously, the first material may be a TPU or other polymer having a shore durometer between 70D and 90D, the second material may be a TPU or other polymer having a shore durometer between 80A and 100A, and the third material may be a TPU or other polymer having a shore durometer similar to the first material. In at least one embodiment, the first material forming the static legs  50  may be a different color from the second material forming the dynamic legs  60 . This provides a unique look for the cleat  33  and allows the wearer of the golf shoe  20  to confirm that the cleat  33  is properly oriented on the sole  24 . Also, the third material for the mount coupling  40  may be a different color than both the first material and the second material, thus allowing the user to easily locate the threaded post  44  and the wrench recesses  48  when connecting the cleats  33  to the sole  24  of the golf shoe  20 . 
     In operation, the wearer connects each of the cleats  30  to the sole  24  of the golf shoe  20 , as shown in  FIGS.  2  and  13   . In the embodiment of  FIG.  2   , the stability cleats  33  are connected to the lateral side of the sole  24 , and the standard cleats  35  are connected to the medial side of the sole  24 . However, in other arrangements, such as that of  FIG.  13   , the stability cleats  33  and the standard cleats  35  are selectively connected to either the lateral or medial sides of the sole. Each cleat  30  is connected to the sole by inserting the mount coupling  40  of the cleat  30  into the cleat mount  28  and rotating the cleat  30  until it locks in place on the sole. The cleat mounts  28  may be arranged on the sole such that the stability cleats  33  will have a predetermined orientation once secured in the cleat mounts  28 . In particular, the static legs  50  of each stability cleat  33  may be limited to positioning along a lateral edge of the sole  24 , and extend outwardly toward the perimeter edge of the sole  24 . In this configuration, the dynamic legs  60  extend inwardly toward the longitudinal centerline of the golf shoe  20 . However, in at least some embodiments, the cleat mounts may be configured such that two or more different orientations for each stability cleat is possible in association with each cleat mount  28 . For example, as noted previously, in at least one embodiment, the cleat mounts may be configured such that the static legs may face either outwardly or inwardly on the sole. In yet additional embodiments, three or more orientations of the stability cleat are possible (e.g., each orientation rotated 120°). 
     While only a single golf shoe  20  has been shown in  FIGS.  2  and  13   , it will be recognized that the user will typically use two golf shoes, including a first golf shoe  20  on the front foot as defined by the user’s swing (i.e., the front foot is the left foot for a golfer with a right handed swing), and a second golf shoe on the back foot as defined by the user’s swing (i.e., the back foot is the right foot for a golfer with a right handed swing). In at least one embodiment, only the golf shoe on the front (leading) foot of the user includes the stability cleat  33  with the static legs  50  and the dynamic legs  60 . The remaining cleats  30  on the two shoes are all the same and do not include specifically designed static legs  50  and dynamic legs  60 . For example, all of the remaining cleats may take the form of standard cleats  35 , as shown in  FIG.  2   . In this embodiment, when the user transfers his or her weight to the front foot during the golf swing, the relatively hard static legs  50  dig into the ground and provide stability and traction for the user on the lateral side of the front foot, thus preventing slippage of the front foot during the golf swing. At the same time, the more flexible legs on the standard cleats  35  on the remaining cleat mounts  28  provide a more typical performance, offering stabilizing features without being overly rigid and stiff as the wearer walks and swings the golf club during a round of golf. 
     While the embodiment of  FIG.  2    provides one exemplary arrangement embodiment for the cleats  30  on a golf shoe of the golfer’s front foot, it will be recognized that the wearer may arrange the cleats  30  in any desired arrangement of the golf shoe of the golfer’s front or back foot. For example, the wearer may use the stability cleat  33  in one or two cleat mounts  28  along the lateral side of the golf shoe  20 , but use the standard cleats  35  in the remaining cleat mounts along the lateral side of the golf shoe. Furthermore, the wearer may use one or more of the stability cleats  33  on the medial side of the golf shoe, or even on the medial or lateral side of the golf shoe of his or her back foot, depending on the traction and stability requirements of the user in association with his or her unique golf swing. Accordingly, the stability cleats  33  have been described in association with  FIG.  2    as lateral cleats  32 , it will be recognized that in alternative embodiments and configurations that such stability cleats  33  may be selectively positioned on either the lateral side or the medial side of the golf shoe  20  and may be positioned on either the front foot or the back foot of the golfer. Example of such alternative arrangements of the cleats  30  on the golf shoe  20  is shown in  FIG.  13   . 
     With reference now to  FIG.  13   , in at least one embodiment, the golf shoe includes both stability cleats  33  and standard cleats  35  mounted on the medial and lateral sides of the outsole  27 . In the embodiment of  FIG.  13   , the stability cleats  33  are provided on the front lateral side and the rear medial side of the golf shoe  20 , and the standard cleats  35  are provided on the front medial side and the rear lateral side of the golf shoe  20 . Together, the stability cleats  33  and the standard cleats  35  provide the primary traction members for the golf shoe  20 . 
     Based on the above-described embodiments, it will be recognized that the stability cleats  33  and the standard cleats  35  may be provided in any of numerous configurations on the outsole  27 , as desired by the user. Accordingly, the positions of the stability cleats  33  and the standard cleats  35  may be switched to any of various other positions than those shown in  FIGS.  2  and  13   . For example, all cleats in the cleat mounts on the outsole  27  may be stability cleats  33 , no cleats may be stability cleats  33 , or any combination of stability cleats  33  and standard cleats  35  may be provided on the cleat mounts  28  of the outsole  27 . Therefore, it should be recognized that numerous different configurations and positions for the stability cleats  33  and the standard cleats  35  may be used for the golf shoe. 
     Because the stability cleats  33  may be arranged in a number of different positions and combinations on the golf shoe  20 , cleat arrangements may be customized for different golfers based on their particular golf swing. For example, the arrangement of  FIG.  13    with stability cleats  33  on the front lateral side and the rear medial side of the shoe  20  may be preferred for a golfer with a plant foot (i.e., a lead foot) that is relatively flat at finish (i.e., at the finish of the golf swing).  FIG.  16 A  shows the forces experienced on the plant foot of a right handed golfer (i.e., the left foot) with such a finish. In particular, with this type of finish, the plant foot experiences a lateral and counter-clockwise force on the forefoot (as represented by arrow  160 ), while heel experiences a medial and counter-clockwise force on the heel (as represented by arrow  162 ). When the stability cleats  33  are arranged on the front lateral portions of the shoe  20  and on the rear medial portions of the shoe (as shown in  FIG.  13   ), the stability cleats  33  will tend to dig into the ground more firmly than standard cleats, thus providing additional rotational traction and thereby preventing counter-clockwise rotation of the feet. 
       FIG.  16 B  shows the forces experienced on the plant foot of a golfer with a different type of finish. In particular, this golfer tends to roll his plant foot to the lateral lead side (i.e., to the left side for a right handed golfer) at finish, and experiences primarily lateral rotational forces on both the forefoot and the heel (as represented by arrows  164  in  FIG.  16 B ). As a result, the medial side of the shoe  20  tends to leave the ground at finish for this type of swing with most of the weight of the golfer placed on the lateral side of the foot. A golfer with this type of finish may prefer to use the arrangement of  FIG.  2    wherein all of the stability cleats  33  are provided on the lateral lead side of the shoe  20 . With this arrangement, the more rigid static leg  50  of the stability cleat  33  will tend to more firmly dig into the ground, thus providing traction and preventing the foot of the golfer from slipping while the plant foot rolls laterally (as illustrated in  FIG.  16 B ). At the same time, this arrangement will also tend to provide additional support on the lateral side of the shoe  20  at finish. 
       FIGS.  16 A and  16 B  illustrate two common types of forces that may be experienced by golfers during their swing, and especially at finish. Various other types of forces may also be experienced, both at finish and during the golf swing for each golfer. Accordingly, different golfers may find it beneficial to add rotational traction to various locations on his or her feet to counter various forces, and particularly rotational forces. Accordingly, it will be recognized that any combination of arrangements of stability cleats  33  and traditional cleats  35  may be used on the shoe  20 , depending on the specific needs of each golfer. 
     In addition to the primary traction members provided by the cleats  30 , the outsole  27  may further include secondary traction members  80 , as shown in the embodiment of  FIGS.  15 A- 15 D . The secondary traction members may include one or more protrusions  90  that protrude outward on the downward facing surface  26 . The protrusions may be provided in any number of different forms, such as spikes, obelisks, inverted pyramids, or other polyhedron structures. In the embodiments of  FIGS.  15 A- 15 D , the secondary traction members  80  on the downward facing surface  26  further include faceted traction members  81  provided by polyhedron structures on the sole that form facets  82 , ridges  84 , and grooves  86 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  15 A- 15 D , in at least one embodiment the protrusions  90  include a plurality of secondary stability members  100  provided in the shape of tetrahedron-like structures. The secondary stability members  100  are positioned along the lateral perimeter of the forefoot region of the sole  24 . Each secondary stability member  100  includes a substantially vertical perimeter wall  102  that extends to a sharp edge  104 . A sloped surface  106  extends inwardly from the edge  104 , the sloped surface  106  having a relatively gradual slope. Triangular sidewalls  108  are provided along the sides of the secondary stability member  100 . A notch  110  with sharp borders is defined along the edge  104 . Similar to the static legs  50  of the stability cleats  33 , the secondary stability members  100  are configured to dig into the ground and prevent rotation of the sole  24  during the golf swing. In particular, a sharp angle is defined at the edge  104  where the perimeter wall  102  meets the sloped surface  106 , and accordingly the edge  104  is configured to cut into the ground when a rotational force is imparted to the shoe  20 . While the secondary stability members  100  have been described herein as being positioned along the lateral forefoot region of the sole  24 , it will be recognized that the secondary stability members  100  may also be positioned at other locations on the sole. For example, as shown in  FIG.  15 A , the secondary stability members  100  may be positioned in lateral midfoot regions  120  near the perimeter or even longitudinal centerline of the sole, and medial heel regions  122  near the perimeter of the sole. 
       FIG.  14    shows a detailed view of a repeating pattern of polyhedron structures that may be visible on the sole. In at least one embodiment, the repeating pattern of polygon structures may be provided on the outer surface of the sole and provide the secondary traction members  80  (similar to the faceted traction members  81  on the forefoot as shown in  FIG.  15 A ). As shown in  FIG.  14   , each polyhedron structure is provided with a diamond-shaped base with a trough  88  at the center and a number of facets  82  extending away from the trough  88  with ridges  84  and grooves  86  formed between the facets  82 . The repeating pattern of polyhedron structures result in a number of troughs  88  and a number of peaks  90 . While  FIG.  14    shows four polyhedron structures with diamond-shaped bases, it will be recognized that the outsole  27  may include additional polyhedron structures, fewer polyhedron structures, or partial polyhedron structures as shown in  FIG.  13   . Moreover, it will be recognized that the polyhedron structures of  FIGS.  13  and  14    are but one exemplary embodiment of secondary traction members  80  that may be provided on the outsole, and numerous additional embodiments of differently shaped polyhedron structures and associated configurations are possible, including those secondary traction members discussed in association with  FIGS.  15 A- 15 D . 
     While the repeating pattern of polygon structures including facets  82 , ridges  84 , grooves  86 , troughs  88  and peaks  90  have been disclosed herein as being providing secondary traction members, in at least one alternative embodiment, the repeating pattern of polygon structures is covered by a transparent bottom layer on the outsole. In this embodiment, the repeating pattern of polygon structures are merely visible on the outsole, but do not provide secondary traction members. In this case, the exterior surface of the outsole may include protrusions  90  such as those of  FIG.  15 A , which are formed on the transparent bottom layer of the outsole in order to provide the secondary traction members. The protrusions may be provided in any number of different forms, such as spikes, obelisks, inverted pyramids, or other polyhedron structures. 
     With reference again to  FIG.  13   , in at least one embodiment, the outsole  27  is provided as a multi-component outsole. In the embodiment of  FIG.  13   , the outsole  27  includes a rearward member in the form of a heel plate  92  and a forward member in the form of a toe plate  94 , with the secondary traction elements  80  provided on one or both of the heel plate  92  and the toe plate  94 . The heel plate  92  is generally harder than the toe plate  94 . In at least one embodiment, both the heel plate  92  and the toe plate  94  are comprised of a thermoplastic polyurethane material (TPU), or other elastomer material. Because the heel plate  92  is harder than the toe plate  94 , the durometer of the TPU of the heel plate is greater than the durometer of the TPU of the toe plate. Accordingly, the toe plate  94  tends to flex more easily than the heel plate  92 . This provides the user with significant comfort when walking while also offering desired flex regions and stability regions during the golf swing. 
     The toe plate  94  extends around a perimeter of the outsole  27  from the medial side of a midfoot region, around the toe region, and to a lateral side of the midfoot region. The toe plate  94  covers the entire toe region, but only covers the perimeter of the midfoot region. Accordingly, a medial arm  96  and a lateral arm  98  extend into the midfoot region with the heel plate  92  positioned in the midfoot region between the medial arm  96  and the lateral arm  98 . In particular, the medial arm  96  may extend along a region of the sole that is associated with a medial plantar fascia region of the foot, extending along the metatarsal bones and as far as the tarsal bones. Similarly, the lateral arm may extend along a region of the sole that is associated with the lateral plantar fascia region of the foot, extending along the metatarsal bones and as far as the tarsal bones. The forward end of the heel plate  92  extends along a region of the sole associated with the plantar aponeurosis region of the foot, similarly extending from the tarsal bones, along the metatarsal bones and as far as the phalangeal bones. As a result, as shown in  FIG.  13   , the toe plate  94  provides a horseshoe-shaped structure on the outsole  27  with a perimeter arcing structure that is contoured around a toe region and midfoot region with a central opening within the perimeter arcing structure (i.e., the medial arm  96  and the lateral arm  98  defined a central opening in the toe plate  94  in midfoot region and the heel plate  92  extends into this central opening). 
     The arms  96  and  98  of the toe plate  94  have a width between about 1 cm and 3 cm, depending on the size of the shoe, the width extending from an outer perimeter to an inner perimeter of the arm. For example, in at least one embodiment, the arms  96  and  98  may have a width of about 1.5 cm for a men’s size nine shoe. The arms  96  and  98  have a length between about 6 cm and 16 cm, depending on the size of the shoe, the length extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the arm. For example, in at least one embodiment, the arms  96  and  98  may have a length of about 10 cm for a men’s size nine shoe. This configuration of the heel plate  92  and the toe plate  94  in combination with the primary and secondary traction members provides an advantageous outsole  27  with advantageous flex and stability properties for the user when playing golf. 
     The foregoing detailed description of one or more exemplary embodiments of the athletic cleat has been presented herein by way of example only and not limitation. It will be recognized that there are advantages to certain individual features and functions described herein that may be obtained without incorporating other features and functions described herein. Moreover, it will be recognized that various alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements of the above-disclosed exemplary embodiments and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different embodiments, systems or applications. Presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the appended claims. For example, while the article of footwear has been disclosed herein as a golf shoe, it will be recognized that the article of footwear may be provided in different forms in alternative embodiments. For example, the article of footwear may be provided as a baseball shoe, a football shoe, a soccer shoe, or any of various other types of articles of footwear that utilize cleats on the sole. Therefore, the spirit and scope of any appended claims should not be limited to the description of the exemplary embodiments contained herein.