Patent Publication Number: US-2016227878-A1

Title: Spikeless Golf Shoe

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 62/113,421, filed Feb. 7, 2015, and entitled “Spikeless Golf Shoe”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to shoes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the present invention is a shoe comprising a sole and an upper operatively secured to the sole. The sole includes a sole forefoot region, a sole midfoot region, a sole heel region, a medial side, and a lateral side. The sole comprises a midsole and an outsole. The outsole comprises a forefoot outsole member, a midfoot outsole member, and a heel outsole member. Each of the forefoot, midfoot, and heel outsole members have a lateral side periphery and a medial side periphery. The midsole has a midsole forefoot lateral side peripheral edge portion, a midsole forefoot medial side peripheral edge portion, a midsole midfoot lateral side peripheral edge portion, a midsole midfoot medial side peripheral edge portion, a midsole heel lateral side peripheral edge portion, and a midsole heel medial side peripheral edge portion. The lateral side periphery of the forefoot outsole member is spaced laterally inward from the midsole forefoot lateral side peripheral edge portion. The medial side periphery of the forefoot outsole member is spaced medially inward from the midsole forefoot medial side peripheral edge portion. The lateral side periphery of the midfoot outsole member is spaced laterally outward from the midsole midfoot lateral side peripheral edge portion. The medial side periphery of the midfoot outsole member is spaced medially outward from the midsole midfoot medial side peripheral edge portion. The lateral side periphery of the heel outsole member is spaced laterally inward from the midsole heel lateral side peripheral edge portion. The medial side periphery of the heel outsole member is spaced medially inward from the midsole heel medial side peripheral edge portion. The midsole is of a midsole material. The forefoot outsole member is of a first outsole material. The midfoot outsole member is of a second outsole material. The heel outsole member is of a third outsole material. The midsole material is different from the first, second, and third outsole materials. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is a shoe comprising a sole and an upper operatively secured to the sole. The sole includes a sole forefoot region, a sole midfoot region, a sole heel region, a medial side, and a lateral side. The sole comprises a midsole and an outsole. The outsole comprises a forefoot outsole member, a midfoot outsole member, a heel outsole member, a plurality of forefoot lugs projecting downwardly from the forefoot outsole member, a plurality of midfoot lugs projecting downwardly from the midfoot outsole member, and a plurality of heel lugs projecting downwardly from the heel outsole member. Each of the forefoot, midfoot, and heel outsole members comprises a top surface. Each of the plurality of forefoot lugs comprises a ground-engageable forefoot lug surface. Each of the plurality of midfoot lugs comprises a ground-engageable midfoot lug surface. Each of the plurality of heel lugs comprises a ground-engageable heel lug surface. Each of the forefoot ground-engageable lug surfaces is spaced from the top surface of the forefoot outsole member by a forefoot lug distance defined as the shortest distance between said each of the forefoot ground-engageable lug surfaces and the top surface of the forefoot outsole member. Each of the ground-engageable midfoot lug surfaces is spaced from the top surface of the midfoot outsole member by a midfoot lug distance defined as the shortest distance between said each of the ground-engageable midfoot lug surfaces and the top surface of the midfoot outsole member. Each of the ground-engageable heel lug surfaces is spaced from the top surface of the heel outsole member by a heel lug distance defined as the shortest distance between said each of the ground-engageable heel lug surfaces and the top surface of the heel outsole member. Each of the midfoot lug distances is greater than each of the forefoot lug distances. Each of the midfoot lug distances is greater than each of the heel lug distances. The midsole is of a midsole material. The forefoot outsole member is of a first outsole material. The midfoot outsole member is of a second outsole material. The heel outsole member is of a third outsole material. The midsole material is different from the first, second, and third outsole materials. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is a shoe comprising a sole and an upper operatively secured to the sole. The sole includes a sole forefoot region, a sole midfoot region, a sole heel region, a medial side, and a lateral side. The sole comprises a midsole and an outsole. The outsole comprises a forefoot outsole member, a midfoot outsole member, a heel outsole member, a plurality of forefoot lugs projecting downwardly from the forefoot outsole member, a plurality of midfoot lugs projecting downwardly from the midfoot outsole member, and a plurality of heel lugs projecting downwardly from the heel outsole member. Each of the forefoot, midfoot, and heel outsole members has a lateral side periphery and a medial side periphery. The midsole has a midsole forefoot lateral side peripheral edge portion, a midsole forefoot medial side peripheral edge portion, a midsole midfoot lateral side peripheral edge portion, a midsole midfoot medial side peripheral edge portion, a midsole heel lateral side peripheral edge portion, and a midsole heel medial side peripheral edge portion. The midfoot outsole member includes a midfoot outsole sipe extending transversely from the lateral side periphery of the midfoot outsole member to the medial side periphery of the midfoot outsole member. The sole includes a sole sipe between the forefoot outsole member and the midfoot outsole member. The sole sipe extends transversely from the lateral side of the sole to the medial side of the sole. The midsole is of a midsole material. The forefoot outsole member is of a first outsole material. The midfoot outsole member is of a second outsole material. The heel outsole member is of a third outsole material. The midsole material is different from the first, second, and third outsole materials. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an embodiment of a shoe of the present invention, the shoe having a sole and an upper. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the sole of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane of line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane of line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     Reference numerals in the written specification and in the drawing figures indicate corresponding items. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An embodiment of a shoe of the present invention is indicated generally by reference numeral  10  in  FIG. 1 . The shoe  10  comprises a sole  12  and an upper  14  operatively secured to the sole. The sole  12  includes a sole forefoot region  16 , a sole midfoot region  18 , a sole heel region  20 , a medial side  22 , and a lateral side  24 . The sole  12  comprises a midsole  30  and an outsole  32 . The outsole  32  comprises a forefoot outsole member  34  and a midfoot outsole member  36 . The midfoot outsole member  36  is in a recess  38  in the midsole  30 . The outsole  32  further comprises first, second, and third heel outsole members  40 ,  42 ,  44 . Each of the forefoot, midfoot, and heel outsole members  34 ,  36 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44  has a lateral side periphery LP and a medial side periphery MP. The midsole  30  has a midsole forefoot lateral side peripheral edge portion  46 , a midsole forefoot medial side peripheral edge portion  48 , a midsole midfoot lateral side peripheral edge portion  50 , a midsole midfoot medial side peripheral edge portion  52 , a midsole heel lateral side peripheral edge portion  54 , and a midsole heel medial side peripheral edge portion  56 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the lateral side periphery LP of the forefoot outsole member  34  is spaced laterally inward from the midsole forefoot lateral side peripheral edge portion  46 . The medial side periphery MP of the forefoot outsole member  34  is spaced medially inward from the midsole forefoot medial side peripheral edge portion  48 . The lateral side periphery LP of the midfoot outsole member  36  is spaced laterally outward from the midsole midfoot lateral side peripheral edge portion  50 . The medial side periphery MP of the midfoot outsole member  36  is spaced medially outward from the midsole midfoot medial side peripheral edge portion  52 . The lateral side peripheries LP of each of the first, second, and third heel outsole members  40 ,  42 ,  44  is spaced laterally inward from the midsole heel lateral side peripheral edge portion  54 . The medial side periphery MP of each of the first, second, and third heel outsole members  40 ,  42 ,  44  is spaced medially inward from the midsole heel medial side peripheral edge portion  56 . 
     The midsole  30  is of a midsole material. The forefoot outsole member  34  is of a first outsole material. The midfoot outsole member  36  is of a second outsole material. The first heel outsole member  40  is of a third outsole material. The second heel outsole member  42  is of a fourth outsole material. The third heel outsole member  44  is of a fifth outsole material. The midsole material is different from the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth outsole materials. The midsole material is of ethylene-vinyl-acetate, but it is to be understood that other midsole materials (e.g., polyurethane) may be employed instead. In this embodiment the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth outsole materials are the same. The outsole material is synthetic rubber, but it is to be understood that other outsole materials may be employed instead. It is also to be understood that one or more of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth outsole materials may be different from the others of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth outsole materials. The outsole material is more durable than the midsole material. Also, each of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth outsole materials are of a first durometer hardness and the midsole material is of a second durometer hardness. The first durometer hardness is greater than the second durometer hardness. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the sole  12  includes a sole sipe  58  between the forefoot outsole member  34  and the midfoot outsole member  36 . The sole sipe  58  extends transversely from the lateral side of the sole  24  to the medial side of the sole  22 . The sole sipe  58  is defined in part by the midsole  30  and in part by the forefoot outsole member  34 . The midfoot outsole member  36  includes a plurality of midfoot outsole sipes  60 . Each of the plurality of midfoot outsole sipes  60  extends transversely from the lateral side periphery LP of the midfoot outsole member  36  to the medial side periphery MP of the midfoot outsole member  36 . 
     The forefoot outsole member  34  is spaced longitudinally (left to right as viewed in  FIG. 2 ) from the midfoot outsole member  36 . The first heel outsole member  40  is spaced longitudinally from the midfoot outsole member  36 . The second heel outsole member  42  is spaced longitudinally from the third heel outsole member  44 . The first heel outsole member  40  is spaced longitudinally from the second heel outsole member  42 . 
     The midsole includes a heel sipe  62  between the first and second heel outsole members  40 ,  42 , and a heel sipe  62  between the second and third heel outsole members  42 ,  44 . Each of the heel sipes  62  extends transversely from the midsole heel lateral side peripheral edge portion  54  to the midsole heel medial side peripheral edge portion  56 . 
     In this embodiment, each of the outsole members are devoid of any longitudinal sipes. In this embodiment, the midsole is devoid of any longitudinal sipes. In this embodiment, the sole is devoid of any longitudinal sipes. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , each of the forefoot, midfoot, and heel outsole members comprises a top surface S T  and a bottom surface S B . The forefoot outsole member  34  has a first maximum thickness t 1  defined by the top surface S T  of the forefoot outsole member and the bottom surface S B  of the forefoot outsole member. The midfoot outsole member  36  has a second maximum thickness t 2  defined by the top surface S T  of the midfoot outsole member and the bottom surface S B  of the midfoot outsole member. The first heel outsole member has a third maximum thickness t 3  defined by the top surface S T  of the first heel outsole member and the bottom surface S B  of the first heel outsole member. The second maximum thickness t 2  is thicker than either of the first maximum thickness t 1  and the third maximum thickness t 3 . The forefoot outsole member  34  has a first mean average thickness defined by the top surface S T  of the forefoot outsole member and the bottom surface S B  of the forefoot outsole member. The midfoot outsole member  36  has a second mean average thickness defined by the top surface S T  of the midfoot outsole member and the bottom surface S B  of the midfoot outsole member. The first heel outsole member  40  has a third mean average thickness defined by the top surface S T  of the first heel outsole member and the bottom surface S B  of the first heel outsole member. The second mean average thickness is thicker than the first and third mean average thicknesses. 
     The outsole  32  further comprises a plurality of forefoot lugs  64  projecting downwardly from the forefoot outsole member  34 , a plurality of midfoot lugs  66  projecting downwardly from the midfoot outsole member  36 , and a plurality of heel lugs  68  projecting downwardly from the first heel outsole member  38 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each of the plurality of forefoot, midfoot, and heel lugs includes a generally cylindrical body  70  and a plurality of tines  72  projecting radially from the cylindrical body. The plurality of forefoot lugs  64  are of the first outsole material, the plurality of midfoot lugs  66  are of the second outsole material, and the plurality of heel lugs  68  are of the third outsole material. In this embodiment, each lug is integrally formed with the corresponding outsole member from which it projects. Preferably, each of the forefoot lugs  64 , the midfoot lugs  66 , and heel lugs  68  projects downwardly from the bottom surface S B  of its corresponding outsole member a distance of between approximately four to six millimeters, and more preferable projects downwardly from the bottom surface of its corresponding outsole member a distance of approximately five millimeters. 
     Each of the plurality of forefoot lugs  64  comprises a ground-engageable forefoot lug surface  74 . Each of the plurality of midfoot lugs  66  comprises a ground-engageable midfoot lug surface  76 . Each of the plurality of heel lugs  68  comprises a ground-engageable heel lug surface  78 . Each of the ground-engageable forefoot lug surfaces  74  is spaced from the top surface S T  of the forefoot outsole member  34  by a forefoot lug distance D F  defined as the shortest distance between said each of the forefoot ground-engageable lug surfaces and the top surface of the forefoot outsole member. Each of the ground-engageable midfoot lug surfaces  76  is spaced from the top surface S T  of the midfoot outsole member  36  by a midfoot lug distance D M  defined as the shortest distance between said each of the ground-engageable midfoot lug surfaces and the top surface of the midfoot outsole member. Each of the ground-engageable heel lug surfaces  78  is spaced from the top surface S T  of the first heel outsole member  40  by a heel lug distance D H  defined as the shortest distance between said each of the ground-engageable heel lug surfaces and the top surface of the first heel outsole member. Each of the midfoot lug distances D M  is greater than each of the forefoot lug distances D F . Each of the midfoot lug distances D M  is greater than each of the heel lug distances D H . 
     The only lugs projecting downwardly from the midfoot outsole member  36  are the plurality of midfoot lugs  66 , the only lugs projecting downwardly from the forefoot outsole member  34  are the plurality of forefoot lugs  64 , and the only lugs projecting downwardly from the first heel outsole member  40  are the plurality of heel lugs  68 . 
     As various modifications could be made in the constructions herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 
     It should also be understood that when introducing elements of the present invention in the claims or in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be open-ended and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, the term “portion” should be construed as meaning some or all of the item or element that it qualifies. Moreover, use of identifiers such as first, second, and third should not be construed in a manner imposing any relative position or quality.