Patent ID: 8191285

Claim:
A soccer shoe, comprising: a) a shoe body having a shoe upper and an outsole secured to the upper so that a wearer's foot can be positioned within the upper and above the outsole, the outsole having a lower surface with cleats and an upper surface, the shoe outsole having a front with a toe box and an outsole periphery that extends at the front around the toe box, the outsole having a middle, a back, and a heel; b) the outsole providing a horizontal component that extends longitudinally from the toe box to at least the middle of the shoe body; c) a vertical component extending vertically upward in the front of and on the sides of the shoe in the toe box area, the vertical component extending vertically a distance from a position next to the outsole and the vertical component continuously connected to the outsole periphery at the toe box, the vertical component extending around the toe box of the upper and rearwardly on opposing sides of the outsole, the vertical component terminating on opposing sides of the toe box; d) the vertical and horizontal components stiffening the toe box so that the combination of the vertical and horizontal components is able to deflect, without permanent deformation, in response to an applied load creating a deflecting stress and then to return to its original shape upon removal of the applied load causing the deflecting stress, the components operating to absorb, redistribute and store the energy of localized loads applied thereto through deflection and, by returning to its original shape, to return energy to an object struck by the shoe in such manner so as to impart to the struck object applying the load some portion of the energy produced by the applied load.