Patent Application
20220079295
The present invention relates generally to shoes and more particularly to golf shoes having improved midsoles structures. The structured midsole can accommodate both spiked outsoles and spikeless outsoles.
Both professional and amateur golfers use specially designed golf shoes today. Typically, the golf shoe includes an upper portion and outsole portion along with a mid-sole connecting the upper to the outsole. The upper has a traditional shape for inserting a user's foot and thus covers and protects the foot in the shoe. The upper is designed to provide a comfortable fit around the contour of the foot. The mid-sole is relatively lightweight and provides cushioning to the shoe. The outsole is designed to provide stability and traction for the golfer. The bottom surface of the outsole may include spikes or cleats designed to engage the ground surface through contact with and penetration of the ground. These elements help provide the golfer with better foot stability and traction as he/she walks and plays the course.
Often, the terms, “spikes” and “cleats” are used interchangeably in the golf industry. Some golfers prefer the term, “spikes,” since cleats are more commonly associated with other sports such as baseball, football, and soccer. Other golfers like to use the term, “cleats” since spikes are more commonly associated with non-turf sports such as track or bicycling. In the following description, the term, “spikes” will be used for convenience purposes. Golf shoe spikes can be made of a metal or plastic material. However, one problem with metal spikes is they are normally elongated pieces with a sharp point extending downwardly that can break through the surface of the putting green thereby leaving holes and causing other damage. These metal spikes also can cause damage to other ground surfaces at a golf course, for example, the carpeting and flooring in a clubhouse. Today, most golf courses require that golfers use non-metal spikes.
In recent years, “spikeless” or “cleatless” shoes have become more popular. These shoe outsoles contain rubber or plastic traction members but no spikes or cleats. These traction members protrude from the bottom surface of the outsole to contact the ground. The shoes are designed for on the golf course and off the course. That is, the shoes provide good stability and traction for the golfer playing the course including on the tees, fairways, and greens. Furthermore, the shoes are lightweight, and comfortable and can be used off the golf course. The shoes can be worn comfortably in the clubhouse, office, home, and other off-course places.
In conventional shoe manufacturing operations, the midsole may be attached to the upper by applying an adhesive and the outsole may be molded directly to the bottom surface of the midsole or also fixed to the midsole by an adhesive. One midsole mold is used to form the midsole for spiked outsoles and a different midsole mold is used to form the midsole for spikeless outsoles. Midsoles used for spiked outsoles normally have a greater thickness than midsoles used for spikeless outsoles. Changing the midsole molds back and forth so that different midsoles can be made for spiked outsoles versus spikeless outsoles can be a time-consuming and cumbersome process.
Shoe manufacturers are constantly looking at different manufacturing methods that are more cost effective and efficient. There is a need for an improved midsole/outsole manufacturing system. The shoe manufacturer should have a system that provides greater flexibility so both spiked and spikeless shoes can be made in a fast and cost-effective manner. The shoe manufacturer should be able to quickly transition from producing shoes with spiked outsoles to shoes with spikeless outsoles and vice versa. There is also a need for an improved midsole/outsole assembly, wherein the fastened outsole can be either a spiked or spikeless outsole. The present invention provides such a manufacturing system and shoes having improved midsole/outsole assemblies as well as other advantageous features and benefits.
The present invention provides a golf shoe comprising a structured midsole. The shoe comprises: i) an upper; ii) a midsole having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface comprising recessed pockets for interlocking with complementary projecting segments located on the upper surface of the outsole; and iii) an outsole having an upper surface and a bottom surface. The upper surface of the outsole comprises projecting segments for interlocking with the recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole, wherein the projecting segments are disposed in the recessed pockets so that the midsole is secured to the outsole. The upper, midsole, and outsole each have forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-foot regions and lateral and medial sides.
In one preferred embodiment, the projecting segments are disc-shaped and have a thickness in the range of about 1.5 to about 4.0 mm. Preferably, the projecting segments have a diameter in the range of about 18.0 to about 23.0 mm. Preferably, there are at least three projecting segments on the upper surface of the outsole and at least three recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole. In one example, there are six projecting segments on the upper surface of the outsole and six recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole. More particularly, there can be four projecting segments in the forefoot region and two projecting segments in the rear-foot region of the outsole and four recessed pockets in the forefoot region and two recessed pockets in the rear-foot region of the midsole. In another example, there are nine projecting segments on the upper surface of the outsole and nine recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole. More particularly, there can be five projecting segments in the forefoot region and four projecting segments in the rear-foot region of the outsole and five recessed pockets in the forefoot region and four recessed pockets in the rear-foot region of the midsole.
In one embodiment, the bottom surface of the outsole comprises at least two spike receptacles for receiving two spikes. For example, the bottom surface of the outsole can comprise at least six spike receptacles for receiving six spikes. In another example, the bottom surface of the outsole comprises at least nine spike receptacles for receiving nine spikes.
In another embodiment, the bottom surface of the outsole comprises a plurality of protruding traction members. The bottom surface of the outsole can comprise tile pieces as described further below. These tile pieces can contain traction members, wherein a plurality of the tile pieces comprise a first protruding traction member, an opposing second protruding traction member, and a non-protruding segment disposed between the first and second traction members, and wherein the tile piece, first and second protruding traction members, and non-protruding segment comprise the same material and form a unitary piece. For example, the tile piece, first and second traction members and non-protruding segment comprise a rubber or thermoplastic polyurethane material.
The novel features that are characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with further objects and attendant advantages, are best understood by reference to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring to the Figures, where like reference numerals are used to designate like elements, and particularly
The upper (12) has a traditional shape and is made from a standard upper material such as, for example, natural leather, synthetic leather, knits, non-woven materials, natural fabrics, and synthetic fabrics. For example, breathable mesh and synthetic textile fabrics made from nylons, polyesters, polyolefins, polyurethanes, rubbers, and combinations thereof can be used. The material used to construct the upper is selected based on desired properties such as breathability, durability, flexibility, and comfort. In one preferred example, the upper (12) is made of an engineered mesh material. The upper material is stitched or bonded together to form an upper structure. The upper (12) generally includes an instep region (18) with an opening (20) for inserting a foot. The upper includes a vamp (19) for covering the forepart of the foot. The instep region includes a tongue member (22). Normally, laces (24) are used for tightening the shoe around the contour of the foot. However, other tightening systems can be used including metal cable (lace)-tightening assemblies that include a dial, spool, and housing and locking mechanism for locking the cable in place. For example, such lace tightening assemblies are available from Boa Technology, Inc., Denver, Colo. (USA). It should be understood that the above-described upper (12) shown in
The midsole (14) is preferably formed from a polymer foam material, such as polyurethane (PU), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), rubber, or silicone. The midsole (14) may be constructed by any suitable method such as, for example, compression molding, injection molding, open pouring, casting, and the like. In one example, the midsole (14) may be formed via an injection-molding process that includes injecting a foaming material, such as EVA, into a mold and allowing the foamed material to cure and harden onto the upper (12). The foaming material may seep through fibers of the upper (12). The midsole (14) may be attached to the upper (12) by applying an adhesive. Alternatively, the midsole (14) may be directly attached to the upper (16) during the injection step by positioning the upper (12) over the mold during injection of the foaming material. A last may be inserted into the upper (12) to provide a structural frame to the upper during the injection process. The last may be a mechanical form with a structure similar to a foot and constructed from a rigid material such as wood, metal, or high-density plastic, and the like. The midsole (14) may be attached to the outsole (16) using the distinctive midsole/outsole assembly system of the present invention as described in further detail below.
The outsole (16) is designed to provide stability and traction for the shoe. The bottom surface (23) of the outsole (16) includes multiple traction members (25) to help provide traction between the shoe and golf course (on course) or other surfaces such as, for example, clubhouse, street, office, home, and the like. The bottom surface of the outsole (16) and traction members (25) can be made of any suitable material such as rubber or plastics and combinations thereof. Thermoplastics such as nylons, polyesters, polyolefins, and polyurethanes can be used. Suitable rubber materials that can be used include, but are not limited to, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene-propylene rubber (“EPR”), ethylene-propylene-diene (“EPDM”) rubber, and styrene-butadiene rubber, and the like, and blends of two or more thereof. In
In general, the anatomy of the foot can be divided into three bony regions. The rear-foot region generally includes the ankle (talus) and heel (calcaneus) bones. The mid-foot region includes the cuboid, cuneiform, and navicular bones that form the longitudinal arch of the foot. The forefoot region includes the metatarsals and the toes. Referring back to
Turning to
The outsole also includes a lateral side (31) and a medial side (32). Lateral side (31) and medial side (32) extend through each of the foot regions (26, 28, and 30) and correspond with opposite sides of the outsole. The lateral side or edge (31) of the outsole is the side that corresponds with the outer area of the foot of the wearer. The lateral edge (31) is the side of the foot of the wearer that is generally farthest from the other foot of the wearer (that is, it is the side closer to the fifth toe [little toe].) The medial side or edge (32) of the outsole is the side that corresponds with the inside area of the foot of the wearer. The medial edge (32) is the side of the foot of the wearer that is generally closest to the other foot of the wearer (that is, the side closer to the hallux [big toe].)
More particularly, the lateral (31) and medial sides (32) extend around the periphery or perimeter of the outsole (16) from the anterior end (27) to the posterior end (29) of the outsole. The anterior end (27) is the portion of the outsole corresponding to the toe area, and the posterior end (29) is the portion corresponding to the heel area. The regions, sides, and areas of the outsole as described above are not intended to demarcate precise areas of the outsole. Rather, these regions, sides, and areas are intended to represent general areas of the outsole. The upper (12) and midsole (14) also have such regions, sides, and areas. Each region, side, and area also may include anterior and posterior sections.
Referring to
In
More particularly, in one embodiment, “spiked” or “cleated” outsoles (60) are made using the midsole (14) of this invention. Most golf courses require that golfers use non-metal spikes on their shoes. The bottom surface (65) of the outsole (60) contains molded receptacles (sockets) (68) for securing the spikes (66) to the shoe. Plastic spikes (66) are commonly used and they typically have a rounded base (71) with a central stud on one face. On the other face of the rounded base (71), there are radial arms (72) with traction projections (74). Screw threads are spaced about the stud on the spike (66) for inserting into the threaded receptacle (68). These plastic spikes (66), which can be easily fastened and later removed from the locking receptacle (68), tend to cause less damage to the greens and clubhouse flooring surfaces than metal spikes.
The spikes (66) are preferably detachably fastened to receptacles (68) in the outsole (60). The spike (66) may be inserted and removed easily from the receptacle (68). Normally, the spike (66) may be secured in the receptacle (68) by inserting it and then slightly twisting it in a clockwise direction. To remove the spike (66) from the receptacle (68), it may be slightly twisted in a counter-clockwise direction.
In
In an alternative outsole embodiment, “spikeless” or “cleatless” outsoles (62) are made using the midsole (14) mold of this invention. These shoe outsoles (62) have a bottom surface (41) containing rubber or plastic traction members (70) but no spikes or cleats (66). The traction members (70) protrude from the bottom surface (41) of the outsole to contact the ground. Referring back to
Turning to
In one preferred embodiment, the midsole (14) is made of an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) material and the outsole (16) is made of a rubber material. As shown in
The projecting segments (40) disposed on the outsole can have different shapes and sizes so long as they are able to interlock with the recessed pockets (44) on the midsole. For example, the projecting segments (40) can have rectangular, triangular, square, spherical, star, diamond, pyramid, arrow, rod, or conical-shapes, and the like. The shape and dimensions of the projecting segments (40) correspond to the shape dimensions of the recessed pockets (44) so that they can interlock with each other. In this way, the outsole structure (60, 62) is joined and locked to the midsole structure (14).
It also should be understood that any number of projecting segments (40) can be disposed on the top surface of the outsole and any number of recessed pockets (44) can be disposed on the bottom surface of the midsole. In
As shown in
The present invention also encompasses methods for manufacturing a shoe, wherein a midsole mold is provided for making a midsole having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the midsole comprising recessed pockets. The method also involves providing a shoe upper and a shoe outsole, wherein the outsole has an upper surface and a bottom surface. The upper surface of the outsole comprises projecting segments for interlocking with the recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole so that the midsole is secured to the outsole. The shoe upper also has a top surface and bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface of the upper is secured to the midsole by adhesives or other suitable fastening means. The upper, midsole, and outsole each have forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-foot regions and lateral and medial sides.
Spiked Outsoles
The spiked outsole (60) can contain any number of spike receptacles (68) and spikes (cleats) (66), and the receptacles and spikes can be arranged in a wide variety of patterns as discussed further below.
For example, referring back to
As shown in
The spiked outsole (60) is configured to contact the ground during golf play. The spikes (66) can be of various shapes and sizes. The spikes (66) are designed to engage the ground surface and provide an increased area of contact with the ground. This helps provide the golfer with better foot traction on the turf as he/she walks the course and plays the round. It should be understood that the above-described spiked outsole (60) shown in
Spikeless Outsoles
The spikeless outsole structure (62) can contain any number of traction members (70), and the traction members can be arranged in a wide variety of patterns. For example, as shown in
The spikeless outsole (62) shown in
As discussed above, the above-described spiked and spikeless outsole structures (60, 62) shown in
In one particularly preferred embodiment, the outsole has a geometric configuration such that the bottom surface of the outsole comprises a first set of spiral pathways (A), each spiral pathway having a point of origin with a plurality of spiral segments radiating from that point, and wherein each segment has a different degree of curvature and contains sub-segments; and a second set of spiral pathways (B), each spiral pathway having a point of origin with a plurality of spiral segments radiating from that point, and wherein each segment has a different degree of curvature and contains sub-segments. The first set of spiral pathways (A) is normal and the second set of spiral pathways (B) is an inverse of the first set of spiral pathways, so that when the spiral pathways are superposed over each other, the sub-segments of spiral segments from set (A) and the sub-segments of spiral segments from set (B) form four-sided tile pieces on the surface of the outsole. As described above, the tile pieces contain traction members, wherein a plurality of tile pieces comprise a first protruding traction member, an opposing second protruding traction member, and a non-protruding segment disposed between the first and second traction members, and wherein the tile piece, first and second protruding traction members, and non-protruding segment comprise the same material and form a unitary piece. Preferably, the unitary piece is made of a rubber material.
When numerical lower limits and numerical upper limits are set forth herein, it is contemplated that any combination of these values may be used. Other than in the operating examples, or unless otherwise expressly specified, all of the numerical ranges, amounts, values and percentages such as those for amounts of materials and others in the specification may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” even though the term “about” may not expressly appear with the value, amount or range. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention.
It also should be understood the terms, “top”, “bottom”, “upper”, “lower”, “downward”, “upward”, “right”, “left”, “lateral”, “medial”, “anterior”, “posterior”, and the like are arbitrary terms used to refer to one position of an element based on one perspective and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.
It is understood that the shoe materials, designs, and structures described and illustrated herein represent only some embodiments of the invention. It is appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and additions can be made to materials, designs, and structures without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. It is intended that all such embodiments be covered by the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/079,792, filed Sep. 17, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63079792 | Sep 2020 | US |
