Footwear outsole with optimized material placement

Abstract

A composite outsole for a shoe, and a shoe incorporating a composite outsole, are provided. The outsole comprises an inner surface in contact with the shoe upper, and an outer surface in contact with the ground or other walking or running surface. The outsole includes multiple material regions and/or layers having characteristics, such as traction, durability, hardness, etc. The use of multiple materials for fabricating the outsole as an integral structure is designed to provide functional utility in a variety of different environments and when used under different conditions.

1 . An article of footwear, comprising: 
 an upper including first and second sections, the first section adapted to receive a foot and the second section being positioned beneath the foot; and    an outsole, the outsole including first and second surfaces in a unitary structure, the first surface comprising a first material adapted to contact a ground surface, and the second surface comprising a second material joined to the second section of the upper, the second material being selected to include a qualitative characteristic different than a qualitative characteristic of the first material.    
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second material is selected to have a high degree of adhesion to the second section of the upper.  
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the first material has a greater traction coefficient than the second material.  
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the second material is less than about 1 mm thick.  
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first material includes first and second regions, the first region having a physical property selected from a first set of qualitative characteristics and the second region having a physical property selected from a second set of qualitative characteristics, the first set being different than the second set.  
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the first region has a greater traction coefficient than the second region.  
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the first region provides greater abrasion resistance than the second region.  
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the first region provides greater cushioning than the second region.  
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the first region provides greater liquid resistance than the second region.  
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the first region provides greater electrostatic discharge resistance than the second region.  
     
     
         11 . An outsole for use in an article of footwear, comprising: 
 first and second surfaces in a unitary structure, the first surface comprising a first material adapted to contact a ground surface, and the second surface comprising a second material joined to an upper of the article of footwear;    wherein the second material is selected to include a qualitative characteristic different than a qualitative characteristic of the first material.    
     
     
         12 . The outsole of  claim 11 , wherein the first material includes first and second regions, the first region being selected to include a qualitative characteristic different than a qualitative characteristic of the second region.  
     
     
         13 . The outsole of  claim 12 , wherein the first region is completely surrounded by the second region.  
     
     
         14 . The outsole of  claim 11 , wherein the first material is at least about 3 mm thick and the second material is less than about 1 mm thick.  
     
     
         15 . A method of fabricating an outsole of an article of footwear, comprising: 
 forming a first layer of material having a first surface for connection to an upper portion of the article of footwear, the first material layer being selected based upon a first qualitative characteristic; and    applying a second layer of material to the first layer, the second material layer being selected based upon a second qualitative characteristic different than the first qualitative characteristic of the first material layer.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein applying the second layer comprises a process selected from the group consisting of compression molding, injection molding, open pouring, and painting.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein applying the second layer comprises skim coating the second layer onto the first layer.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein applying the second layer comprises a dipping process.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second layer is less than about 1 mm thick.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 applying a third layer of material as the first surface of the first material layer remote from the second material layer, the third material layer being qualitatively different from the second material layer;    wherein the third material layer is selected to have a high degree of adhesion to the upper portion of the article of footwear and is no greater than 1 mm thick, and the second material layer is selected to have a greater coefficient of friction than the third material layer.