Athletic shoe for improved traction and rotational movement

Abstract

An athletic shoe which improves traction and rotational movement is provided. A first set of protrusions or cleats at the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot is arranged in such a manner that, when the first set of cleats are used in conjunction with at least one cleat of another set of cleats located toward the boundary of the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the shoe, the natural rotational movement of the user is accentuated.

1 . An athletic shoe comprising:
 an upper portion;   a sole comprising a first set of protrusions located substantially at the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot, which, when used in conjunction with at least one second protrusion located at the boundary of the athletic shoe, provides traction underneath the ball of the foot and accentuates the natural rotational movement of a user of the athletic shoe.   
   
   
       2 . The athletic shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of protrusions are substantially elliptical shaped with sharply tapered edges. 
   
   
       3 . The athletic shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second protrusion is one of a set of protrusions located on the boundary of the sole. 
   
   
       4 . The athletic shoe of  claim 2 , wherein the first set of protrusions are substantially the same size. 
   
   
       5 . The athletic shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of protrusions are generally concentrically located with the at least one second protrusion located at the boundary of the sole. 
   
   
       6 . The athletic shoe of  claim 3 , wherein the sole further comprises a third set of protrusions located adjacent to one protrusion of the first set of protrusions. 
   
   
       7 . The athletic shoe of  claim 6 , wherein the third set of protrusions are of a shorter height than any one of the first and second sets of protrusions. 
   
   
       8 . The athletic shoe of  claim 6 , wherein the third set of protrusions are substantially elliptical shaped with sharply tapered edges. 
   
   
       9 . The athletic shoe of  claim 6 , wherein the protrusions of the third set of protrusions are substantially parallel to each other. 
   
   
       10 . The athletic shoe of  claim 6 , wherein the sole further comprises a fourth set of protrusions located towards an outer edge of the sole. 
   
   
       11 . The athletic shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the fourth set of protrusions are substantially elliptical shaped with sharply tapered edges. 
   
   
       12 . The athletic shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the sole further comprises a heel region, which includes a further set of protrusions located around its boundary. 
   
   
       13 . The athletic shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion further comprises flaps with opposed edges adapted to be drawn together over the top of the foot of the user with a shoe lace. 
   
   
       14 . The athletic shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the shoe lace is secured to the flaps by eyelets attached to the outer ends of the flaps. 
   
   
       15 . The athletic shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the upper portion further comprises a tongue connected to a segment of the upper portion which covers the top of the foot of the user. 
   
   
       16 . The athletic shoe of  claim 15 , wherein the tongue has a tapered end extending over the upper eyelets. 
   
   
       17 . The athletic shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the sole comprises at least one of rubber, plastic, ceramic and leather material. 
   
   
       18 . The athletic shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion further comprises a cushioned collar located at the rear of the upper portion. 
   
   
       19 . The athletic shoe of  claim 3 , wherein the second set of protrusions around the boundary of the sole is composed of a metallic material. 
   
   
       20 . The athletic shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of protrusions located at the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot comprises at least one of rubber, plastic, ceramic and leather material. 
   
   
       21 . The athletic shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth sets of protrusions are positioned on a plate which covers the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot. 
   
   
       22 . The athletic shoe of  claim 12 , wherein the further set of protrusions are positioned on a plate which covers the heel region 
   
   
       23 . An athletic shoe comprising:
 an upper portion;   a sole portion which includes a first set of elliptically shaped protrusions located at the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot, and a second set of protrusions located toward the boundary of the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot, wherein the first set of protrusions, when used in conjunction with at least one of the protrusions of the second set of protrusions provides traction underneath the ball of the foot and accentuates the natural rotational movement of a user of the athletic shoe; a third set of protrusions which are elliptically shaped and located adjacent to one of the protrusions of the first set of protrusions, and a fourth set of protrusions which are elliptically shaped and located toward the boundary of the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot; and   a heel region which includes a further set of protrusions around the boundary of the heel region.   
   
   
       24 . The athletic shoe of  claim 23 , wherein the heel region further comprises a lip which follows the contour of a plate located at the heel region of the shoe. 
   
   
       25 . The athletic shoe of  claim 23 , wherein the third set of protrusions are of a shorter height than any one of the first and second sets of protrusions. 
   
   
       26 . An athletic shoe with a sole portion comprising:
 a first plate which includes a first set of protrusions at the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot;   a second set of protrusions located at the boundary of the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot;   a third set of protrusions located substantially parallel to one protrusion of the first set of protrusions;   a fourth set of protrusions located towards an outer edge of the sole; and   a second plate which includes a further set of protrusions around the boundary of the heel region of the sole.   
   
   
       27 . An athletic shoe comprising:
 an upper portion;   a sole comprising protrusion means, located substantially at the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot, for providing traction underneath the ball of the foot and accentuating the natural rotational movement of a user of the athletic shoe.   
   
   
       28 . An athletic shoe comprising:
 an upper portion;   a sole portion which includes:
 a first set of elliptically shaped cleats located at a region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot; 
 a second set of cleats located toward the boundary of the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot, wherein the first set of cleats, when used in conjunction with at least one of the cleats of the second set of cleats provides traction underneath the ball of the foot and accentuates the natural rotational movement of a user of the athletic shoe; 
 a third set of cleats which are elliptically shaped and located adjacent to one of the cleats of the first set of cleats; and 
 a fourth set of cleats which are elliptically shaped and located toward the boundary of the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot; and 
   a heel region which includes a further set of cleats around the boundary of the heel region.   
   
   
       29 . An athletic shoe comprising:
 a sole comprising a set of two protrusions located substantially at the region of the shoe that corresponds to the ball of the foot, and a protrusion located at the boundary of the athletic shoe.   
   
   
       30 . The athletic shoe of  claim 29 , wherein the set of two protrusions comprises a synthetic material and the protrusion located at the boundary comprises a metallic material.