Golf shoe outsole with longitudinally extending bend line

Abstract

An outsole for a golf shoe having a plurality of lateral and medial cleats spaced apart longitudinally adjacent the perimeter on each of the lateral and medial sides of the foresole region, and least one cleat adjacent the perimeter on each of the lateral and medial sides of the heel region, with a groove running longitudinally through the foresole region between the medial and lateral cleats, in substantially vertical registry with a region of the foot defined by the center phalange and the lateral and medial phalanges adjacent the center phalange. Preferably another groove extends between the lateral and media sides of the foresole region, having an inverted “V” shape with the apex of the “V” directed forwardly and intersecting the longitudinal groove, in substantially vertical registry with all of the five phalange joints lying midway between the toes and the arches of the foot. In a further preference, a raised pad is provided at the medial side of the arch region.

1 . An outsole for an athletic shoe comprising:
 an elongated perimeter outlining a substantially planar foresole region, a substantially planar heel region, and an arch region recessed from the foresole and heel regions, each of said regions having medial and lateral sides;   a plurality of lateral and medial cleats spaced apart longitudinally adjacent the perimeter on each of the lateral and medial sides of the foresole region, respectively, and rising above the plane of the foresole region;   at least one cleat adjacent the perimeter on each of the lateral and medial sides of the heel region and rising above the plane of the heel region;   a first groove running longitudinally through the foresole region between all of the medial and lateral cleats; and   a second groove extending transversely between the lateral and media sides of the foresole region, having an inverted “V” shape with the apex of the “V” directed forwardly and intersecting the first groove.   
   
   
       2 . The outsole of  claim 1 , wherein the first groove has a substantially continuous curvature. 
   
   
       3 . The outsole of  claim 1 , wherein the first groove has a substantially continuous convex curvature between the cleats as viewed from the medial cleats. 
   
   
       4 . The outsole of  claim 1 , including a raised pad at the medial side of the arch region. 
   
   
       5 . The outsole of  claim 4 , wherein the foresole region, heel region, and pad are substantially coplanar. 
   
   
       6 . The outsole of  claim 1 , wherein the first groove has a front end at a longitudinally front point of the foresole perimeter. 
   
   
       7 . The outsole of  claim 6 , including a raised pad at the medial side of the arch region, said pad having a substantially flat, textured surface lying in a plane at or above the plane of the heel region. 
   
   
       8 . The outsole of  claim 1 , wherein the first groove is defined by sidewalls and an uninterrupted straight line can be extended within the sidewalls between all of the medial and lateral cleats in the foresole region. 
   
   
       9 . The outsole of  claim 8 , wherein the first groove lies midway between or closer to the lateral side of the foresole region, relative to the medial side of the foresole region. 
   
   
       10 . A golf shoe outsole comprising:
 an elongated perimeter outlining a substantially planar foresole region, a substantially planar heel region, and an arch region recessed from the foresole and heel regions, each of said regions having medial and lateral sides;   a plurality of lateral and medial cleats spaced apart longitudinally adjacent the perimeter on each of the lateral and medial sides of the foresole region, respectively, and rising above the plane of the foresole region;   at least one cleat adjacent the perimeter on each of the lateral and medial sides of the heel region and rising above the plane of the heel region;   a groove running longitudinally through the foresole region between at least some of the medial and lateral cleats; and   a raised pad at the medial side of the arch region.   
   
   
       11 . The outsole of  claim 10 , wherein the raised pad has a substantially flat, textured surface lying in a plane at or above the plane of the heel region. 
   
   
       12 . The outsole of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the groove between the cleats has a convex curvature as viewed from the medial cleats. 
   
   
       13 . The outsole of  claim 12 , wherein the groove extends between all the lateral and medial cleats in the foresole region. 
   
   
       14 . The outsole of  claim 13 , wherein the groove has a front end at a longitudinally front point of the foresole perimeter. 
   
   
       15 . An outsole for a golf shoe, having a perimeter outlining a wearer's foot of given size, an inner surface providing a foot bed and an outer surface having cleats for engaging the ground, wherein said foot includes a heel, a lateral arch, a medial arch, two lateral phalanges, a center phalange, and two medial phalanges, and said outsole comprises:
 a substantially planar outer foresole region, a substantially planar outer heel region, and an outer arch region recessed from said foresole and heel regions, each of said regions having medial and lateral sides;   a plurality of lateral and medial cleats spaced apart longitudinally adjacent the perimeter on each of the lateral and medial sides of said outer foresole region, respectively, and rising above the plane of the foresole region;   at least one cleat adjacent the perimeter on each of the lateral and medial sides of said outer heel region and rising above the plane of said heel region;   a groove running longitudinally through the outer foresole region between medial and lateral cleats, in substantially vertical registry with a region of the foot defined by the center phalange and the lateral and medial phalanges adjacent the center phalange.   
   
   
       16 . The outsole of  claim 15 , wherein the groove extends from the toes to the arches of the rear most part of the phalanges. 
   
   
       17 . The outsole of  claim 15 , wherein the groove is in substantially vertical registry with a region of the foot defined by the center phalange and the lateral phalange adjacent the center phalange. 
   
   
       18 . The outsole of  claim 15  wherein the groove is in substantially vertical registry with the center phalange from the toes to the arches of the rear most part of the phalanges. 
   
   
       19 . The outsole of  claim 15 , including another groove extending between the lateral and media sides of the outer foresole region, having an inverted “V” shape with the apex of the “V” directed forwardly and intersecting said longitudinal groove, wherein the other groove lies in substantially vertical registry with all of the five phalange joints lying midway between the toes and the arches of the foot. 
   
   
       20 . The outsole of  claim 15 , including a raised pad at the medial side of the outer arch region. 
   
   
       21 . The outsole of  claim 19 , including a raised pad at the medial side of the outer arch region.