Footwear with improved sole assembly

Abstract

An article of footwear, such as a sports shoe particularly for the practice of a racquet sport, the shoe including an outer sole assembly and an upper. A contact surface of the sole assembly has a first support portion including a first subdivision which borders a front end, from the lateral side to the medial side, as well as a second subdivision which extends from the first subdivision towards the rear end, and from the lateral side towards a medial side. The contact surface has a second support portion which extends from the first subdivision of the first portion towards the rear end, and from the second subdivision of the first portion towards the medial side. The average coefficient of friction of the first support portion is greater than the average coefficient of friction of the second support portion.

1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper;   an outer sole assembly extending lengthwise from a rear end to a front end, widthwise between a lateral side and a medial side, and height-wise between a contact surface and a connection surface;   the outer sole assembly comprising, between the rear end and the front end, the following successive zones:
 a rear zone; 
 a central zone; 
 a metatarsal zone; 
 a front zone; 
   the contact surface of the outer sole assembly comprising a first support portion and a second support portion;   the first support portion of the contact surface comprising:
 in the front zone, a first subdivision bordering the front end from the lateral side to the medial side; 
 in the metatarsal zone, a second subdivision extending from the first subdivision in a direction towards the rear end and extending from the lateral side in a direction towards the medial side; 
   the second support portion extending as follows:
 from the first subdivision of the first portion in a direction toward the rear end; 
 within the metatarsal zone, from the second subdivision of the first portion in a direction towards the medial side; 
   an average coefficient of friction of the first support portion is greater than an average coefficient of friction of the second support portion.   
     
     
         2 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second support portion extends from the second subdivision of the first portion to the medial side.   
     
     
         3 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first support portion and the second support portion together cover the front zone and the metatarsal zone.   
     
     
         4 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first subdivision of the first support portion extends from the front end to the rear end, along a distance between 10 and 25% of the length of the shoe.   
     
     
         5 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second subdivision of the first support portion extends transversely along a distance between 10 and 35% the width of the shoe.   
     
     
         6 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first support portion is flush with the second support portion.   
     
     
         7 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the contact surface comprises:
 a third support portion extending along the lateral side within the rear zone; 
 a fourth support portion extending from the third portion towards the medial side within the rear zone; 
   the average coefficient of friction of the third support portion is greater than the average coefficient of friction of the fourth support portion.   
     
     
         8 . An article of footwear according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the fourth support portion extends from the third support portion to the medial side.   
     
     
         9 . An article of footwear according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the third support portion extends transversely along a distance between 10 and 45% of the width of the shoe.   
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the contact surface is concave within the central zone.   
     
     
         11 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the support portions comprises a synthetic material layer.   
     
     
         12 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the support portion does not extend beyond an area of an edge of the lateral side nor beyond an edge of the medial side.   
     
     
         13 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second support portion projects in a direction away from the upper in relation to the first support portion.   
     
     
         14 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first support portion projects in a direction away from the upper in relation to the second support portion.   
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second support portion extends to the upper in an area of the medial side.   
     
     
         16 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first support portion extends to the upper in an area of the lateral side.   
     
     
         17 . An article of footwear according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first support portion extends to the upper in an area of the lateral side.   
     
     
         18 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the contact surface comprises an outer periphery;   the first support portion extends to the outer periphery of the contact surface, along the front end, the lateral side, the rear end, and the medial side;   the second support portion extends longitudinally in a region formed by the first support portion.   
     
     
         19 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first support portion further comprises a third subdivision extending from the first subdivision in a direction towards the rear end, and from the medial side in a direction towards the lateral side;   the contact surface further comprises a third support portion extending along the lateral side and the rear end in the rear zone of the outer sole assembly;   the second support portion extends longitudinally from the first support portion to the third support portion.   
     
     
         20 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outer sole assembly comprises:
 a wear layer demarcating the contact surface; and 
 a synthetic material layer extending from the connection surface to the wear layer by crossing through the wear layer; 
 the wear layer is perforated in the second support portion. 
   
     
     
         21 . An article of footwear according to  claim 20 , wherein:
 the contact surface further comprises:
 a third support portion extending along the lateral side in the rear zone; 
 a fourth support portion extending from the third portion towards the medial side in the rear zone; 
 the wear layer is perforated in the fourth support portion. 
   
     
     
         22 . An article of footwear according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the second support portion extends lengthwise in the rear zone to an extent less than or equal to 60% of a length of the rear zone.   
     
     
         23 . An article of footwear according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the support portion has a transverse narrowing at a boundary of the metatarsal and front zones.   
     
     
         24 . An article of footwear according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the second support portion comprises two spaced-apart portions.   
     
     
         25 . An article of footwear according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 the two spaced-apart portions of the second support portion comprises a front portion housed in the front zone and a setback portion housed in the metatarsal zone.