Outsole with pods and grooves

Abstract

An outsole designed to enable stability when standing, facilitate sole flexibility and encourage unhindered natural foot motion between the foot and the ground, the outsole including a top face and a bottom face, the bottom face having a plurality of anatomically placed pods for engaging directly with a walking surface, and a plurality of contact points forming a stable platform for the wearer while standing, the top face including a flex groove matrix having a first plurality of grooves which extend transversely across the top face from the inside of the foot to the outside of the foot and intersect with at least some of a second plurality of grooves which extend longitudinally at least partially across the top face from heel to toe.

1 . An outsole comprising:
 a top face including a first plurality of grooves which extend across said top face from the inside of the foot to the outside of the foot;   said top face further including a second plurality of grooves which extend at least partially across said top face from heel to toe;   a bottom face having a plurality of pods associated therewith;   said bottom face further including a plurality of contact points for engagement with a supporting surface.   
     
     
         2 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein at least some of said first plurality of grooves extend diagonally across portions of said top face. 
     
     
         3 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein said pods are anatomically shaped. 
     
     
         4 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of contact points are defined by at least some of said pods and are positioned to define a tripod arrangement when the wearer is in a substantially upright position. 
     
     
         5 . The outsole of  claim 4  wherein one contact point is located in the hind foot region and two contact points are located in the forefoot region. 
     
     
         6 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein the outsole further includes a raised portion at the midfoot region to underlie a medial arch of a wearer's foot. 
     
     
         7 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein the top face of the outsole further includes a recessed area to receive the heel of a wearer's foot. 
     
     
         8 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein the outsole includes a peripheral edge around the hind foot region to receive and wrap around a heel of a wearer's foot. 
     
     
         9 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein the top face of the outsole conforms to the general shape of the human foot. 
     
     
         10 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein said first plurality of grooves intersect with said second plurality of grooves forming a flex groove matrix. 
     
     
         11 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of pods are positioned such that at least one of said pods is located substantially under each region of the foot. 
     
     
         12 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein at least some of said pods include a plurality of channels. 
     
     
         13 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein the outsole is formed from a single density material. 
     
     
         14 . An outsole comprising:
 a top face including a flex groove matrix;   a bottom face including a plurality of anatomically positioned pods;   said bottom face further including a plurality of contact points for engagement with a supporting surface, said contact points being defined by at least some of said pods and forming a tripod arrangement.   
     
     
         15 . The outsole of  claim 14  wherein the flex groove matrix includes a first plurality of grooves and a second plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         16 . The outsole of  claim 15  wherein said first plurality of grooves intersect with at least some of said second plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         17 . The outsole of  claim 15  wherein said first plurality of grooves extend transversely across said top face from the inside of the foot to the outside of the foot. 
     
     
         18 . The outsole of  claim 15  wherein said second plurality of grooves extend longitudinally at least partially across the top face from heel to toe. 
     
     
         19 . The outsole of  claim 15  wherein at least some of said first plurality of grooves extend diagonally across portions of said top face. 
     
     
         20 . The outsole of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of anatomically positioned pods are located such that at least one of said pods is located substantially under each region of the foot. 
     
     
         21 . The outsole of  claim 14  wherein the at least some of the plurality of anatomically positioned pods include a plurality of channels. 
     
     
         22 . The outsole of  claim 14  wherein the outsole is formed from a single density material.