Footwear having independent toe platforms

Abstract

An article of footwear for increased athleticism utilizing independently articulating toe platforms. The footwear includes a first toe platform and a second toe platform disposed in a toe portion of the footwear that are either physically separated from one another via a cut in the toe portion or a flexible segment extending through the toe portion. A toe post is configured to engage between a first toe of a user's foot and a second toe of the user's foot. The first toe is configured to contact the first toe platform and the second toe is configured to contact the second toe platform. Additional toe platforms and/or toe posts may be utilized. The footwear may include a topsole, a midsole and an outsole. A stiffening agent may be disposed between the midsole and the outsole for resisting bending of the footwear and/or for helping protect the user's foot from external objects.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Footwear comprising:
 a sole having a heel end and a toe end, the toe end of the sole having a cut disposed therethrough defining a first planar platform for contacting a toe of a foot of a user without encompassing the toe and a second planar platform; and   an upper coupled with the sole at a first location, a second location and a third location for maintaining the sole in a proximity to the foot of the user, the third location positioned adjacent to the cut.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear of  claim 1  wherein the toe of the foot of the user is a hallux. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear of  claim 2  wherein the second planar platform is configured to contact each of four remaining toes of the foot of the user without encompassing each of the four remaining toes. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear of  claim 1  wherein the upper includes a strap connected with a toe post, the toe post securing the strap to the third location and configured to engage with the toe of the foot of the user. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear of  claim 4  further comprising:
 a second toe post connected with the strap and adjacent to the toe post, the second toe post securing the strap to the sole at a fourth location; 
 a third toe post connected with the strap and adjacent to the second toe post, the third toe post securing the strap to the sole at a fifth location; and 
 a fourth toe post connected with the strap and adjacent to the third toe post, the fourth toe post securing the strap to the sole at a sixth location, 
 wherein each of the toe post, the second toe post, the third toe post and the fourth toe post are configured to engage with the foot of the user between toes of the foot of the user. 
 
     
     
         6 . The footwear of  claim 5  wherein the toe end of the sole includes:
 a second cut disposed therethrough defining a third planar platform separated from the second planar platform, the second planar platform configured to contact a second toe of the foot of the user without encompassing the second toe and the third planar platform configured to contact a third toe of the foot of the user without encompassing the third toe; 
 a third cut disposed therethrough defining a fourth planar platform separated from the third planar platform, the fourth planar platform configured to contact a fourth toe of the foot of the user without encompassing the fourth toe; and 
 a fourth cut disposed therethrough defining a fifth planar platform separated from the fourth planar platform, the fifth planar platform configured to contact a fifth toe of the foot of the user without encompassing the fifth toe. 
 
     
     
         7 . The footwear of  claim 5  wherein the toe end of the sole includes:
 a first flexible segment disposed adjacent to the cut and defining a third planar platform flexibly coupled with the second planar platform, the second planar platform configured to contact a second toe of the foot of the user and the third planar platform configured to contact a third toe of the foot of the user; 
 a second flexible segment disposed adjacent to the first flexible segment and defining a fourth planar platform flexibly coupled with the third planar platform, the fourth planar platform configured to contact a fourth toe of the foot of the user; and 
 a third flexible segment disposed adjacent to the second flexible segment and defining a fifth planar platform flexibly coupled with the fourth planar platform, the fifth planar platform configured to contact a fifth toe of the foot of the user. 
 
     
     
         8 . The footwear of  claim 1  wherein the sole includes a midsole layer, an internal shank coupled with the midsole layer and an outsole layer coupled with the midsole layer, each of the midsole layer, the internal shank and the outsole layer having the cut disposed therethrough. 
     
     
         9 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole having a heel portion and a toe portion;   a first division in the sole at the toe portion, the first division extending substantially along a first axis and dividing a first toe platform from a second toe platform, the first toe platform and the second toe platform configured to engage with a foot of a user only on a bottom surface of the foot;   a second division in the sole at the toe portion and adjacent to the first division, the second division extending substantially along a second axis and dividing the second toe platform from a third toe platform, the third toe platform configured to engage with the foot of the user only on a bottom surface of the foot;   a third division in the sole at the toe portion and adjacent to the second division, the third division extending substantially along a third axis and dividing the third toe platform from a fourth toe platform, the fourth toe platform configured to engage with the foot of the user only on a bottom surface of the foot;   a fourth division in the sole at the toe portion and adjacent to the third division, the fourth division extending substantially along a fourth axis and dividing the fourth toe platform from a fifth toe platform, the fifth toe platform configured to engage with the foot of the user only on a bottom surface of the foot; and   a first toe post engaged with the sole at a location adjacent to the first division and substantially in-line with the first axis of the first division.   
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9  wherein:
 the first division is a cut that physically separates the first toe platform from the second toe platform; 
 the second division is a flexible material that flexibly divides the second toe platform from the third toe platform; 
 the third division is a flexible material that flexibly divides the third toe platform from the fourth toe platform; and 
 the fourth division is a flexible material that flexibly divides the fourth toe platform from the fifth toe platform. 
 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 9  wherein:
 the first division is a cut that physically separates the first toe platform from the second toe platform; 
 the second division is a cut that physically separates the second toe platform from the third toe platform; 
 the third division is a cut that physically separates the third toe platform from the fourth toe platform; and 
 the fourth division is a cut that physically separates the fourth toe platform from the fifth toe platform. 
 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a second toe post connected with the sole at a location adjacent to the second division and substantially in-line with the second axis of the second division; 
 a third toe post connected with the sole at a location adjacent to the third division and substantially in-line with the third axis of the third division; and 
 a fourth toe post connected with the sole at a location adjacent to the fourth division and substantially in-line with the fourth axis of the fourth division. 
 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 9  further comprising a shank connected within the sole for resisting bending of the sole, the shank having a first shank cut aligned with the first division of the sole, a second shank cut aligned with the second division of the sole, a third shank cut aligned with the third division of the sole and a fourth shank cut aligned with the fourth division of the sole. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 11  wherein the first toe post is secured to the shank via an adhesive. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 11  wherein a portion of the shank protrudes out of the sole for indicating weardown of the sole. 
     
     
         16 . A sandal for improved athleticism over uneven terrain comprising:
 a midsole having a first toe platform isolated from a second toe platform, the first toe platform configured to articulate independently from the second toe platform;   a stiffening member coupled with the midsole and having a first portion isolated from a second portion, the first portion coupled with the first toe platform and the second portion coupled with the second toe platform;   an outsole coupled with the midsole so that the stiffening member is substantially disposed between the outsole and the midsole; and   a toe post extending through the midsole and fastened to the stiffening member, the toe post configured to separate a first toe of a foot of a wearer onto the first toe platform and a second toe of the foot of the wearer onto the second toe platform.   
     
     
         17 . The sandal of  claim 16  further comprising a plurality of secondary toe posts extending through the midsole and fastened to the stiffening member, the plurality of secondary toe posts configured to separate one or more 
     
     
         18 . The sandal of  claim 16  wherein the second toe platform of the midsole has a plurality of flexible segments and the stiffening member includes a plurality of corresponding cuts for allowing the midsole to flex at each of the plurality of flexible segments. 
     
     
         19 . The sandal of  claim 16  wherein the midsole has a third toe platform isolated from the second toe platform, a fourth toe platform isolated from the third toe platform and a fifth toe platform isolated from the fourth toe platform, and
 wherein the stiffening member has a third portion isolated from the second portion and molded with the third toe platform, a fourth portion isolated from the third portion and molded with the fourth toe platform, and a fifth portion isolated from the fourth portion and molded with the fifth toe platform. 
 
     
     
         20 . The sandal of  claim 19  further comprising
 a second toe post extending through the midsole and fastened to the stiffening member, the second toe post configured to separate a third toe of the foot of the wearer onto the third toe platform; 
 a third toe post extending through the midsole and fastened to the stiffening member, the third toe post configured to separate a fourth toe of the foot of the wearer onto the fourth toe platform; and 
 a fourth toe post extending through the midsole and fastened to the stiffening member, the fourth toe post configured to separate a fifth toe of the foot of the wearer onto the fifth toe platform.