Article of footwear having protruding members

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper, a sole structure, and a cleat assembly connected to the sole structure. The cleat assembly includes a plurality of protruding members that extend from a base. Each protruding member includes a side wall that defines a first exterior angle and a second exterior angle relative to the base when viewed from one of a medial side or a lateral side of the article of footwear. The first exterior angle is greater than the second exterior angle.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper;   a sole structure connected to the upper; and   a cleat assembly connected to the sole structure, the cleat assembly including:
 a first protruding member extending from a first base, the first protruding member defining a first midfoot-facing portion and a forefoot-facing portion; 
 a second protruding member extending from a second base, the second protruding member defining a second midfoot-facing portion and a heel-facing portion; 
 a first acute angle defined by the first base and the first midfoot-facing portion; 
 a first obtuse angle defined by the first base and the forefoot-facing portion; 
 a second acute angle defined by the second base and the second midfoot-facing portion; and 
 a second obtuse angle defined by the second base and the heel-facing portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first obtuse angle and the second obtuse angle is between 95 degrees and 145 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first acute angle and the second acute angle is between 35 degrees and 85 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first base is formed from a forefoot portion of the cleat assembly that is disposed at least partially in a forefoot region of the article of footwear and the second base is formed from a heel portion of the cleat assembly that is disposed at least partially in a heel region of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first protruding member is part of a plurality of protruding members and the second protruding member is part of a second plurality of protruding members. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein at least one protruding member of the first or second plurality of protruding members includes a ground engaging surface that is parallel to a portion of the respective first or second base. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein each protruding member of the first plurality of protruding members and the second plurality of protruding members are angled toward a midfoot portion of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the first plurality of protruding members is integrally formed and the second plurality of protruding members is integrally formed. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first protruding member and the second protruding member include a first removable stud tip and a second removable stud tip, respectively. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first protruding member and the second protruding member include an injection molded polymeric material that is scratch-resistant. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first protruding member includes a tapered geometry so that a wider portion of the first protruding member is disposed proximate to the first base and the second protruding member includes a tapered geometry so that a wider portion of the second protruding member is disposed proximate to the second base. 
     
     
         12 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper;   a sole structure connected to the upper and defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region; and   a cleat assembly secured to the sole structure, the cleat assembly including:
 a forefoot portion secured to the sole structure at the forefoot region and including a first plurality of protruding members extending from a first base, the first plurality of protruding members angled toward the midfoot region; and 
 a heel portion secured to the sole structure at the heel region and including a second plurality of protruding members extending from a second base, the second plurality of protruding members angled toward the midfoot region. 
   
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein each protruding member of the first plurality of protruding members defines a respective ground engaging surface, and
 wherein a surface area of the respective ground engaging surfaces of the first plurality of protruding members closer to the midfoot region are greater than the ground engaging surfaces of the first plurality of protruding members that are closer to the forefoot region.   
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein each of the first plurality of protruding members and the second plurality of protruding members include a respective removable stud tip. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the first base is integrally formed with at least one protruding member of the first plurality of protruding members via injection molding, and
 wherein at least a portion of the second base is integrally formed with at least one protruding member of the second plurality of protruding members via injection molding.   
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein at least one protruding member of the first plurality of protruding members defines a midfoot-facing side wall and a forefoot-facing side wall, the midfoot-facing side wall forming an acute angle with the first base and the forefoot-facing side wall forming an obtuse angle with the first base. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the midfoot-facing side wall is integrally formed with the forefoot-facing side wall. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein at least one protruding member of the second plurality of protruding members defines a midfoot-facing side wall and a heel-facing side wall, the midfoot-facing side wall forming an acute angle with the second base and the heel-facing side wall forming an obtuse angle with the second base. 
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a cleat assembly, the method comprising:
 injecting a first material into a mold cavity to form a cleat assembly, the mold cavity including a plurality of stud recesses that each define a respective stud recess base disposed along an incline that defines an acute exterior angle relative to a horizontal plane; and   removing the cleat assembly from the mold cavity at an angle that is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 securing the cleat assembly to a sole structure of an article of footwear.