Sole for a sports shoe

Abstract

An inner sole for a sports shoe includes a top surface arranged to face a foot of a wearer of a shoe when the inner sole is arranged in the shoe. The top surface of the inner sole includes at least two textured areas. The textured areas each include a plurality of protuberances, recesses, or holes. The top surface further includes at least one untextured area not having protuberances, recesses or holes. A first textured area is located in a toe region of the inner sole, and a second textured area is located in a heel region of the inner sole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an inner sole comprising a first surface opposite a second surface, wherein the first surface comprises an untextured area, and wherein a plurality of protuberances are arranged on the second surface; and   a midsole comprising a top surface having a plurality of mating elements, wherein the inner sole is removably securable to the midsole, and   wherein when the second surface of the inner sole is arranged facing the top surface of the midsole, the plurality of protuberances are engaged by the plurality of mating elements and the second surface of the inner sole is in facing engagement with the top surface of the midsole.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mating elements comprise a plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mating elements are arranged in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of the plurality of protuberances. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface comprises no protuberances. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface comprises the protuberances arranged in a first region and no protuberances arranged in a second region. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a toe region comprises first protuberances, a heel region comprises second protuberances, and the midfoot region comprises an untextured area with no protuberances. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the midsole comprises a foam material. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , the plurality of protuberances are formed by a liquid polymer application process. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protuberances are integrally formed with the inner sole. 
     
     
         10 . A sole assembly for an article of footwear, comprising:
 a first sole layer comprising a first surface opposite a second surface,   a plurality of holes extending through the first sole layer from the first surface to the second surface in one or more regions of the first sole layer and configured to provide a proprioceptive effect; and   a second sole layer coupled to the second surface, wherein the second sole layer comprises no holes and is configured to be placed in contact with a foot of a wearer.   
     
     
         11 . The sole assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first sole layer comprises a foam material. 
     
     
         12 . The sole assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second sole layer comprises a textile material. 
     
     
         13 . The sole assembly of  claim 10 , wherein first holes of the plurality of holes are arranged in a toe region, and wherein second holes of the plurality of holes are arranged in a heel region. 
     
     
         14 . The sole assembly of  claim 13 , wherein an untextured area is arranged in a midfoot region of the first sole layer. 
     
     
         15 . A sole for an article of footwear, comprising:
 an inner sole having a top surface, a toe region, a midfoot region, and a heel region and configured to support a foot of a wearer;   first protuberances arranged at a toe region of the inner sole;   second protuberances arranged along a lateral side of a midfoot region of the inner sole;   third protuberances arranged on a heel region of the inner sole; and   a first untextured area with no protuberances arranged at a medial side of the midfoot region.   
     
     
         16 . The sole of  claim 15 , further comprising holes extending through the midfoot region. 
     
     
         17 . The sole of  claim 15 , wherein the second protuberances have a size that is smaller than a size of the first protuberances. 
     
     
         18 . The sole of  claim 15 , further comprising a second untextured area at a center of the heel region. 
     
     
         19 . The sole of  claim 15 , further comprising a second untextured area at a lateral side of the toe region. 
     
     
         20 . The sole of  claim 15 , further comprising an enlarged protuberance arranged at the toe region, wherein the enlarged protuberance comprises a generally triangular shape.