Training shoe

Abstract

A training shoe comprises a bottom sole, a midsole disposed above at least a portion of the bottom sole, one or more panels attached to one or both of the midsole and the bottom sole to define an enclosure for a person's foot, and a carbon fiber plate disposed between the bottom sole and the midsole. The carbon fiber plate may be disposed in a recess defined in a bottom surface of the midsole. The carbon fiber plate may define a plurality of fingers that extend forward in a longitudinal direction of the training shoe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A training shoe comprising:
 a bottom sole;   a midsole disposed above at least a portion of the bottom sole;   one or more panels attached to one or both of the midsole and the bottom sole to define an enclosure for a person's foot; and   a carbon fiber plate disposed between the bottom sole and the midsole, the carbon fiber plate defining a plurality of fingers that extend forward in a longitudinal direction of the training shoe.   
     
     
         2 . The training shoe of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the carbon fiber plate varies in the longitudinal direction of the training shoe and reaches a maximum at a longitudinal position underneath a front portion of the midsole corresponding to the person's forefoot. 
     
     
         3 . The training shoe of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the midsole defines a recess in which the carbon fiber plate is disposed. 
     
     
         4 . The training shoe of  claim 3 , wherein the recess defines a plurality of fingers corresponding to the plurality of fingers of the carbon fiber plate. 
     
     
         5 . The training shoe of  claim 3 , wherein the midsole comprises a first material in a front portion of the midsole corresponding to the person's forefoot and a firmer second material in a rear portion of the midsole corresponding to the person's heel, the recess being formed in the first material. 
     
     
         6 . The training shoe of  claim 5 , wherein the first material comprises a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         7 . The training shoe of  claim 6 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises polyether block amide. 
     
     
         8 . The training shoe of  claim 5 , wherein the second material comprises a closed-cell foam. 
     
     
         9 . The training shoe of  claim 8 , wherein the closed-cell foam comprises ethylene-vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         10 . The training shoe of  claim 1 , wherein an outermost pair of the plurality of fingers curve inward as they extend forward in the longitudinal direction of the training shoe. 
     
     
         11 . The training shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) sidewall disposed on at least a portion of the midsole and at least a portion of the one or more panels so as to define part of an external surface of the training shoe. 
     
     
         12 . The training shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom sole comprises a transparent rubber. 
     
     
         13 . A training shoe comprising:
 a bottom sole;   a midsole disposed above at least a portion of the bottom sole, the midsole comprising a first material in a front portion of the midsole corresponding to a person's forefoot and a firmer second material in a rear portion of the midsole corresponding to the person's heel;   one or more panels attached to one or both of the midsole and the bottom sole to define an enclosure for the person's foot; and   a carbon fiber plate disposed between the bottom sole and the front portion of the midsole.   
     
     
         14 . The training shoe of  claim 13 , wherein a bottom surface of the front portion of the midsole defines a recess in which the carbon fiber plate is disposed. 
     
     
         15 . The training shoe of  claim 14 , wherein the recess defines a plurality of fingers corresponding to the plurality of fingers of the carbon fiber plate. 
     
     
         16 . The training shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the first material comprises a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         17 . The training shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises polyether block amide. 
     
     
         18 . The training shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the second material comprises a closed-cell foam. 
     
     
         19 . The training shoe of  claim 18 , wherein the closed-cell foam comprises ethylene-vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         20 . A training shoe comprising:
 a bottom sole;   a midsole disposed above at least a portion of the bottom sole;   one or more panels attached to one or both of the midsole and the bottom sole to define an enclosure for a person's foot; and   a carbon fiber plate disposed in a recess defined in a bottom surface of the midsole, the carbon fiber plate defining a plurality of fingers that extend forward in a longitudinal direction of the training shoe.