Article of footwear

Abstract

Footwear having an outsole including treads spaced about 3.0 mm to about 6.0 mm from one another so that a rocky terrain feature can fit between adjacent treads thereby providing traction through the outsole on the rocky terrain feature, each tread of a height of about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm so the tread engages the rocky terrain feature without substantially bending upon such engagement. The treads can include a tread edge defining a right angle to form a substantially non-radiused corner. The outsole can include preselected regions having different durometers, e.g., a harder durometer to assist the treads in holding firm against terrain features, and a softer durometer to add flexibility to the outsole. A footbed with zone pods and secondary pods can be secured to the upper in a Strobel construction, the zone pods and secondary pods interacting with the outsole to provide enhanced feedback to the wearer.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper;   an outsole including a longitudinal axis, a base and a plurality of treads, each tread of the plurality of treads spaced about 3.0 mm to about 6.0 mm from one another on the base along a reference line parallel to the longitudinal axis so that a rocky terrain feature can fit between adjacent ones of the plurality of treads, thereby providing traction between the outsole and the rocky terrain feature, each tread of the plurality of treads extending from the base to a height of about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm so that each of the treads can engage the rocky terrain feature without substantially bending upon such engagement,   wherein the outsole includes a first preselected region having a first durometer, and a second preselected region having a second durometer, wherein the first durometer is different from the second durometer.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the outsole is constructed from a monolithic molded, one-piece structure including at least one material having the first durometer in the first preselected region and the second durometer in the second preselected region, the first durometer being greater than the second durometer. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first durometer is about 70 Asker C to about 80 Asker C, and   wherein the second durometer is about 55 Asker C to about 65 Asker C.   
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first preselected region includes a phalanges region and a metatarsals region, and   wherein the second region includes an arch region of the outsole.   
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the first preselected region includes the plurality of treads,
 wherein the second preselected region includes at least a portion of the base of the outsole,   wherein the first durometer assists the treads in holding firmly against the rocky terrain feature without bending upon such engagement with the rocky terrain feature,   wherein the second durometer provides flexibility to the outsole, allowing the outsole to at least partially conform to the rocky terrain feature.   
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  comprising a footbed disposed over the outsole base, the footbed including a footbed base and a plurality of zone pods extending from the footbed base, the zone pods arranged to align with the first and second preselected regions individually so that forces from the rocky terrain feature can be transferred though the first and second preselected regions and to respective aligned zone pods, whereby a wearer is provided sensory feedback regarding the rocky terrain feature through the wearer's foot from the outsole. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the footbed includes a plurality of secondary pods extending from the base that overlap the zone pods, and   wherein the secondary pods are substantially elliptical in shape.   
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of treads includes a first tread and a second tread,   wherein the first tread is bounded by a first tread sidewall and the second tread is bounded by a second tread sidewall,   wherein the first tread sidewall is spaced 3.0 mm to 6.0 mm from the second tread sidewall, and   wherein each of the plurality of treads are of an open delta shape projecting outwardly from the base.   
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of treads includes a first tread and a second tread,   wherein the first tread is bounded by a first tread sidewall and the second tread is bounded by a second tread sidewall,   wherein the first tread sidewall is spaced 3.0 mm to 6.0 mm from the second tread sidewall, and   wherein each of the plurality of treads are of a hexagonal shape projecting outwardly from the base.   
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper;   an outsole joined with the upper, the outsole including a longitudinal axis, a base and a plurality of treads extending downward from a base, each of the plurality of treads including a ground contacting surface spaced a distance of 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm from the base, each of the plurality of treads bounded by a tread edge that transitions from the ground contacting surface to a tread side surface, the tread edge defining a right angle with a substantially non-radiused corner, each of the plurality of treads spaced 3.0 mm to 6.0 mm from adjacent ones of the plurality of treads along a reference line parallel to the longitudinal axis so that a rocky terrain feature can fit between adjacent ones of the plurality of treads with at least one of the tread edge and the tread side surface engaging the rocky terrain feature and thereby providing traction between the outsole and the rocky terrain feature,   whereby the incidence of slippage between the outsole and the rocky terrain feature is reduced where the rocky terrain feature is at least one of wet, slippery and slimy via engagement of the at least one of the tread edge and the tread side surface with the rocky terrain feature.   
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the outsole is constructed from a monolithic molded, one-piece structure including at least one material having a first durometer in a first preselected region and a second durometer in a second preselected region, the first durometer being greater than the second durometer. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the first preselected region includes at least one of the plurality of treads, whereby the at least one tread holds firm against the rocky terrain feature, and   wherein the second preselected region includes at least part of the outsole base, whereby the outsole base remains flexible in the second preselected region so that the outsole can flex in the second preselected region.   
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12  wherein the first durometer is about 70 Asker C to about 80 Asker C. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13  wherein the second durometer is about 55 Asker C to about 65 Asker C. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 10  comprising a footbed including a footbed base and a plurality of zone pods extending from the footbed base, the zone pods arranged to align with first preselected regions of the outsole so that forces from the rocky terrain feature can be transferred though the first preselected regions and to the zone pods, whereby a wearer is provided sensory feedback regarding the rocky terrain feature through the wearer's foot from the outsole. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15  wherein the footbed includes a plurality of secondary pods extending from the footbed base that overlap the zone pods. 
     
     
         17 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper having a lower peripheral portion and an opening for insertion of a wearer's foot, the upper defining a void to accommodate a wearer's foot,   an outsole extending from a heel region to a forefoot region, the outsole including a longitudinal axis, an outsole base having an upper surface facing toward the wearer's foot and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the outsole including a plurality of treads extending downward from the lower surface of the outsole base, each of the plurality of treads including a ground contacting surface distal from the lower surface and bounded by a tread edge that transitions from the ground contacting surface to a tread side surface that extends to the outsole base, the tread edge defining a right angle and having a substantially non-radiused corner,   a footbed joined with the lower peripheral portion of the upper to form a Strobel construction, with the footbed closing the upper so that the void is bounded by a closed bottom formed by the footbed, the footbed including a footbed base having a first surface adapted to face the wearer's foot and a second surface opposite the first surface facing toward the outsole, the footbed including a plurality of pods extending from at least one of the first surface and the second surface, each of the plurality of pods movable independently of one another,   wherein the plurality of pods of the footbed are positioned to interact with the upper surface of the outsole so that forces applied to the plurality of treads are transferred to the plurality of pods with the plurality of pods providing sensory feedback regarding a rocky terrain feature to the wearer's foot from the outsole;   wherein each of the plurality of treads are of a height of about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm, so that each of the treads can engage the rocky terrain feature without substantially bending upon such engagement with the rocky terrain feature;   wherein each of the plurality of treads are spaced about 3.0 mm to about 6.0 mm from adjacent ones of the plurality of treads along a reference line parallel to the longitudinal axis so that the rocky terrain feature can fit between adjacent ones of the plurality of treads with at least one of the tread edge and the tread side surface engaging the rocky terrain feature and thereby providing traction between the outsole and the rocky terrain feature,   whereby the incidence of slippage between the outsole and the rocky terrain feature is reduced where the rocky terrain feature is at least one of wet, slippery and slimy,   wherein the outsole is constructed from a monolithic molded, one-piece structure including a material having a first durometer in a first preselected region and a second durometer in a second preselected region, the first durometer being greater than the second durometer,   wherein the first preselected region includes at least one of the plurality of treads,   whereby the at least one tread can hold firm against the rocky terrain feature, and   wherein the second preselected region includes at least part of the outsole base,   whereby the outsole base remains flexible in the second preselected region allowing the outsole to at least partially conform to the rocky terrain feature.   
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 17  wherein each of the plurality of treads are in the shape of at least one of an open delta and a hexagon. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 17  wherein the first durometer is about 70 Asker C to about 80 Asker C. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 19  wherein the second durometer is about 55 Asker C to about 65 Asker C.