Flexible footwear

Abstract

A footwear product includes a sole assembly and an upper and has an at least partially flexible construction. The sole assembly includes a number of sole sections with one or more connecting members disposed between adjacent sole sections.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An outsole comprising:
 a plurality of independent segments each formed of an injection moldable material, wherein each of the plurality of independent segments includes a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein each of the plurality of independent segments includes at least one hole formed entirely through the segment and positioned between the top and bottom surfaces; and   at least one band extending through the at least one hole of each of the plurality of independent segments, wherein the at least one band is elastic and permits stretching apart of each of the plurality of independent segments with respect to each other, and wherein the at least one band applies a compression force to the plurality of independent segments causing the plurality of independent segments to align in an overall shape of a foot absent external forces, and wherein nothing spans adjacent segments of the plurality of independent segments except for the at least one band.   
     
     
         2 . The outsole of  claim 1 , wherein an edge of the top surface of each of the plurality of independent segments is beveled. 
     
     
         3 . The outsole of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of independent segments is four or more independent segments. 
     
     
         4 . The outsole of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of independent segments is five or more independent segments. 
     
     
         5 . The outsole of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of independent segments is six or more independent segments. 
     
     
         6 . The outsole of  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of independent segments includes a portion of a medial perimeter and a portion of a lateral perimeter of the outsole. 
     
     
         7 . The outsole of  claim 6 , further comprising a toe bar attached to a forward-most segment of the six or more independent segments, and a foot strap connected to the toe bar at one end and to an other segment of the six or more independent segments at another end, wherein the other segment of the six or more independent segments is separated from the forward-most segment by at least three segments of the six or more independent segments. 
     
     
         8 . The outsole of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of independent segments is thirteen or more independent segments. 
     
     
         9 . The outsole of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of independent segments includes a portion of a medial perimeter and a portion of a lateral perimeter of the outsole. 
     
     
         10 . The outsole of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more spacers between each adjacent pair of the plurality of independent segments. 
     
     
         11 . A sole assembly for a footwear product, the sole assembly comprising:
 a first outsole section including a first surface and a second surface;   a second outsole section adjacent to the first outsole section, the second outsole section having a first surface and a second surface;   a connection member having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein a first portion of the bottom surface of the connection member is disposed on at least a first portion of the first surface of the first outsole section, a second portion of the bottom surface of the connection member is disposed on at least a first portion of the first surface of the second outsole section, and a third portion of the connection member extends between the first and second outsole sections; and   at least one footbed section disposed on at least a portion of the top surface of the connection member.   
     
     
         12 . The sole assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a third outsole section. 
     
     
         13 . The sole assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a fourth outsole section. 
     
     
         14 . The sole assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first surface of the first outsole section includes a lip extending along at least a portion of a periphery of the first surface of the outsole section. 
     
     
         15 . A method of constructing a sole assembly for a footwear product, the method comprising:
 injection molding a plurality of independent outsole sections;   injection molding a connecting member;   arranging at least a first and second of the plurality of independent outsole sections such that the first outsole section is adjacent to the second outsole section;   adhering a first portion of a bottom surface of the connecting member to at least a portion of a first surface of the first outsole section; and   adhering a second portion of the bottom surface of the connecting member to at least a portion of a first surface of the second outsole section, such that a third portion of the connecting member extends between the first and second outsole sections;   wherein the connecting member holds together the first and second outsole sections while permitting the first and second outsole sections to flex about the connecting member and to flex with respect to each other.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of outsole sections is molded from a foam material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the foam material comprises ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the connecting member is created using an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first surface of the first outsole section is a top surface of the first outsole section, and wherein the first surface of the second outsole section is a top surface of the second outsole section. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 forming a first hole from a front surface of the first outsole section to a rear surface of the first outsole section;   forming a second hole from a front surface of the second outsole section to a rear surface of the second outsole section;   inserting an elastically deformable band through the first and second holes, without otherwise connecting the elastically deformable band to the first and second outsole sections.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 forming a third hole from the front surface of the first outsole section to the rear surface of the first outsole section; and   forming a fourth hole from the front surface of the second outsole section to the rear surface of the second outsole section.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the elastically deformable band is a first elastically deformable band, the method further comprising inserting a second elastically deformable band through the third and fourth holes, without otherwise connecting the second elastically deformable band to the first and second outsole sections. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising inserting the elastically deformable band through the third and fourth holes, without otherwise connecting the elastically deformable band to the first and second outsole sections.