Spacing For Footwear Ground-Engaging Member Support Features

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear including an upper configured to receive a foot and a sole component fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper. The sole component may include a baseplate having a bottom surface and at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, and a first elongate support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the side portion of the first ground engaging member. The first support member may have a downward facing surface with a first facet and a second facet, wherein each of the first facet and the second facet are angled at different non-horizontal orientation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper configured to receive a foot;   a sole component fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper, the sole component including a baseplate having a bottom surface and at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, and a first elongate support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the side portion of the first ground engaging member, wherein the first support member has a downward facing surface with a first facet and a second facet, wherein each of the first facet and the second facet are angled at different non-horizontal orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the first facet is disposed adjacent the first ground engaging member and between the first ground engaging member and the second facet, and wherein the first facet has a first slope angle and the second facet has a second slope angle, wherein the first slope angle is steeper than the second slope angle. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the sole component further includes a second elongate support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the first ground engaging member, the first support member having a first downward facing surface extending at a first slope angle from the side portion of the first ground engaging member to the bottom surface of the baseplate proximate to the first ground engaging member, and the second support member having a second downward facing surface extending at a second slope angle from the side portion of the first ground engaging member to the bottom surface of the baseplate proximate to the first ground engaging member, and wherein the first and second slope angles are different. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the sole component includes multiple elongate support members extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending radially from the first ground engaging member. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the sole component includes multiple elongate support members extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending in a lateral direction from the first ground engaging member, wherein the multiple support members are unevenly spaced about the first ground engaging member. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the sole component includes multiple elongate support members extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending radially from the first ground engaging member, the multiple support members having substantially different sizes. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the first ground engaging member is substantially elongate along a ground engaging member axis oriented in a first horizontal direction, and has a width in a second horizontal direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, and wherein the first support member has a width that is smaller than the width of the first ground engaging member. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the first support member extends downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate less distance than the first ground engaging member extends downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear according to  claim 8 , wherein the first support member extends more than half of the distance that the first ground engaging member extends downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear according to  claim 8 , wherein a tip portion of the first ground engaging member that extends below a downward-most portion of the first support member is formed of a softer material than the rest of the first ground engaging member. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein each facet of the first support member has a downward facing surface that is substantially planar. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the first support member has a horizontal length and a horizontal width, and wherein the horizontal width of the first support member is substantially the same over an entire horizontal length of the first support member. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the first support member has a horizontal length and a horizontal width, and wherein the horizontal width of the first support member tapers with distance from the first ground engaging member. 
     
     
         14 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper configured to receive a foot;   a sole component fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper, the sole component including a baseplate having a bottom surface, and at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from a bottom surface of the baseplate and a second ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, and a first elongate support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first and second ground engaging members at side portions thereof, and extending horizontally between the first and second ground engaging members, wherein the first support member has a downward facing surface with three facets, wherein a first facet is angled upward and away from the first ground engaging member in a direction of the second ground engaging member, a second facet is angled upward and away from the second ground engaging member in a direction of the first ground engaging member, and a third facet is disposed between the first facet and the third facet and is substantially horizontal.   
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the sole component further includes second and third elongate support members extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the first ground engaging member; and, fourth and fifth elongate support members extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the second ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the second ground engaging member, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth support members are arranged to form an H configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the sole component further includes a second elongate support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the first ground engaging member, the first and second support members having downward facing surfaces extending at slope angles from the side portion of the first ground engaging member to the bottom surface of the baseplate proximate to the ground engaging member, and wherein the first and second support members have downward facing surfaces extending at different slope angles. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , the sole component further including a second elongate support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the side portion of the first ground engaging member, wherein the second support member has a downward facing surface with at least a first facet and a second facet, each facet being angled at a different non-horizontal slope angle. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear according to  claim 17 , wherein the first facet is disposed adjacent the first ground engaging member and between the first ground engaging member and the second facet, and wherein the first facet has a first slope angle and the second facet has a second slope angle, wherein the first slope angle is steeper than the second slope angle. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the first ground engaging member is substantially elongate along a ground engaging member axis oriented in a first horizontal direction, and has a width in a second horizontal direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, and wherein the first support member has a width that is smaller than the width of the first ground engaging member. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the first support member extends downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate less distance than the first ground engaging member extends downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate. 
     
     
         21 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein each facet of the first support member has a downward facing surface that is substantially planar. 
     
     
         22 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the first support member has a horizontal length and a horizontal width, and wherein the horizontal width of the first support member is substantially the same over an entire horizontal length of the first support member. 
     
     
         23 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the first support member has a horizontal length and a horizontal width, and wherein the horizontal width of the first support member tapers with distance from the first ground engaging member. 
     
     
         24 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper configured to receive a foot;   a sole component fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper, the sole component including a baseplate having a bottom surface and at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate and having a hole passing substantially horizontally through the first ground engaging member, and a first support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion in substantial alignment with the hole, and extending horizontally from the side portion of the first ground engaging member.   
     
     
         25 . The article of footwear according to  claim 24 , wherein the first support member extends substantially radially from an approximate center portion of the first ground engaging member. 
     
     
         26 . The article of footwear according to  claim 25 , wherein the first ground engaging member has a horizontal cross-sectional shape that is substantially elongate. 
     
     
         27 . The article of footwear according to  claim 24 , wherein the sole component includes multiple elongate support members extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending radially from the first ground engaging member, wherein the sizes of the multiple support members are substantially different. 
     
     
         28 . The article of footwear according to  claim 24 , wherein the first ground engaging member is substantially elongate along a ground engaging member axis oriented in a first horizontal direction, and has a width in a second horizontal direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, and wherein the first support member has a width that is smaller than the width of the ground engaging member. 
     
     
         29 . The article of footwear according to  claim 24 , wherein the first support member extends downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate less distance than the first ground engaging member extends downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate. 
     
     
         30 . The article of footwear according to  claim 24 , wherein the first support member has a downward facing surface that is substantially planar. 
     
     
         31 . The article of footwear according to  claim 24 , wherein the first support member has a horizontal length and a horizontal width, and wherein the horizontal width of the first support member tapers with distance from the first ground engaging member. 
     
     
         32 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper configured to receive a foot;   a sole component fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper, the sole component including a baseplate having a bottom surface, at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, and a first elongate support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the side portion of the first ground engaging member; the first ground engaging member being substantially elongate in a horizontal direction having a first curvature along a ground engaging member axis, wherein the first elongate support member extends horizontally from the first ground engaging member in a direction having a second curvature, wherein the first elongate support member is substantially aligned with the ground engaging member axis, and wherein the first curvature and the second curvature are reversed.   
     
     
         33 . The article of footwear according to  claim 32 , wherein the sole component further includes a second elongate support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first forward ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the first forward ground engaging member in non-alignment with the ground engaging member axis. 
     
     
         34 . The article of footwear according to  claim 33 , wherein the second elongate support member has a lowermost surface that extends substantially horizontally away from the first ground engaging member over a first distance, and projects further downward over a second distance to form a second ground engaging member. 
     
     
         35 . The article of footwear according to  claim 34 , wherein the first ground engaging member includes dual projections, and wherein the second elongate support member abuts the first ground engaging member between the dual projections. 
     
     
         36 . The article of footwear according to  claim 32 , wherein the first elongate support member extends downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate less distance than the first ground engaging member extends downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate. 
     
     
         37 . The article of footwear according to  claim 32 , wherein the first elongate support member is formed of the same material as at least a portion of the first ground engaging member. 
     
     
         38 . The article of footwear according to  claim 33 , wherein the second elongate support member has a downward facing surface at least a portion of which is substantially planar. 
     
     
         39 . The article of footwear according to  claim 32 , wherein the first elongate support member has a downward facing surface at least a portion of which is substantially peaked. 
     
     
         40 . The article of footwear according to  claim 32 , wherein the first elongate support member has a horizontal length and a horizontal width, and wherein the horizontal width of the first elongate support member tapers with distance from the first ground engaging member.