Footwear having surface-detecting protrusions

Abstract

A piece of footwear including an upper portion operably configured to at least partially surround a user's foot, a sole having an outsole and an insole, and at least one surface-detecting protrusion spanning through the sole. The insole and the upper portion define a foot placement zone. The at least one surface-detecting protrusion includes a proximal end defining a foot contact surface disposed within the foot placement zone. The proximal end is in a spaced relationship away from the insole. The at least one surface-detecting protrusion also includes a distal end, opposite the proximal end. The distal end defines an outer contact surface disposed in a spaced relationship away from the outsole. The foot contact surface is operably configured to translate when the outer contact surface is subjected to a compression force.

1 . A piece of footwear comprising:
 an upper portion of the piece of footwear;   a sole having an outsole including a ground contact portion and an insole including an upper-most inner surface for making contact with a user's foot, the upper-most inner surface of the insole and the upper portion of the piece of footwear being configured to surround the user's foot and defining a foot placement zone sized to receive the user's foot; and   at least one surface-detecting protrusion extending through the sole, the surface-detecting protrusion comprising a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, wherein:
 the proximal end defines a foot contact surface disposed within the foot placement zone and in a spaced relationship a distance above the upper-most inner surface of the insole; 
 the distal end defines an outer contact surface disposed in a spaced relationship a distance below the ground contact portion of the outsole; and 
 the surface-detecting protrusion is configured to move through the sole when the outer contact surface is subjected to a compression force for providing sensory feedback from the user's foot. 
   
     
     
         2 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a web coupling the surface-detecting protrusion to the sole, wherein the web is of an elasticity property different than both a material of the surface-detecting protrusion and a material of the outsole.   
     
     
         3 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the web surrounds an outer perimeter of the surface-detecting protrusion.   
     
     
         4 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the surface-detecting protrusion upwardly tapers into the foot placement zone.   
     
     
         5 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the surface-detecting protrusion is of a slender shape.   
     
     
         6 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 one surface-detecting protrusion is disposed in a front portion and another surface-detecting protrusion is disposed in a heel portion of the piece of footwear; and   the surface-detecting protrusion is of cylindrical, square, or rectangular shape.   
     
     
         7 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outsole is directly coupled to the insole, and the surface-detecting protrusion is fixedly coupled to the sole.   
     
     
         8 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the surface-detecting protrusion is removably couplable to the sole.   
     
     
         9 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hinge-like device disposed between the proximal end of the surface-detecting protrusion and the distal end of the surface-detecting protrusion.   
     
     
         10 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of surface-detecting protrusions spanning through the sole and disposed along a front portion of the sole in a first direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the sole and disposed along a second portion of the sole in a second direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sole, the first direction different than the second direction.   
     
     
         11 . A piece of footwear comprising:
 an upper portion of the piece of footwear;   a sole having an insole including an upper-most inner surface for making contact with a user's foot and an outsole, the upper-most inner surface of the insole and the upper portion of the piece of footwear being configured to surround the user's foot and defining a foot placement zone sized to receive the user's foot, the outsole having a ground contact portion; and   a plurality of surface-detecting protrusions each extending through a width of the sole, each of the plurality of surface-detecting protrusions comprising a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, wherein:
 the proximal end defines a foot contact surface disposed within the foot placement zone; 
 the distal ends defines a ground contact surface disposed a distance below the ground contact portion of the outsole; and 
 the surface-detecting protrusions are each configured to move through the width of the sole when the proximal end is subjected to a compression force of the user's foot for providing sensory feedback from the user's foot. 
   
     
     
         12 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a web coupling the plurality of surface-detecting protrusions to the sole, wherein the web is made of an elastic property different than a material of the plurality of surface-detecting protrusions and a material of the outsole.   
     
     
         13 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the web surrounds an outer perimeter of each of the plurality of surface-detecting protrusions.   
     
     
         14 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the plurality of surface-detecting protrusions disposed within a front portion of the sole are of a size and shape different than a size and shape of the plurality of surface-detecting protrusions disposed within a heel portion of the sole.   
     
     
         15 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the plurality of surface-detecting protrusions are made of an elastomeric material.   
     
     
         16 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the outsole is directly coupled to the insole, and the plurality of surface-detecting protrusions are fixedly coupled to the sole.   
     
     
         17 . A piece of footwear comprising:
 an upper portion of the piece of footwear;   a sole having an outsole including a ground contact portion and an insole including an upper-most inner surface for making contact with a user's foot, the upper-most inner surface of the insole and the upper portion of the piece of footwear being configured to surround a user's foot and defining a foot placement zone sized to receive the user's foot; and   at least one surface-detecting protrusion extending through the sole, the surface-detecting protrusion comprising a first portion and a second portion aligned with the first portion, wherein:
 the first portion defines a foot contact surface disposed within the foot placement zone and in a spaced relationship a distance above the upper-most inner surface of the insole; 
 the second portion defines an outer contact surface disposed in a spaced relationship a distance below the ground contact portion of the outsole; and 
 the surface-detecting protrusion is configured to move through the sole when the outer contact surface is subjected to a compression force for providing sensory feedback from the user's foot. 
   
     
     
         18 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first portion of the surface-detecting protrusion and the second portion of the surface-detecting protrusion are continuously aligned along a common axis.   
     
     
         19 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the surface-detecting protrusion further comprises:
 a hinge-like device coupling the first portion of the surface-detecting protrusion to the second portion of the surface-detecting protrusion. 
   
     
     
         20 . The piece of footwear according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first portion of the surface-detecting protrusion is coupled to the second portion of the surface-detecting protrusion, and movement of the first portion of the surface-detecting protrusion results in a corresponding movement of the second portion of the surface-detecting protrusion.