Article of Footwear With a Marking System

Abstract

An article of footwear with a marking system is disclosed. The marking system is configured to help locate one or more portions of a foot during training of an athlete. The marking system includes markings disposed on an upper of an article of footwear.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of using an article of footwear, comprising the steps of:
 observing the location of a plurality of markings associated with a marking system on an upper of the article of footwear when a lower surface of a sole system is in contact with a ground surface; and   determining the relative location of a predetermined portion of a foot disposed in the upper according to the location of the plurality of markings, wherein the predetermined portion is disposed on the upper.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined portion is a portion of the upper corresponding to a ball of a foot. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of markings are visible on a side peripheral portion of the upper. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of determining the relative location of the predetermined portion includes a step of associating a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis with the plurality of markings. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the step of associating the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis with the plurality of markings is followed by a step of determining the intersection of the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the article of footwear can be used to train an athlete. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the motion of the article of footwear as a wearer moves can be recorded with a monitoring device and analyzed on a video display system. 
     
     
         21 . A method of using an article of footwear, comprising the steps of:
 providing an article of footwear including:
 a forefoot portion corresponding with a forefoot region of a foot of a wearer, a middle portion corresponding with a midfoot region of a foot of a wearer, and a heel portion corresponding with a heel region of a foot of a wearer; 
 a sole system having an outer peripheral portion forming a side edge of the sole system that is visible in a side view of the article of footwear, the outer peripheral portion including a contoured edge defining a recess in the sole system extending in a downward direction from a top edge of the outer peripheral portion of the sole system, the recess being disposed in the forefoot portion of the article of footwear and being substantially smaller than the forefoot portion; 
 an upper attached to the sole system, the upper including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the upper being defined by the contoured edge of the outer peripheral portion of the sole system and being located below the top edge of the outer peripheral portion of the sole system, wherein the first portion of the upper is exposed in the recess in the sole system, and wherein the second portion of the upper is located above the top edge of the outer peripheral portion of the sole system; and 
 a plurality of markings on the upper, each marking of the plurality of markings having a different appearance than adjacent portions of the upper; 
 the plurality of markings including a marking system including a set of markings arranged in alignment with one or more portions of the article of footwear corresponding with at least one predetermined portion of a foot of a wearer; 
 wherein an end portion of a first marking of the plurality of markings extends into the first portion of the upper in the recess defined by the outer peripheral portion; 
 wherein all markings adjacent to the first marking and perpendicular to the first marking are disposed entirely in the second portion of the upper; and 
 wherein the first marking extends in a lateral direction in alignment with a first axis that corresponds with a ball of a foot of a wearer; 
   observing the location of the plurality of markings on the upper of the article of footwear when a lower surface of the sole system is in contact with a ground surface; and   determining the relative location of a predetermined portion of a foot disposed in the upper according to the location of the plurality of markings.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the end portion of the marking extending into the recess is disposed in a medial portion of the upper. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the end portion of the marking extending into the recess is disposed in a lateral portion of the upper. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of markings are aligned with axes that intersect at a portion of the upper that corresponds with the predetermined portion of the foot. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the predetermined portion of the foot is a ball of the foot. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the upper includes an unmarked portion between the sole system and the end portion of the marking extending into the recess. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein a second marking adjacent to the first marking is disposed entirely in the second portion of the upper. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the marking system includes a first marking and a third marking that define a longitudinal axis along a length of the sole system;
 the marking system further including a second marking and a fourth marking that define a lateral axis along a width of the sole system; and   wherein the intersection of the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis corresponds to a predetermined bone of the foot; and   wherein the intersection is located laterally off center along the width of the sole system.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis intersect in a forefoot portion of the upper. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the set of markings has a cross-hair configuration. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein a portion of the marking system is visible when the article of footwear is planted on the ground. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of markings are aligned with axes that intersect at a portion of the upper that corresponds with the predetermined portion of the foot;
 wherein the plurality of markings includes at least one heel marking located on the upper in a heel region of the article of footwear;   wherein the heel marking has a first end portion located adjacent an entry hole of the upper, the heel marking extending from the first end portion toward the sole system to a second end portion of the heel marking; and   wherein the upper includes an unmarked portion between the sole system and the second end portion of the heel marking.   
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the marking system includes a marking disposed in a toe portion of the upper that is aligned with the heel marking.