Outer sole for spikeless footwear

Abstract

An outer sole for a footwear including a base extending from a heel portion, through a midfoot portion, to a ball portion of the footwear, a plurality of cleats disposed on the base throughout the heel, midfoot, and ball portions of the footwear, and a plurality of interconnecting portions extending from each of the cleats and extending across a portion of the base, at least one of the interconnecting portions being connected to an adjacent cleat, where the cleats and the interconnecting portions include soft curves configured to avoid debris from accumulating on the sole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An outer sole for a footwear comprising:
 a base extending from a heel portion, through a midfoot portion, to a ball portion of the footwear.   a plurality of cleats disposed on the base throughout the heel, midfoot, and ball portions of the footwear; and   a plurality of interconnecting portions extending from each of the cleats and extending across a portion of the base, at least one of the interconnecting portions being connected to an adjacent cleat;   wherein the cleats and the interconnecting portions include soft curves configured to avoid debris from accumulating on the sole.   
     
     
         2 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein the number of cleats on the outer sole is less than 65. 
     
     
         3 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein the outer sole is constructed from a material comprising plastic, polyurethane, or rubber or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the cleats is at least about 15 millimeters. 
     
     
         5 . The outer sole of  claim 4 , wherein the at least 15 millimeters delimits areas absent of cleats configured to increase traction and to said avoid debris from accumulating on the sole. 
     
     
         6 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cleats and the interconnecting portions has a base portion and a top portion and wherein the cleats and the interconnecting portions taper from the base portions towards the top portions. 
     
     
         7 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein the cleats and the interconnecting portions further having smooth surfaces to said avoid debris from accumulating on the sole. 
     
     
         8 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein space between the cleats is sufficient to improve grip and thereby to avoid an aquaplaning effect. 
     
     
         9 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein the outer sole pattern has no sharp edges. 
     
     
         10 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein the soft curves comprise curved surface areas without straight edges and without planar surfaces, and wherein the curved surface areas are smooth and uninterrupted. 
     
     
         11 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein the soft curves comprise curved surface areas without acute, right, or obtuse angles, wherein the curved surface areas are smooth and uninterrupted. 
     
     
         12 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein the soft curves comprise a radius of curvature of about two to three millimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein the cleats and the interconnecting portions form a pattern that resembles an organic structure of a tree leaf or animal membrane. 
     
     
         14 . The outer sole of  claim 1 , wherein two to seven of the interconnecting portions extend generally radially from each of the cleats and wherein the two to seven interconnecting portions are generally evenly spaced about the respective cleat. 
     
     
         15 . A cleat for an outer sole of a footwear, comprising:
 a base portion configured to be disposed on the outer sole;   a top portion disposed opposite from the base potion and configured to extend from the outer sole and to contact a surface during use of the footwear; and   a plurality of elongated interconnecting potions each having a first end affixed to the base portion and a second end extending away from the base portion;   wherein the base portion has a width larger than a width of the top portion such that the cleat generally tapers in a direction toward the top portion:   wherein the second end of at least one of the interconnecting portions is affixed to an adjacent cleat; and   wherein the cleats and the interconnecting portions include soft curves configured to avoid debris from accumulating on the sole.   
     
     
         16 . The cleat of  claim 15 , wherein the soft curves comprise smooth and uninterrupted curved surface areas without acute, right, or obtuse angles. 
     
     
         17 . The cleat of  claim 16 , wherein the soft curves comprise a radius of curvature of about two to three millimeters. 
     
     
         18 . The cleat of  claim 15 , wherein the cleat, the interconnecting portions, and the adjacent cleat form a pattern that resembles an organic structure of a tree leaf or animal membrane. 
     
     
         19 . The cleat of  claim 15 , the base portion has a diameter of about five to seven millimeters and wherein the interconnecting portion affixed to the adjacent cleat is at least fifteen millimeters long. 
     
     
         20 . A method of increasing traction and wear resistance of an outer sole of a footwear, comprising:
 providing a plurality of cleats on the outer sole;   spacing each cleat at least fifteen millimeters from an adjacent cleat;   connecting each cleat to a plurality of adjacent cleats with interconnecting portions;   forming the cleats and interconnecting portions with soft curves comprising smooth and uninterrupted curved surface areas without acute, right, or obtuse angles.