Sole of a shoe having a preferred flexing zone, and shoe having such an outer sole

Abstract

A sole of a shoe, extending in a longitudinal direction representative of the main axis of the foot, has an anterior part that is able to receive the forefoot, a central part that is able to receive the midfoot, and a posterior part that is able to receive the heel, the sole having, in the anterior part, a preferred flexing zone extending in an oblique direction with respect to the main axis of the foot.

1 . Sole of a shoe, extending in a longitudinal direction representative of a main axis of the foot, and having an anterior part that is adapted to receive the forefoot, a central part that is adapted to receive the midfoot and a posterior part that is adapted to receive the heel, said sole having in the anterior part a preferred flexing zone extending in an oblique direction with respect to the main axis of the foot. 
     
     
         2 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said sole has in the anterior part a plurality of preferred flexing zones extending in an oblique direction with respect to the main axis of the foot. 
     
     
         3 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said preferred flexing zone is located in the anterior part receiving the forefoot and as a projection of the metatarsal phalangeal heads of the foot. 
     
     
         4 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said sole has, in the preferred flexing zone, a hardness at least 10% lower with respect to the rest of said sole. 
     
     
         5 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said preferred flexing zone has a height, extending in a longitudinal direction, comprised between 3 and 40 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said preferred flexing zone is oriented according to a flexing fold axis, itself oriented at an angle of 105°±15° with respect to the main axis of the foot. 
     
     
         7 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said sole has, in the preferred flexing zone at least one groove oriented according to the flexing fold axis. 
     
     
         8 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said sole is made of a first material and has, in the preferred flexing zone, an inclusion of a second material of a same nature and having a density less than a density of the first material used for the rest of the sole. 
     
     
         9 . The sole according to  claim 8 , wherein the second material has a density at least 10% less than the density of the first material. 
     
     
         10 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said sole is made of a first material and has, in the preferred flexing zone, an inclusion of a second material of a different nature and having a hardness less than a hardness of the first material used for the rest of the sole. 
     
     
         11 . The sole according to  claim 10 , wherein the second material has a hardness at least 10% less than the hardness of the first material. 
     
     
         12 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said preferred flexing zone is located at a distance comprised between 60 and 75% of the total length of the sole from its rear end. 
     
     
         13 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said preferred flexing zone extends over a portion or over the entire width of the sole. 
     
     
         14 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said sole has a strip with extra thickness located at an edge of said preferred flexing zone or at two edges of said preferred flexing zone. 
     
     
         15 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein strip with extra thickness is oriented according to a flexing fold axis, itself oriented at an angle of 105°±15° with respect to the main axis of the foot. 
     
     
         16 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said strip with extra thickness forms a means of gripping of the anterior part of the outsole. 
     
     
         17 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein said sole is a flexible sole with an elastomer base or a rigid sole with a thermoplastic material base. 
     
     
         18 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein sole comprises an outsole intended to come into contact with the ground and a midsole, said preferred flexing zone extending in an oblique direction with respect to the main axis of the foot being arranged in said outsole. 
     
     
         19 . Shoe comprising a sole according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . The shoe according to  claim 19 , wherein said shoe is a sports shoe, or a running shoe, or a football shoe or a rugby shoe.