Sole for a golf shoe

Abstract

An outer sole for a golf shoe includes a plurality of cleats distributed along a forefoot area and a heel area. The cleats are integrated with the outer sole and extend from a surface of the outer sole that faces away from the shoe. The plurality of cleats includes at least a larger sized set of cleats and a smaller sized set of cleats. Such outer sole for a golf shoe gives good traction on the golf course but is also useable as a casual shoe off the golf course.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A sole for a golf shoe comprising:
 an outer surface comprising a ground contacting surface and having a plurality of cleats integrated with the sole and distributed along a forefoot and a heel area of the sole;   wherein the plurality of cleats are located on and extend from the outer surface of the sole and in a direction away from the shoe, where the cleats have a proximal part, a distal part, and an intermediate side wall extending between the proximal part and the distal part, where the distal part provides a ground contacting surface of the cleat;   wherein each of the plurality of cleats has a first arm extending in a first direction and a second arm extending in a second direction, where each arm has a central part and a radial end part positioned at a predefined distance in a radial direction away from the central part, and where the central part and the radial end part comprise a radial end ground contacting surface; and   wherein a plane of the radial end ground contacting surface of the first arm is substantially coplanar to a plane of the radial end ground contacting surface of the second arm.   
     
     
         22 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein the forefoot of the sole has more cleats than the heel area of the sole. 
     
     
         23 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein the sole defines a longitudinal length, each cleat being offset from an adjacent cleat along the longitudinal length. 
     
     
         24 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein the forefoot includes a ball area and a toe area, the ball area and the heel area having cleats with greater heights than other areas of the sole. 
     
     
         25 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein the forefoot includes a ball area and a toe area, the ball area and the heel area having cleats that are substantially equal in height. 
     
     
         26 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein the total area of the outer surface covered by cleats is at least more than 25%. 
     
     
         27 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein the total area of the outer surface covered by cleats is more than 33%. 
     
     
         28 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein the total area of the outer surface covered by cleats is less than 60%. 
     
     
         29 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of cleats extend from the surface of the sole at a height selected from the group consisting of 0.079 inches, 0.118 inches, and 0.197 inches. 
     
     
         30 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein the sole has between forty (40) and one hundred (100) cleats. 
     
     
         31 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of cleats has a third arm extending in a third direction. 
     
     
         32 . The sole according to  claim 31 , wherein each of the plurality of cleats has a fourth arm extending in a fourth direction. 
     
     
         33 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein the cleat comprises a central portion, the central portion having an arc portion extending in an area between the first arm and the second arm. 
     
     
         34 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein a plane of the ground contacting surface of the central portion and a plane of the ground contacting surface of the radial end portion of the first arm are coplanar in a two-dimensional space. 
     
     
         35 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein a free end in a radial direction of at least one arm has an end portion having an end axis that is at an angle of at least 45 degrees to a radial axis of the at least one arm in a direction normal to the outer surface of the sole or in a direction that is parallel to the outer surface of the sole. 
     
     
         36 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one arm has a first peripheral boundary and a second peripheral boundary, where the first peripheral boundary and the second peripheral boundary are parallel to a longitudinal axis of the at least one arm. 
     
     
         37 . The sole according to  claim 21 , wherein a plane of an area of the sole being void of cleats is parallel to a plane of the ground contacting surface of the cleat. 
     
     
         38 . The sole according to  claim 37 , wherein at least one cleat is provided with at least one diametrically opposed arm. 
     
     
         39 . The sole according to  claim 31 , wherein the sole may comprise a first cleat having a first height, first width or first length and a second cleat having a second height, second width or second length, where the first height, first width or first length is larger than the second height, second width or second length, respectively. 
     
     
         40 . The sole of  claim 21 , wherein the cleats are integrally molded with the sole. 
     
     
         41 . A golf shoe having a sole comprising:
 an outer surface of the sole extending over a toe area, a ball area, a mid-foot area, and a heel area;   a first plurality of cleats located along the heel area; and   a second plurality of cleats located along the toe area and the ball area,   wherein the first plurality of cleats and the second plurality of cleats each include a larger set of cleats substantially encircled by a smaller set of cleats, and   wherein each cleat in the first plurality of cleats and the second plurality of cleats has a cross-sectional shape of a circle with two pairs of diametrically opposed arms.   
     
     
         42 . A cleat for use in a sole of a golf shoe, preferably an integrated cleat, wherein the cleat is located on and extends from the outer surface of the sole and in a direction away from the shoe, where the cleat has a proximal part, a distal part, and an intermediate side wall extending between the proximal part and the distal part, where the distal part provides a ground contacting surface of the cleat, wherein the cleat has a first arm extending in a first direction and a second arm extending in a second direction, where each arm has a central part and a radial end part positioned at a predefined distance in a radial direction away from the central part, and where the central part and the radial end part comprise a radial end ground contacting surface, and wherein a plane of the radial end ground contacting surface of the first arm is substantially coplanar to a plane of the radial end ground contacting surface of the second arm.