Golf shoe having midsole structure for spike and spikeless outsoles

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to golf shoes having a structured midsole. The shoe includes an upper, midsole, and outsole. The structured midsole can accommodate both spiked outsoles and spikeless outsoles. The bottom surface of the midsole comprises recessed pockets for interlocking with complementary projecting segments located on the upper surface of the outsole. When the projecting segments of the outsole are disposed in the recessed pockets of the midsole, the midsole is secured to the outsole. The midsole can be used to form midsole/outsole assemblies, wherein the outsole is spike or spikeless and this provides costs savings.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A golf shoe comprising:
 an upper;   a midsole having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface comprising recessed pockets for interlocking with complementary projecting segments located on the upper surface of the outsole; and   an outsole having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the upper surface comprising projecting segments for interlocking with the recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole, wherein the projecting segments are disposed in the recessed pockets so that the midsole is secured to the outsole, the upper, midsole, and outsole each having forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-foot regions and lateral and medial sides.   
     
     
         2 . The golf shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the projecting segments are disc-shaped and have a thickness in the range of about 1.5 to about 4.0 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The golf shoe of  claim 2 , wherein the projecting segments have a diameter in the range of about 18.0 to about 23.0 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The golf shoe of  claim 1 , wherein there are at least three projecting segments on the upper surface of the outsole and at least three recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole. 
     
     
         5 . The golf shoe of  claim 4 , wherein there are six projecting segments on the upper surface of the outsole and six recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole. 
     
     
         6 . The golf shoe of  claim 5 , wherein there are four projecting segments in the forefoot region and two projecting segments in the rear-foot region of the outsole and four recessed pockets in the forefoot region and two recessed pockets in the rear-foot region of the midsole. 
     
     
         7 . The golf shoe of  claim 4 , wherein there are nine projecting segments on the upper surface of the outsole and nine recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole. 
     
     
         8 . The golf shoe of  claim 7 , wherein there are five projecting segments in the forefoot region and four projecting segments in the rear-foot region of the outsole and five recessed pockets in the forefoot region and four recessed pockets in the rear-foot region of the midsole. 
     
     
         9 . A golf shoe comprising:
 an upper;   a midsole having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface comprising recessed pockets for interlocking with complementary projecting segments located on the upper surface of the outsole; and   an outsole having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the upper surface comprising projecting segments for interlocking with the recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole, wherein the projecting segments are disposed in the recessed pockets so that the midsole is secured to the outsole.   the upper, midsole, and outsole each having forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-foot regions and lateral and medial sides; and wherein the bottom surface of the outsole comprises at least two spike receptacles.   
     
     
         10 . The golf shoe of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom surface of the outsole comprises at least six spike receptacles. 
     
     
         11 . The golf shoe of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom surface of the outsole comprises at least nine spike receptacles. 
     
     
         12 . A golf shoe comprising:
 an upper;   a midsole having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface comprising recessed pockets for interlocking with complementary projecting segments located on the upper surface of the outsole; and   an outsole having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the upper surface comprising projecting segments for interlocking with the recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole, wherein the projecting segments are disposed in the recessed pockets so that the midsole is secured to the outsole, the upper, midsole, and outsole each having forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-foot regions and lateral and medial sides; and wherein the bottom surface of the outsole comprises a plurality of protruding traction members.   
     
     
         13 . The golf shoe of  claim 12 , wherein the bottom surface of the outsole comprises a first set of spiral pathways (A), each spiral pathway having a point of origin with a plurality of spiral segments radiating from that point, and wherein each segment has a different degree of curvature and contains sub-segments;
 a second set of spiral pathways (B), each spiral pathway having a point of origin with a plurality of spiral segments radiating from that point, and wherein each segment has a different degree of curvature and contains sub-segments; and   the first set of spiral pathways (A) being normal and the second set of spiral pathways (B) being an inverse of the first set of spiral pathways, so that when the spiral pathways are superposed over each other, the sub-segments of spiral segments from set (A) and the sub-segments of spiral segments from set (B) form four-sided tile pieces on the surface of the outsole, the tile pieces containing traction members, wherein a plurality of the tile pieces comprise a first protruding traction member, an opposing second protruding traction member, and a non-protruding segment disposed between the first and second traction members, and wherein the tile piece, first and second protruding traction members, and non-protruding segment comprise the same material and form a unitary piece.   
     
     
         14 . The golf shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the tile piece, first and second traction members and non-protruding segment comprise a rubber material. 
     
     
         15 . The golf shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the tile piece, first and second traction members comprise a thermoplastic polyurethane composition.