Shoe Having Pluralities of Lugs

Abstract

A shoe comprising a sole and an upper secured to the sole. The sole has a sole bottom surface, a plurality of first lugs projecting generally downwardly from the sole bottom surface, and a plurality of second lugs projecting generally downwardly from the sole bottom surface. Each lug of the first plurality of lugs has a distal end surface facing a first direction which is oblique relative to the longitudinal axis of such each first lug. Each lug of the second plurality of lugs has a distal end surface facing a second direction which is oblique relative to the longitudinal axis of such each second lug, and wherein the second direction is different than the first direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe comprising:
 a sole; and   an upper secured to the sole;   the sole having a sole heel end and a sole toe end, the sole extending along a shoe axis from the sole heel end to the sole toe end, the sole having a lateral side extending from the sole heel end to the sole toe end and a medial side extending from the sole heel end to the sole toe end, the sole extending transversely from the lateral side to the medial side, the sole including a sole heel region, a sole midfoot region, a sole forefoot region, and a sole toe region, the sole heel region extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole midfoot region, the sole midfoot region extending longitudinally from the sole heel region to the sole forefoot region, the sole forefoot region extending longitudinally from the sole midfoot region to the sole toe region, the sole toe region extending longitudinally from the sole forefoot region to the sole toe end;   the sole having a sole bottom surface, a plurality of first lugs projecting generally downwardly from the sole bottom surface, and a plurality of second lugs projecting generally downwardly from the sole bottom surface;   each first lug of the plurality of first lugs projecting perpendicularly from the sole bottom surface along a longitudinal axis of such each first lug, each first lug having a proximal end at the sole bottom surface and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the distal end of each first lug having a distal end surface spaced from the sole bottom surface, the distal end surface of each first lug facing a first direction which is oblique relative to the longitudinal axis of such each first lug;   each second lug of the plurality of second lugs projecting perpendicularly from the sole bottom surface along a longitudinal axis of such each second lug, each second lug having a proximal end at the sole bottom surface and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the distal end of each second lug having a distal end surface spaced from the sole bottom surface, the distal end surface of each second lug facing a second direction which is oblique relative to the longitudinal axis of such each second lug;   the second direction being different from the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein each first lug is cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 2  wherein each first lug is of a circular shape in a cross-section taken through such each first lug and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of such each first lug, and wherein each second lug is of a circular shape in a cross-section taken through sech each second lug and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of such each second lug. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein each first lug is of a circular shape in a cross-section taken through such each first lug and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of such each first lug, and wherein each second lug is of a circular shape in a cross-section taken through sech each second lug and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of such each second lug. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the first plurality of lugs are arranged in a first row, and wherein the second plurality of lugs are arranged in a second row adjacent the first row. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 5  wherein the first row is diagonal relative to the shoe axis, and wherein the second row is diagonal relative to the shoe axis. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 6  wherein the first row is generally parallel to the second row. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 7  wherein the first row is devoid of any of the second lugs. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 8  wherein the second row is devoid of any of the first lugs. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the first plurality of lugs are arranged in a plurality of first rows, and wherein the second plurality of lugs are arranged in a plurality of second rows, each row of the plurality of first rows having at least three first lugs, each row of the plurality of second rows having at least three second lugs, each row of the plurality of first rows being adjacent at least one row of the plurality of second rows. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 10  wherein no two first rows are adjacent one another. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 11  wherein no two second rows are adjacent one another. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 10  wherein each of the plurality of first rows is diagonal relative to the shoe axis, and wherein each of the plurality of second rows is diagonal relative to the shoe axis. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 10  wherein each row of the plurality of first rows is devoid of any of the second lugs, and wherein each row of the plurality of second rows is devoid of any of the first lugs. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein each distal end of the plurality of first lugs has a first lug minimum length and a first lug maximum length, the first lug minimum length corresponding to the distance from the sole bottom surface to a point on the distal end surface closest to the sole bottom surface, the first lug maximum length corresponding to the distance from the sole bottom surface to a point on the distal end surface farthest from the sole bottom surface, the first lug minimum length being between 30% and 80% of the first lug maximum length, and wherein each distal end of the plurality of second lugs have a second lug minimum length and a second lug maximum length, the second lug minimum length corresponding to the distance from the sole bottom surface to a point on the distal end surface closest to the sole bottom surface, the second lug maximum length corresponding to the distance from the sole bottom surface to a point on the distal end surface farthest from the sole bottom surface, the second lug minimum length being between 30% and 80% of the second lug maximum length. 
     
     
         16 . The shoe of  claim 15  wherein the first lug minimum length is on the medial side of the first plurality of lugs, and wherein the second lug minimum length is on the lateral side of the second plurality of lugs. 
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 16  wherein the first lug maximum length is on the lateral side of the first plurality of lugs, and the second lug maximum length is on the medial side of the second plurality of lugs. 
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the distal end surfaces of each of the plurality of first lugs is sloped at an angle between 20° and 80° relative to the longitudinal axis of such each first lug, and wherein the distal end surfaces of each of the plurality of second lugs is sloped at an angle between 20° and 80° relative to the longitudinal axis of such each second lug. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the distal end surfaces of each of the plurality of first lugs is sloped at an angle between 45° and 75° relative to the longitudinal axis of such each first lug, and wherein the distal end surfaces of each of the plurality of second lugs is sloped at an angle between 45° and 75° relative to the longitudinal axis of such each second lug. 
     
     
         20 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the distal end surfaces of each of the plurality of first lugs is sloped at an angle between 55° and 65° relative to the longitudinal axis of such each first lug, and wherein the distal end surfaces of each of the plurality of second lugs is sloped at an angle between 55° and 65° relative to the longitudinal axis of such each second lug.