Shoe Having A Concave Outsole

Abstract

A shoe includes an outsole having a heel region, a midfoot region, a metatarsal region, and a toe region. The heel region extends longitudinally from the heel end to the midfoot region, the midfoot region extends longitudinally from the heel region to the metatarsal region, and the toe region extends longitudinally from the toe end to the metatarsal region. The outsole has a medial side region, central region, and a lateral side region. A bottom surface of the outsole defines a concavity extending longitudinally from within the heel region to at least within a portion of the midfoot region. The concavity extends laterally within the central region. The concavity has a width at its widest point that is at least between 50% and 80% the width of the outsole at that point.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe comprising an outsole extending from a heel end to a toe end and from a medial side to a lateral side, the outsole having a heel region, a midfoot region, a metatarsal region, and a toe region, the heel region extending longitudinally from the heel end to the midfoot region, the midfoot region extending longitudinally from the heel region to the metatarsal region, the toe region extending longitudinally from the toe end to the metatarsal region, the outsole having a medial side region, a central region, and a lateral side region, the medial side region extending transversely from the medial side to the central region, the lateral side region extending transversely from the lateral side to the central region, the central region extending transversely from the lateral side region to the medial side region, the outsole having a bottom surface and a top surface, the bottom surface of the outsole defining a concavity extending longitudinally within the midfoot region and the metatarsal region, the concavity extending transversely within the central region, the concavity having a width at its widest point that is between 50% and 80% the width of the outsole at that point. 
     
     
         2 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , the concavity having a forward portion, a central portion, and a rearward portion, the forward portion being nearer the toe end than the central portion and the rearward portion being nearer the heel end than the central portion, the central portion of the concavity having a greater depth than the forward portion and the rearward portion. 
     
     
         3 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , the concavity having a medial portion, a central portion, and a lateral portion, the medial portion being nearer the medial side than the central portion and the lateral portion being nearer the lateral side than the central portion, the central portion of the concavity having a greater depth than the medial portion and the lateral portion. 
     
     
         4 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the heel region is substantially flat and devoid of the concavity. 
     
     
         5 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the metatarsal region is substantially flat and devoid of the concavity. 
     
     
         6 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface slopes upward from the metatarsal region, within the toe region, and to the toe end. 
     
     
         7 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface curves upward within the lateral side region toward the lateral side, and wherein the bottom surface curves upward within the medial side region toward the medial side. 
     
     
         8 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , the outsole having a plurality of sipes extending laterally across the outsole, the plurality of sipes extending upward and into the bottom surface of the outsole. 
     
     
         9 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein at least one sipe of the plurality of sipes extends through the concavity. 
     
     
         10 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sipes extend from the lateral side to the medial side. 
     
     
         11 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sipes extend diagonally across the outsole. 
     
     
         12 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the outsole comprises a plurality of substantially rectangular indentations extending upward from the bottom surface, the plurality of substantially rectangular indentations alternating with the plurality of sipes, the plurality of substantially rectangular indentations being positioned within the medial side region and the lateral side region, and wherein at least some of the plurality of substantially rectangular indentations extend upward from a portion of the outsole defining the concavity. 
     
     
         13 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the outsole includes a traction pattern, the traction pattern comprising a repeating series of substantially similar traction units, each traction unit comprising a circular channel bisected by a diagonal channel. 
     
     
         14 . A shoe comprising an outsole extending longitudinally from a heel end to a toe end and transversely from a medial side to a lateral side, the outsole having a heel region, a midfoot region, a metatarsal region, and a toe region, the heel region extending from the heel end toward the midfoot region, the midfoot region extending from the heel region toward the metatarsal region, the toe region extending from the toe end toward the metatarsal region, the outsole having a medial side region, central region, and a lateral side region, the medial side region extending from the medial side toward the central region, the lateral side region extending from the lateral side toward the central region, the central region extending between the lateral side region and the medial side region, the outsole having a bottom surface and a top surface, the bottom surface of the outsole including a portion being contoured to form a depression relative to a remainder of the bottom surface, the depression being within the central region and the midfoot region, the depression having a width at its widest point that is between 30% and 50% the width of the outsole at that point. 
     
     
         15 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 14 , the depression being substantially arch shaped and extending from the medial side region to the lateral side region, an apex of the arch shape of the depression being within the central region. 
     
     
         16 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 15 , the depression being substantially curved shaped and extending from the metatarsal region to the heel region, the curved shape having an inflection point positioned within the midfoot region. 
     
     
         17 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the inflection point is nearer a heel side end of the depression than a toe side end of the depression, such that the depression is asymmetrical in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         18 . A shoe comprising an outsole extending from a heel end to a toe end and from a medial side to a lateral side, the outsole having a heel region, a midfoot region, a metatarsal region, and a toe region, the heel region extending from the heel end toward the midfoot region, the midfoot region extending from the heel region toward the metatarsal region, the toe region extending from the toe end toward the metatarsal region, the outsole having a medial side region, central region, and a lateral side region, the medial side region extending from the medial side toward the central region, the lateral side region extending from the lateral side toward the central region, the central region extending between the lateral side region and the medial side region, the outsole having a bottom surface and a top surface, the bottom surface extending upward from the medial side region and into the central region to partially define a depression, the bottom surface extending upward from the lateral side region and into the central region to further partially define the depression, the depression having a width at its widest point that is between 30% and 50% the width of the outsole at that point, the depression further being defined at least partially by three inflection points about which the bottom surface curves as it extends laterally, the bottom surface extending upward from the metatarsal region into the midfoot region to further partially define the depression, the bottom surface extending upward from the heel region into the midfoot region to further partially define the depression. 
     
     
         19 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the bottom surface extends about the depression such that the outsole forms a semi-elliptical spring of varying thickness, the semi-elliptical spring being adapted and configured to flex under load and apply a restorative force in an upward direction. 
     
     
         20 . A shoe in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein a width of the depression varies longitudinally along the outsole.