Sole structure for article of footwear

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a plurality of sole elements, including a recesses and protrusions, which are arranged on the sole structure to provide a plurality of zones with different properties. The plurality of zones includes a first zone positioned in a heel region and surrounding a first impact region, a second zone positioned between a thinnest portion of the sole structure in a midfoot region and a widest portion of the sole structure in a forefoot region, and a third zone positioned in the forefoot region and surrounding a toe off region. The first zone is configured to provide greater cushioning and relative traction than the second zone, and the second zone is configured to provide greater cushioning than the third zone.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper; and   a sole structure coupled with the upper, the sole structure extending through each of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, from a heel end to a toe end, and between a lateral side and a medial side, the sole structure including:
 a midsole coupled to the upper, the midsole including a first plurality of protrusions disposed along each of the lateral side and the medial side, and a first plurality of recesses disposed along each of the lateral side, the medial side, and a bottom surface of the midsole; and 
 an outsole coupled with the midsole, opposite the upper, the outsole including a second plurality of protrusions disposed along a medial half of the forefoot region, a second plurality of recesses disposed along the medial half of the forefoot region, and a third plurality of recesses extending through each of the midfoot region and the heel region. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of protrusions are configured as elongate protrusions that extend in a heel-to-toe direction. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of recesses are arranged to form a plurality of curvilinear rows that extend in a heel to toe direction. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the recesses of the first plurality of recesses are shaped to define a gradient that transitions from a first shape at a heel end to a second shape at the toe end. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the second plurality of recesses extends through the outsole and into the midsole. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions are shaped to define a gradient that transitions from a first shape at the toe end, to a second shape at the heel end. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the gradient further includes a third shape between the first shape and the second shape. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the first shape is a first teardrop shape that is oriented with a pointed end oriented closer to the toe end than is a rounded end,
 wherein the second shape is a second teardrop shape that is oriented with a pointed end oriented closer to the heel end than is a rounded end; and   wherein the third shape is a rounded triangular shape with a pointed end oriented closer to the toe end than is a flat end.   
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of protrusions and the second plurality of recesses are arranged to form a first plurality transverse arcuate rows. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the outsole includes a third plurality of protrusions that are arranged to form a second plurality transverse arcuate rows that alternate with the first plurality transverse arcuate rows. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the protrusions of the third plurality of protrusions are shaped to define:
 a first gradient that transitions from a first shape at the toe end to a second shape proximate a widest potion of the sole structure; and   a second gradient that transitions from a third shape proximate the widest portion of the sole structure to a fourth shape at about the midfoot region.   
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the first shape is a first rounded shape, the second shape is a first rounded triangular shape with a pointed end oriented toward the toe end, the third shape is a second rounded triangular shape with a pointed end oriented toward the heel end, and the fourth shape is a second rounded shape. 
     
     
         13 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
 a midsole having a first layer coupled to a second layer, the midsole including
 a first plurality of plurality of protrusions disposed along each of a lateral side and a medial side of the midsole, 
 a first plurality of recesses disposed along each of the lateral side and the medial side of the midsole, and 
 a second plurality of recesses is disposed along a bottom surface of the sole structure, at least one of the second plurality of recesses extending through the second layer to expose the first layer; and 
   an outsole coupled with the midsole along the second layer to define the bottom surface, the outsole extending throughout a forefoot region from a toe end to a midfoot region and narrowing at the midfoot region to form a J-shaped portion that extends across a lateral half of the midfoot region to wrap around a periphery of a heel region to terminate along a medial periphery of the heel region adjacent the midfoot region, the outsole including: 
 a second plurality of protrusions disposed along a medial half of the forefoot region, 
 a third plurality of recesses disposed along a medial half of the forefoot region, and 
 a third plurality of protrusions disposed along the J-shaped portion. 
   
     
     
         14 . The sole structure of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the third plurality of recesses extends through the outsole and the second layer of the midsole to expose the first layer of the midsole. 
     
     
         15 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
 a plurality of sole elements including recesses and protrusions that are arranged on the sole structure to provide a plurality of zones, including 
 a first zone positioned in a heel region and surrounding a first impact region, 
 a second zone positioned between a thinnest portion of the sole structure in a midfoot region and a widest portion of the sole structure in a forefoot region, and 
 a third zone positioned in the forefoot region and surrounding a toe off region, 
   wherein the first zone is configured to provide greater cushioning and relative traction than the second zone, and   wherein the second zone is configured to provide greater cushioning than the third zone.   
     
     
         16 . The sole structure of  claim 15 , wherein the third zone is configured to provide greater relative traction than the second zone. 
     
     
         17 . The sole structure of  claim 15 , wherein the first zone includes a first plurality of protrusions along a bottom surface and a first plurality of recesses along each of a lateral side and a medial side of the sole structure. 
     
     
         18 . The sole structure of  claim 17 , wherein the second zone includes a second plurality of protrusions and a second plurality of recesses along the bottom surface, which have a larger average cross-sectional area than the first plurality of protrusions. 
     
     
         19 . The sole structure of  claim 18 , wherein the third zone includes a third plurality of protrusions that have a lower average cross-sectional area than the second plurality of protrusions and the second plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         20 . The sole structure of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of zones further includes a fourth zone extending along a lateral half of the forefoot region and a fifth zone extending along a medial half of the forefoot region, 
 wherein the fourth zone is configured to have greater flexibility than the fifth zone.