Running Shoes

Abstract

A running shoe comprises an upper and a midsole attached to the upper, the midsole having a front portion corresponding to a forefoot and a rear portion corresponding to a heel. The front portion of the midsole may have one or more notches which may increase the flexibility of the midsole. One or more flex grooves may extend through the midsole to similarly increase the flexibility of the midsole. A flex groove may be associated with a notch via a notch and a flex groove being associated with a channel. The flex groove may have void regions in which the flex groove extends entirely through the midsole to define a void therein. The void regions may increase the movability of forefoot pods defined by the relationship of flex grooves and how they may intersect each other and extend through each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A running shoe comprising:
 an upper; and   a midsole attached to the upper, the midsole having a front portion corresponding to a forefoot and a rear portion corresponding to a heel, the front portion of the midsole defining a plurality of flex grooves including one or more horizontal flex grooves and one or more longitudinal flex grooves, the one or more horizontal flex grooves extending in a lateral to medial direction of the running shoe, the one or more longitudinal flex grooves extending in a front to back direction of the running shoe, the front portion of the midsole having one or more notches formed in a top rail thereof, the one or more notches being operative to increase the flexibility of the midsole.   
     
     
         2 . The running shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the front portion of the midsole further has one or more channels, the one or more channels extending vertically in a top to bottom direction of the running shoe, the one or more channels each defining at least one channel surface. 
     
     
         3 . The running shoe of  claim 2 , wherein each of the one or more channels is rectangular and has three channel surfaces, the three channel surfaces being two side channel surfaces approximately opposite to each other and a base channel surface therebetween. 
     
     
         4 . The running shoe of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more channels is associated with a notch from among the one or more notches, the notch further defining at least one of the channel surfaces of the at least one channel. 
     
     
         5 . The running shoe of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of flex grooves is associated with at least one of the one or more channels. 
     
     
         6 . The running shoe of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more horizontal flex grooves is associated with at least two of the one or more channels. 
     
     
         7 . The running shoe of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the one or more longitudinal flex grooves is associated with at least one of the one or more channels. 
     
     
         8 . The running shoe of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more notches and at least one of the plurality of flex grooves are associated with one of the one or more channels. 
     
     
         9 . A running shoe comprising:
 an upper; and   a midsole attached to the upper, the midsole having a front portion corresponding to a forefoot and a rear portion corresponding to a heel, the front portion of the midsole defining a plurality of flex grooves including one or more horizontal flex grooves and one or more longitudinal flex grooves, the one or more horizontal flex grooves extending in a lateral to medial direction of the running shoe, the one or more longitudinal flex grooves extending in a front to back direction of the running shoe, at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of flex grooves extending entirely through the midsole to define one or more voids in the midsole.   
     
     
         10 . The running shoe of  claim 9 , wherein the at least a portion of the at least one flex groove that extends entirely through the midsole spans at least a portion of at least one of the one or more horizontal flex grooves and at least a portion of at least one of the one or more longitudinal flex grooves. 
     
     
         11 . The running shoe of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more horizontal flex grooves includes at least one horizontal flex groove that intersects at least one of the one or more longitudinal flex grooves to define one or more forefoot pods, the one or more forefoot pods being movable independent of one another; and
 wherein the at least a portion of the at least one flex groove that extends entirely through the midsole spans at least a portion of the at least one horizontal flex groove and at least a portion of the at least one longitudinal flex groove.   
     
     
         12 . The running shoe of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more horizontal flex grooves includes at least one horizontal flex groove that extends through at least one of the one or more longitudinal flex grooves to define two or more forefoot pods, the two or more forefoot pods being movable independent of one another. 
     
     
         13 . The running shoe of  claim 12 , wherein the two or more forefoot pods includes a medial forefoot pod and a lateral forefoot pod; and
 wherein the at least a portion of the at least one flex groove that extends entirely through the midsole spans at least a portion of the at least one horizontal flex groove and at least a portion of the at least one of the one or more longitudinal flex grooves.   
     
     
         14 . The running shoe of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more horizontal flex grooves includes a front horizontal flex groove and a back horizontal flex groove spaced from each other in the front to back direction of the running shoe, the front horizontal flex groove and the back horizontal flex groove extending through at least one of the one or more longitudinal flex grooves and the at least one of the one or more longitudinal flex grooves extending through the front horizontal flex groove to define four or more forefoot pods, the four or more forefoot pods being movable independent of one another. 
     
     
         15 . The running shoe of  claim 14 , wherein the four or more forefoot pods includes a front lateral forefoot pod, a back lateral forefoot pod, a front medial forefoot pod, and a back medial forefoot pod all being moveable independent of one another; and
 wherein the at least a portion of the at least one flex groove that extends entirely through the midsole spans at least a portion of the at least one of the one or more longitudinal flex grooves and at least a portion of the back horizontal flex groove.   
     
     
         16 . The running shoe of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more horizontal flex grooves includes a front horizontal flex groove and a back horizontal flex groove spaced from each other in the front to back direction of the running shoe, the one or more longitudinal flex grooves including a lateral longitudinal flex groove and a medial longitudinal flex groove spaced from each other in the lateral to medial direction of the running shoe, the front horizontal flex groove and the back horizontal flex groove extending through at least the lateral longitudinal flex groove and the medial longitudinal flex groove, the lateral longitudinal flex groove and the medial longitudinal flex groove extending through at least the front horizontal flex groove to define six or more forefoot pods. 
     
     
         17 . The running shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the six or more forefoot pods includes a front lateral forefoot pod, a back lateral forefoot pod, a front medial forefoot pod, a back medial forefoot pod, a front intermediate forefoot pod, and a back intermediate forefoot pod all being movable independent of one another; and
 wherein the at least a portion of the at least one flex groove that extends entirely through the midsole includes a portion that spans at least a portion of the back horizontal flex groove and at least a portion of the lateral longitudinal flex groove and a portion that spans at least a portion of the back horizontal flex groove and at least a portion of the medial longitudinal flex groove.   
     
     
         18 . The running shoe of  claim 17 , wherein the portion that spans at least a portion of the back horizontal flex groove and at least a portion of the lateral longitudinal flex groove is operative to increase the movability of the back lateral forefoot pod; and
 wherein the portion that spans at least a portion of the back horizontal flex groove and at least a portion of the medial longitudinal flex groove is operative to increase the movability of the back medial forefoot pod.   
     
     
         19 . A running shoe comprising:
 an upper; and   a midsole attached to the upper, the midsole having a front portion corresponding to a forefoot and a rear portion corresponding to a heel, the front portion of the midsole defining a plurality of flex grooves including one or more horizontal flex grooves and one or more longitudinal flex grooves, the one or more horizontal flex grooves extending in a lateral to medial direction of the running shoe, the one or more longitudinal flex grooves extending in a front to back direction of the running shoe, the front portion of the midsole having one or more notches formed in a top rail thereof, the one or more notches being operative to increase the flexibility of the midsole, at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of flex grooves extending entirely through the midsole to define one or more voids in the midsole.   
     
     
         20 . The running shoe of  claim 19 , wherein the front portion of the midsole further has one or more channels, the one or more channels extending vertically in a top to bottom direction of the running shoe, the one or more channels each defining at least one channel surface; and
 wherein each of the plurality of flex grooves is associated with at least one of the one or more channels; and   wherein each of the one or more notches are associated with at least one of the one or more channels.