Upper for a shoe with a microstructure surface

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an upper for a shoe, such as a sports shoe, comprising a ball contact area comprising a microstructure surface; a.) wherein the microstructure surface comprises a plurality of protrusions; b.) wherein the microstructure surface is configured to assist with shooting and/or passing a ball in that each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is elastically bendable; c.) wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions has the shape of a pillar.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An upper for a shoe, comprising a ball contact area comprising a microstructure surface;
 a, wherein the microstructure surface comprises a plurality of protrusions;   b, wherein the microstructure surface is configured to assist with shooting or passing a ball in that each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is elastically bendable; and   c, wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions has the shape of a pillar.   
     
     
         2 . The upper according to the  claim 1 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions comprises an aspect ratio defined by a height of a protrusion compared to a width of the protrusion of greater than or equal to 1.1 and less than or equal to 10. 
     
     
         3 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions comprises a width of greater than or equal to 0.05 mm and less than or equal to 1.0 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions comprises a height of greater than or equal to 0.2 mm and less than or equal to 1.2 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein a pitch between adjacent protrusions of the plurality of protrusions is greater than or equal to 1.1 times a width; and less than or equal to 4 times the width. 
     
     
         6 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein a pitch between two adjacent protrusions of the plurality of protrusions is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 2 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the microstructure surface comprises a contact portion defined by aggregated top surfaces of the protrusions of the plurality of protrusions, the top surfaces facing away from the upper,
 wherein a contact surface coverage is greater than or equal to 3% and less than or equal to 50%, the coverage being defined by the aggregated top surfaces of the protrusions of the plurality of protrusions compared to the microstructure surface.   
     
     
         8 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions comprises a length substantially perpendicular to a width and a height, the length and the width being along a contour of the upper, wherein the length is greater than or equal to 0.8 times the width and less than or equal to 1.2 times the width. 
     
     
         9 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions has an essentially circular, elliptical, rectangular, triangular, or polygonal horizontal cross-section, the cross-section being a cut through the protrusion normal to a direction along a height of the protrusion, wherein the cross-section is located at a midpoint of the height of the protrusion. 
     
     
         10 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions comprises a Shore A hardness of greater than or equal to 30 Shore A and less than or equal to 110 Shore A. 
     
     
         11 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the microstructure surface comprises a base element, wherein the plurality of protrusions is arranged on the base element,
 wherein at least two protrusions of the plurality of protrusions are connected by the base element.   
     
     
         12 . The upper according to  claim 11 , wherein the base element and each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is formed integrally. 
     
     
         13 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball contact area is configured to assist with shooting or passing a ball in that each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is elastically bendable such that each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is configured to bend substantially upon contact with the ball. 
     
     
         14 . The upper according to  claim 13 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is configured to not bend substantially upon contact with the ball during a dribbling event. 
     
     
         15 . The upper according to  claim 13 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is elastically bendable such that each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is configured to bend such that a side portion of each protrusion or a top portion of each protrusion touches an outer surface of the upper or an adjacent protrusion upon contact with the ball. 
     
     
         16 . An upper for a shoe, such as a sports shoe, comprising a ball contact area comprising at least one profile element arranged on an outer surface of the upper;
 a. wherein the at least one profile element comprises a microstructure surface comprising a plurality of protrusions;   b. wherein the profile element is configured to assist with shooting or passing a ball; and   c. wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions has the shape of a pillar.   
     
     
         17 . The upper according to  claim 16 , wherein the profile element comprises a thermoset elastomer. 
     
     
         18 . The upper according to  claim 16 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions comprises an aspect ratio defined by a height of a protrusion compared to a width of the protrusion of at greater than or equal to 1.1 and less than or equal to 10. 
     
     
         19 . The upper according to  claim 16 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions comprises a width of greater than or equal to 0.05 mm and less than or equal to 1.0 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The upper according to  claim 16 , wherein each protrusion comprises a Shore A hardness of greater than or equal to 30 Shore A and less than or equal to 110 Shore A. 
     
     
         21 . The upper according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one profile element comprises at least one macro-protrusion that is larger than any one of the protrusions of the plurality of protrusions.