Golf shoe having midsole and outsole for providing flex and stability
View Patent ↗Golf shoes having improved constructions are provided. The golf shoes include upper, midsole, and outsole sections. The upper may be made of a soft, breathable leather material. The midsole includes an upper region formed from a first material such as a foamed ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA); and a lower region formed from a second material such as a foamed ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), wherein the materials have different hardness levels. A fiber-reinforced composite plate may be disposed in the midsole. The outsole contains different traction members arranged in a precise geometric structure that helps provide improved stability and traction.
1. A golf shoe comprising:
an upper;
an outsole;
and a midsole connected to the upper and outsole, the upper, midsole, and outsole each having forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-foot regions and lateral and medial sides; and
the midsole comprising: i) an upper region formed from a first material; and ii) a lower region formed from a second material, wherein the Shore C hardness of the second material is greater than the Shore C hardness of the first material; and
the outsole comprising a Track A containing a first set of traction members, and a Track B containing a second set of traction members, wherein Track A extends from the periphery of the medial side of the forefoot and through the mid-foot region to the periphery of the lateral side of the rear-foot region and Track B extends from the periphery of the lateral side of the forefoot and through the mid-foot region to the periphery of the medial side of the rear-foot region such that Tracks A and B criss-cross each other in the mid-foot region; wherein Track A has an outer edge and an inner edge and Track B has an outer edge and an inner edge such that one of Track A and Track B crosses over the other; wherein the outsole further comprises first and second sets of stability traction ridges, the traction ridges being located in a central area between Track A and Track B, wherein the first set of traction ridges is located in the forefoot region and the second set of traction ridges is located in the rear-foot region.
2. The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the first material used to form the upper region of the midsole has a hardness in the range of about 40 to about 75 Shore C.
3. The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the second material used to form the lower region of the midsole has a hardness in the range of about 45 to about 80 Shore C.
4. The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein a first ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer foam composition is used to form the upper region of the midsole, and a second ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer foam composition is used to form the lower region of the midsole.
5. The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein a first polyurethane foam composition is used to form the upper region of the midsole, and a second polyurethane foam composition is used to form the lower region of the midsole.
6. The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein Track A and Track B of the outsole are formed from foam compositions selected from the group consisting of foamed ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer and foamed thermoplastic polyurethane compositions.
7. The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the traction members of Track A project outwardly from a plurality of first traction member bases, the first traction member bases being fastened to Track A; and the traction members of Track B project outwardly from a plurality of second traction member bases, the second traction member bases being fastened to Track B.
8. The golf shoe of claim 7 , wherein the traction members of Tracks A and B are formed from thermoplastic polyurethane compositions.
9. The golf shoe of claim 7 , wherein the traction members of Tracks A and B are formed from polyamide compositions.
10. The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the traction members of Track A and at least a portion of the traction members of Track B have shapes selected from the group consisting of annular, rectangular, triangular, square, spherical, elliptical, star, diamond, pyramid, arrow, conical, blade-like, and rod shapes and combinations thereof.
11. The golf shoe of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the traction members of Track A and at least a portion of the traction members of Track B have conical shapes.
12. The golf shoe of claim 10 , wherein the traction members of Track A and the traction members of Track B have the same shapes.
13. The golf shoe of claim 10 , wherein the traction members of Track A and the traction members of Track B have different shapes.
14. A golf shoe comprising:
an upper;
an outsole;
and a midsole connected to the upper and outsole, the upper, midsole, and outsole each having forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-foot regions and lateral and medial sides; and the midsole comprising: i) an upper region formed from a first material; and ii) a lower region formed from a second material, wherein the Shore C hardness of the second material is greater than the Shore C hardness of the first material; and
the outsole comprising a Track A containing a first set of traction members, and a Track B containing a second set of traction members, wherein Track A extends from the periphery of the medial side of the forefoot and through the mid-foot region to the periphery of the lateral side of the rear-foot region and Track B extends from the periphery of the lateral side of the forefoot and through the mid-foot region to the periphery of the medial side of the rear-foot region such that Tracks A and B criss-cross each other in the mid-foot region; and a set of mid-foot stability traction pieces, a first piece being disposed on the lateral side of the mid-foot region, and a second piece being disposed on the medial side of the mid-foot region;
wherein Track A has an outer edge and an inner edge and Track B has an outer edge and an inner edge such that one of Track A and Track B crosses over the other.
15. The golf shoe of claim 14 , wherein a third set of traction members project outwardly from the first mid-foot stability traction piece, and a fourth set of traction members project outwardly from the second mid-foot stability traction piece.
16. The golf shoe of claim 15 , wherein the third and fourth sets of traction members are formed from thermoplastic polyurethane compositions.
17. The golf shoe of claim 15 , wherein the third and fourth sets of traction members are formed from polyamide compositions.
18. The golf shoe of claim 14 , wherein the first material used to form the upper region of the midsole has a hardness in the range of about 40 to about 75 Shore C.
19. The golf shoe of claim 14 , wherein the second material used to form the lower region of the midsole has a hardness in the range of about 45 to about 80 Shore C.