GOLF SHOE WITH SPRING PLATE
A golf shoe with an upper and a sole assembly connected to the upper. The sole assembly may include a midsole comprising a first region located in a medial forefoot region of the sole assembly, a second region located in a lateral forefoot region of the sole assembly, a third region located in a medial rearfoot region of the sole assembly, a fourth region located in a lateral rearfoot region of the sole assembly, and a fifth region located in a midfoot region of the sole assembly, wherein the first region comprises a foam material with an adaptable material property that changes or varies based on (i) an amount of force exerted by a subject’s foot on the foam material and (ii) a velocity of the subject’s foot relative to the foam material.
1 . A golf shoe, comprising:
an upper; and
a sole assembly connected to the upper, wherein the sole assembly comprises a midsole comprising:
a first region located in a medial forefoot region of the sole assembly,
a second region located in a lateral forefoot region of the sole assembly,
a third region located in a medial rearfoot region of the sole assembly,
a fourth region located in a lateral rearfoot region of the sole assembly, and
a fifth region located in a midfoot region of the sole assembly,
wherein the first region comprises a foam material with an adaptable material property that changes or varies based on (i) an amount of force exerted by a subject’s foot on the foam material and (ii) a velocity of the subject’s foot relative to the foam material.
2 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the adaptable material property includes a hardness, a softness, a stiffness, and/or a rigidity of the foam material.
3 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the foam material has (i) a first hardness or stiffness when a first force is exerted on the foam material and (ii) a second hardness or stiffness when a second force is exerted on the foam material, wherein the second force is greater than the first force.
4 . The golf shoe of claim 3 , wherein the first hardness or stiffness is less than the second hardness or stiffness.
5 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the foam material has (i) a first hardness or stiffness when the subject’s foot moves at a first velocity to compress the foam material and (ii) a second hardness or stiffness when the subject’s foot moves at a second velocity to compress the foam material, wherein the second velocity is greater than the first velocity.
6 . The golf shoe of claim 5 , wherein the first hardness or stiffness is less than the second hardness or stiffness.
7 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the first region is (i) softer than the second region and the third region for walking or running and (ii) firmer or stiffer than the fourth region for golf-related actions or movements.
8 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the first region is firmer than the second region, the third region, the fourth region, and/or the fifth region to enhance or maximize support and energy transfer when a subject wearing the golf shoe executes a golf-related action or movement.
9 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the second region and the third region are stiffer than the first region, the fourth region, and/or the fifth region to provide additional control and stability during a golf-related action or movement.
10 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the fourth region is softer than the first region, the second region, the third region, and/or the fifth region to provide a comfortable sole response and feel.
11 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the first region and the fourth region are softer than the second region, the third region, and/or the fifth region to provide a comfortable sole response and feel.
12 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the second region and the third region are stiffer than the first region, the fourth region, and/or the fifth region to help guide an inversion or an eversion of the subject’s foot.
13 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the fifth region is configured as a transition zone that divides the sole assembly into (i) a forefoot region comprising the first region and the second region and (ii) a rearfoot region comprising the third region and the fourth region.
14 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the midsole comprises a plurality of different foam materials configured to provide different response characteristics that are optimized for different use cases.
15 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the foam material comprises an open cell foam.
16 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the foam material comprises a closed cell foam.
17 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the foam material comprises an elastic foam.
18 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the foam material comprises a viscous foam.
19 . The golf shoe of claim 1 , wherein the sole assembly comprises a first zone comprising the first region, a second zone comprising the second region and the third region, a third zone comprising the fourth region, and a fourth zone comprising the fifth region, wherein the second zone is configured to extend across the midfoot region of sole assembly from the second region to the third region.
20 . The golf shoe of claim 19 , further comprising an insert integrated with the sole assembly, wherein the insert is configured to extend across the second zone.