Sole structure with segmented portions

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:

a plate member including a first side and a second side;

a plurality of segmented portions attached to the second side of the plate member, wherein the plurality of segmented portions are configured to contact a ground surface, and the plurality of segmented portions being separated by a plurality of outwardly extending flexing regions;

a central flexing region extending from a forefoot portion of the sole structure to a heel portion of the sole structure, the central flexing region being exposed along a forward edge of the sole structure, the central flexing region also being exposed along a rearward edge of the sole structure, the central flexing region separating the plurality of segmented portions into a first set of segmented portions and a second set of segmented portions, the first set of segmented portions having a greater number of segmented portions than the second set of segmented portions;

the central flexing region further including a medial arch region, the medial arch region separating a forefoot set of segmented portions from a heel set of segmented portions, the medial arch region extending to a midfoot edge of the sole structure, and the medial arch region being substantially wider than each of the plurality of outwardly extending flexing regions;

the plurality of segmented portions being further separated by a plurality of outwardly extending flexing regions, wherein the plurality of outwardly extending regions extend from the central flexing region to side edges of the sole structure; and

wherein the plate member includes a plurality of side sections extending from an outer periphery of the plate member, the plurality of side sections presenting a sidewall portion.

2. The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of side sections extend partially in a vertical direction, wherein the vertical direction is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the sole structure and wherein the vertical direction is perpendicular to a lateral direction of the sole structure.

3. The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of side sections are spaced apart from one another.

4. The sole structure according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of side sections are approximately aligned with the plurality of segmented portions with respect to a longitudinal direction of the sole structure.

5. The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first set of segmented portions are spaced apart from the second set of segmented portions by a central longitudinal portion.

6. The sole structure according to claim 5 , wherein the central longitudinal portion is more compressible than the plurality of segmented portions.

7. A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:

a plate member including a first side and a second side;

a plurality of segmented portions attached to the second side of the plate member, wherein the plurality of segmented portions are configured to contact a ground surface;

the plurality of segmented portions further comprising a first set of segmented portions that are located on a lateral side of the sole structure and a second set of segmented portions that are located on a medial side of the sole structure, wherein the first set of segmented portions comprises a greater number of segmented portions than the second set of segmented portions;

wherein the first set of segmented portions are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction and wherein the second set of segmented portions are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction;

wherein the first set of segmented portions are separated from the second set of segmented portions in the lateral direction by a central longitudinal portion, wherein the central longitudinal portion extends from a forward edge of the sole structure to a rearward edge of the sole structure, the central longitudinal portion being exposed along the forward edge, the central longitudinal portion also being exposed along the rearward edge;

the central longitudinal portion further including a medial arch region, the medial arch region separating a forefoot set of segmented portions from a heel set of segmented portions, the medial arch region extending to a midfoot edge of the sole structure;

wherein the plurality of segmented portions comprise a lower layer of the sole structure and wherein the plate member comprises an upper layer of the sole structure; and

wherein a maximum cross-sectional thickness of the upper layer is less than a minimum cross-sectional thickness of the lower layer.

8. The sole structure according to claim 7 , wherein the minimum cross-sectional thickness of the lower layer is at least two times greater than the maximum cross-sectional thickness of the upper layer.

9. The sole structure according to claim 8 , wherein the minimum cross-sectional thickness of the lower layer is at least five times greater than the maximal cross-sectional thickness of the upper layer.

10. The sole structure according to claim 7 , wherein the sole structure is configured to enhance vertical bending and torsion about a longitudinal axis.

11. The sole structure according to claim 10 , wherein the sole structure is configured to resist lateral bending.

12. The sole structure according to claim 7 , wherein the plate member includes a plurality of flex grooves.

13. The sole structure according to claim 12 , wherein the width of the plurality of flex grooves is less than the width of the spacing between adjacent segmented portions.

14. The sole structure according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outwardly extending flexing regions includes a first outwardly extending flexing region secured to a lower surface of the plate member and extending to a ground engaging surface;

the plurality of segmented portions including a first segmented portion and a second segmented portion;

the first outwardly extending flexing region being disposed between the first segmented portion and the second segmented portion so that the first outwardly extending flexing region divides the first segmented portion from the second segmented portion from the plate surface to the ground engaging surface.

15. The sole structure according to claim 3 , wherein a gap between a first side section and a second side section aligns with a first outwardly extending flexing region along a side edge of the sole structure, such that the sole structure accommodates vertical bending along the gap and the first outwardly extending flexing region.