Sole structure for article of footwear having a nonlinear bending stiffness

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

a sole plate including a forefoot portion, wherein the sole plate defines a plurality of flex angles during dorsiflexion of the sole structure, and wherein the plurality of flex angles includes flex angles that are greater than or equal to a predetermined flex angle, and flex angles that are less than the predetermined flex angle;

a plurality of traction elements protruding from the sole plate;

a tension member extending through at least some of the plurality of traction elements, wherein the tension member is movable through the at least some of the plurality of traction elements during the dorsiflexion of the sole structure; and

a leading mechanical stop coupled to the tension member;

wherein the plurality of traction elements includes forefoot traction elements protruding from the forefoot portion;

wherein the forefoot traction elements include a leading traction element;

wherein the leading mechanical stop is in contact with the leading traction element when the sole plate is flexed at the flex angles that are greater than or equal to the predetermined flex angle;

wherein the leading mechanical stop is spaced apart from the leading traction element when the sole plate is flexed at the flex angles that are less than the predetermined flex angle so as to define a gap between the leading mechanical stop and the leading traction element.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the sole structure has a first bending stiffness when the sole plate is flexed at the flex angles that are less than the predetermined flex angle, the sole structure has a second bending stiffness when the sole plate is flexed at the flex angles that are greater than or equal to the predetermined flex angle, and the second bending stiffness is greater than the first bending stiffness.

3. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the tension member is slack when the sole plate is disposed at the flex angles that are less than the predetermined flex angle.

4. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the tension member extends only through the forefoot traction elements.

5. The sole structure of claim 4 , wherein the sole plate extends from a foremost extent to a rearmost extent opposite the foremost extent, and the forefoot traction elements include a trailing traction element and a plurality of intermediate traction elements between the leading traction element and the trailing traction element, and wherein the leading traction element is closer to the foremost extent than to the rearmost extent, the rearmost extent is closer to the trailing traction element than to the leading traction element, and the tension member extends through the leading traction element.

6. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein the tension member extends through the trailing traction element.

7. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein the tension member extends through the intermediate traction elements.

8. The sole structure of claim 5 , further comprising a trailing mechanical stop coupled to the tension member, wherein the trailing mechanical stop is in contact with the trailing traction element when the sole plate is flexed at the flex angles that are greater than or equal to the predetermined flex angle.

9. The sole structure of claim 8 , wherein the gap is a first gap, and the trailing mechanical stop is spaced apart from the trailing traction element when the sole plate is flexed in a longitudinal direction at the flex angles that are less than the predetermined flex angle so as to define a second gap between the trailing mechanical stop and the trailing traction element.

10. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least some of the plurality of traction elements have channels, and the tension member is at least partly received in one or more of the channels.

11. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the tension member is a cable.

12. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the traction elements are cleats.

13. A sole structure for an article of footwear comprising:

a sole plate including a forefoot portion, wherein the sole plate defines a plurality of flex angles during dorsiflexion of the sole structure, and wherein the plurality of flex angles includes flex angles that are greater than or equal to a predetermined flex angle, and flex angles that are less than the predetermined flex angle;

at least one traction element protruding from the sole plate;

a tension member coupled to the sole plate, wherein the tension member extends through the at least one traction element, wherein the tension member is movable through the at least one traction element during the dorsiflexion of the sole structure; and

a leading mechanical stop coupled to the tension member;

wherein the at least one traction elements includes forefoot traction elements protruding from the forefoot portion;

wherein the forefoot traction elements include a leading traction element;

wherein the leading mechanical stop is in contact with the leading traction element when the sole plate is flexed at the flex angles that are greater than or equal to the predetermined flex angle;

wherein the leading mechanical stop is spaced apart from the leading traction element when the sole plate is flexed at the flex angles that are less than the predetermined flex angle so as to define a gap between the leading mechanical stop and the leading traction element.

14. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the sole structure has a first bending stiffness when the sole plate is flexed at the flex angles that are less than the predetermined flex angle, the sole structure has a second bending stiffness when the sole plate is flexed at the flex angles that are greater than or equal to the predetermined flex angle, and the second bending stiffness is greater than the first bending stiffness.

15. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the tension member is slack when the sole plate is flexed at the flex angles that are less than the predetermined flex angle.

16. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the tension member extends only through the forefoot traction elements.

17. The sole structure of claim 16 , wherein the sole plate extends from a foremost extent to a rearmost extent opposite the foremost extent, and the forefoot traction elements include a trailing traction element and a plurality of intermediate traction elements between the leading traction element and the trailing traction element, and wherein the leading traction element is closer to the foremost extent than to the rearmost extent, the rearmost extent is closer to the trailing traction element than to the leading traction element, and the tension member extends through the leading traction element.

18. The sole structure of claim 17 , wherein the tension member extends through the trailing traction element.

19. The sole structure of claim 17 , wherein the tension member extends through the intermediate traction elements.

20. The sole structure of claim 17 , further comprising a trailing mechanical stop coupled to the tension member, wherein the trailing mechanical stop is in contact with the trailing traction element when the sole plate is flexed in a longitudinal direction at the flex angles greater than or equal to the predetermined flex angle.

21. The sole structure of claim 20 , wherein the gap is a first gap, the trailing mechanical stop is spaced apart from the trailing traction element when the sole plate is flexed in the longitudinal direction at the flex angles that are less than the predetermined flex angle so as to define a second gap between the trailing mechanical stop and the trailing traction element.

22. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the tension member is a cable.

23. The sole structure of claim 13 , wherein the at least one traction element is a cleat.