Footwear including a sole with a bottom support member
An article of footwear includes a sole including a midsole and an outsole attached to the midsole, and a support member positioned on a bottom surface of the midsole, where the support member has a curved surface that extends from a rear end to a front end of the support member.
1 . An article of footwear comprising:
an upper;
a sole including a midsole attached to said upper and an outsole, said midsole having a front end and a rear end, wherein an outer surface of said midsole extends continuously outwardly from a top edge of said midsole to a bottom edge of said midsole along an entire perimeter of said midsole; and
a support member positioned on a bottom surface of the midsole and on a top surface of said outsole, said support member extending from said rear end to said front end of said midsole, said support member having a bottom surface that is continuously curved from a rear end to a front end of said support member.
2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein said support member has a shape and size that is the same as a shape and size of an upper surface of said outsole.
3 . The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein said support member has a shape and size that is the same as a shape and size of a bottom surface of said midsole.
4 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein said support member is a support plate positioned between said midsole and said outsole.
5 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein said midsole includes a first layer and a second layer.
6 . The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein said second layer has a hardness value that is greater than a hardness value of said first layer.
7 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein said outsole includes at least one through-hole such that a portion of the support member and said midsole are exposed on a bottom surface of said sole.
8 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein said sole has a rear end and a front end, and a height of said front end of said sole is greater than a height of said rear end of said sole.
9 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein said sole has a rear end and a front end, and a height of said front end of said sole is equal to a height of said rear end of said sole.
10 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein said sole has a rear end and a front end, and a height of said front end is less than a height of said rear end.
11 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the midsole includes different areas, and at least two of the areas have different hardness values.
12 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein a height of a front point of said support member relative to a bottommost point of the outsole is less than a height of a rear point of said support member relative to the bottommost point of the outsole when the article of footwear is not in use.
13 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the outer surface of said midsole has a concave curvature.
14 . An article of footwear comprising:
an upper;
a sole including a midsole attached to said upper and an outsole, said midsole and said outsole each including a front end and a rear end, wherein an outer surface of said midsole extends outwardly from a top edge of said midsole to a bottom edge of said midsole along an entire perimeter of said midsole, wherein an entirety of said outer surface has a continuous curvature from said top edge to said bottom edge of said midsole; and
a support plate positioned between the midsole and the outsole, said support plate extending from said rear end to said front end of said midsole and said outsole, said support plate including a bottom surface, wherein said bottom surface of said support plate and said outsole are each continuously curved from a rear end to a front end of said support plate.
15 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein said support plate has a shape and size that is the same as a shape and size of an upper surface of said outsole.
16 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein said support plate has a shape and size that is the same as a shape and size of a bottom surface of said midsole.
17 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein said sole has a rear end and a front end, and a height of said front end of said sole is greater than a height of said rear end of said sole.
18 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein said sole has a rear end and a front end, and a height of said front end of said sole is equal to a height of said rear end of said sole.
19 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein said sole has a rear end and a front end, and a height of said front end is less than a height of said rear end.
20 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein a portion of the outer surface of said midsole has a concave curvature.