Athletic shoe sole

Abstract

An athletic shoe sole has a heel section and a toe section bearing flange-shaped, turf-gripping members. The first gripping member is a generally downwardly and outwardly extending flange that runs around the entire periphery of the sole. The second gripping member is an ovoid-shaped, generally downwardly and outwardly extending toe flange positioned in the toe section of the sole and spaced inwardly from the portion of the peripheral flange on the toe section. The third gripping member is a heel flange extending downwardly and outwardly from the heel section of the shoe and spaced inwardly from the portion of the peripheral flange on the heel section. The rearward portion of the heel flange is arcuate and merges into two generally forwardly extending flange portions that flare outwardly and join with the peripheral flange adjacent the forward end of the heel section. All of the flanges are downwardly convergent and have a bottom edge. The bottom edge of the heel and toe section flanges extends downwardly from the sole a greater distance than does the bottom edge of the peripheral flange. Depending upon the playing surface on which the sole is to be used, additional ovoid-shaped toe section flanges can be positioned intermediate the first or inner toe section flange and the peripheral flange. Additional heel flanges positioned intermediate the first heel flange and the peripheral flange on the heel section of the sole can also be employed. The additional heel and toe section flanges are especially advantageous for use on synthetic playing surfaces.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.