Cleated athletic shoe with crisscross arch reinforcement

A cleated athletic shoe having an upper and a sole, the sole having an inner and an outer edge and an arch region as the shoe is worn and the sole comprising:

• a plurality of forward cleats, including a rearwardmost forward outer cleat adjacent the outer edge of the sole and a rearwardmost forward inner cleat adjacent the inner edge of the sole;
• a plurality of rearward cleats, including a forwardmost rearward outer cleat adjacent the outer edge of the sole and a forwardmost rearward inner cleat adjacent the inner edge of the sole;
• a crisscross arch reinforcement on the sole having first and second intersecting arch ribs having an intersection in the arch region, said first arch rib extending between said rearwardmost forward outer cleat and said forwardmost rearward inner cleat and said second arch rib extending between said rearwardmost forward inner cleat and said forwardmost rearward outer cleat, said first and second arch ribs having a relatively narrow lateral thickness as compared to the length of the arch ribs and said intersection having a relatively narrow lateral thickness as compared to the length of the arch ribs such that the arch ribs form an X-shaped arch reinforcement to provide added support to the arch region without excessively increasing the weight and bulk thereof;
• and
• four of said rearward cleats including said forwardmost rearward outer cleat, said forwardmost rearward inner cleat, a rearwardmost rearward outer cleat, and a rearwardmost rearward inner cleat, and a crisscross heel reinforcement having first and second intersecting heel ribs, said first heel rib extending between said forwardmost rearward outer cleat and said rearwardmost rearward inner cleat, said second heel rib extending between said forwardmost rearward inner cleat and said rearwardmost rearward outer cleat.

A cleated athletic shoe having an upper and a sole, the sole having an inner and an outer edge as the shoe is worn and the sole comprising:

• a plurality of forward cleats, including a rearwardmost forward outer cleat adjacent the outer edge of the sole and a rearwardmost forward inner cleat adjacent the inner edge of the sole;
• a plurality of rearward cleats, including a forwardmost rearward outer cleat adjacent the outer edge of the sole and a forwardmost rearward inner cleat adjacent the inner edge of the sole;
• a crisscross arch reinforcement on the sole having first and second intersecting arch ribs, said first arch rib extending between said rearwardmost forward outer cleat and said forwardmost rearward inner cleat, said second arch rib extending between said rearwardmost forward inner cleat and said forwardmost rearward outer cleat;
• four of said rearward cleats including said forwardmost rearward outer cleat, said forwardmost rearward inner cleat, a rearwardmost rearward outer cleat, and a rearwardmost rearward inner cleat, and a crisscross heel reinforcement having first and second intersecting heel ribs, said first heel rib extending between said forwardmost rearward outer cleat and said rearwardmost rearward inner cleat, said second heel rib extending between said forwardmost rearward inner cleat and said rearwardmost rearward outer cleat;
• a third heel rib extending between said forwardmost rearward outer cleat and said rearwardmost rearward outer cleat, a fourth heel rib extending between said rearwardmost rearward outer cleat and said rearwardmost rearward inner cleat, a fifth heel rib extending between said rearwardmost rearward inner cleat and said forwardmost rearward inner cleat, and a sixth heel rib extending between said forwardmost rearward inner cleat and said forwardmost rearward outer cleat;
• at least four forward cleats and a forward crisscross reinforcement comprising two intersecting forward ribs, each rib extending between two of said forward cleats;
• and
• a forward cleat located at the intersection of said intersecting forward ribs.

An athletic shoe comprising an upper having a toe, a tongue extending upwardly from said toe, the tongue having a bottom portion proximate the toe and a top portion above the bottom portion, the tongue having a centerline extending upwardly from said toe and having an outstep half and an instep half as the shoe is worn, and a sole, said upper comprising first and second opposite side portions which overlie the tongue and comprising a first series of eyelets for receiving a lace on the first side portion and a second series of eyelets for receiving the lace on the second side portion, said first series of eyelets overlying the outstep half of the tongue and said second series of eyelets overlying the instep half of the tongue;

• said first series of eyelets comprising two eyelets overlying the top portion of the tongue which mate with two eyelets of the second series of eyelets overlying the top portion of the tongue directly across the tongue from said two eyelets of the first series, said two eyelets of the first series being shifted outwardly from the centerline of the tongue such that they are farther from said centerline relative to said two eyelets of the second series of eyelets which are shifted inwardly toward the centerline of the tongue;
• said first series of eyelets further comprising eyelets overlying the bottom portion of the tongue, each of which eyelet has a mating eyelet of the second series of eyelets overlying the bottom portion of the tongue, each eyelet of the first series overlying the bottom portion of the tongue and its mating eyelet of the second series of eyelets being equally spaced from the centerline of the tongue.

A cleated athletic shoe having an upper and a sole, the sole having an inner and an outer edge as the shoe is worn and the sole comprising:

• a plurality of forward cleats, including a rearwardmost forward outer cleat adjacent the outer edge of the sole, a rearwardmost forward inner cleat adjacent the inner edge of the sole, and a triangular forward outer cleat adjacent the outer edge of the sole having a flat edge aligned generally parallel to said outer edge of the sole;
• four rearward cleats, including a forwardmost rearward outer cleat, a forwardmost rearward inner cleat, a rearwardmost rearward outer cleat, and a rearwardmost rearward inner cleat, said rearwardmost rearward outer cleat being triangular;
• a crisscross arch reinforcement on the sole having first and second intersecting arch ribs, said first arch rib extending between said rearwardmost forward outer cleat and said forwardmost rearward inner cleat, said second arch rib extending between said rearwardmost forward inner cleat and said forwardmost rearward outer cleat;
• an outer sole arch reinforcement comprising a rib extending between the rearwardmost forward outer cleat and the forwardmost rearward outer cleat;
• and
• a crisscross heel reinforcement having first and second intersecting heel ribs, said first heel rib extending between said forwardmost rearward outer cleat and said rearwardmost rearward inner cleat, said second heel rib extending between said forwardmost rearward inner cleat and said triangular rearwardmost rearward outer cleat.