A lug for a sole or outsole of a footwear, i.e. a shoe or a boot, which is able to improve the traction or grip features of the sole itself; sole or outsole equipped with a plurality of lugs and a method for obtaining a mold cast printed with a 3D printing machine to obtain the sole and/or the lugs.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
. A lug for a sole or outsole of a footwear, for example shoe, a sport shoe or a work footwear or a boot, wherein said lug comprises a first base, a second base and a sidewall, wherein said first base is suitable to contact the ground during use, said second base is suitable to be attached to the sole or outsole and/or it is opposite to said first base and said sidewall is suitable to connect laterally said first base and said second base, wherein said lug comprises features and/or elements at least at a part of said sidewall able to confer to said lug traction and grip on grounds or terrains consisting of granular particulates or penetrable surfaces, wherein said features and/or elements comprise at least one protrusion and/or at least one indentation, wherein said at least one protrusion has a prismatic shape and is constituted by faces, each face or at least one face thereof having a rectangular shape, a square shape, or a trapezoidal shape.
. The lug according to, wherein said at least one protrusion is separated by at least one channel, which extension is horizontal or parallel to the ground, and/or by at least one slit, which extension is vertical or parallel to the direction from ground to the sole.
. A lug for a sole or outsole of a footwear, for example shoe, a sport shoe or a work footwear or a boot, wherein said lug comprises a first base, a second base and a sidewall, wherein said first base is suitable to contact the ground during use, said second base is suitable to be attached to the sole or outsole and/or it is opposite to said first base and said sidewall is suitable to connect laterally said first base and said second base, wherein said lug comprises features and/or elements at least at a part of said sidewall able to confer to said lug traction and grip on grounds or terrains consisting of granular particulates or penetrable surfaces, wherein said features and/or elements comprise at least one protrusion and at least one indentation, wherein said at least one protrusion and said at least one indentation are alternate the one with respect to the other, thus forming a zig-zag pattern or a crests-and-valleys conformation.
. The lug according to, wherein said protrusions and said indentations are placed longitudinally, i.e. they are parallel or inclined with respect to the side-to-side orientation of the foot of the user, and/or they are substantially parallel to the ground and/or they have an elongated and/or rectilinear conformation.
. The lug according to, wherein each lug has a front face, substantially orientated towards the front of the sole, and one back face, orientated towards the rear or heel of the sole, and said at least one protrusion and/or said at least one indentation is placed on said front face and/or on said back face.
. The lug according to, wherein said at least one channel and/or said a least one slit has a transversal section having V-, U- or square shape, possible with vertex or smaller portion towards the inside of the lug and/or wherein said at least one slit is substantially perpendicular to said at least one channel or to said at least one indentation and/or wherein said at least one slit crosses said at least one channel in a sort of grid or net, determining the formation of said at least one protrusion.
. The lug according to, wherein said features and/or elements increase the surface area of said sidewall and/or wherein said features and/or elements are present at said first base of said lug and increase the surface area of said first base.
. The lug according to, wherein said sidewall comprises at least one step or wherein said sidewall is not stepwise or has not a step or is smooth.
. The lug according to, wherein said lug has a substantially prismatic, cubic or parallelepiped or frustum of pyramid conformation, with said first base and said second base shaped substantially as a triangular, a rectangle, a square, a trapezoid, hexagon, regular or irregular.
. The lug according to, wherein said lug has a V-like shape in top plan view and said first base and said second base have a V-like shape in top plan view or wherein said lug has a substantially cylindrical, hemispherical, tetrahedral, semi-ellipsoidal, frustum of cone or frustum of pyramid, regular, irregular, L-like, C-like shape, and said first base and second base have a square, rectangular, polygonal, parallelogram, regular, irregular, L-like, C-like or trapezoidal shape.
. The lug according to, wherein said first base is smaller in size than said second base and said sidewall is inclined and/or tapered in use towards a common point of the ground and/or wherein said sidewall comprises faces inclined in use towards a common point of the ground and/or wherein said first base is parallel or not parallel with respect to said second base.
. The lug according to, wherein said first base and said second base have the same size, and they are substantially superimposed the one with the other, whereby said sidewall is substantially perpendicular to said first base and/or to said second base.
. The lug according to, wherein said first base and said second base have the same size, but they are offset one with respect to the other and said sidewall is inclined in use towards the ground along a same direction and/or wherein said sidewall comprises faces inclined in use towards the ground along a same direction.
. The lug according to, wherein said at least one step has sharp or rounded edges and/or it has right-angled edges and/or wherein each step, when more than one step is present, has substantially the same size.
. The lug according to, wherein said at least one protrusion comprises a protruding shape and a base, wherein said base is attached to said sidewall and/or to said step and said protruding shape is a substantially semispherical shape or a faceted semi-sphere, or pyramidal, frustum of pyramid, frustum of cone, conical, and/or with a square, rectangular, polygonal, parallelogram, regular, irregular, L-like shaped, C-like shaped, or trapezoidal base.
. The lug according to, wherein said at least one indentations comprises an intruding shape and a base, wherein said base is placed at said sidewall and/or at said step and said intruding shape is a substantially semispherical shape or a faceted semi-sphere, or pyramidal, frustum of pyramid, frustum of cone, conical, spike, diamond or prismatic shape, a parallelepiped or rectangular prism, cylindrical, hemispherical, tetrahedral, semi-ellipsoidal, and/or with a square, rectangular, polygonal, parallelogram, regular, irregular, L-like shaped, C-like shaped, or trapezoidal base.
. The lug according to, wherein said lugs, which are placed at at least one portion of the perimeter of the sole, have at least one smooth side face, which is facing the perimeter of the sole, said front face and said back face extending towards the inside or middle point of the sole.
. A sole of a footwear, for example an outsole of a shoe, a sport shoes or a work footwear or a boot, wherein said sole comprises an upper surface, adapted in use to face toward the foot of a user, and a lower surface, adapted in use to face toward the resting surface or the ground, wherein said lower surface comprises at least one and/or a plurality of lugs according to.
. The sole according to, wherein said lower surface is directly attached, for example by means of a unique molding step, with said at least one lug and/or said plurality of lugs, for example at said second base of said lug.
. The sole according to, wherein said lower surface comprises at least one protrusions and/or at least one indentations.
. A method for obtaining a mold for the production of a sole according to, comprising the following steps:
. The method for obtaining a sole of a footwear, for example an outsole of a shoe, a sport shoes or a work footwear or a boot, wherein said sole comprises an upper surface, adapted in use to face toward the foot of a user, and a lower surface, adapted in use to face toward the resting surface or the ground, wherein said lower surface comprises at least one and/or a plurality of lugs wherein said lug comprises a first base, a second base and a sidewall, wherein said first base is suitable to contact the ground during use, said second base is suitable to be attached to the sole or outsole and/or it is opposite to said first base and said sidewall is suitable to connect laterally said first base and said second base, wherein said lug comprises features and/or elements at least at a part of said sidewall able to confer to said lug traction and grip on grounds or terrains consisting of granular particulates or penetrable surfaces, wherein said features and/or elements comprise at least one protrusion and/or at least one indentation, wherein said at least one protrusion has a prismatic shape and is constituted by faces, each face or at least one face thereof having a rectangular shape, a square shape, or a trapezoidal shape, comprising the following steps:
Complete technical specification and implementation details from the patent document.
The present invention relates to a lug for a sole or outsole of a footwear, i.e. a shoe, a sport shoe or a boot. In particular, the present invention relates to a lug showing improved traction or grip features.
The present invention relates also to a sole or outsole equipped with at least one and/or a plurality of lugs according to the present invention.
Furthermore, such lugs are obtained with a mold made by casting around a 3D printed part.
The technique of three-dimensional printing, also known as “additive manufacturing”, is experiencing a great development in last years. In general, with this technique it is possible to produce a three-dimensional object, also with complex structures, starting from a three-dimensional “file” generated by appropriate software and arriving to the production, for example by means of successive layers, of a complete three-dimensional object.
This construction technique allows the production of structures of any geometric complexity, by the addition of a material which has the needed or desired characteristics. This simultaneously allows an elevated freedom of design/construction and the possibility of reducing waste material.
In the footwear sector, more particularly in the field of sport, running, outdoor, or work and safety footwear, the problem to have a product that is well suited to the different features of the foot and of the movement of the user, in relation to the specific activity to be performed, is particularly felt.
In particular, an always greater need, in the footwear sector, is to have a sole or outsole with improved grip and traction, also on sliding or slippery or granular grounds.
The most common technique to produce soles or outsoles of footwear is that of traditional molding of elastomeric material.
Further, to date, a sole is produced by molding, gluing or combining different components such as tread, midsole of different density, and any further elements, such as lugs or cleats. Such different components, previously obtained in specific molds, are then assembled by gluing or co-molding, thus requiring a large number of involved machines.
The patent application US2016/198793A discloses a running shoe which includes an upper coupled to a sole structure. The sole structure includes a compressible midsole and an outsole. The outer surface of the outsole includes a series of treads or traction elements extending along the bottom and sides of the outsole. With this configuration, when the sole structure contacts an uneven surface, the outsole conforms around it, stabilizing the footwear during use.
The patent application US2005/081405A1 discloses a shoe outsole containing articulated lugs of various shapes extending downward from the base of the outsole and adapted for contacting the ground and enhancing traction.
The patent application US2007/283595A1 discloses a sole for footwear with a plurality of x-shaped pillars, preferably made of rubber or another elastomer. The x-shaped pillars are vertical columns in the cross-sectional shape of an “X” having a wider base towards the inside of the footwear and extending, preferable in steps, to a narrower cross-section at the walking surface.
The patent application US2014/026441A1 discloses a footwear, especially football shoes, which includes a sole structure including a sole component and at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the sole and having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape. In addition, the sole structure may also include a tapered support structure which has a substantially pyramidal shape and partially surrounds the first ground engaging member such that a portion of the first ground engaging member is exposed between edges of the tapered support structure.
The patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,737A discloses a cleat for a football shoe comprising a base portion for attachment to the sole and a generally frusto-conical portion unitary with the base portion and converging downwardly therefrom. The surface of the generally frusto-conical portion has a plurality of serrations encircling the periphery of such generally frusto-conical portion. Furthermore, notches or grooves are present, which are spaced circumferentially around an edge of the generally frusto-conical portion.
There is therefore a need to produce a sole or outsole for footwear, and in particular, a lug for a sole or outsole, able to respond to the above requirements, while allowing high traction while performing athletic activity, for example walking or running or the like, for which they are provided.
The main aim, therefore, of the present invention is to improve the state of the art in the field of soles or outsoles for footwear through the production of at least a lug that has the ability to improve grip or traction also on terrains consisting of granular particulates or penetrable surfaces.
Another advantage of the present invention is that to provide a lug that is customizable and/or customized on the base of specific data and needs, as a result of previous measurements.
Yet another objective of this invention is that to provide a sole or outsole for footwear equipped with a plurality of lugs for improving grip or traction also on terrains consisting of granular particulates or penetrable surfaces.
A further aim of the present invention is to provide a mold for a sole or outsole and/or for at least one lug for a sole or outsole for footwear that is fast and easy to produce at competitive costs.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a lug for a sole or outsole of a footwear, i.e. a sport shoe, a shoe or a boot, is provided according to the present application.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a sole or outsole comprising at least a lug is provided according to the present application.
A further objective of the present invention is moreover that of providing a method for obtaining a mold for producing a sole or outsole and/or at least one lug according to the present invention and a method for obtaining such sole or outsole.
Further advantages or preferred characteristics of the invention are described in the present application.
With reference to the attached figures, the reference numbergenerally indicates a lug for a sole or outsole of a footwear, i.e. shoe a sport shoe or a boot or an outdoor shoe or a work or safety footwear, according to the present invention.
The at least one lugand/or the plurality of lugsof the present invention are disposed on the bottom of the sole creating the treat of the sole or outsole.
The lugand the sole and/or outsole equipped with a plurality of lugsaccording to the present invention have an improved grip or traction on terrains consisting of granular particulates or penetrable surfaces such as sand, gravel, mulch, dirt, snow, etc.
Therefore, thanks to the lugs of the present invention, the sole or outsole is able to provide stability to the user, according to the athletic activity or movement that the user intends to perform wearing the specific footwear equipped with such sole or outsole.
In the following specification, the word “sole” can be used alone, always meaning sole or outsole of a footwear.
Furthermore, with “low” or “lower” it is meant an object or component facing or positioned toward the support surface or the ground, with “upper” or “higher” it is meant an object or component facing or positioned toward the user, with “lateral” it is meant an object or component facing or positioned medially or laterally relative to the user's foot.
Further, with “front” or “frontal” it is meant an object or component facing or placed at the toes of the foot of a user while with “rear” or “posterior” it is meant an object or component facing or placed at the heel of the foot of a user.
The sole according to the present invention presents a thickness and an extension, according to a top plan view, substantially corresponding to that of the soles of the traditional type or slightly greater than that of the user's foot.
The sole according to the present invention comprises an upper surface, adapted in use to face toward the foot of a user, and a lower surface, adapted in use to face toward the resting surface or the ground.
The upper surfacemay be suitable to contact an upper and/or an inner sole or midsole.
The lower surfaceis equipped with at least one and/or a plurality of lugsaccording to the present invention.
In particular, in at least one version of the present invention, the lower surfaceis directly attached, for example by means of a unique molding step, with at least one lug.
The lugcomprises a first base, a second baseand a sidewall.
In particular, the first baseis lower in use, i.e. it is suitable to contact the ground while the second baseis upper in use, i.e. it is stably attached to the lower surfaceof the sole.
The second baseis opposite to the first baseand the sidewallconnects laterally the first baseand the second baseand/or the lower surfaceof the sole.
One peculiarity of the present invention is that at least a part of the sidewallof the present invention has lateral features and/or elements on it, which are very small (compared to the entire sidewallof the lug) and obtained as better explained below. These lateral features and/or elements are able to confer to the lugand/or to the sole a better traction when compared to lugs with smooth sidewall (as the sidewallshown in).
In fact, such lateral features and/or elements increase significantly the surface area of the sidewall, thus conferring better traction and/or grip, for example on terrains consisting of granular particulates or penetrable surfaces.
In a version of the invention, the features and/or elements are present also at the first base, increasing the surface area of the first base.
The thickness of the sole can be variable. For example, the thickness of the sole at the part in use in the front of the sole can be smaller than the thickness of the sole at the part in use in the rear of the sole.
In the same way, the height (i.e. the distance between the first baseand the second base) of the lugs can be variable along the sole or also between the front part of the lug and its rear part. For example, the height of the lug/scan be smaller at the part in use in the front of the sole while it can be greater at the part in use in the rear of the sole.
In another version of the invention, the thickness of the sole and/or the height of the lugscan be the same both at the front and at the rear part of the sole itself.
Furthermore, the overall configuration of the lugscan be variable according to the specific position of the lug itself according to the sole, as for example visible in.
According to a specific version of the present invention, for example shown in the attached, the lughas a V-like shape in top plan view. In such a case, the first baseand second basehave a V-like shape in top plan view.
However, the lugcan have also a different three-dimensional shape, such as in general a substantially cylindrical, hemispherical, tetrahedral, semi-ellipsoidal, prismatic, cubic, parallelepiped, frustum of cone or frustum of pyramid, regular, irregular, L-like, C-like shape, and so on. In this case, the first baseand the second basehave a square, rectangular, polygonal, parallelogram, regular, irregular, L-like, C-like or trapezoidal shape, etc.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, as shown in the attached, the first baseis smaller in size than the second base. According to this, the sidewallis inclined and/or tapered, for example towards a common point. Therefore, the faces constituting the sidewallof the lug are inclined along directions converging towards the ground.
In another version of the invention, the first baseand the second basecan have the same size, but they can be offset the one with the other. According to this, the sidewallis still inclined. In this way, however, all the faces constituting the sidewall of the lugare inclined along the same direction. This direction is the direction of offset of the first baseand second base.
In another version of the invention, the first baseand the second basehave the same size, and they are substantially superimposed the one on the other. According to this, the sidewallis substantially perpendicular to the first baseand/or to the second base. In this way, therefore, all the faces constituting the sidewall of the lughave the same direction and/or are substantially vertical.
Unknown
October 16, 2025
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