Soccer Shoe

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/228,770, filed on Apr. 13, 2021, entitled SOCCER SHOE (“the '770 application”), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/619,586, filed on Feb. 11, 2015, entitled SOCCER SHOE (“the '586 application”), now U.S. Pat. No. 11,044,963, which is related to and claims priority benefits from German Patent Application No. DE 10 2014 202 432.3, filed on Feb. 11, 2014, entitled IMPROVED SOCCER SHOE (“the '432 application”). The '770, '586 and '432 applications are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference.

The present invention relates to a shoe, in particular a soccer shoe.

A number of requirements are imposed on a soccer shoe, such as that the soccer shoe should be light, adjust to a wearer's foot in an optimal manner, and provide good control of the ball for the soccer player. While a lower-weight soccer shoe is of particularly great importance during fast sprints, a heavy soccer shoe is also impedimental and detrimental to precision when shooting a soccer ball. A soccer shoe that is well-adjusted to the shape of the foot provides the soccer player with the necessary support on the one hand and enables precise transmission of force to the ball during shooting on the other hand. Good control of the ball is especially important during technically ambitious play, such as e.g. dribbling. Soccer players for whom precisely guiding the ball has priority, such as midfielders, prefer soccer shoes that allow the most direct and immediate contact possible with the ball.

These varied requirements imposed on a soccer shoe can be difficult to realize simultaneously. For example, reduction of a soccer shoe's weight usually results in the soccer shoe providing the soccer player with less support since the lighter weight is typically achieved by dispensing with material that would otherwise support the foot and ensure a firm coupling of the soccer shoe to the foot. In addition, allowing the most direct and immediate contact with the ball possible for the soccer player is typically realized by a correspondingly thin material of the shoe upper, which is detrimental to stability and a firm fit. Thus, there is tension between the various requirements imposed on a soccer shoe, which means that the known solutions to date typically meet certain requirements, but tend to disregard other requirements.

For example, a cleat shoe described in US 2011/0308108 A1 comprises an inner layer and an outer layer. Fasteners in the form of ribbons are mounted between the inner layer and the outer layer in order to fix the shoe to the foot. The shoe provides sufficient support to the foot of a wearer, but it is cumbersome to handle, heavy and, due to the inner layer, outer layer, and the fasteners being arranged on top of each other, it does not allow a good feel for the ball.

Similar disadvantages can be found in the soccer shoe described in DE 10 2010 037 585 A1, which consists of an inner section and an outer section. The inner section meets the essential requirements, such as stability for the foot, protection for vulnerable areas of the foot, cushioning of the footbed, as well as contact properties with the ball, and the outer section ensures the carrying function for the sole portion and the cleat connection. However, shoe is heavy and cumbersome to handle.

The present invention therefore has the aim of providing a soccer shoe which is light, provides sufficient support to a wearer, and allows good control of the ball.

The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various embodiments of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings and each claim.

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, a soccer shoe comprises an upper comprising knitwear, and a sole comprising cleats, wherein the sole is connected to the knitwear, and the knitwear is configured to couple the sole to a foot of a wearer when the soccer shoe is worn. In some embodiments, the sole is a rigid sole.

The knitwear may be configured to extend above an ankle of the wearer when the soccer shoe is worn. In certain embodiments, the knitwear comprises more than one weft-knitted or warp-knitted sections. The knitwear may also be formed as one-piece knitwear. In some embodiments, the knitwear substantially encloses the foot of the wearer when the soccer shoe is worn. The knitwear may be weft-knitted and/or may be warp-knitted.

In some embodiments, the soccer shoe does not comprise a separate tongue in an area of an instep and/or the soccer shoe does not comprise laces.

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, a soccer shoe comprises an upper comprising knitwear, wherein the knitwear comprises a first and a second weft-knitted or warp-knitted layers, and a sole comprising cleats, wherein the sole is connected to the knitwear, and the knitwear is configured to couple the sole to a foot of a wearer when the soccer shoe is worn.

In some embodiments, a reinforcement is arranged between the first and the second weft-knitted or warp-knitted layers. The reinforcement may be made from plastic and/or may be arranged in at least one of a lateral area and a medial area of the upper.

In certain embodiments, the knitwear is coated, such that friction between a soccer ball and the coated knitwear is increased compared to friction between the soccer ball and uncoated knitwear.

According to some embodiments, the upper does not comprise a securing element. The upper may be configured to overlap a section of a shin guard when the soccer shoe is worn.

In some embodiments, the knitwear is made on a flat weft-knitting or warp-knitting machine. In additional embodiments, the knitwear is made on a circular weft-knitting or warp-knitting machine. The knitwear may be reinforced with a polymer reinforcement.

In certain embodiments, the upper is configured to connect to a shin guard or a soccer sock.

According to certain embodiments, a method of manufacturing a soccer shoe comprises providing the sole, weft-knitting or warp-knitting the knitwear for the upper, such that the knitwear is configured to couple the sole to a foot of a wearer when the soccer shoe is worn, and connecting the sole to the upper.

In certain embodiments, the sole is a rigid sole. The knitwear may be weft-knitted or warp-knitted and configured to extend above an ankle of the wearer when the soccer shoe is worn.

In some embodiments, the weft-knitting or warp-knitting of the knitwear further comprises weft-knitting or warp-knitting multiple weft-knitted or warp-knitted sections, and joining the multiple weft-knitted or warp-knitted section to form the knitwear.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, this aim is achieved by a soccer shoe which comprises a shoe upper comprising knitwear and a rigid sole which comprises cleats and is connected to the knitwear, wherein the knitwear is capable of coupling the sole to a foot of a wearer of the soccer shoe while the soccer shoe is being worn.

By the soccer shoe according to the invention comprising a shoe upper which comprises knitwear, the material of the shoe upper is sufficiently thin for providing direct and immediate contact to a soccer ball. The wearer of the soccer shoe in accordance with the invention thus has good control of the ball, which may be beneficial when dribbling or shooting, for example. Moreover, knitwear comprises a certain level of stretchability so that the shoe upper may optimally adjust to the shape of the foot and provides the wearer with the necessary support.

The knitwear of the shoe upper is furthermore suitable for coupling the sole of the soccer shoe to the foot of a wearer of the soccer shoe while it is being worn. In this way, the sole is tightly connected to the foot so that twisting of the foot is avoided or at least reduced. The knitwear essentially, i.e. more than 50% of the required forces, causes the sole to be fixed under the foot of the wearer and to hold it in its position.

Thus, by knitwear being used in the shoe upper for coupling the sole to the foot, the soccer shoe is very light on the one hand while providing the foot with the necessary stability due to an optimal fit on the other hand. The knitwear may generally also be arranged only on the outside of the shoe upper, only on the inside of the shoe upper, or both on the inside and on the outside. The inside is the side of the shoe upper facing the foot. The outside is the side of the shoe upper facing away from the foot.

The sole of the shoe according to certain embodiments of the invention comprises sufficient rigidity to transmit forces between the foot and the ground, which occur during playing soccer on grass, artificial turf, or indoor.

Cleats are understood as any type of bump on the sole that is capable of increasing the traction of the sole with the ground, for example grass or artificial turf. The cleats comprise such a hardness that they press into the ground, e.g. grass or artificial turf, to some degree under the weight of a soccer player.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the sole is a rigid sole. A rigid sole provides a soccer player sufficient support and provides good transmission of forces between a foot of the player and the ground, especially on grass and artificial turf.

In additional embodiments of the invention, the knitwear is capable of extending above an ankle of the foot while the soccer shoe is being worn. Due to this, the sole of the soccer shoe may be coupled to the foot very tightly, since the contact area of the knitwear with the foot is correspondingly large. Moreover, the “taping” necessary among soccer players, i.e. wrapping the ankle area in ribbons, may not be necessary. This is because the knitwear extending above the ankle protects the ankle from injuries, while also ensuring a smooth transition from the soccer shoe to a shin guard and/or soccer socks on the other hand. The knitwear may be suitable for extending all the way to a knee while the soccer shoe is being worn.

In further embodiments of the invention, the knitwear consists of several weft-knitted or warp-knitted sections. This enables use of knitwear only in areas that are necessary for safely coupling the sole of the soccer shoe to the foot. Other materials may be used in other areas. Moreover, individual knitwear sections may be manufactured on a flat weft-knitting machine or a flat warp-knitting machine and then connected in order to obtain a three-dimensional shape.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, the knitwear may be formed as one-piece knitwear. One-piece knitwear may simply and cost-effectively be weft-knitted or warp-knitted on a corresponding machine. Since seams can be omitted, pressure sores may be reduced or avoided.

In further embodiments of the invention, the sole of the soccer shoe comprises knitwear. In additional embodiments, the sole and the knitwear are formed as one-piece knitwear. In this case, the soccer shoe may be produced in one piece on a corresponding weft-knitting or warp-knitting machine.

In some embodiments, knitwear encloses a foot of a wearer of the soccer shoe substantially completely. This ensures a firm coupling of the sole of the soccer shoe to the foot by the knitwear. The soccer shoe provides the foot with a high degree of stability.

In further embodiments of the invention, the knitwear is weft-knitted. Weft-knitted knitwear may be simply and specifically provided with functional properties. Weft-knitted knitwear may, for example, be weft-knitted in a more open-meshed manner in places where the most humidity occurs on the foot so as to specifically better air the foot in these places. The knitwear may be flat weft-knitted or circular weft-knitted.

In additional embodiments of the invention, the knitwear is warp-knitted. By machine warp-knitting, the knitwear may be produced relatively rapidly and cost-effectively. The knitwear may be either flat warp-knitted or circular warp-knitted.

The knitwear may be formed to fulfil the function of a tongue in the area of the instep. In this manner, separately forming the tongue may be omitted so that the manufacture of the soccer shoe is simplified. Moreover, pressure sores are reduced or prevented since the otherwise common discontinuous transition between the tongue and the shoe upper is omitted.

In certain embodiments, the knitwear is formed to fulfil the function of laces. Thus, laces may be omitted, which simplifies the handling of the soccer shoe, as well as its manufacture.

The sole may be injection molded to the shoe upper. This enables a simple manufacture of the soccer shoe, since the work step of connecting the sole to the shoe upper is omitted. In further embodiments, the sole is injection molded directly to the knitwear. This ensures a firm coupling of the sole to a foot of a wearer of the soccer shoe. In certain embodiments, polyurethane (“PU”), thermoplastic polyurethane (“TPU”) or polyamides (“PA”) are used for injection molding the sole to the shoe upper.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, the sole is glued to the shoe upper. For example, the sole may be manufactured by injection molding and may be subsequently glued to the shoe upper. Suitable materials for manufacturing the sole are rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate (“EVA”), or expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (“eTPU”).

In certain embodiments of the invention, the knitwear of the upper comprises a first and a second weft-knitted or warp-knitted layer. In this way, the material thickness of the shoe upper may be specifically varied.

A reinforcement may be arranged between the first and the second weft-knit or warp-knit layer. The reinforcement may simply be placed between the first and the second layer. In this manner, the soccer shoe may be cost-effectively reinforced in specific places, for example in the toe region or the heel region or in both areas. The reinforcement may be generally manufactured from any desired material which is suitable for structural reinforcement like e.g. a fibrous web or a textile. The reinforcement may also be arranged in a shin area of the shoe upper. In this way, a separate shin guard may be omitted.

The reinforcement may be made from plastic. Reinforcements made from plastic are simple and cost-effective to manufacture by corresponding methods, such as injection molding. Suitable plastics are PU, polyethylene, polypropylene, and EVA, for example. These may be used e.g. as a sheet for reinforcement. Alternatively, the reinforcement is a non-woven made from the mentioned plastics. The sheet or the non-woven may be applied to an inner side or an outer side of the soccer shoe.

The reinforcement may be arranged in a lateral area or in a medial area or in a lateral and a medial area of the upper. In this way, the soccer shoe may specifically be reinforced in areas in which it comes into contact with the ball. At the same time, however, the reinforcement may be formed in a sufficiently thin manner, e.g. as a plastic sheet, so as not to considerably restrict the feel for the ball.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the shoe upper does not comprise a securing element. Dispensing with a securing element, such as laces, for example, enables a more cost-effective manufacture of the soccer shoe. In general, using knitwear allows for such an accurately fitting manufacture that a securing element may be omitted.

The knitwear may be coated, such that the friction between a soccer ball and the knitwear is increased compared to uncoated knitwear. This allows for the ball to be played precisely. Moreover, the soccer player is able to provide the ball with a spin, which is referred to as swerve, so as to cause a bent trajectory.

The upper may comprise such a height that the upper edge of the upper overlaps a section of a shin guard while the soccer shoe is being worn. A smooth transition may thus be created between the shin guard and the soccer shoe. “Taping” the ankle area, as was mentioned before, may be omitted.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the knitwear is made on a flat weft-knitting machine or a flat warp-knitting machine. The knitwear may be manufactured simply and cost-effectively on a flat weft-knitting machine or a flat warp-knitting machine.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, the knitwear is made on a circular weft-knitting machine or a circular warp-knitting machine. Knitwear manufactured on circular weft-knitting machines or circular warp-knitting machines already has a tube-like shape and is therefore easier to adjust to the shape of a cobbler's last and thus to the shape of the foot.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the upper comprises a coupling mechanism to connect the upper to a shin guard or a soccer sock. This further increases the coupling of the sole of the soccer shoe to the foot.

The coupling mechanism may be a hook-and-loop fastener. A hook-and-loop fastener is easy to attach to the shoe upper or the soccer sock, e.g. by sewing, and it is very easy to handle.

The knitwear may be reinforced with a polymer reinforcement. The knitwear may be provided with a polymer reinforcement, e.g. by the latter being applied as a coating.