Athletic shoe sole

Claim 2

A sole for a shoe, comprising: a unitary member made of a flexible material; said member having toe, heel and arch portions, an upper surface, a lower surface, and a substantially thin wall, the portions of said upper surface and said lower surface which form said wall having a substantially similar shape; said wall extending substantially continuously about said heel and arch portions to form a cup shape at said heel and arch, whereby said member is relatively rigid in the region of said arch portion.

Claim 3

A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein said wall comprises the peripheral portion of said upper and lower surfaces in said heel and arch portions.

Claim 4

A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein said upper surface substantially conforms to the shape of the bottom portion of a foot.

Claim 5

A sole as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cleats extending downwardly from said lower surface of said heel and toe portions.

Claim 6

A sole as set forth in claim 4, wherein said cleats are formed integrally with said member.

Claim 7

A sole as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of ridges formed integrally with said member extending between said cleats.

Claim 8

A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein said toe portion is relatively flat, whereby said member is highly flexible in the region of said toe portion.

Claim 9

A sole as set forth in claim 7, further comprising means formed in said member for increasing flexibility in said toe portion.

Claim 10

A sole as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means is formed in said lower surface of said toe portion, and comprises laterally extending grooves in the region of the ball of the foot.

Claim 11

A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein said wall at said heel portion further comprises: an inner heel side wall; an outer heel side wall; and a rear wall connecting said inner and outer side walls; said inner heel side wall being somewhat higher than the laterally corresponding portion of said outer heel side wall.

Claim 12

A sole as set forth in claim 10, wherein the difference in height between said inner and outer heel side walls gradually increases towards said arch and toe portions.

Claim 13

A sole as set forth in claim 10, wherein said wall at said arch portion further comprises: an inner arch side wall extending continuously from said inner heel side wall of said heel portion; and an outer arch side wall extending continuously from said outer heel side wall of said heel portion, opposite said inner arch side wall; said outer arch side wall being curved upwardly less than said inner arch side wall.

Claim 14

A sole as set forth in claim 12, wherein said inner and outer arch side walls taper downwardly towards said toe portion, and the difference in height between said inner arch side wall and said outer arch side wall reaches a maximum just before said inner arch side wall beings to taper.

Claim 15

A sole as set forth in claim 12, wherein said inner arch side wall is higher than the laterally corresponding portion of said outer arch side wall.

Claim 16

A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein said member has a substantially uniform thickness between said upper and lower surfaces.

Claim 17

A sole as set forth in claim 15, wherein the thickness of said member is between approximately 1/32 inch and approximately 1/8 inch.

Claim 18

A sole as set forth in claim 16, wherein the thickness of said member is approximately 1/16 inch.

Claim 19

A sole as set forth in claim 1, further comprising reinforcing means formed integrally on said lower surface of said member in the region of said arch portion.

Claim 20

A sole as set forth in claim 1, wherein said member is formed of material having a high modulus of elasticity, whereby said member is not readily stretchable or compressible.

Claim 21

A cleated shoe, which comprises: an upper; an outer sole attached to said upper, said outer sole comprising: a unitary member made of a flexible material; said member having toe, heel and arch portions, an upper surface and a lower surface, a substantially thin wall, the portions of said upper surface and said lower surface which form said wall having a substantially similar shape; said wall extending substantially continuously about said heel and arch portions to form a cup shape at said heel and arch, whereby said member is relatively rigid in the region of said arch portion; and a plurality of cleats extending downwardly from said lower surface of said heel and toe portions.

Claim 22

A cleated shoe, which comprises: an upper; an outer sole attached to said upper, said outer sole comprising: a unitary member made of a flexible material; said member having toe, heel and arch portions, an upper surface and a lower surface, a substantially thin wall, the portions of said upper surface and said lower surface which form said wall having a substantially similar shape; said wall extending substantially continuously about said heel and arch portions to form a cup shape at said heel and arch, whereby said member is relatively rigid in the region of said arch portion; and a plurality of cleats extending downwardly from said lower surface of said heel and toe portions.