FOOTWEAR HAVING SURFACE-DETECTING PROTRUSIONS

摘要

A piece of footwear including an upper portion operably configured to at least partially surround a user's foot, a sole having an outsole and an insole, and at least one surface-detecting protrusion spanning through the sole. The insole and the upper portion define a foot placement zone. The at least one surface-detecting protrusion includes a proximal end defining a foot contact surface disposed within the foot placement zone. The proximal end is in a spaced relationship away from the insole. The at least one surface-detecting protrusion also includes a distal end, opposite the proximal end. The distal end defines an outer contact surface disposed in a spaced relationship away from the outsole. The foot contact surface is operably configured to translate when the outer contact surface is subjected to a compression force.

主权项

1. A piece of footwear comprising:
an upper portion of the piece of footwear; a sole having an outsole including a ground contact portion and an insole including an upper-most inner surface for making contact with a user's foot, the upper-most inner surface of the insole and the upper portion of the piece of footwear being configured to surround the user's foot and defining a foot placement zone sized to receive the user's foot; and at least one surface-detecting protrusion extending through the sole, the surface-detecting protrusion comprising a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, wherein:
the proximal end defines a foot contact surface disposed within the foot placement zone and in a spaced relationship a distance above the upper-most inner surface of the insole;the distal end defines an outer contact surface disposed in a spaced relationship a distance below the ground contact portion of the outsole; andthe surface-detecting protrusion is configured to move through the sole when the outer contact surface is subjected to a compression force for providing sensory feedback from the user's foot.