FOOTWEAR SOLE STRUCTURE WITH COMPRESSION GROOVES AND NONLINEAR BENDING STIFFNESS

摘要

A sole structure (10) for an article of footwear comprises a sole plate (12) that has a forefoot portion (14) with a foot-facing surface. The sole plate (12) has at least one groove (30) extending at least partially transversely in the foot-facing surface. The at least one groove (30) is open when the sole structure is dorsiflexed in a first portion of a flexion range, and closed when the sole structure is dorsiflexed in a second portion of the flexion range that includes flex angles greater than in the first portion of the flexion range.