Shoe upper for a shoe with a ball contact area

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, comprising: a ball contact area comprising a plurality of projections; wherein each projection of the plurality of projections has an elongated shape with a longitudinal axis, a side section facing the sole and a side section facing the instep; and wherein the ball contact area is configured to assist in shooting a ball by making each projection of the plurality of projections elastically bendable such that each projection is configured to bend upon contact with the ball substantially in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and such that each of the plurality of projections is configured to bend such that the side section facing the instep contacts an outer surface of the shoe upper or an adjacent projection of the plurality of projections.

Description

1. Technical area

[0001] The present invention relates to a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe. The shoe upper comprises a ball contact surface designed to assist in kicking a ball. The present invention also relates to a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, comprising such a shoe upper attached to a sole. 2. State of the art

[0002] A shoe, or more generally, an article of footwear, is commonly described as the combination of a shoe upper and a sole structure. Typically, the shoe upper covers areas such as the instep, toe, medial side, lateral side, and heel of a wearer's foot and provides an opening to allow the wearer to step into the footwear. The sole is connected to the shoe upper such that its upper surface faces the foot and its underside contacts the ground during normal use of the shoe.

[0003] The upper of a shoe generally provides several functionalities. The upper provides a cuff to support the foot, stabilizes the foot during movement, protects the foot from the environment, and, in the case of certain athletic shoes, provides a surface specifically adapted to the needs of the athlete. Athletic shoes, in particular, should be comfortable to wear, stabilize the foot, and cushion the impact of bounce between the foot and the ground during exercise. The footwear should support movement and prevent physical injury to the wearer.

[0004] In particular, shoe uppers for shoes used in sporting activities such as soccer, rugby, football, and other ball sports are widely used and popular among wearers. Such shoe uppers are becoming increasingly important and have specific requirements to improve the performance of such sporting activities.

[0005] As an example of such requirements, improved grip of the shoe upper to the ball can be mentioned. Such improved grip carries the potential for a player to be able to control the ball to a greater extent. In particular, the contact of the shoe with the ball is of great importance, and the surface of the shoe upper plays a key role. One way to achieve increased grip between the shoe upper and the ball is to provide a texture on an outer surface of the shoe upper. Another way to achieve increased grip is to provide the shoe upper with protrusions. Both options can increase the energy transfer from the shoe upper to the ball during shooting.

[0006] It's well known that different types of shots occur. For example, there are cut passes, flat passes, sharp shots, and the like. Different types of shots require different configurations on the upper of the shoe. Nevertheless, proper rotation is desirable for each type of shot, otherwise the ball would flutter.

[0007] By way of example, the following prior art documents may be mentioned in the context of the present disclosure.

[0008] EP 3 909 459 A1 relates to a shoe upper for a sports shoe, comprising a plurality of regions, comprising: a medial region, a lateral region, a toe region, an instep region, a heel region and a collar region, wherein the shoe upper comprises at least one protrusion in at least four of the plurality of regions, and wherein the protrusions protrude from an outer surface of the shoe upper.

[0009] US 2011 / 0258883 A1 relates to a ball-control portion for an article of footwear. The ball-control portion extends from a side to a bottom of an article of footwear. The ball-control portion includes a grid with a plurality of protrusions arranged in a grid. The plurality of protrusions includes multiple groups of protrusions arranged with one or more of different orientations, different types of protrusions, and different heights.

[0010] EP 2 891 422 B1 relates to an article of footwear including a first group of gripping elements comprising a first ball-controlling portion, and a second group of gripping elements comprising a second ball-controlling portion. The height of the first ball-controlling portion varies along a first direction, and the first group of gripping elements is approximately aligned with the second group of gripping elements with respect to a second direction.

[0011] Furthermore, the following prior art can be mentioned as background knowledge.

[0012] WO 2010 / 086672 A1 relates to a sports shoe, wherein the upper of the sports shoe comprises deformable projections in the forefoot region, which projections comprise a shape of a suction cup.

[0013] CN206390385U is directed to a training sports shoe with an outer layer of highly elastic rubber distributed on the outer surface in a form of small cylindrical rubber protrusions.

[0014] CN207269957 relates to football boots with high-speed ball control, wherein a shoe upper is provided with projections enclosing a small circular suction cup.

[0015] US 9693694 B2 is directed to an article of footwear wherein the outsole may include lateral and medial arch portions for traction.

[0016] EP 1430801 A1 relates to an article of footwear, such as a football boot, that includes a ball control area. The ball control area comprises a series of raised geometric protrusions of various sizes arranged on the upper of the football boot.

[0017] WO 2010 / 055276 A1 is directed to a ball control component for a sports shoe, wherein the upper surface of the ball control portion is provided with a plurality of diamond-shaped rubber pieces.

[0018] While the above documents claimed an improvement over the previously known prior art, the solutions proposed in these documents still have some shortcomings when it comes to improving the grip of the shoe upper. For example, most of the prior art proposals concern rather stiff and hard geometries that do not allow for sufficient deformation. Such stiff and / or hard geometries cause a ball that comes into contact with them during kicking to deform. This limits the generation of grip between the shoe upper and the ball. The grip may then depend exclusively on the material. Additionally, the prior art solutions exhibit a rather harsh motion transition when the shoe upper impacts the ball.

[0019] Considering the state of the art, it must be concluded that there is still room for improvement.

[0020] Against this background, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shoe upper for a shoe. The shoe upper should provide improved means to assist shooting. In particular, the ball should be provided with a more advanced and / or dedicated spin. This should be possible, in particular, for sharp shots. Furthermore, it is an object to provide a corresponding shoe comprising such a shoe upper. 3. Summary of the invention

[0021] The above-mentioned objects are at least partially achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are subject matter of the dependent claims, and other suitable aspects of the present invention are described by the overall disclosure of the present application.

[0022] In one aspect, the objects are achieved by a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, comprising: a) a ball contact surface comprising a plurality of protrusions; b) wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions has an elongated shape with a longitudinal axis, a side portion facing the sole, and a side portion facing the instep; and c) wherein the ball contact surface is configured to assist in kicking a ball in that each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is elastically bendable such that each protrusion is configured to bend upon contact with the ball substantially in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and such that each of the plurality of protrusions is configured to bend such that the side portion facing the instep contacts an outer surface of the shoe upper or an adjacent protrusion of the plurality of protrusions.

[0023] In this way, the shoe upper enables improved support when kicking a ball, which is particularly useful for ball sports such as football. In particular, the ball contact surface provides improved means for contacting the ball, ensuring that sufficient grip is available. Additionally, a smoother transition to kicking, such as kicking a ball, is provided. Due to the elastically bendable protrusions, a brushing effect can be created. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, such a brushing effect means that a plurality of brushes (e.g., protrusions) can contact the ball and influence the ball's trajectory after leaving the shoe upper. Furthermore, the elastically bendable protrusions have the added benefit of increasing the ball's contact time on the shoe upper.The inventors found this to be particularly advantageous compared to most prior art proposals, which provide rather rigid projections. The latter do not allow the desired elastic bending described here and therefore do not provide the advantages mentioned here.

[0024] Furthermore, the curvature of the protrusions has the advantage of increasing the surface area of ​​the shoe upper that can contact a ball. This allows for improved shooting. It is understood that the degree of curvature can depend on the shot power. For example, the curvature may increase with increasing shot power.

[0025] To further highlight the advances of the present disclosure, an analysis of the motion trajectory of a ball along the shoe upper may be helpful. The term "motion trajectory" may refer to the relative motion between the shoe upper and the ball.

[0026] In one example, the ball may first contact the shoe upper in a first contact section and move along the ball contact surface towards a second contact section where the ball last contacts the shoe upper. From the second contact section, the ball may accelerate away from the shoe upper. The first contact section may be located closer to a sole edge. The second contact section may be located closer to an instep section. This movement of the ball may be more or less dominant, depending on the type of shot. It may, for example, be present in sliced ​​shots where the foot is 'pulled through' to create ball spin. Such rotation has been found to be desirable for straight shots, such as hard shots on goal.In particular, while a shot would flutter without rotation, rotation provides the added benefit of keeping the ball on a substantially straight path, e.g., toward a goal or the like. It should be noted that there are many different types of shots, such as flicked passes or flat passes. However, the present disclosure may be predominantly directed to sharp shots. Such sharp shots may be understood as shots at goal or the like. As described in more detail elsewhere herein, the inventors found that orienting the longitudinal axis of the projections substantially perpendicular to the trajectory provides an additional advantage to assist in shooting a ball.

[0027] Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that the ball's rotation has beneficial effects on its trajectory due to the Magnus effect. The Magnus effect can be understood as a phenomenon in fluid dynamics that describes a force acting on a rotating object, such as a ball, moving through a fluid, such as air. As a rotating ball moves through air, it can experience a force perpendicular to the direction of its trajectory. The Magnus effect is commonly observed in sporting activities; however, it is also known from aerodynamics, industrial processes, and / or vehicle performance. When a ball is thrown or pitched with rotation, the air moving around the ball can be deflected in different directions due to the rotation. Such deflection can create a pressure difference between two opposite sides of the ball.This can result in a net force perpendicular to the direction of its path, i.e., the airflow. As a result, the ball may deviate from a straight path. This can have advantages, as a sharp shot may be less predictable for an opposing team's goalkeeper. This, in turn, can increase the chances of scoring a goal and / or achieving an expected result. Alternatively, or additionally, in football, it can enable a shot to be fired around or over an opposing team's free-kick wall. The direction and magnitude of the Magnus force can depend on various factors, including, but not limited to, the speed of the ball, the rate of spin, the density of the air, and / or the roughness of the ball's surface.

[0028] The sharp shots referred to here require a different arrangement of protrusions on the shoe upper to account for the different trajectory of the ball (compared to flat passes, for example). Sharp shots are typically shots that are more powerful than other types of shots, such as simple passes. Although there may be variations from one player to another, the skilled player is still able to distinguish between sharp shots and other types of shots, such as passing shots. Sharp shots occur frequently during a game, and the medial and superior aspects of the first metatarsal joint and bony sections are mostly used to contact the ball. In particular, the foot may be tilted laterally, and the ball may move in a lateral-posterior direction along the surface upon impact.

[0029] The ball contact area can be understood as an area, section, surface part, or the like that can come into contact with a ball or the like. In particular, the ball contact area can be the area that comes into contact with the ball during kicking. It is understood that due to the deformation of a ball during kicking, the ball contact area could be larger than the area covered if the ball simply rests on the shoe upper without kicking.

[0030] Each projection of the plurality of projections has an elongated shape, which means that there may be a dimension along one axis of the shape that is greater than one, and preferably both, dimensions along the remaining one axis, preferably both axes that are substantially perpendicular to the one axis. It will be appreciated that when dimensions are described herein, manufacturing tolerances typically need to be taken into account. Although not always explicitly expressed (e.g., using the term "substantially"), it will be understood that the parts, elements, units, and shapes described herein include such manufacturing tolerances. Thus, the dimensions described herein may vary slightly.

[0031] The sole-facing side portion and the instep-facing side portion may be understood as portions on two different sides of the protrusion. As an example, the portions may be located on two opposite sides of a plane along the longitudinal axis. Furthermore, the sole-facing side portion and the instep-facing side portion may extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, as described later. Furthermore, the portions may alternatively or additionally be substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the shoe upper. As understood by those skilled in the art, the sole-facing side portion may not be the side of the protrusion that faces the outer surface of the shoe upper and / or that is in contact with the outer surface of the shoe upper (e.g., to which the protrusion may be attached to the outer surface of the shoe upper).

[0032] The side portion facing the sole may be directed toward a front portion of the shoe upper, e.g., toward a toe portion. For example, if a ball touches the protrusion in a regular sharp shot, the ball may first touch the side portion facing the sole. This causes the protrusion to bend. The side portion facing the sole may, in turn, be directed at least partially upwards if the protrusion is bent.

[0033] The instep-facing side portion may be directed toward the crack portion and / or more generally toward a rear portion of the shoe upper when the protrusion is not curved. It is understood that when a ball contacts the protrusion in a regular sharp shot, the protrusion may be curved. The instep-facing side portion may, in turn, be directed at least partially downwards when the protrusion is curved. For example, the instep-facing side portion may be directed toward the shoe upper and / or toward a sole of the shoe when the protrusion is curved.

[0034] The side portion facing the sole and the side portion facing the instep may be free portions, e.g., portions exposed to the environment. To illustrate this in an example, the side portion facing the sole and the side portion facing the instep could be touched by a user, or the like.

[0035] Shooting can include any action in which the player positions the shoe in such a way that the upper of the shoe comes into contact with the ball. As an example, shooting can include sharp shooting, dribbling, passing, or the like. However, as discussed in more detail herein, shooting preferably means the player shoots sharply, e.g., shooting with a fairly quick foot movement toward a goal.

[0036] Each of the plurality of protrusions is elastically bendable. This means that the protrusions can bend, for example, under an external force, such as a force provided by a ball. Furthermore, the bending is elastic, meaning that the bending occurs essentially within an elastic deformation range of the protrusion material. Within such an elastic deformation range, the stress and strain of the material can behave according to a linear relationship. This elastic (and linear) relationship for a material may also be known as the elastic modulus. In contrast, plastic bending means that some of the deformation cannot be reversed.

[0037] Each protrusion is configured to bend substantially in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis upon contact with the ball. This means that the bending occurs perpendicular to the longitudinal axis to a greater or significant extent. However, it may be possible for the protrusion to bend in a different direction. The term "substantially" may emphasize that manufacturing tolerances may be involved in determining a perpendicular direction.

[0038] Such bending in the perpendicular direction has been found to be particularly beneficial considering the motion trajectory of a ball during shooting. This allows a perpendicular bend to be created at essentially every section of the shoe upper along which the ball travels, providing improved grip, increased contact area, and increased contact time along the overall motion trajectory. Accordingly, the benefits of a protrusion along the motion trajectory on the shoe upper during shooting accumulate whenever a protrusion flexes.

[0039] Each of the plurality of protrusions is configured to bend such that the instep-facing side portion contacts an outer surface of the shoe upper or an adjacent protrusion of the plurality of protrusions. The term "contacts" can be understood such that the instep-facing side portion at least partially contacts the outer surface of the shoe upper or an adjacent protrusion of the plurality of protrusions. Under no circumstances is it possible that the entire instep-facing side can actually contact the outer surface of the shoe upper or an adjacent protrusion of the plurality of protrusions. Rather, a portion thereof, i.e., the instep-facing side portion (which could be an upper part of the instep-facing side) of the protrusion, can typically contact the outer surface of the shoe upper or an adjacent protrusion of the plurality of protrusions.In one example, the plurality of protrusions may be spaced such that even if the protrusion was bent to a fairly large extent, contact with an adjacent protrusion was not possible.

[0040] The shoe upper described herein may be particularly useful in conjunction with a sports shoe, such as a soccer shoe. However, it should be noted that the shoe upper could be used with essentially any type of footwear, including, but not limited to, soccer shoes, hiking boots, sneakers, basketball shoes, rugby shoes, baseball shoes, golf shoes, tennis shoes, and cross-training shoes. Furthermore, the shoe upper may be used in conjunction with shoes for any type of athletic activity.The term physical activity is to be understood to include one or more and / or any combination of at least the following non-exhaustive list: aerobics, athletic exercises, running, hiking, climbing, group fitness classes, walking, cycling, yoga, soccer, tennis, football, basketball, workout, volleyball, gymnastics, weightlifting, cross-training, baseball, softball, rugby, field hockey, wrestling, squash, track and field (such as sprinting, long jump, high jump), cross country skiing.

[0041] It may be possible for the protrusions providing the additional benefits described herein to be used additionally or alternatively for garments and / or equipment used in sporting activities. That is, the protrusions are not necessarily limited to the example of a shoe upper. It might be feasible for the concept of the ball contact surface to be applied to any type of sporting activity in which a ball needs to be imparted with spin, such as (table) tennis rackets or the like.

[0042] Nevertheless, it has been found that the advantages of the projections described herein are particularly pronounced when applied to a shoe upper for a shoe, such as a shoe used during a sporting activity, particularly during football.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection of the plurality of projections has a substantially triangular cross-section.

[0044] The cross-section is understood as the cross-section along a plane, where the normal to the plane is parallel to the longitudinal axis. In one example, the triangular cross-section of this embodiment could mean that a lower portion of the projection is larger than an upper portion. Alternatively, an upper portion may be larger than a lower portion, although the other example may be preferred.

[0045] This has the advantage of supporting the protrusions to a greater extent. Additionally, this cross-section improves bending, as the tip section can be more flexible.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection of the plurality of projections has an upper edge and a lower edge along the longitudinal axis that are substantially parallel to each other.

[0047] The upper edge can be understood as a free edge, i.e., an edge facing the surroundings. The lower edge can be opposite the upper edge and can be attached to the shoe upper or formed integrally with the upper. This has the advantage of improving flexion. For example, when the ball hits the projection, it can bend slightly around the lower edge, which thereby forms a pivot axis.

[0048] It may be possible for each of the plurality of protrusions to include additional edges in an upper and / or lower portion of the protrusion, allowing for the creation of more advanced designs and / or shapes. This could increase the variety of applications of the shoe upper, e.g., by providing certain portions of the shoe upper with specifically shaped protrusions.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection of the plurality of projections has a substantially quadrangular longitudinal section, preferably a trapezoidal longitudinal section.

[0050] The longitudinal section can be understood as a sectional plane along the longitudinal axis of the elongated projection. In other words, the longitudinal section can be understood as a plane, with the normal of the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated projection.

[0051] The square longitudinal cut means that four corners can be seen. The square longitudinal cut further improves bending and supports the associated beneficial effects (e.g., an increased ball contact area and increased contact time). The trapezoidal longitudinal cut has the additional advantage that one edge can be shorter than an opposite edge. The shorter edge can be the top edge. This has the advantage of eliminating sharp corners that could impede the delivery of the ball with sufficient spin.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the longitudinal axis forms an acute angle α with a heel-to-toe axis of the shoe upper of at least 45°, preferably at least 50°, preferably at least 60°, preferably at least 65°, preferably at least 70°, preferably at least 75°, preferably at least 80°, preferably at least 85° in a toe portion of the shoe upper; and / or at most 45°, preferably at most 40°, preferably at most 35°, preferably at most 30°, preferably at most 25°, preferably at most 20°, preferably at most 15° in an upper medial midfoot portion of the shoe upper.

[0053] In this embodiment, the acute angle of the protrusion in the toe section of the shoe upper is greater than the acute angle of a protrusion in an upper medial midfoot section of the shoe upper. This has the advantage that the orientation of the protrusion is adapted to account for the ball's movement trajectory. In particular, it may therefore be the case that the ball moves substantially perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of each protrusion during kicking. This improves support when kicking the ball.

[0054] In particular, such an orientation relative to a ball can lead to greater deformation of the protrusions, which can increase the restoring force of the protrusions acting in the direction of a desired ball rotation. Additionally, the contact time can be increased. The contact area can also be increased. It is understood that the contact area and / or the extent of bending can increase with the force acting on the ball, e.g., the force of the shot.

[0055] It is understood that acute angles measure less than 90 degrees. The heel-to-toe axis of the shoe upper corresponds to a substantially straight line connecting the heel and toe sections of the shoe upper.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, a first projection of the plurality of projections is arranged in a toe portion of the shoe upper and a second projection is arranged further back with respect to the first projection, wherein an acute angle of the first projection is greater than an acute angle of the second projection, preferably by at least 10°, preferably at least 15°, preferably at least 20°, preferably at least 25°, preferably at least 30°, preferably at least 35°, preferably at least 40°.

[0057] Corresponding advantages of this embodiment can be derived from the previous embodiment. In particular, it was found that a greater deformation of the projections can be achieved. Furthermore, the restoring force of the projections acts in a direction opposite to the ball's movement trajectory. This promotes the desired ball rotation.

[0058] In one example, the acute angle of the second protrusion continuously decreases as the second protrusion is positioned further back with respect to the first protrusion.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection of the plurality of projections has the shape of at least one of a ridge, a rib, a sipe or a fin.

[0060] Such shapes are typically understood as protruding or extending structures. They can be thin and flat, or similar. They can provide some functionality in terms of modifying fluid dynamics in their vicinity and / or improving stability. These shapes can be less disruptive when the shoe upper is used most of the time, e.g., without shooting. Accordingly, they promote a natural feel on the wearer's foot. Such shapes can be easily manufactured and promote support when shooting the ball.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, at least two projections of the plurality of projections differ in at least one of their shape, dimensions and / or orientation.

[0062] Depending on the section of the shoe upper, a specific shape, dimension, and / or orientation may be desired. It may also be possible that a different material is desired. As described elsewhere herein, the orientation may vary along the ball contact surface. Furthermore, the length of the protrusions may vary along the ball contact surface. This may provide specific sections of the ball contact surface with dedicated functions. The length of the protrusions may also depend on the number of protrusions located in an area.

[0063] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection of the plurality of projections has a beveled edge at one, preferably both ends, along the longitudinal axis.

[0064] A beveled edge may refer to an edge or face that is angled or tapered rather than perpendicular or flush with an adjacent edge and / or face. A beveled edge may be characterized by a tapered or chamfered cut that creates an inclined plane along the edge.

[0065] This has the advantage of preventing sharp corners and / or pointed sections of the protrusion. These could otherwise lead to undesirable impact on the ball. For example, if the shoe upper is used for a pass or similar action with a relatively low movement speed, the ball could be impacted if struck with such sharp corners and / or pointed sections.

[0066] Additionally, the beveled edge provides reduced mechanical stresses. In particular, peak stresses often occur near sharp corners and / or pointed sections. This design can be avoided.

[0067] The one or both ends can be understood as edges that form one or both opposite ends that can be free to the environment.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, a movement trajectory is defined on the shoe upper, wherein the longitudinal axis of each projection is oriented substantially perpendicular to the movement trajectory.

[0069] Preferably, the movement trajectory comprises one or more movement directions, wherein a first movement direction is arranged in a toe section of the shoe upper and extends from the toe section, in particular from a toe tip, to an instep section or a middle metatarsal section of the shoe upper, wherein a second movement direction is preferably arranged in a medial section of the shoe upper and extends from a lower medial metatarsal section to an instep section or a middle metatarsal section of the shoe upper, wherein one or more intermediate movement directions are preferably arranged between the first movement direction and the second movement direction, and wherein an orientation of the one or more intermediate movement directions lies between an orientation corresponding to one of the first movement directions and an orientation corresponding to one of the second movement directions,varies, wherein the variation is preferably continuous and / or monotonous from a toe portion of the shoe upper to a medial portion of the shoe upper.,

[0070] This has the advantage that the projections bend essentially in the direction in which the movement trajectory is defined.

[0071] It is understood that the movement trajectory may depend to some extent on personal preference, the type of shot and / or the strength of the shot.

[0072] As described elsewhere herein, this motion trajectory applies to ordinary sharp shots commonly performed during soccer. Furthermore, it may be possible for the ball's motion trajectory to be reversed, for example, in so-called "top-spin shots," as described elsewhere herein.

[0073] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the plurality of projections protrude from the outer surface of the shoe upper.

[0074] This can be understood as the protrusion extending clearly from the outer surface of the shoe upper. This means that, in one example, the protrusion cannot be understood as an element placed in a recessed portion of the outer surface of the shoe upper. Rather, it should be recognized that the protrusion essentially begins from an outer surface of the shoe upper and extends into the free environment. This complements the assistance in kicking a ball, as described herein.

[0075] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection of the plurality of projections has a height substantially in a projection direction of at least 0.5 mm, preferably at least 1 mm, preferably at least 1.5 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, most preferably at least 2.5 mm, and / or at most 5 mm, preferably at most 4.5 mm, preferably at most 4 mm, preferably at most 3.5 mm, preferably at most 3 mm, most preferably at most 2.5 mm.

[0076] The protrusion should not be excessively high, as this can impair the natural feel of the shoe upper on the wearer's foot. This could also result in a fairly high weight. Additionally or alternatively, the protrusions should not be too short, as this could impair the desired benefits of assisting with kicking the ball.

[0077] The applicant has succeeded in achieving an optimal compromise between these opposing requirements with a level of advantage as indicated here.

[0078] The protruding direction, as described herein, is the direction along which the protrusions extend from the outer surface of the shoe upper. The protruding direction may be defined in a state in which the protrusion is not bent. The protruding direction may be a direction substantially corresponding to a normal of the outer surface of the shoe upper.

[0079] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection of the plurality of projections has a width substantially perpendicular to a projection direction and to the longitudinal axis of at least 0.1 mm, preferably at least 0.2 mm, preferably at least 0.3 mm, preferably at least 0.4 mm, preferably at least 0.5 mm, most preferably at least 0.6 mm, and / or at most 1.5 mm, preferably at most 1.25 mm, preferably at most 1.0 mm, preferably at most 0.9 mm, preferably at most 0.8 mm, preferably at most 0.7 mm, most preferably at most 0.6 mm.

[0080] The width specified here can be used to find an optimal balance between sufficient flexibility, material savings and / or a natural feel with less disturbance (narrow width would be desired) and sufficient support and / or mechanical integrity (large width would be desired).

[0081] It is understood that the width may vary along the height of the protrusion. For example, the width at a lower portion of the protrusion may be greater than the width at an upper portion of the protrusion (this could also be reversed in certain cases).

[0082] The width at the lower portion of the protrusion may be approximately 1 mm to 1.5 mm, preferably approximately 1.1 mm to 1.4 mm, preferably approximately 1.2 mm to 1.3 mm. Approximately halfway up the protrusion, the width may be approximately 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm, preferably approximately 0.6 mm to 0.7 mm. The width at an upper portion of the protrusion may be smaller than the width at approximately halfway up the protrusion.

[0083] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection of the plurality of projections has a length substantially along the longitudinal axis of at least 2 mm, preferably at least 4 mm, preferably at least 6 mm, preferably at least 8 mm, preferably at least 10 mm, most preferably at least 15 mm, and / or at most 40 mm, preferably at most 30 mm, preferably at most 25 mm, preferably at most 20 mm, most preferably at most 15 mm.

[0084] Longer protrusions provide improved support when shooting the ball. Shorter protrusions have the advantage of reducing the stiffness of the shoe upper and / or the risk of breakage.

[0085] By proposing the lengths indicated here, the applicant found an optimal compromise between these conflicting requirements.

[0086] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the upper edge has a length along the longitudinal axis of at most 100% of a length of the lower edge along the longitudinal axis, preferably at most 90%, preferably at most 80%, preferably at most 70%, preferably at most 60%, preferably at most 50%, and / or of at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, preferably at least 70%, preferably at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, preferably at least 100%.

[0087] The length of the upper edge is preferably smaller than the lower edge. This improves bending and promotes support when shooting the ball. However, the present disclosure also includes embodiments in which the upper edge is larger than the lower edge.

[0088] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the distance between two adjacent projections is at least 0.5 times the height of one of the projections, preferably at least 0.75 times the height of one of the projections, more preferably at least 1 time the height of one of the projections.

[0089] This has the advantage that there is sufficient space between two adjacent projections to allow one or both of them to bend as described herein.

[0090] The protrusion serving as a reference in determining the distance may be the front protrusion. The front protrusion may be the one located closer to a toe portion of the shoe upper, as viewed along the heel-to-toe axis of the shoe upper. Alternatively, the protrusion serving as a reference in determining the distance may be a rear protrusion, i.e., the one on an opposite side of the front protrusion.

[0091] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection of the plurality of projections is configured to bend by a bending angle of at least 5°, preferably at least 10°, preferably at least 15°, preferably at least 20°, preferably at least 25°, preferably at least 30°, preferably at least 35°, preferably at least 40°, preferably at least 45°.

[0092] This allows each protrusion to be bent by a relatively large amount. This provides improved grip and increased contact time with the ball. As described herein, when a protrusion is bent, the instep-facing side portion may be able to contact an outer surface of the shoe upper or an adjacent protrusion of the plurality of protrusions. Thus, it is understood that increasing the bending angle will assist such contact. Prior art solutions are typically rather stiff and / or rigid, which does not allow for such bending.

[0093] The bending angle can be understood as the acute angle of a line projecting from a base portion to a tip portion of each projection when it is bent with respect to a line along the projecting direction of the projection when it is not bent.

[0094] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection in a medial portion of the shoe upper is spaced from a sole of the shoe by at least 5 mm, preferably at least 6 mm, preferably at least 7 mm, preferably at least 8 mm, preferably at least 10 mm, preferably at least 12 mm, preferably at least 16 mm, preferably at least 20 mm.

[0095] With this embodiment, better placement of the protrusions can be achieved for sharp shots compared to, for example, sliced ​​shots. In particular, sharp shots can be characterized by the ball not being able to contact such a section near the sole in the medial section of the shoe upper. Therefore, it is advantageous that the protrusions are sufficiently spaced therefrom and / or are not present in such a section. In particular, finer ball control movements, such as dribbling or flat passing, are not impaired. Furthermore, since the protrusions are only placed in the desired locations, this reduces their quantity and the resulting weight.

[0096] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, no protrusion in a lower medial portion of the shoe upper is disposed substantially directly proximate to at least one of a sole of the shoe, a lateral portion of the shoe upper, and / or a heel portion of the shoe upper.

[0097] This embodiment also allows for better placement of the protrusions for sharp shots compared to passing shots. As described elsewhere, and particularly in the previous embodiment, it is advantageous that the protrusions are not present in such a section. This does not impede finer ball-control movements, such as dribbling or flat passing, since such ball-control movements typically result in the lower medial section of the shoe upper, near, for example, the sole, primarily contacting the ball. Additionally, this embodiment reduces the number of protrusions required and the resulting weight.

[0098] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the ball contact surface is at least partially disposed in at least one of a big toe portion, a big toe ankle portion, a first metatarsal joint portion, a first metatarsal portion, an upper medial metatarsal portion, and / or a middle metatarsal portion. In one example, one or more of the plurality of protrusions is / are at least partially disposed in at least one of a big toe portion, a big toe ankle portion, a first metatarsal joint portion, a first metatarsal portion, an upper medial metatarsal portion, and / or a middle metatarsal portion.

[0099] This design promotes the placement of the ball contact area and / or the protrusions in strategically highly relevant sections of the shoe upper. This can be particularly useful for powerful shots.

[0100] The upper medial metatarsal segment may include bones such as the sphenoid and scaphoid bones. The middle metatarsal segment may be the dorsal segment, i.e., the portion between the medial and lateral segments. The ball contact surface, which includes the protrusions, may be present in the middle metatarsal segment if no cords are present.

[0101] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, no protrusion is arranged in a lower medial midfoot portion of the shoe upper or flat or non-flexible protrusions are arranged in the lower medial midfoot portion of the shoe upper.

[0102] Corresponding advantages with respect to this embodiment can also be derived from the above embodiments. Furthermore, the flat or non-bendable projections can correspond to projections of a different type than the projections described elsewhere herein (which are bendable). In particular, the flat or non-bendable projections can be printed projections or the like.

[0103] The term "inflexible" can describe an object and / or material that is not easily bent, flexed, and / or deformed under normal conditions. Inflexible projections can exhibit strong resistance to bending. Inflexible projections can demonstrate an inability to bend.

[0104] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, at least two projections of the plurality of projections are connected by a base element on the outer surface of the shoe upper.

[0105] This has the advantage of providing the projections with sufficient support, which also facilitates positioning and securing the projections. The base element can be made of a stiffer material than the projections. Alternatively, the base element can be made of substantially the same or a similar material as the projections.

[0106] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the base element extends substantially through a central portion of each projection.

[0107] The central portion of each protrusion can be understood as the center of its length along its longitudinal axis. This improves the protrusions' connection at a section that can be subjected to the greatest external forces. The base element further supports the protrusions' firm attachment. This also improves the durability and longevity of the shoe upper. In turn, the shoe upper can be more cost-effective.

[0108] As will be appreciated, the base element may additionally comprise a larger portion of the protrusion on the outer surface of the shoe upper, e.g., it could comprise at least 20%, at least 50%, or at least 80% of its length along its longitudinal axis. Nevertheless, it is preferred that the base element be rather thin with respect to its extension along the outer surface of the shoe upper. Therefore, it may preferably comprise at most 30% or at most 20% of the length of the protrusion along its longitudinal axis.

[0109] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the base element has a thickness of at most 1.5 mm, preferably at most 1 mm, preferably at most 0.8 mm; and / or at least 0.2 mm, preferably at least 0.4 mm, most preferably at least 0.5 mm.

[0110] This generally has the advantage of avoiding a bulky and / or stiff feel of the shoe upper, thus providing a more natural feel on the wearer's foot.

[0111] The thickness should not be too great, as this can impair the natural feel of the shoe upper on the wearer's foot. Furthermore, a great thickness could result in considerable weight. Additionally or alternatively, the thickness should not be too small, as this can impair the desired benefits of supporting the protrusions and providing a firm fit.

[0112] The applicant has succeeded in achieving an optimal compromise between these conflicting requirements with the thickness as specified here.

[0113] The thickness can be measured substantially parallel to a protruding direction of the projections. In other words, the thickness can be measured substantially parallel to a normal to the outer surface of the shoe upper.

[0114] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the at least two projections are formed integrally with the base element and arranged in a first group of the ball contact surface.

[0115] The at least two projections, which are formed integrally with the base element, have the advantage that their manufacture is improved.

[0116] Furthermore, the mechanical integrity is improved, thereby increasing the durability of the shoe upper. In particular, there may be fewer sections exposed to peak stresses or the like. This may be due in particular to the absence of any means of attachment, such as adhesives or the like.

[0117] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the ball contact surface comprises at least two further projections which are formed integrally with a further base element and are arranged in a second group, wherein the first group and the second group are spaced apart by a greater distance than any two, preferably adjacent, projections of the first group or the second group.

[0118] Similar advantages as mentioned in the above embodiment also apply to this embodiment.

[0119] Additionally, this embodiment has the advantage that the ball contact surface can be increased and / or that more protrusions are included in the ball contact surface. This allows for a variety of different configurations: For example, the second group can be arranged at any desired portion of the shoe upper, e.g., at the toe / vamp / instep area, which helps achieve the desired properties in assisting with ball striking.

[0120] In various examples, the first group and / or the second group comprises two, three, four, five, or six protrusions; preferably, the first group comprises six protrusions. If the second group is located further back from the toe portion, the second group preferably comprises fewer protrusions than the first group. For example, if the second group forms the rearmost group, the group may comprise two or three protrusions.

[0121] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the ball contact surface comprises a recess arranged between the first group and the second group.

[0122] The recess may have the advantage of allowing water and / or dirt to pass through, improving the ability of the shoe upper that comes into contact with a ball to remain substantially dry and / or clean. This improves grip and increases the rotation imparted to the ball.

[0123] The cutout can be particularly beneficial in wet weather conditions. In such conditions, moisture could impair friction, as water can remain on the outer surface of the shoe upper.

[0124] The recess may be implemented in various ways, including, but not limited to, a recess in the shape of a channel, a tube, or the like. The recess may be continuous. The recess may additionally or alternatively comprise sections of varying depth to provide a variety of different designs for improving the properties of the shoe upper in specific portions thereof.

[0125] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the projections of the first group and / or the second group are arranged substantially parallel to one another along their longitudinal axis, wherein the projections of the first group and / or the second group are preferably spaced substantially equidistant from one another.

[0126] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions comprises a material including at least one of rubber, elastomer, cast polyurethane (CPU) and / or silicone.

[0127] These materials are easy to obtain, inexpensive, and widely accepted in the field of shoe uppers and / or footwear. Furthermore, depending on the desired degree of flexibility, a softer or harder material can be used. This allows for fine-tuning of the shoe upper's response to a ball. Additionally, the choice of material for the protrusions may depend on the remaining material of the shoe upper, such as the underlying material of the shoe upper. This can provide an advantage in terms of fastening. Additionally, the use of rubber and / or CPU allows for fine-tuning and customization of the grip and support when kicking a ball.

[0128] Rubber offers high energy transfer, which is preferred in the ball contact surface described herein. CPU and / or silicone materials can be used if a better bond is desired compared to rubber materials. CPU and / or silicone materials are particularly suitable when bonding with textiles is desired.

[0129] In general, these materials have the advantage of high energy transfer, which promotes that bending the protrusions results in a high restoring force. Therefore, energy stored in the bent protrusions can be returned to the ball to provide the desired rotation.

[0130] The protrusions may be manufactured by any type of manufacturing process, including but not limited to overmolding, additive manufacturing processes (e.g., 3D printing processes), and / or composite processing processes.

[0131] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, each projection of the plurality of projections comprises a material having a hardness in the range of 45-60 Shore A.

[0132] This Shore A hardness provides advantages in terms of the flexion of the protrusions and a respective restoring force once the protrusions are bent. This, in turn, can provide additional advantages in providing a desired rotation for a ball.

[0133] Furthermore, this Shore A hardness ensures a smoother transition for sharp shots (e.g., compared to rather hard geometries known in the prior art). This has proven particularly advantageous for sharp shots (e.g., compared to other shots such as passing shots).

[0134] Shore hardness can be a measure of a material's resistance to indentation. Different types of Shore hardness scales exist for measuring the hardness of different materials (e.g., soft rubbers, rigid plastics, and super-soft gels). Generally, the higher the number on the scale, the harder the material. One difference between the scales, e.g., Shore A and Shore D, is that Shore A may be specified to measure flexible rubbers, while Shore D may be specified for harder, rigid materials. The ranges may overlap at some levels, for example, at higher levels.

[0135] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the shoe upper further comprises a tongue configured to be folded to at least partially overlap the laces of the shoe upper.

[0136] The tongue has the advantage of at least partially covering the laces of the shoe upper. Accordingly, the tongue can improve ball contact. In particular, the tongue can provide a smooth surface for the ball. This can reduce and / or substantially mitigate any interference with ball contact caused by the laces.

[0137] In one example, the tongue may be disposed in an instep portion and / or a midfoot portion.

[0138] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the ball contact surface is a first ball contact surface and the tongue comprises a second ball contact surface comprising a plurality of projections according to any one of the embodiments described herein.

[0139] This has the advantage of extending the advantageous properties provided by the plurality of protrusions to a larger area of ​​the shoe upper. In particular, the portion of the foot where the tongue is located may be a portion along which the ball moves during the movement trajectory. Therefore, it has been found that providing a second ball contact surface on the tongue improves the provision of rotation to the ball.

[0140] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the second ball contact surface is designed to substantially abut against the first ball contact surface when the tongue is folded.

[0141] This can be understood as meaning that the second ball contact surface continuously provides an increased total ball contact area without gaps or the like in between. This allows for a smooth and coherent overall ball contact surface to be provided.

[0142] The concern can be understood as meaning that a boundary of the second ball contact surface is in direct proximity to a boundary of the first ball contact surface. It cannot be ruled out that the first ball contact surface and the second ball contact surface are spaced apart to some extent. This may depend on the exact position of the tongue and / or the extent to which the tongue is folded, as understood by those skilled in the art.

[0143] As an alternative to a shoe upper that includes a tongue, the shoe upper can be a laceless shoe upper. Such a laceless shoe upper has the potential to save the athlete time while putting on a shoe that includes such an upper. Furthermore, it makes the shoe easier to clean. Additionally, a laceless shoe upper eliminates the possibility of the laces becoming tangled and leading to accidents or injuries. Furthermore, a laceless shoe upper also avoids the problem of the laces suddenly coming undone during exercises, such as playing soccer.

[0144] In the embodiment according to which the shoe upper is a laceless shoe upper, the ball contact surface can be arranged at least partially in the central midfoot section, i.e., the section where the laces are typically arranged for shoe uppers with laces. This increases the ball contact surface.

[0145] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the side portion facing the sole and the side portion facing the instep extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

[0146] This can have manufacturing advantages. It may still be possible for the side portion facing the sole and the side portion facing the instep to not extend perfectly parallel to the longitudinal axis. For example, as described elsewhere, the cross-section may have a triangular shape. In this respect, the term essentially emphasizes that manufacturing tolerances may be included for parallel alignment.

[0147] In a preferred embodiment of the shoe upper as described herein, the sole-facing side portion and the instep-facing side portion are located on opposite sides of a plane along the longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the shoe upper.

[0148] In a further aspect, the objects are achieved by a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, wherein the shoe comprises: a shoe upper according to one of the embodiments described herein; and a sole attached to the shoe upper.

[0149] It is understood that the technical characteristics shown or described for the shoe upper, the advantages and the improvements over the prior art are also applicable to the shoe, in particular the sports shoe. 4. Short description of the characters

[0150] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the following figures: Fig. 1: shows an exemplary shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2: shows the embodiment of Fig. 1 in a different perspective. Fig. 3: shows the embodiment of Fig. 1 in a different perspective. Fig. 4: shows a schematic figure of protrusions in an ordinary state and in a bent state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 5: shows an exemplary shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 6: shows the embodiment of Fig. 5 in a different perspective. Fig. 7: shows the embodiment of Fig. 5 in a different perspective. Fig. 8: shows part of Fig. 6 in a detailed perspective. Fig. 9: shows an exemplary shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 10: shows the embodiment of Fig. 9 in a different perspective and in a different transparency mode. 5. Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

[0151] In the following, only a few possible embodiments of the invention are described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to these, and a variety of other embodiments are applicable without departing from the scope of the invention. The illustrated embodiments can be modified and combined with one another in a variety of ways, and compatible and certain features can be omitted whenever they appear unnecessary. In particular, the disclosed embodiments can be modified by combining certain features of one embodiment with one or more features of another embodiment.

[0152] It should be understood that not all features of the described aspects / embodiments need to be present to realize the technical advantages provided by the present disclosure, which is defined by the subject matter of the claims. The disclosed aspects / embodiments may be modified by combining certain features of one aspect / embodiment with one or more features of another aspect / embodiment. In particular, those skilled in the art will understand that features and / or functional elements of one aspect / embodiment may be combined with technically compatible features and / or functional elements of another aspect / embodiment of the present disclosure, provided that the resulting combination falls within the definition of the present disclosure.

[0153] While the following embodiments are described primarily with reference to a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure according to the invention can equally be applied in a variety of different technical fields and / or applications.

[0154] In the present figures and description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. For clarity and conciseness, certain features, parts, elements, aspects, components, and / or steps of certain embodiments are shown without excessive detail, where such details would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings herein and / or where such details would obscure an understanding of more relevant aspects of the embodiments.

[0155] As understood by one skilled in the art and / or to avoid redundancies, reference is also made to the explanations in the preceding sections, which also apply to the following detailed description. Furthermore, for the sake of brevity and clarity, not all features, parts, elements, aspects, components, and / or steps are expressly indicated by reference numerals. This applies in particular if one skilled in the art recognizes that such features, parts, elements, aspects, components, and / or steps are present in a plurality. An example of this may be the protrusions 151. Definitions

[0156] The “toe portion” as used herein may include portions near the big toe and / or the big toe knuckle.

[0157] The “upper medial metatarsal portion” as used herein may include portions near the first metatarsal and / or medial metatarsal bones, such as the sphenoid and scaphoid bones.

[0158] Unless otherwise specified, the term "substantial" or "substantially," as used in the present context, may be understood to mean to a large or significant extent, or largely or substantially. In particular, manufacturing tolerances are included by this term.

[0159] The term "and / or" is merely an association relationship describing associated objects and represents that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three conditions: the independent existence of A, the existence of both A and B, and the independent existence of B. Additionally, the character " / " in the disclosure typically represents that previous and next associated objects form an "or" relationship.

[0160] The terms "bottom", "top", "one end", "the other end", "outside", "top", "over", "inside", "below", "beneath", "horizontal", "coaxial", "central", "end", "part", "length", "outer end", etc., which indicate the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings.

[0161] The terms "upper", "over", "under", "underneath" and the like, as used in the present invention to indicate a relative position in space, are used to facilitate explanation to describe a garment, element, part, object and / or feature shown in the drawings relative to the relationship of another garment, element, part, object and / or feature. Description of the characters

[0162] Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 show an exemplary shoe upper 101 for a shoe 100, in particular a sports shoe, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in three different perspectives ( Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3).

[0163] The shoe upper 101 comprises: a ball contact surface 150 comprising a plurality of projections 151 (for brevity, not all projections are labeled). Each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 has an elongated shape with a longitudinal axis LA (as shown in Fig. 2), a side section 151a facing the sole (as best shown in Fig. 4) and a side section 151b facing the instep (as best seen in Fig. 4). The ball contact surface 150 is configured to assist in shooting a ball 80 (as best shown in Fig. 4), in that each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 is elastically bendable such that each projection 151 is configured to bend upon contact with the ball 80 substantially in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA, and such that each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 is configured to bend such that the instep-facing side portion 151b contacts an outer surface of the shoe upper 101 or an adjacent projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151.

[0164] As from Fig. 1, each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 may have the shape of at least one of a ridge, a rib, a fin, or a fin. For example, the projections 151 may have a major axis, such as a length, that is substantially greater than a minor axis, such as a width. Furthermore, each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 may have a beveled edge at one, preferably both, ends along the longitudinal axis LA. The beveled edge may be formed by removing material from the edge at a specific angle and / or by cutting a beveled surface along the edge. The angle of the bevel may vary depending on the intended purpose and / or aesthetic considerations.

[0165] As in Fig. 2, a heel-to-toe axis HT is shown. Furthermore, a longitudinal axis LA of an exemplary protrusion 151 of the plurality of protrusions 151 of a toe portion 105 is indicated (the respective longitudinal axis LA has the suffix 105). The longitudinal axis LA_]105 forms an acute angle α with the heel-to-toe axis HT of the shoe upper 101 of at least 45°, preferably at least 50°, preferably at least 65°, preferably at least 85° in a toe portion 105 of the shoe upper. In addition, a longitudinal axis LA of an exemplary protrusion 151 of the plurality of protrusions 151 of an upper medial midfoot portion 112 of the shoe upper 101 is indicated (the respective longitudinal axis LA has the suffix 112).Furthermore, the longitudinal axis LA_112 forms an acute angle α with the heel-to-toe axis HT of at most 45°, preferably at most 35°, preferably at most 25°, preferably at most 15° in an upper medial midfoot portion 112 of the shoe upper 101.

[0166] In addition, as a Fig. In the example shown in Figure 2, a first protrusion 151 of the plurality of protrusions 151 is arranged in a toe portion 105 of the shoe upper 101, and a second protrusion 151 is arranged further back relative to the first protrusion 151 (e.g., in the upper medial midfoot portion 112). The acute angle α of the first protrusion 151 (in the toe portion 105) can be greater than the acute angle α of the second protrusion 151 (in the upper medial midfoot portion 112), preferably by at least 10°, preferably at least 20°, preferably at least 30°, preferably at least 40°.

[0167] Furthermore, each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 has a substantially quadrangular longitudinal section, preferably a trapezoidal longitudinal section. The longitudinal section is a cross-section along the longitudinal axis LA of the elongated projection 151.

[0168] As can be seen from the Fig. 1 to Fig. As can be further seen in Figure 3, at least two projections 151 of the plurality of projections 151 differ in at least one of their shape, dimensions, and / or orientation. Each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 can protrude from the outer surface of the shoe upper 101. Therefore, they can extend into the open environment.

[0169] The ball contact surface 150 may be at least partially disposed in at least one of a big toe portion, a big toe malleolus portion, a first metatarsal joint portion, a first metatarsal portion, an upper medial metatarsal portion 112, and / or a middle metatarsal portion 120.

[0170] The ball contact surface 150 may include one or more of the following: a medial and / or medial toe portion, a medial midfoot portion (which may be located near the sole 102), a medial and medial instep portion (which may be similar to the medial midfoot portion 120 as described elsewhere herein), and a front heel portion. The term medial may refer to the portions between lateral and medial. The term medial may be called dorsal.

[0171] Fig. 4 shows a schematic figure of a plurality of protrusions 151 in an ordinary state and in a bent state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0172] Each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 has an elongated shape with a longitudinal axis extending into the image plane of Fig. 4. Furthermore, each projection 151 has a side portion 151a facing the sole (on one side of the longitudinal axis) and a side portion 151b facing the instep (on the other side of the longitudinal axis). Each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 has a substantially triangular cross-section. The cross-section is along a plane, wherein the normal of the plane is parallel to the longitudinal axis, ie, in the image plane of Fig. 4. Furthermore, each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 has an upper edge at an upper portion 151d and a lower edge at a lower portion 151c. Both edges are directed along the longitudinal axis, ie, into the image plane of Fig. 4, and are substantially parallel to each other. Due to the triangular cross-section, the lower portion 151c may have two edges.

[0173] As in this Fig. 4, each protrusion 151 of the plurality of protrusions 151 can be configured to bend by a bending angle β of at least 5°, preferably at least 10°, preferably at least 15°, preferably at least 20°, preferably at least 25°, preferably at least 30°, preferably at least 35°, preferably at least 40°, preferably at least 45°. As can be seen from the bending angle, the sole-facing side portion 151a can be directed at least partially upwards when the protrusion 151 is bent. Furthermore, the instep-facing side portion 151b can be directed towards the shoe upper and / or towards a sole of the shoe 100 when the protrusion 151 is bent.

[0174] Fig. 4 also shows the height h substantially in a projecting direction of each projection 151. As described elsewhere herein, the height may be at least 0.5 mm, preferably at least 1 mm, preferably at least 1.5 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, most preferably at least 2.5 mm and / or at most 5 mm, preferably at most 4.5 mm, preferably at most 4 mm, preferably at most 3.5 mm, preferably at most 3 mm, most preferably at most 2.5 mm. Further, Fig. 4 the width w of each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151, which is perpendicular to the projection direction and to the longitudinal axis LA. As described elsewhere herein, the width w may be at least 0.1 mm, preferably at least 0.2 mm, preferably at least 0.3 mm, preferably at least 0.4 mm, preferably at least 0.5 mm, most preferably at least 0.6 mm and / or at most 1.5 mm, preferably at most 1.25 mm, preferably at most 1.0 mm, preferably at most 0.9 mm, preferably at most 0.8 mm, preferably at most 0.7 mm, most preferably at most 0.6 mm. The length of each projection 151 of the plurality of projections 151 is measured substantially along the longitudinal axis (as best shown in Fig. 2, i.e., along the longitudinal axis LA_105 of the toe portion 105 or along the longitudinal axis LA_112 of the upper medial midfoot portion 112). It is noted that the protrusions 151 may have a maximum length, such that there may be no protrusions 151 that extend continuously across the ball contact surface 150. This has the advantage that recesses 155, 155', 155", such as channels, may be provided between protrusions 151, for example, along a medial-to-lateral or lateral-to-medial direction, as described elsewhere herein.

[0175] A channel can have various cross-sectional shapes, such as rectangular, trapezoidal, circular, and / or irregular shapes, and / or combinations thereof. The cross-sectional shape may depend on the width, depth, and / or angles of the channel's sides. The width of the channel may refer to the distance between its two substantially parallel sides. It may be measured substantially perpendicular to the direction of flow, e.g., the flow of water (e.g., due to rain). The depth of a channel may refer to a vertical distance between a bottom of the channel and a top of the channel. It can usually be measured from the channel bed to a reference point. The channel can also be described by its slope or gradient. Such slope or gradient may describe the change in elevation along its length. It may represent a measure of how steeply the channel slopes or declines.Variations in the slope or incline can be advantageous if rain needs to be directed relatively quickly from one point on the shoe upper to another. The slope is typically expressed as a ratio or percentage. One or more of the recesses 155, 155', 155" described herein may alternatively or additionally be implemented using passageways, conduits, pipes, shafts, channels, corridors, grooves, or the like.

[0176] Fig. 5 to Fig. 7 show an exemplary shoe upper 201 for a shoe 200, in particular a sports shoe, according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure in three different perspectives ( Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7).

[0177] This embodiment corresponds to the other embodiments described herein, and differences are mostly highlighted, but common features are also shown. The reference numerals correspond to the other embodiments described here with an increase of one hundred, ie, the shoe upper 201 corresponds to the shoe upper 101 of the other embodiments described herein.

[0178] This embodiment is a laceless shoe upper 201 that saves time while putting on a shoe 200 including such a shoe upper 201. Such a laceless shoe upper 201 avoids the possibility of the laces becoming snagged and causing accidents or injuries.

[0179] In addition, in this embodiment, a movement trajectory TT of the ball is specified, which, however, is also applicable to any other embodiment described herein and not to the one described in Fig. 5 to Fig. 7. For the sake of clarity, the motion trajectory TT is omitted only in the remaining embodiments.

[0180] The movement trajectory TT can comprise one or more movement directions TD1, TDi, TD2 (as shown for example in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7). A first direction of movement TD1 is indicated, which is arranged substantially in the toe portion of the shoe upper 201. The first direction of movement TD1 can extend from the toe portion, in particular from the toe tip, to the instep portion of the shoe upper 201. The second direction of movement TD2 is arranged substantially in the medial portion 110 of the shoe upper 201. The second direction of movement TD2 can extend from the lower medial midfoot portion to the instep portion of the shoe upper 201. As can be seen from the Fig. 6 and Fig. As can be further seen in Figure 7, a plurality of intermediate movement directions TDi are indicated, which are arranged substantially in sections between the first movement direction TD1 and the second movement direction TD2. The intermediate movement directions TDi transition smoothly from an orientation substantially corresponding to the first movement direction TD1 to an orientation substantially corresponding to the second movement direction TD2. It is understood that, although in Fig. 6 two intermediate movement directions TDi are indicated and in Fig. 6 an intermediate movement direction TDi is specified, a plurality of which exists.

[0181] As mentioned herein, the motion trajectory TT may include one or more of the motion directions TD1, TD2, TD3. As an example, if the first contact section is located in a toe portion of the shoe upper 201, the ball may first move along the motion direction TD1 and then along the motion direction TD2, terminating in a second contact section near the instep portion of the shoe upper 201.

[0182] It is understood that there are a plurality of exemplary motion trajectories TT. For example, a player may kick the ball slightly differently compared to the previous example. For example, the first contact section may be near a metatarsal bone. In such an example, the Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 specified direction of movement TD1 is not included in the movement trajectory TT, ie during this shot.

[0183] The motion trajectory TT comprises one or more of the illustrated motion directions TD1, TD1, TD2. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, this can be explained by the fact that the ball can be deformed during a shot. As a result, a relatively large surface of the shoe upper 201 can be in contact during ball impact, as described elsewhere herein.

[0184] The longitudinal axis LA of each protrusion 151 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the directions of movement TD1, TDi, TD2 in the respective sections of the shoe upper 201. Since the movement trajectory TT comprises one or more of these directions of movement TD1, TDi, TD2, the longitudinal axis LA of each protrusion 151 can also be oriented substantially perpendicular to the movement trajectory TT. The movement trajectory TT can be directed upward and rearward from the shoe upper 201. It can start from multiple points along an edge of the sole 202 of the shoe 200. It can extend to the central midfoot section 120.

[0185] Further to the above analysis of the ball's motion trajectory TT, it may be possible for the ball's motion trajectory to be reversed, for example, in so-called "top-spin shots." For such shots, the first ball contact portion may be directed rearward and / or toward the shoe opening. The second ball contact portion may be directed toward the toe portion 105. For such "top-spin shots," top spin is required and / or desired. During these types of shots, the foot strikes the ball substantially at a center and moves through the ball in an upward direction. As understood by those skilled in the art, the ball's motion trajectory TT for these types of shots may be reversed to the motion trajectory TT described elsewhere herein.

[0186] It is understood that a plurality of projections 151 may be arranged on the shoe upper 201 such that at least one of the projections 151 may be oriented substantially perpendicular to a respective type of weft, such as a cut weft, a straight weft, or the like.

[0187] How best in Fig. 7 and applicable to all embodiments described herein, each protrusion 151 in a medial portion 120 of the shoe upper 201 may be spaced from a sole 202 of the shoe 200 by at least 5 mm, preferably at least 8 mm, preferably at least 12 mm, preferably at least 16 mm, preferably at least 20 mm. Furthermore, no protrusion 151 in a lower medial portion 111 of the shoe upper 201 may be substantially directly proximate to at least one of a sole 202 of the shoe 200, a lateral portion 115 of the shoe upper (as best shown in Fig. 3) and / or a heel portion 125 of the shoe upper 201.

[0188] In particular, as exemplified in Fig. 1 and Fig. 7, it may be possible for either no protrusion 151 to be arranged in a lower medial midfoot portion 111 of the shoe upper 101, or for flat or non-flexible protrusions to be arranged in the lower medial midfoot portion 111 of the shoe upper 101. These flat or non-flexible protrusions can be manufactured in various ways, including, but not limited to, 3D printing or the like.

[0189] As exemplified in Fig. 7, the shoe 100, 200 may be provided with studs 180 (for brevity, only two are indicated), which may also be referred to as cleats. These may serve to provide traction for the player on a surface, in particular a soft surface, such as grass fields or the like. The use of studs is known in the field of ball sports, such as soccer or football (e.g., American football), rugby, or the like. In some examples, the studs may be integrally formed with the sole 202 of the shoe 200. The studs 180 may be at least partially injection-molded onto a base material. In various examples, prefabricated stud tips may be placed in a mold and over-molded with a base material. The base material may comprise portions of the sole 202. In various examples, the studs 180 may comprise TPU.One-piece or injection-molded 180 studs have the advantage that no screws are required and / or the 180 studs do not need to be replaced. However, it is also possible to use replaceable 180 studs or screw-on 180 studs.

[0190] Fig. 8 shows part of Fig. 6 in a detailed perspective. As noted elsewhere herein, at least two protrusions 251 of the plurality of protrusions 251 may be connected by a base member 156 on the outer surface of the shoe upper 201. The at least two protrusions 151 may be formed integrally with the base member 156. The at least two protrusions 151 may be arranged in a first group 160 of the ball contact surface 150. In this figure, by way of example, six protrusions 151 are connected by the base member 156, and six protrusions 151 form a group 160 arranged in a toe portion 105 of the shoe upper 201.

[0191] The base member 160 may have a thickness (in a projecting direction PT, as shown in Fig. 4, the projections 151) of at most 1.5 mm, preferably at most 1 mm, preferably at most 0.8 mm; and / or at least 0.2 mm, preferably at least 0.4 mm, most preferably at least 0.5 mm.

[0192] In various examples, the first 156 and / or second 156' base member comprises an area on the shoe upper 201 that corresponds to the sum of the area of ​​each lower portion of the protrusions 151 on the base member 156, 156'. Preferably, the first 156 and / or second 156' base member is larger by a factor of at least 1.05, preferably at least 1.1, most preferably at least 1.15 than the sum of the area of ​​each lower portion of the one or more protrusions 151 on the base member 156, 156'; and / or of at most 1.3, preferably at most 1.25, preferably at most 1.2, most preferably at most 1.15 than the sum of the area of ​​each lower portion of the one or more protrusions 151 on the base member 156, 156'.

[0193] In various examples, the contour of the base element(s) 156, 156' may correspond to the contour of the lower portion of each of the protrusions 151, but protrude slightly outward. In one example, connections may be present between each contour. Alternatively, the space between each protrusion 151 of the same group 160, 160' may be completely covered by the base element(s) 156, 156'.

[0194] In addition, as in Fig. 8, the base element 160 is substantially defined by a central portion of each projection 151.

[0195] Still further, the ball contact surface 150 may comprise at least two further projections 151 formed integrally with a further base element 156' and arranged in a second group 160' (it should be noted that the projections 151 of the second group 160' are not labeled for clarity only). The second group 160' is also arranged in a toe portion 105 of the shoe upper 201. However, as described elsewhere herein, the second group 160' may also be arranged further back (as, for example, in Fig. 5). It can be seen that the first group 160 and the second group 160' are spaced apart greater than any two, preferably adjacent, projections 151 of the first group 160 or the second group 160'. This allows for the formation of recesses (e.g., channels), as described below, to allow water and debris to flow therethrough.

[0196] The ball contact surface 150 further includes a recess 155 located between the first group 160 and the second group 160'. A further recess 155' is indicated in this figure, located near the first group 160 and / or the second group 160' toward a rear end thereof. The recesses 155, 155' may take the form of channels or the like, as described elsewhere herein.

[0197] As from Fig. 8, the projections 151 of the first group 160 and / or the second group 160' are arranged substantially parallel to one another along their longitudinal axis LA. Furthermore, the projections 151 of the first group 160 and / or the second group 160' are preferably spaced substantially equidistant from one another. In addition, Fig. 8, that the distance between two adjacent projections 151 can be at least 0.5 times the height of one of the projections 151, preferably the front projection 151, preferably at least 0.75 times, more preferably at least 1 times.

[0198] It is emphasized that the description of the base element(s) 156, 156', the first group 160 and / or the second group 160' may equally be applicable to any other embodiment described herein. Furthermore, the number and arrangement of the groups 160, 160' is by no means limited to the example of Fig. 8. For example, there are Fig. 5 shows four groups 160, 160', 160'', 160''', each of which can be provided with a respective base element. A first group 160 is arranged in a toe section 105 with six projections 151. A second group 160' is arranged in a section comprising part of a toe section 105 and part of an upper medial metatarsal section 112 with six projections 151. A third group 160'' is arranged in an upper medial metatarsal section 112 with two projections 151. A fourth group 160''' is again arranged in a toe section 105 with six projections 151. Furthermore, Fig. 5 two recesses 155 in a similar manner as Fig. 8 on.

[0199] As another example of the arrangement of groups, Fig. 1 shows two groups 160, 160', each of which can be provided with a respective base element. It should be noted that the indication of the groups is not limited to these examples, the person skilled in the art will, for example, Fig. 1 that the shoe upper 101 may comprise eight groups, three of which are in a toe section 105 and the rest are in rear sections relative to the toe section 105. By way of example, Fig. 1 shows three recesses 155, 155', 155'', which are arranged between the groups 160, 160' (for the sake of brevity, not all groups are shown). Although in Fig. 1, in this embodiment, at least two projections 151 of the plurality of projections 251 can also be connected by a base element 156 on the outer surface of the shoe upper 101. The at least two projections 151 can be formed integrally with the base element 156.

[0200] Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 show an exemplary shoe upper 301 for a shoe 300, in particular a sports shoe, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 10 shows the embodiment of Fig. 9 in a different perspective and in a different transparency mode.

[0201] This embodiment corresponds to the other embodiments described herein and mostly highlights differences, but also shows common features.

[0202] Here, the shoe upper 301 includes a tongue 390 that is designed to be folded to at least partially overlap the laces of the shoe upper 301.

[0203] The ball contact surface 150, described elsewhere herein, is a first ball contact surface 150, and the tongue 390 includes a second ball contact surface 350 that includes a plurality of protrusions 151 according to any of the embodiments described herein. As can be seen, the second ball contact surface 350 can be configured to substantially abut the first ball contact surface 150 when the tongue 390 is folded.

[0204] In one or more of the embodiments of the shoe upper described herein, the instep-facing side portion of each of the protrusions comprises at least 20%, preferably at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, preferably at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, preferably at least 70%, preferably at least 80%, preferably at least 90% of the instep-facing side of each protrusion. In other words, each of the plurality of protrusions is configured to bend such that at least 20%, preferably at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, preferably at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, preferably at least 70%, preferably at least 80%, preferably at least 90% of the instep-facing side of each protrusion contacts the outer surface of the shoe upper or an adjacent protrusion of the plurality of protrusions.

[0205] In one or more of the embodiments of the shoe upper described herein, the first group is arranged in a toe portion of the shoe upper, wherein the longitudinal axis LA of the one or more projections of the first group is aligned substantially from a medial to a lateral portion of the shoe upper, wherein preferably the longitudinal axis LA forms an acute angle with a heel-to-toe axis of the shoe upper of at least 45°, preferably at least 50°, preferably at least 55°, preferably at least 60°, preferably at least 65°, preferably at least 70°, preferably at least 75°, preferably at least 80°, preferably at least 85°.

[0206] In one or more of the embodiments of the shoe upper described herein, the second group is arranged in an upper medial metatarsal portion, such as in the vicinity of the first metatarsal bone and / or the medial metatarsal bone, such as the sphenoid bone and the navicular bone, and / or in a middle metatarsal portion, wherein the longitudinal axis of the one or more projections of the second group is aligned from a medial portion to a toe portion of the shoe upper, wherein preferably the longitudinal axis forms an acute angle with a heel-to-toe axis of the shoe upper of at most 45°, preferably at most 40°, preferably at most 35°, preferably at most 30°, preferably at most 25°, preferably at most 20°, preferably at most 15° in an upper medial metatarsal portion of the shoe upper.

[0207] In one or more of the embodiments of the shoe upper described herein, the projections 151 may be implemented by cut projections 151 and / or by changing the angle of adjacent projections 151, which may be aligned substantially along their longitudinal axis LA.

[0208] In one or more of the embodiments of the shoe upper described herein, each protrusion 151 of the plurality of protrusions 151 comprises a material including at least one of rubber, elastomer, cast polyurethane CPU, and / or silicone. Furthermore, in all of the above embodiments, each protrusion 151 of the plurality of protrusions 151 comprises a material having a hardness in the range of 45-60 Shore A.

[0209] In one or more of the embodiments of the shoe upper described herein, the mention of "first," "second," or the like merely corresponds to the naming of elements, parts, groups, or the like. This naming is not to be interpreted as limiting, but serves merely to illustrate the present disclosure.

[0210] It should be noted that one or more of the embodiments and / or examples described herein may be combined with other aspects as described herein, and details of the embodiments and / or examples may also be omitted, as understood by those skilled in the art. The scope of protection is determined by the claims and is not limited by the embodiments and / or examples disclosed in the above figures. 6. Further embodiments

[0211] Further embodiments are described below to facilitate understanding of the invention.

[0212] 1a. Shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, comprising: a ball contact surface comprising at least one projection projecting from an outer surface of the shoe upper; b. wherein the ball contact surface is at least partially arranged in a toe portion of the shoe upper; and c. wherein no projection projecting from the outer surface is located in a lower medial midfoot portion of the shoe upper.

[0213] 1b. Shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, the shoe upper comprising: a ball contact surface comprising at least two projections projecting from an outer surface of the shoe upper; b. wherein the ball contact surface is at least partially arranged in a toe portion of the shoe upper; and c. wherein the at least two projections are connected by a base element on the outer surface of the shoe upper.

[0214] 1c. Shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, the shoe upper comprising: a ball contact surface comprising a plurality of projections; b. wherein a movement trajectory TT is defined on the shoe upper and / or on the ball contact surface, wherein the movement trajectory preferably comprises one or more directions of movement, wherein a first direction of movement is arranged in a toe section of the shoe upper and extends from the toe section, in particular from a toe tip, to an instep section or a metatarsal section of the shoe upper, wherein a second direction of movement is preferably arranged in a medial portion of the shoe upper and extends from a lower medial metatarsal portion to an instep portion or an intermediate metatarsal portion of the shoe upper, wherein one or more intermediate movement directions are preferably arranged between the first movement direction and the second movement direction, and wherein an orientation of the one or more intermediate movement directions varies between an orientation corresponding to one of the first movement directions and an orientation corresponding to one of the second movement directions, wherein the variation is preferably continuous and / or monotonous from a toe portion of the shoe upper to a medial portion of the shoe upper; c. wherein a longitudinal axis of the one or more projections is oriented substantially perpendicular to the movement trajectory.

[0215] 1d. Shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, the shoe upper comprising: a. a ball contact surface arranged in at least a toe portion of an outer surface of the shoe upper, the ball contact surface comprising one or more projections projecting from the outer surface in a first direction; b. wherein the one or more projections each have an elongated shape with a longitudinal axis; c. wherein the one or more projections each have an upper edge and a lower edge along the longitudinal axis that are substantially parallel to each other.

[0216] The above-mentioned embodiments 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d can be combined with the appended claims, in particular with the features of the claims relating to independent claim 1. 7. List of reference symbols used 100 shoes 101 Shoe upper 102 Sole 105 Toe section 110 medial section 111 lower medial section 112 upper medial metatarsal section 115 lateral section 120 middle metatarsal section 125 heel section 150 ball contact area 151 lead 151a side section facing the sole 151b the side section facing the instep 151c lower section of the projection 151d upper section of the projection 155 recess 155' recess 155'' recess 156 Basic element 156' additional base element 160 first group 160' second group 160'' third group 160''' fourth group 180 tunnels 190 Ball 200 shoes 201 upper 202 Sole 300 shoes 350 second ball contact area 390 Tongue α acute angle β bending angle HT heel-to-toe axis LA Longitudinal axis of the elongated shape of a projection PT projection direction TT movement trajectory of the ball TD1 first direction of movement TDi intermediate movement direction TD2 second direction of movement QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 3 909 459 A1

[0008] US 2011 / 0258883 A1

[0009] EP 2 891 422 B1

[0010] WO 2010 / 086672 A1

[0012] CN 206390385U

[0013] CN 207269957

[0014] US 9693694 B2

[0015] EP 1430801 A1

[0016] WO 2010 / 055276 A1

[0017]

Claims

[1] Shoe upper (101, 201) for a shoe (100, 200, 300), in particular a sports shoe, comprising: a ball contact surface (150) comprising a plurality of projections (151); b. wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) has an elongated shape with a longitudinal axis (LA), a side portion facing the sole (102, 202) and a side portion facing the instep; and c. wherein the ball contact surface (150) is configured to assist in the shooting of a ball (80) in that each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) is elastically bendable such that each projection (151) is configured to bend upon contact with the ball (80) substantially in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (LA), and such that each of the plurality of projections (151) is configured to bend such that the instep-facing side portion (151b) contacts an outer surface of the shoe upper (101, 201) or an adjacent projection of the plurality of projections (151). [2] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to the preceding claim, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) has a substantially triangular cross-section. [3] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) has an upper edge and a lower edge along the longitudinal axis (LA) which are substantially parallel to each other. [4] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) has a substantially quadrangular longitudinal section, preferably a trapezoidal longitudinal section. [5] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the longitudinal axis (LA) forms an acute angle (α) with a heel-to-toe axis (HT) of the shoe upper (101, 201) of at least 45°, preferably at least 50°, preferably at least 65°, preferably at least 85° in a toe portion (105) of the shoe upper (101, 201); and / or at most 45°, preferably at most 35°, preferably at most 25°, preferably at most 15° in an upper medial metatarsal portion of the shoe upper (101, 201). [6] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a first projection of the plurality of projections (151) is arranged in a toe portion (105) of the shoe upper (101, 201) and a second projection is arranged further back with respect to the first projection, wherein an acute angle of the first projection is greater than an acute angle of the second projection, preferably by at least 10°, preferably at least 20°, preferably at least 30°, preferably at least 40°. [7] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) has the shape of at least one of a ridge, a rib, a sipe or a fin. [8] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two projections (151) of the plurality of projections (151) differ in at least one of their shape, dimensions and / or orientation. [9] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) has a bevelled edge at one, preferably at both ends, along the longitudinal axis (LA). [10] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a movement trajectory (TT) is defined on the shoe upper (101, 201), wherein the longitudinal axis (LA) of each projection (151) is aligned substantially perpendicular to the movement trajectory (TT), wherein the movement trajectory (TT) preferably comprises one or more movement directions (TD1, TDi, TD2), wherein a first direction of movement (TD1) is arranged in a toe section (105) of the shoe upper (101, 201) and extends from the toe section (105), in particular from a toe tip, to an instep section or a metatarsal intermediate section (120) of the shoe upper (101, 201), wherein a second direction of movement (TD2) is preferably arranged in a medial portion (110) of the shoe upper (101, 201) and extends from a lower medial metatarsal portion (111) to an instep portion or a metatarsal intermediate portion (120) of the shoe upper (101, 201), wherein one or more intermediate movement directions (TDi) are preferably arranged between the first movement direction (TD1) and the second movement direction (TD2), and wherein an orientation of the one or more intermediate movement directions (TDi) varies between an orientation corresponding to one of the first movement directions (TD1) and an orientation corresponding to one of the second movement directions (TD2), wherein the variation is preferably continuous and / or monotonous from a toe portion (105) of the shoe upper (101, 201) to a medial portion (110) of the shoe upper (101, 201). [11] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of projections protrude from the outer surface of the shoe upper (101, 201). [12] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) has a height substantially in a projection direction (PT) of at least 0.5 mm, preferably at least 1 mm, preferably at least 1.5 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, most preferably at least 2.5 mm, and / or at most 5 mm, preferably at most 4.5 mm, preferably at most 4 mm, preferably at most 3.5 mm, preferably at most 3 mm, most preferably at most 2.5 mm. [13] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) has a width substantially perpendicular to a projection direction (PT) and to the longitudinal axis (LA) of at least 0.1 mm, preferably at least 0.2 mm, preferably at least 0.3 mm, preferably at least 0.4 mm, preferably at least 0.5 mm, most preferably at least 0.6 mm, and / or at most 1.5 mm, preferably at most 1.25 mm, preferably at most 1.0 mm, preferably at most 0.9 mm, preferably at most 0.8 mm, preferably at most 0.7 mm, most preferably at most 0.6 mm. [14] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) has a length substantially along the longitudinal axis (LA) of at least 2 mm, preferably at least 4 mm, preferably at least 6 mm, preferably at least 8 mm, preferably at least 10 mm, most preferably at least 15 mm, and / or at most 40 mm, preferably at most 30 mm, preferably at most 25 mm, preferably at most 20 mm, most preferably at most 15 mm. [15] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to claim 3, wherein the upper edge has a length along the longitudinal axis (LA) of at most 100% of a length of the lower edge along the longitudinal axis (LA), preferably at most 90%, preferably at most 80%, preferably at most 70%, preferably at most 60%, preferably at most 50%, and / or at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, preferably at least 70%, preferably at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, preferably at least 100%. [16] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the distance between two adjacent projections (151) is at least 0.5 times the height of one of the projections (151), preferably at least 0.75 times, more preferably at least 1 times. [17] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) is configured to bend by a bending angle (β) of at least 5°, preferably at least 10°, preferably at least 15°, preferably at least 20°, preferably at least 25°, preferably at least 30°, preferably at least 35°, preferably at least 40°, preferably at least 45°. [18] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) in a medial portion (110) of the shoe upper (101, 201) is spaced from a sole (102, 202) of the shoe (100, 200, 300) by at least 5 mm, preferably at least 8 mm, preferably at least 12 mm, preferably at least 16 mm, preferably at least 20 mm. [19] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein no projection (151) in a lower medial portion (111) of the shoe upper (101, 201) is arranged substantially directly in the vicinity of at least one of a sole (102, 202) of the shoe (100, 200, 300), a lateral portion (115) of the shoe upper (101, 201) and / or a heel portion (125) of the shoe upper (101, 201). [20] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ball contact surface (150) is at least partially arranged in at least one of a big toe portion, a big toe ankle portion, a first metatarsal joint portion, a first metatarsal bone portion, an upper medial metatarsal portion and / or a middle metatarsal portion (120). [21] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein no projection (151) is arranged in a lower medial midfoot portion of the shoe upper (101, 201) or wherein flat or non-flexible projections (151) are arranged in the lower medial midfoot portion of the shoe upper (101, 201). [22] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two projections (151) of the plurality of projections (151) are connected by a base element (156) on the outer surface of the shoe upper (101, 201). [23] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to the preceding claim, wherein the base element (156) extends substantially through a central part of each projection (151). [24] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to claim 22 or 23, wherein the base element (156) has a thickness of at most 1.5 mm, preferably at most 1 mm, preferably at most 0.8 mm; and / or at least 0.2 mm, preferably at least 0.4 mm, most preferably at least 0.5 mm. [25] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of claims 22-24, wherein the at least two projections (151) are formed integrally with the base element (156) and are arranged in a first group (160) of the ball contact surface (150). [26] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to the preceding claim, wherein the ball contact surface (150) comprises at least two further projections (151) which are formed integrally with a further base element and are arranged in a second group (160'), wherein the first group (160) and the second group (160') are spaced apart by a greater distance than any two, preferably adjacent, projections (151) of the first group (160) or the second group (160'). [27] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to the preceding claim, wherein the ball contact surface (150) comprises a recess (155) arranged between the first group (160) and the second group (160'). [28] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to claim 26 or 27, wherein the projections (151) of the first group (160) and / or the second group (160') are arranged substantially parallel to one another along their longitudinal axis (LA), and wherein the projections (151) of the first group (160) and / or the second group (160') are preferably spaced substantially equidistant from one another. [29] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) comprises a material including at least one of rubber, elastomer, cast polyurethane, CPU and / or silicone. [30] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each projection (151) of the plurality of projections (151) comprises a material having a hardness in the range of 45-60 Shore A. [31] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shoe upper (101, 201) further comprises a tongue adapted to be folded to at least partially overlap the laces of the shoe upper (101, 201). [32] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to the preceding claim, wherein the ball contact surface (150) is a first ball contact surface and the tongue comprises a second ball contact surface comprising a plurality of projections (151) according to any one of the preceding claims. [33] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to the preceding claim, wherein the second ball contact surface is designed to substantially abut against the first ball contact surface when the tongue is folded. [34] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the side portion facing the sole (102, 202) and the side portion (151b) facing the instep extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (LA). [35] Shoe upper (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the side portion facing the sole (102, 202) and the side portion (151b) facing the instep are located on opposite sides of a plane along the longitudinal axis (LA) substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the shoe upper (101, 201). [36] Shoe (100, 200, 300), in particular a sports shoe, the shoe (100, 200, 300) comprising: a shoe upper according to any one of claims 1-35; and a sole (102, 202) attached to the shoe upper (101, 201).

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