Patent ID: 9516918
Filing Date: 2016-12-13
CPC Classification: A43B,A43C

Claim Text:
1. An article of footwear, comprising: a sole member having an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface disposed opposite of the outwardly facing surface, wherein the outwardly facing surface is disposed further from a foot than the inwardly facing surface when the article of footwear is worn; the sole member including a plurality of holes extending from the outwardly facing surface to the inwardly facing surface; a plurality of protruding members, each of the plurality of protruding members including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, wherein the distal end portion is disposed further from the foot than the proximal end portion when the article of footwear is worn; the plurality of protruding members comprising at least a first protruding member, a second protruding member, and a third protruding member; the first protruding member being disposed between the second protruding member and the third protruding member; a first connecting portion including a first end portion attached to the first protruding member and a second end portion attached to the second protruding member; a second connecting portion including a third end portion attached to the first protruding member and a fourth end portion attached to the third protruding member; the first protruding member having a first position wherein the proximal end portion of the first protruding member is disposed a first distance from the inwardly facing surface of the sole member; the first protruding member having a second position wherein the proximal end portion of the first protruding member is disposed a second distance from the inwardly facing surface of the sole member and wherein the first protruding member extends away from the sole member in the second position; wherein the proximal end portion is disposed closer to the inner surface of the sole member than the distal end portion when the first protruding member is in the first position; wherein the first connecting portion has a first length when the first protruding member is in the first position and a second length when the first protruding member is in the second position, wherein the second length is greater than the second length; wherein the first connecting portion is substantially parallel with the inwardly facing surface when the first protruding member is in the first position, wherein the first connecting portion is angled with respect to the inwardly facing surface when the first protruding member is in the second position; and wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.