Patent ID: 9345285
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: A43B

Claim Text:
1. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising: a sole plate comprising a plurality of leaf spring elements disposed in a forefoot area of the sole plate, wherein the sole plate and the plurality of leaf spring elements are integrally formed, wherein each of the plurality of leaf spring elements has a connected end connected to the sole plate and a free end not directly connected to the sole plate, wherein the free end is rearwardly disposed from the connected end, wherein all free ends point in substantially the same direction, wherein the sole comprises no leaf spring element in the forefoot area of the sole plate having a free end pointing substantially opposite the direction in which the free ends of the plurality of leaf spring elements point, wherein at least one leaf spring element comprises a longitudinal section extending in a longitudinal direction of the sole and a transverse section extending from the longitudinal section in a transverse direction of the sole, and wherein two or more leaf spring elements come together integrally to form a single end not directly connected to the sole plate.