Patent ID: 9521876
Filing Date: 2016-12-20
CPC Classification: A43B

Claim Text:
1. A plurality of articles of footwear, comprising: a first pair of articles of footwear, wherein each article of footwear of the first pair of articles of footwear has a first upper and a first sole assembly including a first sole structure fixed in place with respect to the first upper such that the first sole structure cannot be removed from the respective article of footwear without damaging the same article of footwear and wherein the first sole assembly has a first thickness; a second pair of articles of footwear, wherein each article of footwear of the second pair of articles of footwear has a second upper and a second sole assembly, the second sole assembly including: a second sole structure fixed in place with respect to the corresponding second upper such that the second sole structure cannot be removed from the respective article of footwear of the second pair of articles of footwear without damaging the same article of footwear, wherein the second sole structure includes a grooved portion; and a first removable sole unit configured to fit within the groove portion of the second sole structure, wherein each article of footwear of the second pair of articles of footwear has a first configuration in which the first removable sole unit is placed outside of the respective article of footwear, wherein each article of footwear of the second pair of articles of footwear has a second configuration in which the first removable sole unit is placed within the respective article of footwear, wherein the second sole assembly has a second thickness when the respective article of footwear is in the first configuration; wherein the second sole assembly has a third thickness when the respective article of footwear is in the second configuration; wherein each article of footwear of the first pair of articles of footwear and each article of footwear of the second pair of articles of footwear have substantially identical footwear sizes; wherein the first thickness and the third thickness are substantially equal and wherein the third thickness is greater than the second thickness; and wherein the first upper is identical to the second upper.