Patent ID: 9622540
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: A43B

Claim:
1. An article of footwear, comprising a shank providing a resilient member for the footwear, the shank extending in a longitudinal, lateral, and vertical direction, the shank comprising: a substantially planar base portion extending within a first plane in the longitudinal and lateral directions in an uncompressed state; and a substantially planar ramp portion designed to absorb footwear loads in a vertical direction, the ramp portion extending, in the uncompressed state, within a second plane that is oblique to the first plane, wherein the article of footwear further includes a midsole and an outsole; wherein the outsole comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion is located at a forefoot portion of the outsole, and wherein the second portion extends rearwardly from the first portion to a location spaced from a heel portion of the article of footwear such that the second portion terminates at the location spaced from the heel portion, and further wherein said heel portion is configured to contact a ground surface without said second portion extending between the heel portion and the ground surface; wherein at least part of the base portion of the shank is coupled to the second portion of the outsole so that a load applied to the outsole moves the base portion of the shank relative to the ramp portion so that the shank is in a compressed state; wherein when the shank is in the uncompressed state, a first location of the second portion of the outsole is spaced from the midsole to form a gap between the midsole and the first location of the second portion of the outsole; and wherein when the shank is in the compressed state, said first location of the second portion of the outsole contacts the midsole.