Patent ID: 9668540
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: A43B

Claim:
1. A sole for footwear, comprising an energy transfer base, the energy transfer base includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and opposed first and second side surfaces, the energy transfer base further includes at least one cavity, the at least one cavity includes an opening on the first side surface, an opening on the second side surface, and a hollow passage fluidly connecting the openings on the first and second side surfaces, the at least one cavity defines upper and lower portions of the energy transfer base, wherein the upper portion is configured to move away from a nominal position and toward the lower portion when a force applied to the upper portion toward the lower portion has a magnitude that is above a predetermined value, and to move back to the nominal position when at least one of (1) the force is no longer applied or (2) the magnitude of the applied force is at or below the predetermined value, wherein the energy transfer base further includes a rear surface, the at least one cavity further includes an opening that spans the length of the rear surface such that the opening on the first side surface, the opening on the second side surface, and the opening on the rear surface collectively forms a continuous opening between the first side surface and the second side surface, and the hollow passage fluidly connects the openings of the first side surface, the second side surface, and the rear surface, wherein the continuous opening extends from the rear surface to at least 25% of the length of both the first and second side surfaces.