Patent ID: 9655403
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: A43B,A43C

Claim:
1. An article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side, the article of footwear defining a lateral axis that extends between the medial side and the lateral side, the article of footwear configured to receive a foot, the article of footwear comprising: an upper defining a cavity configured to receive the foot, the upper having an underfoot portion that is configured to extend underneath the foot, the underfoot portion including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface facing the cavity, the second surface facing opposite the first surface; and a sole structure that is operably coupled to the upper, the sole structure extending along the lateral axis, the sole structure including an outsole that includes: a base with an upper surface that faces the upper and a lower surface that faces away from the upper surface, a first stepped projection that projects in a plurality of first steps from the lower surface, the plurality of first steps defined by a plurality of first tread surfaces and a plurality of first riser surfaces, and a second stepped projection that projects in a plurality of second steps from the lower surface, the plurality of second steps defined by a plurality of second tread surfaces and a plurality of second riser surfaces, the second stepped projection being spaced away from the first stepped projection relative to the lateral axis of the article of footwear, the base, the first stepped projection, and the second stepped projection being resiliently flexible, the first and second stepped projection configured to flex relative to the base in a lateral direction that extends between the medial side and the lateral side, the first and second stepped projection configured to flex relative to the base in a longitudinal direction that extends between a forefoot portion and a heel portion of the sole structure, the sole structure being resiliently flexible and moveable between a neutral position and a flexed position, the sole structure configured to move the first surface of the underfoot portion of the upper between a smooth position and a wavy position due to movement between the neutral position and the flexed position, the first surface being in the smooth position when the sole structure is in the neutral position, the first surface being in the wavy position when the sole structure is in the flexed position, the upper surface of the base being substantially smooth in the neutral position, the outsole having a ground engaging surface, wherein the outsole has a total thickness measured between the upper surface and the ground engaging surface, and wherein the base has a base thickness measured between the upper surface and the lower surface, the base thickness being at most 30% of the total thickness of the outsole.