Patent ID: 9554624
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: A43B

Claim:
1. An article of footwear comprising an upper and a sole structure; the upper comprising a different material than the sole structure, wherein the upper is attached to the sole structure by at least one of stitching, stapling, gluing, fusing, or welding; the sole structure comprising: a group of members comprised of a first group and a second group; the sole structure further includes a group of connecting portions and a group of interior apertures; the first group comprises a first exterior member connected to a first interior member at a first connecting portion, the first interior member connected to a second interior member at a second connecting portion forming a first peripheral aperture, and the second interior member connected to a second exterior member at a third connecting portion; the second group comprises a third exterior member connected to a third interior member at a fourth connecting portion, the third interior member connected to a fourth interior member at a fifth connecting portion forming a second peripheral aperture, and the fourth interior member connected to a fourth exterior member at sixth connecting portion; wherein the first group is connected to the second group at a seventh connecting portion connecting the first exterior member and the third exterior member and forming a third peripheral aperture, at an eighth connecting portion connecting the first interior member and the third interior member, at a ninth connecting portion connecting the second interior member and the fourth interior member, and at a tenth connecting portion connecting the second exterior member and the fourth exterior member and forming a fourth peripheral aperture; wherein the first exterior member, the first interior member, the third exterior member, and the third interior member circumscribe a first interior aperture oriented in a first direction; wherein the second interior member, the second exterior member, the fourth interior member, and the fourth exterior member circumscribe a second interior aperture oriented in the first direction; wherein the first interior member, the second interior member, the third interior member, and the fourth interior member circumscribe a third interior aperture oriented in a second direction; wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; wherein a first area of the first interior aperture increases when a tension is applied across the group of members in a third direction, the third direction being a direction in a plane formed by the first direction and the second direction; wherein a second area of the second interior aperture increases when the tension is applied across the group of members in the third direction; wherein a third area of the third interior aperture increases when the tension is applied across the group of members in the third direction; wherein each of the first interior member, the second interior member, the third interior member, the fourth interior member, the first exterior member, the second exterior member, the third exterior member, and the fourth exterior member has a member width oriented along the second direction and a member length oriented along the first direction; wherein each of the first interior member, the second interior member, the third interior member, the fourth interior member, the first exterior member, the second exterior member, the third exterior member, and the fourth exterior member is in a shape of a rectangle having substantially parallel opposite edges, and wherein the member width is greater than the member length.