Patent ID: 7540099

Claim:
An assembly of footwear elements for use with an athletic shoe, the assembly comprising: an upper having an arch region and a heel region: a supporting structure: a flexible plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, an interior portion, and peripheral portions, at least a portion of the peripheral portions of the flexible plate being between at least a portion of the supporting structure and at least a portion of the heel region of the upper, at least a portion of the peripheral portions of the plate being restrained from movement relative to the interior portion of the plate in a substantially vertical direction so that the interior portion of the plate is capable of being deflected relative to the peripheral portions in a substantially vertical direction; a heel support integral with the flexible plate, the heel support having at least one upwardly-extending wall; and an arch bridge being integral with the flexible plate, the arch bridge extending from a position proximate a forward portion of the flexible plate.