Patent ID: 8418382

Claim:
An article of footwear comprising: a sole structure, the sole structure including a flexure zone extending substantially across a forefoot region of the sole structure, the flexure zone forming a region of the sole structure more flexible than adjacent regions of the sole structure, a first ridge fraction element, wherein the first ridge traction element includes a first peripheral segment proximate and generally parallel to an edge of the sole structure in the forefoot region, the first peripheral segment having a substantially continuous height, and the first ridge traction element includes a first transverse segment extending across the sole structure away from the first peripheral segment and surrounded on both sides by adjacent portions of the sole structure, the first transverse segment having a height that decreases along its length as it extends away from the first peripheral segment, no portion of the first transverse segment having a height greater than the height of the first peripheral segment, and a second ridge traction element, wherein the first and second ridge traction elements are separated by the flexure zone, and the second ridge traction element includes a second peripheral segment proximate an edge of the sole structure in the forefoot region and a second transverse segment extending at an angle away from the second peripheral segment.