Patent ID: 8056261

Claim:
An assembly for a footwear sole comprising: a relatively inflexible carrier defining a lateral slot and a medial slot and having an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface defining a pad cradle; a pad fitted into said cradle of said carrier, said pad being bowed upwardly in the center away from said upper surface of said carrier, said pad having a lower surface spaced apart from said upper surface of said carrier to define a void whereby said pad undergoes a spring-like bending into said void in response to downward forces; and a support element disposed above said pad and fitted into said cradle, said support element defining an opening to receive a portion of said pad and being bowed upwardly in the center away from said upper surface of said carrier, whereby said support element provides a spring-like bending response to downward forces, said carrier supporting said pad and said support element over said void, wherein said support element includes a medial extension and a lateral extension, said lateral extension fitted into said lateral slot and said medial extension fitted into said medial slot.