Patent ID: 8881428

Claim:
An article of footwear having a toe region, a heel region, and a longitudinal axis extending between the toe region and the heel region, the article of footwear comprising: an upper; and a sole assembly that is operably coupled to the upper, the sole assembly defining a base support plane, the sole assembly also including an anterior portion adjacent the toe region and a posterior portion adjacent the heel region, the sole assembly including a cushioning assembly that extends along the longitudinal axis such that a first end of the cushioning assembly is disposed adjacent the anterior portion and a second end of the cushioning assembly is disposed adjacent the posterior portion, the cushioning assembly including: a first cushioning member and a second cushioning member, wherein the first cushioning member includes a first overlapping surface, and wherein the second cushioning member includes a second overlapping surface, the first and second overlapping surfaces overlapping each other over the base support plane, wherein the first and second overlapping surfaces each slope at a positive acute angle relative to the base support plane, wherein a first thickness of the first cushioning member decreases along the longitudinal axis in a direction away from the toe region toward the heel region, wherein a second thickness of the second cushioning member increases along the longitudinal axis in the direction away from the toe region toward the heel region, wherein the second cushioning member is stiffer under compression than the first cushioning member.