Patent ID: 8689464

Claim:
A magnetically-supported article of footwear, comprising: an insole having a first surface and a second surface; a first plurality of upper plates, wherein each one of the first plurality of upper plates has a first surface and a second surface, is attached to the insole and has a magnet attached; a coupling mechanism, which substantially restricts movement of the insole with respect to the outsole in substantially all directions except for a direction directly between the insole and the outsole; a second plurality of lower plates, wherein each one of the second plurality of lower plates has a first surface and a second surface, has a magnet attached, and is aligned substantially with a plate from the first plurality of upper plates; and an outsole having a first surface and a second surface, attached to each one of the second plurality of lower plates; wherein each magnet attached to one of the first plurality of upper plates is aligned with a magnet attached to the substantially aligned plate of the second plurality of lower plates to provide separation between the substantially aligned upper and lower plates; the first and second plurality of plates are positioned across the sole of the article; and each of the first plurality of upper plates has a first magnet and a second magnet attached and each substantially aligned plate of the second plurality of lower plates has opposing magnets attached, such that each magnet attached to an upper plate is substantially aligned with a magnet attached to a lower plate.