Patent ID: 7487604

Claim:
A soccer shoe, comprising: a) a shoe body having a shoe upper and an outer sole secured to the upper so that a wearer's foot can be positioned within the upper and above the sole, the sole having a lower surface with cleats and an upper surface, the shoe having a front with a toe box and a periphery that extends at the front around the toe box, a middle, a back, and a heel; b) an inner sole layered above the outer sole in between the outer sole and the upper, the cleats not contacting the inner sole; c) a component extending vertically upward in the front of the shoe, the component extending vertically from the inner sole and continuously along the periphery of the inner sole within the toe box of the upper and rearwardly on opposing sides of the inner sole, the component terminating at a mid sole area of the inner sole; d) the component stiffening the toe box so that the component is able to deflect, without permanent deformation, in response to an applied load creating a deflecting stress and then to return to its original shape upon removal of the applied load causing the deflecting stress, the component operating to absorb, redistribute and store the energy of localized loads applied thereto through deflection and, by returning to its original shape, to return energy to an object struck by the shoe in such manner so as to impart to the struck object applying the load some portion of the energy produced by the applied load.