Patent ID: 8365445

Claim:
A shoe, comprising: an upper; a midsole secured to the upper; and an outsole secured to the midsole, wherein the outsole includes a plurality of semicircular protrusions arranged transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the shoe, wherein the semicircular protrusions are formed in the outsole of the shoe, and have a thickness corresponding to a thickness of a material of the outsole and wherein the thickness corresponds to a thickness of a wall of the semicircular protrusions, wherein said wall extends along a semicircular periphery of the semicircular protrusions, and wherein the semicircular protrusions mechanically compress and flex upon contact with a ground surface, wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions includes at least a first groove and a second groove that extend into the thickness of the wall, wherein the first groove extends along the entire length of the protrusion and the second groove extends only along a portion of the length of the protrusion.