Patent ID: 8578633

Claim:
An article of footwear comprising: an upper configured to receive a wearer's foot; and an outsole assembly connected to the upper, the outsole assembly having a length greater than a length of the upper such that the outsole assembly extends beyond the upper in a longitudinal direction at a toe region and a heel region, the outsole assembly further having a width greater than a width of the upper such that the outsole assembly extends beyond the upper in a lateral direction at a lateral side and a medial side, the outsole assembly including: a first layer associated with a first rigidity, wherein the first layer with the first rigidity provides impact force attenuation, the first layer further including an opening and an internal cavity; a second layer associated with a second rigidity greater than the first rigidity, wherein the second layer with the second rigidity substantially resists flexion of the outsole assembly in both longitudinal and lateral directions, the second layer being disposed within the internal cavity of the first layer; wherein the first layer extends continuously in the longitudinal direction along the length of the outsole assembly and extends continuously in the lateral direction across the width of the outsole assembly; wherein the second layer extends continuously in the longitudinal direction along the length of the first layer from beyond the heel region of the upper to at least a mid-foot region of the upper and extends continuously in the lateral direction across at least half of the width of the first layer; and wherein the second layer is non-destructively removable from the first layer.