Patent ID: 8539697

Claim:
An article of footwear, comprising: a sole having a first surface for supporting a wearer's foot and a second surface remote from the first surface; an upper connected to the sole; and a suspension heel member, the suspension heel member including: a heel shaft having a first end connected to the second surface of the sole, and a second distal end remote from the first end, the distal end of the heel shaft having a heel cavity therein, and a compressible compliant heel plug having a base section for contacting the ground and a connecting section attached to the base section and fitting within the cavity of the distal end of the heel shaft, a region between the base section of the compressible compliant heel plug and the distal end of the heel shaft forming a relief detail there between, the relief detail configured to vary between a first size and a second reduced size to provide force attenuation to the wearer, wherein the connecting section of the compliant heel plug has an exterior surface and the heel cavity has one or more interior sidewalls, a first part of the connecting section of the compliant heel plug being rigidly affixed to the one or more interior sidewalls of the heel cavity such that the first part of the connecting section is immobile relative to the one or more interior sidewalls.