Patent ID: 8051583

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 of a first rigidity configured to provide impact force attenuation; and a second layer of a second rigidity greater than the first rigidity, wherein the second rigidity is sufficient to substantially resist flexion of the outsole assembly in both the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction, 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, wherein at least a portion of the second layer extends continuously in the lateral direction across substantially the entire width of the first layer from the lateral side to the medial side; wherein a shape of at least a portion of the outsole assembly extending beyond the upper along the longitudinal direction at the toe region and the heel region is different than a shape of the upper at the toe region and the heel region; wherein the outsole assembly further comprises a third layer of a third rigidity, wherein the second rigidity is greater than the third rigidity; wherein the second layer is disposed between the first layer and the third layer; wherein the third layer has a first portion disposed through the toe region of the outsole assembly that is associated with a first thickness throughout the entire toe region; wherein the third layer has a second portion disposed through the mid-foot region and the heel region that is associated with the first thickness; and wherein the outsole assembly further comprises a channel disposed through the mid-foot region and the heel region of the third layer, the channel being defined by an opening in the third layer that has a depth equal to the first thickness.