Patent ID: 6996924

Claim:
A shoe comprising: a bottom; a major longitudinal axis; an upper having an arch region and a heel region; a rear sole below at least a portion of the heel region of the upper, the rear sole having a forward portion and an opposite rearward portion, and an outsole layer having a thickness and being formed of a first material, the outsole layer having an upper surface, a lower surface, a peripheral portion and an interior portion, the lower surface of the outsole layer being at least in part ground-engaging, the interior portion of the outsole layer having an interior sidewall connecting the lower surface with the upper surface, the interior sidewall of the outsole layer being visible from beneath the shoe, at least a portion of the interior sidewall of the outsole layer being located beneath at least a portion of the heel region of the upper, the rear sole including a midsole layer above and in contact with the upper surface of the outsole layer; a plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, an interior portion and peripheral portions and positioned between at least a portion of the outsole of the rear sole and at least a portion of the heel region of the upper, at least one of the peripheral portions of the plate being proximate at least one of a medial side of the shoe, a lateral side of the shoe and a rear of the shoe, the interior portion of the plate being positioned over a void and exposed to the void, at least a portion of the plate capable of being deflected in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major longitudinal axis of the shoe; a plurality of openings in the midsole layer, at least one of the openings being in air communication with the void to expose the interior portion of the plate from outside the shoe through the at least one opening and the void, at least another of the openings being located on at least one of the medial side of the shoe, the lateral side of the shoe, and the rear of the shoe; and an arch bridge integral with the plate extending from a position proximate a forward portion of the plate, forward beneath at least a portion of the arch region of the upper.