Patent ID: 7096602

Claim:
A footwear construction comprising: an upper including a forefoot portion, a heel portion, a lower portion and a peripheral allowance; a membrane direct attached to the peripheral allowance in the forefoot portion and the heel portion, the membrane including a plate of a first thickness in the forefoot portion and a second thickness in the heel portion, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness, the membrane including a bead flange extending outwardly around at least a portion of a perimeter of the plate in the forefoot portion and terminating short of the heel portion, the membrane including an upper flange extending upwardly from the insole plate and adjacent the upper, the membrane being of a unitary construction and forming a substantially waterproof barrier in at least the lower portion of the upper; a heel cradle secured to the peripheral allowance in the heel portion; and an outsole secured to the membrane in the forefoot portion, the outsole secured to at least one of the heel cradle and the peripheral allowance in the heel portion.