Patent ID: 8650775

Claim:
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising: a perimeter element extending adjacent to a sidewall of the sole structure on both a lateral side and a medial side of the footwear; and a central element positioned between the lateral side and the medial side, the central element being spaced from the perimeter element to define a gap between the central element and the perimeter element, wherein the exterior of the perimeter element defines an upper surface facing the upper, an opposite lower surface, and an interior side surface which slopes toward a center of the sole structure as the interior side surface of the perimeter element extends from the upper surface of the perimeter element to the lower surface of the perimeter element, wherein the central element is separate from the perimeter element, and wherein the central element defines an upper surface facing the upper, an opposite lower surface, and a side surface which slopes toward a center of the sole structure as the side surface of the central element extends from the upper surface of the central element to the lower surface of the central element.