Patent ID: 7040041

Claim:
A shoe comprising: a bottom; a major longitudinal axis; an upper having an arch region and a heel region; a sole including a rear sole, an outsole and a midsole, the sole being below the upper; a plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, an interior portion and peripheral portions and positioned between at least a portion of the sole and at least a portion of the upper, at least a portion of the plate being in air communication with the outside the shoe through an opening, the peripheral portions being restrained from movement relative to the interior portion so that the interior portion is capable of being deflected relative to the peripheral portions in a vertical direction; at least a portion of the midsole including an inflated cushion positioned between at least a portion of the sole and at least a portion of the upper, the inflated cushion having a top, a bottom and a vertical central axis passing through the top and the bottom, at least a portion of the top being in contact with a portion of the shoe, the inflated cushion being spaced apart from the plate during the entire gait cycle of the wearer.