Patent ID: 8272149

Claim:
An article of footwear, comprising: an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising a translucent outsole unit and a plurality of discrete sole elements disposed within the outsole unit, the sole elements being separated by a plurality of flexion regions, the plurality of flexion regions including: a first flexion region in a longitudinal direction with respect to the footwear, the first flexion region extending through an entire length of the sole structure, the first flexion region being spaced inward from a lateral side of the sole structure in at least a forefoot region of the footwear; a second flexion region that extends in the longitudinal direction, the second flexion region extending through a portion of the length of the sole structure and ending in a metatarsal region of the sole structure; a plurality of third flexion regions that extend laterally from the medial side to the lateral side of the sole structure; and wherein the sole elements have varying increasing thickness along the length of the footwear and wherein the sole structure including an insole having a plurality of apertures for mounting of the sole elements.