Patent ID: 7290357

Claim:
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising: a connecting portion positioned adjacent the upper and extending along a longitudinal length of the upper, the connecting portion having: a first thickness in a forefoot region of the footwear, a second thickness in a midfoot region of the footwear, and a third thickness in a heel region of the footwear, the first thickness and the third thickness being less than the second thickness; a plurality of discrete sole elements extending downward from the connecting portion, the sole elements defining a lower surface, and the sole elements being separated by a plurality of sipes that extend upward from the lower surface and into the sole structure; and an outsole located within the sipes and extending between the sole elements, a lower portion of the outsole extending beyond the lower surface of the sole elements to form at least a portion of a ground-contacting surface of the sole structure, the outsole having a web configuration defining a plurality of apertures that extend around the sole elements.