Patent ID: 8176657

Claim:
An article of footwear comprising: an upper; and a sole assembly secured to the upper and including a midsole and a support assembly positioned within the midsole such that a first portion of the midsole is above the support assembly and a second portion of the midsole is below the support assembly, the support assembly comprising: a plurality of primary tubular members spaced from one another and extending laterally across at least a portion of the sole assembly; and a plurality of secondary tubular members extending laterally across at least a portion of the sole assembly, each secondary tubular member positioned between and interconnecting and overlapping a pair of adjacent primary tubular members and having a height that is less than a height of each of the primary tubular members, each secondary tubular member having a major axis that is substantially collinear and that intersects with a center of each of the primary tubular members of the respective pair of adjacent primary tubular members, each secondary tubular member spaced from each adjacent secondary tubular member by one of the pair of adjacent primary tubular members, such that the primary tubular members and the secondary tubular members are alternating.