Patent ID: 8365441

Claim:
A shoe outsole having at least a portion of an exposed traction zone structure, the exposed traction zone structure comprising: a base surface having a plurality of base surface segments positioned in spaced apart arrangement from one another; a plurality of ground engaging members, each said ground engaging member projecting out beyond said base surface, at least one of said plurality of ground engaging members including an upper channel formed in a top surface thereof, where each ground engaging member is generally cross-shaped and defines four posts for contacting the ground, each said post including an angled surface at its free end for contacting a ground surface, and each said ground engaging member including side walls, said base segments and said side walls forming one or more middle fluid flow channels therebetween to an outer perimeter of the outsole, said ground engaging members being integrally formed with the outsole; and a plurality of intersecting grooves positioned adjacent said plurality of base surface segments and said ground engaging members, each of said intersecting grooves being defined by a pair of opposing walls and a groove surface, said groove surface being recessed from the base surface toward a shoe upper, said groove surface and opposing walls forming one or more lower fluid flow channels to the outer perimeter of the outsole; wherein said ground engaging members are spaced apart from said base segments by one of said channels such that said ground engaging members are not directly connected to said base segments.