Patent ID: 8205356

Claim:
A footwear or orthotic sole comprising: an outer sole; and a footwear or orthotic device, comprising: at least one outer chamber, compartment or bladder having an uppermost surface, at least a portion of said uppermost surface being curved concavely relative to an intended wearer's foot location in the shoe, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition; at least one inner chamber, compartment or bladder inside said outer chamber, compartment or bladder; said at least one inner chamber, compartment or bladder includes: at least one structural element being located inside the at least one inner chamber, compartment or bladder, said at least one structural element comprising at least a foamed plastic or a blown rubber, and said at least one structural element extending from at least a part of an upper inner surface of said at least one inner chamber, compartment or bladder to at least a part of a lower inner surface of said at least one inner chamber, compartment or bladder, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when said footwear or orthotic sole is in an upright, unloaded condition, and a gas located in at least a portion of said at least one inner chamber, compartment or bladder, the portion being outside of said at least one structural element; said outer chamber compartment or bladder and said inner chamber, compartment or bladder being separated at least in part by an internal sipe; wherein said internal sipe is formed by an inner surface of said outer chamber, compartment or bladder and an outer surface of said inner chamber, compartment or bladder; and the inner and outer surfaces forming the sipe oppose each other and can move relative to each other in a sliding motion; and at least a portion of said movable surfaces forming the sipe are proximate to each other in an unloaded condition.