Patent ID: 8615904

Claim:
A ground-engaging cleat for a shoe, comprising: a base layer characterized by a top portion and a bottom portion; a cushioning layer, the top portion of the cushioning layer attached to the bottom portion of the base layer; and a traction element layer, the traction element layer attached to the bottom portion of the cushioning layer, wherein: (1) the ground-engaging cleat has an outer surface portion that comes into contact with turf, and each of the base layer, the cushioning layer and the traction element layer extends to and partially defines the outer surface portion and can provide friction with the turf during ground engagement of the cleat, (2) the durometer of the cushioning layer ranges from 65 to 80 on the Shore A scale and the durometer of cushioning layer is less than the durometer of the base layer and the durometer of the cushioning layer is less than the durometer of the traction element layer, (3) the cushioning layer alone fastens the traction element layer to the bottom portion of the base layer, and (4) each of the base layer, the cushioning layer and the traction element layer has a cross-sectional area, and the cross-sectional area of the base layer is great than the cross-sectional area of the cushioning layer, and the cross-sectional area of the cushioning layer is greater than the cross-sectional area of the traction element layer.