Importance

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Abstract

A sculptured sole for athletic footwear includes a base having a plurality of forward support pads which underlie the toes of a wearer's foot and a plurality of rearward support lands which underlie the metatarsals in the ball area of the wearer's foot, a layer of flexible resilient elastic material attached on either of the opposite top or bottom sides of the base and aligned with the forward support pads and rearward support lands, and a plurality of plates and caps which are attached to the layer of elastic material and aligned with the respective support pads and support lands. The support pads and support lands in the pluralities thereof are isolated from one another by respective pluralities of grooves and channels whereas the support lands are isolated from the support pads by an arcuate depression which extends across the width of the base such that the support pads and lands undergo compression and rebound, as the layer stores and releases energy, substantially in response to respective forces applied thereto and lifted therefrom by the toes and metatarsals of the foot. Also, the sole includes a heel member defining a longitudinal concavity open at an inclined beveled rear surface on the heel member and extending between opposite side support sections compressible into the concavity to absorb shock to the wearer's heel.

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First Claim