NIKE, Inc.
Footwear sole structure with compliant membrane

Abstract:

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes an outsole and a membrane layer. The outsole has a plurality of protrusions that extend from a base layer. The membrane layer extends between the plurality of protrusions and includes at least a portion that is separated from the base layer by a distance. The membrane layer forms an outer surface of the article of footwear, and is configured to elastically deform toward the base layer in response to an applied force.