Shoe Containing A Progressive Compression Element

Abstract

A cushioning component for use in shoes including athletic shoes and, for example, running shoes includes a cushioning layer including a first zone and a second zone where the first zone comprises a progressive compression material. In one aspect, the first zone can comprise one or more areas defined within the second zone. For example, the first zone can comprise two areas, one area in a relative front portion of the shoe component and another area in a relative rear portion of the shoe component. Alternatively, in another aspect, the first zone and second zone can be arranged in a laminate-type relationship in the shoe component. In this regard, the first zone can be located either above or below the second zone. The shoe component can be employed as a traditional element of a shoe, such as a midsole or the outsole. Alternatively, the shoe component can comprise an additional component, for example, the shoe component can be employed between the midsole and outsole of a shoe or an insert located above the midsole.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.