Article of footwear with heel cushioning system

An article of footwear, comprising:

• a sole including a forefoot portion, an arch portion and a heel portion;
• a curved plate configured for deflection when a force is applied to an upper surface of the sole, the curved plate including a central portion having an approximately diamond-like shape and a peripheral portion disposed outward from the central portion;
• the curved plate further including at least one leg portion, the at least one leg portion extending away from the central portion towards the peripheral portion;
• wherein the at least one leg portion includes a first end associated with the peripheral portion, a second end associated with the central portion, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end and the second end;
• a first tread member and a second tread member disposed on a peripheral sole portion of the heel portion of the sole, the first tread member and the second tread member being separated by a gap;
• wherein the first end portion of the at least one leg portion is disposed adjacent to the gap at the peripheral portion of the curved plate;
• and
• wherein the intermediate portion of the at least one leg portion is disposed through the gap between the first tread member and the second tread member.

An article of footwear, comprising:

• a sole including a forefoot portion, an arch portion and a heel portion;
• the sole including a longitudinal direction associated with a length of the sole;
• the sole including a lateral direction associated with a width of the sole, the lateral direction being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;
• the sole including a vertical direction that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction;
• the sole further comprising a curved plate disposed at the heel portion of the sole, the curved plate including a central portion and at least one leg portion extending outwards from the central portion;
• the at least one leg portion including a first end portion disposed adjacent to a peripheral sole portion of the sole at the heel portion and a second end portion disposed adjacent to the central portion;
• wherein the distance between the first end portion and the second end portion along the vertical direction is substantially reduced when a predetermined force is applied to the central portion of the curved plate;
• wherein the at least one leg portion further includes at least one projecting portion extending outwards from the at least one leg portion in the lateral direction;
• wherein the curved plate includes a peripheral portion that is disposed outwards from the central portion, the peripheral portion forming a continuous ring partially surrounding the central portion along a periphery of at least a portion the sole;
• and
• wherein the at least one leg portion connects the peripheral portion to the central portion.