Sole system having movable protruding members

An article of footwear, comprising:

• a sole member having an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface disposed opposite of the outwardly facing surface, wherein the outwardly facing surface is disposed further from a foot than the inwardly facing surface when the article of footwear is worn;
• a protruding member assembly comprising a plurality of protruding members and a plurality of connecting portions;
• the protruding member assembly including a first protruding member and a second protruding member;
• the protruding member assembly further including a first connecting portion including a first end portion attached to the first protruding member and a second end portion attached to the second protruding member;
• the sole member including a first hole and a second hole;
• the first protruding member extending through the first hole and the second protruding member extending through the second hole;
• wherein the inwardly facing surface of the sole member includes a plurality of recesses that are sized and oriented to receive the plurality of connecting portions;
• wherein the first connecting portion is disposed in a first recess formed in the inwardly facing surface of the sole member, the first recess having an elongated strip-like shape;
• wherein the first connecting portion allows the first protruding member to move a first distance while the second protruding member moves a second distance;
• and
• wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

An article of footwear, comprising:

• a sole member having an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface disposed opposite of the outwardly facing surface, wherein the outwardly facing surface is disposed further from a foot than the inwardly facing surface when the article of footwear is worn;
• the sole member having a vertical direction that extends between the outwardly facing surface and the inwardly facing surface;
• a protruding member assembly including a plurality of protruding members connected together by a plurality of connecting portions;
• the plurality of protruding members further including proximal end portions that provide an inner surface for the protruding member assembly and the plurality of protruding members including distal end portions that provide an outer surface for the protruding member assembly;
• the sole member including a plurality of holes to receive the plurality of protruding members such that the distal end portions of the plurality of protruding members extend away from the outwardly facing surface;
• the plurality of protruding members including a first protruding member and a second protruding member, the first protruding member being joined to the second protruding member by a first connecting portion;
• the first connecting portion having a substantially elongated, strip-like shape;
• wherein the plurality of protruding members can move relative to the sole member in the vertical direction;
• and
• wherein the geometry of the inner surface of the protruding member assembly changes as the plurality of protruding members move in response to forces applied to the outer surface of protruding member assembly.