Cushioning sole for footwear

Abstract

A cushioning sole for footwear includes a heel portion, an opening, and a cushioning slide. The heel portion includes a top surface and a bottom surface. The opening extends vertically through the heel portion from the bottom surface to the top surface. The cushioning slide is disposed in the opening and extends out from the top surface and out from the bottom surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A footwear device comprising:
 a sole, a heel portion disposed between a top surface of the sole and a bottom surface of the sole, and an opening extending vertically through the heel portion, the opening extending continuously through the bottom surface of the sole; and   a cushioning slide having a first horizontal cross-section, the horizontal cross-section having a shape and a size, the shape matching a horizontal cross-sectional shape of the opening, the cushioning slide extending through the opening and comprising a first portion disposed below the bottom surface of the sole, and a second portion being disposed in the opening, and wherein each all of the first and second portions is defined by a horizontal cross-section having the shape and the size of the first horizontal cross-section.