Abstract: The shoe with interchangeable covers is a modified pair of women's shoes consisting of a base, a sole with a removable heel, and a cover which is attached to the base and the sole with two sets of straps joining under the sole and fastened together with hook and loop type fasteners. The base of the shoe features a layer of padding for extra comfort and low rising vertical sides for supporting the interchangeable cover. The sole of the shoe is formed with a pair of notches on the bottom, one in the toe area and one in the arch area. These notches serve as guides into which the straps are placed and secured to one another. The cover can be made in various styles from dressy and elegant to casual and sporty by adding decorative items, such as zippers, buttons, bows, and the like and by varying the heel height and width. The interchangeable covers and heels allow the owner to have numerous pairs of shoes for the price of one.

Abstract: A shoe has an upper, a foot support region positioned below at least a portion of the upper to support the bottom of a user's foot, a sole secured below the foot support region, and a flexible member positioned below at least a portion of the foot support region and above at least a portion of the sole. The flexible member has a top surface, a bottom surface, a peripheral portion, and an interior portion. The interior portion of the flexible member deflects in use in a direction substantially perpendicular to a major longitudinal axis of the shoe. At least a portion of the peripheral portion is restrained from movement relative to the interior portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major longitudinal axis of the shoe.

Abstract: An athletic shoe sole for a shoe has side portions with concavely rounded inner and outer surfaces, as viewed in at least a heel area and a midtarsal area of the shoe sole. The rounded surfaces increasing at least one of lateral and medial stability of the sole. The concavely rounded portion of the sole outer surface located at the heel area extends substantially continuously through a sidemost part of the sole side. The rounded portion of the sole outer surface located at the midtarsal area extends up the sole side to at least a level corresponding to a lowest point of the sole inner surface. A midsole component of the shoe sole extends into the sidemost section of the sole side and also extends up the sole side to above a level corresponding to a lowest point of the sole inner surface. The concavely rounded portions of the sole midtarsal area are located at least at the sole lateral side.

Abstract: A shoe including a plate capable of being deflected in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major longitudinal axis of the shoe and an arch bridge integral with the plate. The arch bridge has a lower surface that is at least in part visible from outside the shoe and has a portion that is approximately planar with the lower surface of the plate for at least a substantial portion of the full extension of the arch bridge as measured along an axis that is parallel with the major longitudinal axis of the shoe.

Abstract: A shoe with a foot-massaging effect comprises a sole, optionally with a heel, and a top material. A cushion containing a massage element and/or active medical agents is provided in the interior of the shoe, above the sole, said cushion has a flexible base panel on the bottom, corresponding to the shape of the sole, and an elastic protective nonwoven fabric on the top, the latter being permanently connected to said base panel. A toe cap containing active medical agents can also be provided in the tip of the shoe. These measures result in a fairly significant foot-massaging effect and at the same time, enable the show to be used without creating an odor.

Abstract: A protective toecap particularly for safety shoes, which has the particularity that it comprises a body (1) made of aluminum alloy with an elongation coefficient of more than 15%. The body (1) delimits a space with a rear opening and a lower opening and forms an upper portion (2) that blends with a substantially vertical rim (3) that affects the front portion (3a) and lateral portions (3b) that mutually diverge. There is also a lower rim (4), which delimits the lower opening and is connected to the lower end (3a) of the front portion and of the lateral portions (3b).

Abstract: An article of footwear including a sole and an upper with an exterior and interior surface, and one or more bladders which comprises at least one of the exterior or interior surfaces of the upper. The bladder comprising sheets of polyurethane or polyester film attached together to form an airtight seal. The article of footwear also includes a inflation mechanism for selectively introducing air in the one or more bladders. The inflation mechanism is located under the foot of the wearer to be activated by the normal action of the wearer to inflate the one or more bladders. The article of footwear may also include an assembly for connecting several tubes to one under foot inflation mechanism. The article of footwear may also include inflatable laces that are inflated by an underfoot inflation mechanism.

Abstract: A disposable shoe insert having a soft, durable, resilient, absorbent and “high coefficient of friction” surface in contact with the human foot is provided. The material in contact with the foot comprises of a nonwoven material that has a static of dynamic coefficient of friction of 0.52 or above when tested against material from a pair of standard women's pantyhose containing 80% nylon and 20% spandex fibers. The other side of the insert consists of a slip-resistant synthetic coating that minimizes shoe insert slippage after being placed and positioned in the shoe. The insert provides a low cost and simple method of keeping the feet dry, comfortable, healthy and odor free. The frequent replacement of the insert promotes the reduction of bacterial build-up in the shoe over time, which in turn reduces shoe odor and helps prolong the life of the shoe itself. Optional features may include deodorizer, such as a time release fragrance, and/or odor neutralizer to help reduce or eliminate foot odor.

Abstract: A step-in binding system (20, 220) including a binding (24, 224) and an engagement member (26, 226) for securing a snowshoe to footwear (22). In one embodiment, the binding includes a pivotable latch (78) and a fixed latch (80), each having a pair of catches (116) for engaging a corresponding receiver (110) on the engagement member. The pivotable latch is pivotable between a closed position (CP) and an open position (OP) and is biased into the closed position by a helical rotational spring (100). The binding further includes an adjustment mechanism (32) extending between a toe member (28) and a heel member (30) that allows the distance between the toe and heel members to be selectively changed by a user. In another embodiment, the binding includes a pair of pivotable latches (278, 280), each biased into its closed position by two torsional rotational springs (300).

Abstract: A shoe including a plate capable of being deflected in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major longitudinal axis of the shoe, an arch bridge integral with the plate, and a substantially air-tight enclosure having an interior chamber with a variable horizontal cross sectional dimension. In another embodiment, the interior chamber of the air-tight enclosure has a maximum horizontal cross-sectional dimension that is greater than the height of the interior chamber.

Abstract: A shoe including a plate and at least one inflated cushion. In one embodiment, the inflated cushion is spaced apart from the plate during the entire walking gait cycle of the wearer, during the entire running gait cycle of the wearer, when the shoe is in an unloaded state and at all other times. In another embodiment, a portion of the plate is visible from the bottom of the shoe between at least two ground engaging portions of the bottom surface of the rear sole.

Abstract: A shoe including a midsole with at least one inflated cushion and a midsole material external thereto having at least one opening through which at least a portion of the inflated cushion is exposed to and visible from outside the shoe. The external midsole material is made of a material different from that of a ground engaging portion of the outsole. The shoe includes a plate extending under a majority of the area occupied by the heel region of the upper and an arch bridge having a lower surface that is in substantial part non-ground-engaging and visible from the bottom of the shoe.

Abstract: An outsole for a shoe, especially a house slipper, has an outer layer constituted of a fabric material, and a backing layer constituted of a shape-retaining, moldable material. The fabric layer and the backing layer are molded integrally together to provide the outsole with increased slip resistance, quieter usage and increased shape retention.

Abstract: A heel has a body, a circuit board, multiple illuminating elements, an integrated circuit unit, a power source, a switch, a push button and a cover. The body is permeable to light and has a recess. The circuit board is received in the recess. The illuminating elements are mounted on the circuit board. The integrated circuit unit is mounted on the circuit board and is electrically connected to the illuminating elements. The power source is electrically connected to the illuminating elements through the integrated circuit unit. The switch is electrically connected between the power source and the integrated circuit unit. The push button abuts against the switch to actuate the switch when the push button is pushed. The cover is attached to the body and has a bore defined through the cover for the push button extending out from the bore.

Abstract: Footwear comprising a sole for supporting a foot and an upper attached to the sole for covering the foot and adjoining ankle. The sole and upper define an interior of the footwear and is sized and shaped for receiving the foot and ankle. The upper has an outer shell that forms an exterior of the footwear and an inner lining that is adjacent the foot and ankle when they are received in the interior of the footwear. A compressible generally U-shaped pad is positioned between the shell and the lining of the upper. The pad has a bottom section and a pair spaced-apart side sections extending up from the bottom section. The pad is sized and positioned in the upper such that when the foot and ankle are received in the footwear, the bottom section of the pad is disposed immediately below a medial malleolus of the foot and the side sections of the pad extend up along opposite sides of the medial malleolus up to at least about the distal neck of the tibia.

Abstract: A shoe, sandal, beach shoe, or other form of footwear, integrates a slot within its sole structure, as this footwear is assembled, and within the slot is a continuous band, that may form part of the shoe vamp, strapping, or related structure, and which vamp or band may be turned, for displaying different coloration or designs, texture, or means for providing support, massaging, or stimulation, of the foot, as through interiorly protruding tips, or to form and dispose apertures that furnish ventilation and aeration to the foot thereunder, all in order to change the aesthetics of the footwear at the desire of the user. In addition, to add to the structural integrity of the constructed shoes, a part of the vamp or its strapping, may extend upwardly, and have a loop formed therein, or even loop back on itself, and which may embrace the upper part of the changeable vamp, to facilitate its retention, and structural configuration, when the vamp is turned, to vary its appearance.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating footwear with an integrated and hybrid sole design where a non-rubber material is used to cross link with rubber. A vulcanizable polyurethane capable of being vulcanized to cross link with rubber may be used to construct the middle sole which is unified with a rubber upper portion and a rubber lower sole.

Abstract: The invention is an inflatable inner sole for footwear which has a flexible, inflatable enclosure with an inflation system that preferably includes an on-board air pump and a pressure relief valve. In this invention the inner sole has a sheet and/or foam cover or surround on the flexible enclosure for enhanced comfort. Useful sheet covers can be plastic, including rubber, films in solid or foamed state, or fabric which are applied against the upper, wearing surface of the inflatable enclosures. The covers can be bonded only to the edges of the inflatable enclosures to permit relative movement between the covers and enclosures, or can be bonded to the top surface of the enclosures, or formed as surrounds which encapsulate the inflatable enclosures.

Abstract: An article of waterproof footwear is provided which contains a sole (1) joined to an insole (2) and to a welt (3) which encloses the lower edge of an upper (4), the inner surface of which is lined by a preferably semi-permeable membrane (6). The lower edge of the membrane is glued to a waterproof tape (7) joined to the insole (2). The welt (3) is preferably made in a single piece of plastic or rubber material with the sole (1). A process of manufacturing the waterproof footwear is also provided.

Abstract: A golf shoe cleat has a main body member having a dome-shaped outer face and a planar inner face, a threaded stud molded integrally with the main body member and projecting outwardly from the inner face. A plurality of pseudo pyramid-shaped teeth projecting around the perimeter of the main body member, each of the pseudo pyramid-shaped teeth having an outward angle to provide lateral stability and traction through the plane of a sports swing. The traction teeth have a low profile to reduce damage to putting green surfaces for example. An anti-debris ring is formed on the peripheral edge of the planar inner face. In this position, the anti-debris ring tends to prevent the edge of the cleat from separating from the sole of the golf shoe thereby foreclosing the entry of debris underneath the cleat. At the same time, when the cleat is snugged down by the application tool, the pressure causes the ring to more closely hug the sole and precludes the entry of debris.