Abstract: A shoe including a plate capable of being deflected in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major longitudinal axis of the shoe. The plate includes at least one rib integral with at least a portion of the lower surface of the plate. A portion of the rib is exposed to and visible from outside the shoe.

Abstract: A cast shoe sized and configured to be worn on a casted foot. The shoe includes an air-insufflated outer sole formed of a resilient polymeric material to absorb impact. The outer sole has a heel portion of substantially uniform thickness, a tapered toe portion that is thinner than the heel portion, an upper surface, and a lower surface that has a tread pattern and is curved as a result of the tapered toe portion to provide a single rocker bottom function in gait. An inner sole overlies and is attached to the upper surface of the outer sole. A strap located adjacent the heel portion of the outer sole is provided for securing the cast shoe to a casted foot. The outer and inner soles lack any rigid member that would stiffen the sole.

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 rear sole having a bottom surface with a ground-engaging portion including at least four portions each having a generally circular shape when viewed from beneath the bottom surface of the rear sole.

Abstract: A shoe upper has an outside surface having a first ornamental theme, the first theme being formed in three dimensions, with artwork coincident with the three dimensional effect. An outsole below the shoe upper includes a bottom surface for engagement with a walking surface; a peripheral area extending about the bottom and mating with the upper. The upper surface is for engagement with a bottom of the upper. The bottom surface and the peripheral area have a surface with a second ornamental theme. The first ornamental theme and the second ornamental theme are thematically related so as to create a surrounding ornamentation of the footwear.

Abstract: The invention relates to a releasable stud for a shoe sole. The releasable stud includes a stud body and a first fastening mechanism coupled to the stud body. The first fastening mechanism is magnetically operable and interacts with a second fastening mechanism of the shoe sole. In another aspect, the invention relates to a shoe sole for an article of footwear, in particular a sole for a soccer shoe. The shoe sole includes at least one such stud and at least one receptacle, which itself includes the second fastening mechanism, for the stud. At least one of the first fastening mechanism and the second fastening mechanism is magnetically operable to releasably fasten the stud to the receptacle.

Abstract: An article of footwear including a sole with a chassis constructed to provide, in a pre-selected manner, comfort, flexibility, support, and power transfer by varying the configuration, thickness, and/or material of the chassis in various areas of the chassis, thereby providing for varying degrees of stiffness in the footwear.

Abstract: A sports boot including a sole, an upper, at least one flap fixed to the sole or to the upper, the flap covering at least partially a portion of the upper, and at least two keepers and a lace for reversibly tightening the upper, by a relative bringing together or spacing apart the keepers. At least one keeper of the boot is fixed to the flap so as to be located between the flap and the upper.

Abstract: The invention is an article of footwear that includes a retainer for securing end portions of the laces and limiting superfluous lace movement. The retainer is a strip of elastic material that is positioned on an upper of the footwear and secured in first and second locations, thereby leaving an unsecured area between the first and second locations. The end portions of the lace may be placed under the unsecured area to restrain movement of the end portions. The retainer may be utilized with a mechanical fastener, rather than a conventional knot, to preserve the selected tension in the laces.

Abstract: A removable outersole covering for the treaded bottom of an athletic footcovering is provided in one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment the outersole includes an elastically deformable band defining a continuous loop, the band having a top edge and a bottom edge, the bottom edge of the band forming the shape of the border of the treaded bottom of the athletic footcovering, a sole surface coupled to the bottom edge of the band, the sole surface configured in the shape of the treaded bottom of the athletic footcovering; and a plurality of sport cleats protruding from the bottom side of the sole surface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a shoe cover preferably useable with a cleated shoe to protect an athlete's foot. The shoe cover is preferably formed of a flexible plastic material and is generally “U” shaped to fit around the top and side portions of a shoe. The shoe cover preferably contains slits which appear on the side of the shoe cover. Straps are woven through these slits and between the cleats on the bottom of the shoe to provide loops for lacing the shoe cover to the shoe.

Abstract: A lacing system having a lace loop that forms multiple segments that extend from a strap and criss-cross each other in an adjustable opening. The lace is threaded through eyelets of a sneaker, in such a manner that, a single arcuate pull on the strap(s), causes the multiple lace segments to move through the eyelets of the sneaker opening in unison, so that the entire length of the opening contracts simultaneously. This pull also lifts the entire arch area, thus providing better support. The lace segments converge at the strap(s), near the ankle, thus providing better support at the ankle. Additional lace segments could be disposed above the arch to provide better arch support. A strap or fastening member may attach to the sneaker by either a ratchet buckle, clasp, hook, snap, clamp, or locking tape such as hook-and-loop. The sneaker opens to its' maximum width, automatically when the user steps out.

Abstract: An article of footwear provided with snap-fit replaceable ground-engaging members, particularly snap-fit tips, and a kit and method for altering ground-engaging characteristics of an article of footwear such as an athletic shoe. An article of footwear according to the present invention includes a sole (and/or a footplate) having at least one ground-engaging member in snap-fit engagement therewith. In particular, the ground-engaging member is engageable under the application of a non-rotational force (especially a manual force). According to one aspect of the present invention, a clearly discernible feedback (especially an audible feedback, such as a click or a snapping sound) is provided to clearly indicate engagement between the ground-engaging member and the sole.

Abstract: A track spiked shoe or a running shoe has a thin-plate-like outsole formed of a hard synthetic resin and having a plurality of cleats or studs on a ground contact surface thereof. The outsole has a first and second bulge each protruding downwardly toward the ground surface. The first bulge is located at a position that corresponds to a thenar eminence of a foot of a shoe wearer and the second bulge at a position that corresponds to a hypothenar eminence of a foot of a shoe wearer. The first and second bulge each has a configuration that conforms to a shape of a forefoot portion of a foot that has been flexed. Some of the cleats are provided on a convexly curved surface of the first and second bulge.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shoe sole, in particular for a sports shoe, where the sole includes a cartridge cushioning system that includes a load distribution plate arranged in a heel region of the shoe sole, at least one cushioning element for determining the cushioning properties of the shoe sole during the first ground contact with the heel, and at least one guidance element to guide the foot into a neutral position after the first ground contact.

Abstract: A skateboard shoe having a sole with four sole pads; each sole pad having differing durometer values: a lateral pad and a toe pad comprised of a low durometer value (Shore A) material, a medial pad comprised of a moderate durometer value (Shore A) material, and a heel pad comprised of a hard durometer value (Shore A) material.

Abstract: A shoe comprises a three-dimensional insole including a base, and a wall part extending upward from an outer peripheral end of the base, each of the base and the wall part being made of a sheeting material. The wall part is sewn to the outer peripheral end of the base to form a three-dimensional outline. An upper has a bottom open end connected to the wall part of the insole, and an outsole is connected to the bottom open end of the upper and the three-dimensional insole.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detachable straps connection to a shoe bottom, which involves making recesses in the side areas in the platform or bottom (2) that is made of any given material in such a way that two of said recesses may or may not face another two recesses. Each recess (6) has a centered bottom blind bore, a tubular part or bar (7) being placed in the inner area of said bore. A closing section (8) is mounted and/or fixed to an inner end part of said bar, said closing section defining the male part (9) of the push-in coupling element to the female area (10) of the end rivet. Each of the straps (11) of the cut-off are placed in said female area. The tubular parts (7) extend at different lengths transversally, longitudinally or slanted.

Abstract: The invention is an article of footwear with an upper and a sole structure. The primary components of the sole structure are a midsole and a frame element. The midsole is connected to the upper in a forefoot region of the footwear, but is unconnected to the upper in a rearfoot region of the footwear. The frame element is structured to extend onto a heel portion of the upper and around the heel portion to thereby stabilize the heel portion. The frame element may serve as a spring that provides cushioning in combination with the midsole. The configuration of the frame element, which extend onto the heel portion of the upper, leaves a lower surface of the upper exposed to permit direct contact with the midsole.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shoe having an arch support extending from an interior of a shoe to an exterior of a shoe. The arch support can be adjusted from the exterior of the shoe. The arch support includes straps which each have a slide groove formed therein. On one end of each strap are strap eyelets. The shoe includes an upper having a slit opening separating an upper paneling and a lower paneling. The arch support is located within the shoe, and extends through the slit opening. Rivets connect the upper paneling and the lower paneling. The rivets are also aligned with and extend through the slide grooves on the arch support. Accordingly, the arch support straps may slide along the rivets to tighten or loosen the arch support within the shoe.

Abstract: The invention is a wear indicator for a footwear outsole. The wear indicator includes a plurality of strata that each have different properties, such as color. As portions of an individual stratum are worn away, corresponding portions of an underlying stratum are revealed. The underlying strata may be worn away in a similar manner to reveal further strata, thereby providing a wearer with the ability to determine the amount of wear that has occurred in an outsole.