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 and deformation elements disposed in a forefoot region of the sole to provide support and/or cushioning to the forefoot. The shoe sole may include a second cartridge cushioning system that includes a second load deformation plate and functional elements disposed in a heel region of the sole to guide the foot into a neutral position after the first ground contact.

Abstract: A shoe, especially a sports shoe, has a sole (1) for receiving one or more cleats (5) by means of a molded body (2) which is arranged on the sole at an angle (?) of between 15° and 25°, preferably 18°, relative to the plane of the sole (S) and which has an opening (3) for receiving a securing device (4) which is located on the cleat. The cleat also has a recess which is complementary to the cross-section of the molded body. The molded body and the cleat are connected by placing the cleat onto the molded body and activating the securing device, so that the cleat is forcibly guided into the locking position or out into the unlocking position.

Abstract: A golf alignment system and method that allows a golfer to properly align his or her feet in relation to the already positioned golf club prior to attempting a shot. The invention comprises one or more substantially horizontal alignment stripes disposed upon a pair of shoes worn by a golfer. The alignment stripes may be of any color or material provided they are visually discernable from the rest of the shoe. The present invention uses aligned stripes skewed at a slight angle, offset from the longitudinal axis of the golfer's shoes. Because a human's back or heel portion of the foot is narrower than the front portion, adjacent horizontally disposed alignment stripes on each individual shoe, when brought together, would not result in a series of horizontal lines. However, when utilizing the present invention at the beginning of the alignment process before the golfer actually strikes the ball, the golfer brings his or her feet together or very close to each other.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of footwear and the footwear comprising the steps of providing a last with an upper thereon, providing a mold insert on the bottom of the last, providing a mold having a mold cavity for a tread sole, disposing the last and upper against the mold with the mold insert disposed within the mold cavity, forming a sole in the mold cavity having a depression therein in the shape of the mold insert, providing an insole with a first portion in the shape of the depression and a second portion substantially in the shape of the sole and securing the first portion of the insole in the depression. The tread sole and insole are formed of materials preferably having different physical properties. The tread sole can include one of tongues and grooves and the insole would then have the other of tongues and grooves, said tongues and grooves mating with each other.

Abstract: The invention is an upper for an article of footwear that includes a textile having fusible filaments or fibers. The textile is incorporated into the upper and specific areas of the upper are heated such that the fusible filaments or fibers fuse with other filaments or fibers to form fused areas. In comparison with unfused areas of the upper, the fused areas may impart properties that include greater stretch-resistance, stability, support, abrasion-resistance, durability, and stiffness, for example. In addition, the fused areas generally provide air-permeability without significantly increasing the weight of the footwear.

Abstract: A resin safety shoe toe cap made from a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin, wherein the toe cap resin safety shoe toe cap is constituted from rising parts comprising a front end rising part 1, a big toe side rising part 2 and a little toe side rising part 3; a top part 6; and a base part 5, wherein the thickness of the big toe side rising part 2 is made to be greater than the thickness of the little toe side rising part 3. Moreover, the big toe side rising part 2 and the little toe side rising part 3 are connected to the front end rising part 1 by curved surface parts 4 having different curvatures, and the rising parts are formed so as to rise up approximately perpendicularly to the base part 5. The safety shoe toe cap not only satisfies the performances in L-class and S-class of JIS T 8101, but also the impact resistance and compression resistance performances stipulated in H-class of JIS T 8101 and safety shoe standards in the CEN Standard, without impairing the ability to fit to shoes and wearer's feet.

Abstract: A shoe with permeable/breathable upper that covers, at least partially, an impermeable breathable sole, comprising a sole layer made of rubber connected internally to a wraparound upper made of synthetic or natural leather, the sole layer having nubs that pass through holes of the upper to constitute a tread, at least some of the nubs having at least one through hole, a breathable or perforated protective layer, a membrane permeable to vapor and impermeable to water and a breathable or perforated insole or anatomical inner sole being arranged in succession from below, at least at the holes of the nubs, above the sole layer, the protective layer and the membrane having edges substantially adjacent and joined hermetically to the sole layer and to the inner sole.

Abstract: A snowshoe has a pivoted mounting on its boot harness, for rotation about a pitch axis for a first degree of freedom in movement of the user's boot relative to the snowshoe; and provision for a second degree of freedom of motion along a roll axis, allowing the user's boot to tip from side to side, particularly for uneven or sidehill terrain. In both axes the boot preferably is spring-biased toward a neutral position. At the same time, freedom of movement is restricted and essentially prevented between the boot and snowshoe relative to a third axis, the yaw or vertical axis. Several different structural arrangements are disclosed in several types of snowshoes, for achieving the second degree of freedom.

Abstract: A shock-absorbing system and device for footwear, and a footwear article including the device. The shock-absorbing device has a plurality of first projections distributed on and extending upwardly from the upper surface in contact with the user's foot, and a plurality of second projections distributed on and extending downwardly from the lower surface in contact with the ground. During the flexion of the foot when stepping, the second projections yield elastically, and displace the first projections upwards and into contact with the foot. The first projections move in a plurality of directions, achieving a massage action, the shock-absorbing, and the uniform distribution of the load on the foot.

Abstract: The invention is an article of footwear having one or more support elements disposed in the sole. At least one of the support elements includes an aperture that increase the compliance of the sole. By selecting a specific aperture configuration for each support element, the compliance of each area of the footwear may be adjusted to conform to the demands of a particular application for the footwear. In addition, the footwear may include one or more plugs that are removably-received by the apertures to provide the wearer with control over the compliance characteristics of the sole.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole portion; a second portion above the sole portion, the second portion including a compartment therein; and a drawer which is receivable within the compartment of the second portion and elastically attached to the article of footwear. The second portion is preferably a heel portion of the article of footwear, and the drawer is preferably engaged with the article of footwear by an elastic thread. The drawer may have an interior portion which is divided into a plurality of compartments.

Abstract: Articles and products for preventing or minimizing temperature increase of a person or object (see the figure). The articles include a base material, and at least one temperature-stabilizing material integral with and dispersed throughout the base material. The temperature-stabilizing materials can be phase change materials and have phase change temperatures. Products can contain a plurality of articles and each article can have a phase change temperature the same as or different than those of other articles in the product. Products include footwear, protective apparel and the like.

Abstract: A football kicking aid for attachment to an athletic shoe. The aid has a toe piece having a cup which receives the toe of the shoe and preferably includes an aperture through which the front shoe cleat is inserted. A pair of straps extend from the sides of the toe piece and extend around the heel and attach to the opposite strap at the opposite side for quick and snug placement and easy removal. The toe piece has a flat kicking surface and the interior of the toe cup may include suitable padding to provide cushioning and for better fit.

Abstract: A shoe include an outsole, an insole, an upper, and a reinforcement member. The insole is attached to the outsole along an upper surface thereof and is provided with at least one aperture extending through the insole to the upper surface of the outsole. The upper includes an elongate element extending into the aperture. The reinforcement member is attached to the insole at least along an upper side of the aperture for protecting material of the insole from stresses arising from movement of the elongate element of the upper.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a shoe having an upper with a first surface and a foot placement mechanism for placing a foot and having a top surface and a bottom surface. The foot placement mechanism also includes an extension extending outwardly from the foot placement mechanism in a direction generally parallel to the top surface. The first surface of the upper is in contact with the top surface in a localized area proximate to the extension. A securing mechanism is used to secure the upper to the foot placement mechanism in the area proximate to where the first surface contacts the top surface. A sole is then secured to the bottom surface. Preferably, vulcanized rubber is in contact with the sole and bottom surface for securing the sole to the bottom surface by vulcanization.

Abstract: A shoe having a rubberized sole, a heel section having a heel support, an at least partially covered toe section, and a generally open midsection extending from approximately the wearer's toe/instep joint to the front of the wearer's ankle. In some embodiments, the shoe may comprise waterproof materials or water resistant materials. The midsection may comprise a side rail that rises above the sole between the toe section and the heel section. The shoe may further comprise a strap anchored to one side of the shoe and adapted to wrap around the wearer's foot to a securing member on the other side of the shoe to secure the wearer's foot in the shoe.

Abstract: A boot that includes a sole and an outer upper having an impervious portion, with at least one outer reinforcing element assembled to the upper by cementing at least in the impervious portion thereof. Preferably, the reinforcing element includes a heel reinforcement and lateral tightening flaps.

Abstract: Footwear includes an upper disconnected from the sole on at least a portion of one lateral side of the sole to enable a foot to enter the footwear laterally through a side gap. The foot may be held in place, in part, with a resilient foot holder extending over the top of the foot. A lateral motion of the foot may overcome the force of the foot holder enabling hands-free removal of the footwear.

Abstract: A preferably three layer protective orthotic insert for footwear is provided. According to one embodiment, a bottom layer is a single stainless steel sheet. A middle layer is a polyurethane layer, shaped to the contour of the bottom of a foot and including orthotic supports, disposed over the single stainless steel sheet. And a top layer is a membrane secured to the molded polyurethane layer. A method for making the protective orthotic insert is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sports shoe (1), in particular a ski boot (2), having a shell part (3) made from plastics. A shell base (11) of the shell part (3) forming support surface (12) an inner shoe (10) or foot (9) is provided in the form of an impact- and/or vibration-damping ribbed fitting, consisting of a shell wall and a ribbed lattice formed on a surface thereof remote from the support surface (12). Certain regions of this ribbed fitting are enclosed by a bending- and/or torsion-resistant profiled element (43) extending in a longitudinal direction substantially between a heel- and a ball-bearing region (32, 33) and secured between block elements (29) and the ribbed fitting by means of clamping and fixing means.