Abstract: An article of footwear including an adaptive support system includes a plurality of support members. Each support member includes an outer chamber and an inner chamber, the inner chamber being filled with a magnetorheological fluid. An electromagnet is disposed adjacent to the inner chamber and can be used to vary the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid.

Abstract: A heel pad for placement within a shoe and a method of use. The heel pad includes a pliable body, a filler element contained within the pliable body, and a malleable member fastened within the pliable body and extending along at least part of a length of the pliable body. In use, the heel pad is positioned in a heel section of the shoe. A longitudinal end of the heel pad is folded along an upper edge of the heel section of the shoe. The folded longitudinal end of the heel pad is affixed to an outer surface of the heel section of the shoe.

Abstract: A stirrup insert for covering a stirrup of a medical examination table includes a foot support portion and an engagement portion, which are together a single integral piece of polymeric material, such as silicone or a similar material. The foot support portion has a contoured upper surface configured to receive a patient's foot and a lower surface configured to engage a front surface of a stirrup. The engagement portion extends from a perimeter edge of the foot support portion and curves inward toward the lower surface of the foot support portion to form a curved lip that extends around at least an upper section of the perimeter edge. The engagement portion may be substantially flexible and resilient, so as to be capable of wrapping over an edge of the stirrup and engaging a rear surface of the stirrup, thereby securing the stirrup insert in place relative to the stirrup.

Abstract: A system may be provided for incorporation in an article of footwear that has an upper coupled to a sole, where the sole has an insole and an outsole and the upper and the insole define an interior space for receiving a foot of a user. The system may include a device configured to be coupled to the footwear beneath the user's foot and a structure for fixing the device in place in a predetermined position in the footwear. In such system, the structure may include a compressible portion coupled to a substantially incompressible portion, and the device may be directly supported by the hard plastic portion of the structure to provide a feedback signal to the user when a pressure applied to the device by the user's foot exceeds a threshold value.

Abstract: A sole plate for an article of footwear comprises a plate body having a first side, a second side, an outer perimeter, at least one opening extending through the plate body from the first side to the second side, and an inner perimeter bounding the at least one opening. The plate body is biased to a first orientation of the inner perimeter relative to the outer perimeter. The plate body inverts at the inner perimeter relative to the outer perimeter under a dynamic load applied to the second side. The plate body resiliently returns to the first orientation upon removal of the dynamic load. A sole structure and an article of footwear including the sole plate are disclosed. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear with the sole plate is disclosed.

Abstract: Beads may be stitched to a substrate layer and then fused to form structures including foam midsoles, foam pads, and other foam structures. Beads may be embroidered to multiple substrate layers and then folded or stacked together to form a preform used in a mold to form a midsole.

Abstract: A footwear device is provided having a deformable heel contact member. The heel contact member extends above a top portion of the footwear's sole and deforms into a cavity formed in the sole when the user's heel applies a force against the heel contact member. The heel contact member is resilient and returns to its original shape when the force against the heel contact member is eliminated. The heel contact member is particularly well suited to reduce heel slap of open heeled footwear.

Abstract: A sole structure of an article of footwear has a support assembly structure including a flexure element and an upper support element. The flexure element may have a central portion located between first and second ground-contacting or lower regions, wherein the central portion may have a downwardly concavely-curved shell-like region. The flexure element also may have first and second flanges extending upward from the first and second lower regions, respectively. The upper support element is positioned above the central portion and between the first and second flanges of the flexure element. When a vertical compressive load is first applied to the upper support element, the upper support element moves vertically relative to the first and second flanges. An article of footwear having the sole structure attached to an upper is also provided.

Abstract: A shoe includes a sole having an insert piece and a layer of material disposed on a top surface of the insert piece; and an upper extending above the sole. The insert piece extends from at least one of a front or middle portion of the shoe to a rear of the shoe, with the top surface of the insert piece inclined upwardly toward the rear of the shoe and then leveling off at a rear portion of the shoe. A top surface of the layer of material is inclined upwardly from the at least one of the front or middle portion of the shoe to the rear of the shoe, such that at the rear portion of the shoe an angle of inclination is significantly greater for the top surface of the layer of material than for the top surface of the insert piece.

Abstract: Shoe heel devices comprising a longitudinally compressible and transversely expandable shock absorber within a bore.

Abstract: An article of footwear has a sole with a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion. The sole has a ground-facing side and a foot-facing side opposite the ground-facing side. The article of footwear includes a support system that has one or more rods spaced from the sole and extending longitudinally from the forefoot portion to the heel portion on the foot-facing side. The rod is operatively connected to the sole at the forefoot portion and at the heel portion. A sling is suspended from the rod over the midfoot portion. The rod bends when the sole is flexed to thereby lift the sling away from the sole.

Abstract: A pair of sport shoe inserts may be shaped differently to provide support to different areas of the feet during movement while participating in a sporting event. The right, back corner of the right foot may be supported by a lateral flange having an inclined slope that declines inwardly and forwardly. The left, back corner of the left heel may be supported with a lateral flange having an inclined slope that declines inwardly and forwardly, but at a smaller degree than with the right heel. The right heel may have a medial area that is uncovered or unsupported, such as to allow the right ankle to roll during a swing or other movement. The left heel may have a medial area that is supported with an arch or other support that may provide for push off during a swing or other player movement.

Abstract: The present invention teaches customizable articles of footwear in which various footwear components can be selected from a wide range of options, and can be easily removed and replaced, as desired. Moreover, the present invention teaches footwear uppers made of knitted textile materials including different sections having different structures and mechanical properties.

Abstract: The shoe includes a shoe upper and a sole connected to the shoe upper. The sole includes an upper sole element, and a lower sole element. The shoe also includes an elongated spring element attached at both ends to the shoe upper, or attached at one to the shoe upper and the other end to the upper side element. The elongated spring element exerts a force on the upper sole element to pull the upper sole element away from the lower sole element. The upper sole element has a surface on which the sole of a foot of a wearer of the shoe rests during use of the shoe. The upper sole element rests on the lower sole element during use of the shoe due to the weight of the wearer of the shoe. The elongated spring element pulls at least a part of the upper sole element away from the lower sole element to separate the part of the upper sole element from the lower sole element, during non-use of the shoe. The elongated spring element can be a rubber band.

Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure incorporates a support element that includes a fluid-filled chamber. The chamber may be bonded to other portions of the sole to secure the chamber within the sole. A surface of the chamber may also be angled to form a corresponding bevel in a lower surface of the sole structure, potentially in a rear-lateral area of the sole structure. A plate may also extend under a portion of the chamber.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper for securing the article of footwear to a wearer. The footwear also includes a sole assembly operatively coupled to the upper. The sole assembly includes a bladder that contains a fluid. The bladder has a posterior portion, an anterior portion, and a middle portion disposed between the posterior and anterior portions. The posterior portion has a heel recess that is approximately coincidental with a center of a heel of the wearer. The middle portion includes a neck chamber that extends between the posterior and anterior portions. The neck chamber is elongate and has a width that is less than both the posterior and anterior portions, and the anterior portion has a plurality of toe recesses that extend generally away from the neck chamber.

Abstract: An adaptive fluid system for an article of footwear is disclosed. The adaptive fluid system includes a fluid chamber that provides cushioning and shock absorption for a foot. The adaptive fluid system includes an adjustable pressure regulating valve that may be used to control the pressure of the fluid chamber. The adaptive fluid system includes a valve that prevents fluid from escaping from a fluid chamber during use.

Abstract: An adjustable bladder system for an article of footwear is disclosed. The bladder system includes an outer bladder that may be inflated using an external pump. A valve member may be disposed externally to the outer bladder. In addition, one or more tensile members may be disposed within the outer bladder to control deformation of the outer bladder during compression.

Abstract: Impact-attenuation members include: (a) an impact-attenuating member and (b) a shear resistant member engaged with the impact-attenuating member. Another example impact-attenuation member includes a shear resistant member having a continuous wall that bulges outward on opposing sides when in an uncompressed base orientation. The shear resistant members may be structured and arranged to allow bending or compression against impact forces in one direction (e.g., when landing a step or a jump), but remain highly stable against shear or lateral forces in another direction (e.g., in a side-to-side direction). Such impact-attenuation members may be used in footwear products, including in athletic footwear.

Abstract: Impact-attenuation members include: (a) an impact-attenuating member and (b) a shear resistant member engaged with the impact-attenuating member. Another example impact-attenuation member includes a shear resistant member having a continuous wall that bulges outward on opposing sides when in an uncompressed base orientation. The shear resistant members may be structured and arranged to allow bending or compression against impact forces in one direction (e.g., when landing a step or a jump), but remain highly stable against shear or lateral forces in another direction (e.g., in a side-to-side direction). Such impact-attenuation members may be used in footwear products, including in athletic footwear.

Abstract: Impact-attenuation members include: (a) an impact-attenuating member and (b) a shear resistant member engaged with the impact-attenuating member. Another example impact-attenuation member includes a shear resistant member having a continuous wall that bulges outward on opposing sides when in an uncompressed base orientation. The shear resistant members may be structured and arranged to allow bending or compression against impact forces in one direction (e.g., when landing a step or a jump), but remain highly stable against shear or lateral forces in another direction (e.g., in a side-to-side direction). Such impact-attenuation members may be used in footwear products, including in athletic footwear.

Abstract: Impact-attenuation members include body portions, optionally with an arched structure, that define a base orientation and an open space; and a spring member extending across the open space and engaging the body portion(s). When a force is applied to the body portion(s) in at least some orientations and/or directions of incident force, e.g., so as to change the impact-attenuation member out of its base orientation, the spring member may exert a force that urges the impact-attenuation member back toward the base orientation. Various example structures for the impact-attenuation member are described. Such impact-attenuation members may be used in articles of footwear or other foot-receiving device products.

Abstract: An item of footwear, in particular for sport, includes a sole, a double-crossbow shaped elastic structure, having an upper wall and a lower wall which define an empty space inside them. The elastic structure is placed in the sole so as to elastically react under the weight of a foot. An element extends from one of the walls and is suitable for going into abutment against the opposite wall when the crossbow structure is not compressed.

Abstract: Impact-attenuation systems, e.g., for use in footwear, can help control foot positioning during a step cycle, e.g., to help reduce or eliminate misorientation of the foot, and the fatigue and/or strain that may result from such misorientation. Articles of footwear including such impact-attenuation systems may include: (a) an upper member; and (b) a sole structure engaged with the upper member. The sole structure may include: (i) a first impact-attenuating member located in a heel portion of the foot-supporting member, and (ii) a second, separate impact-attenuating member located at a rear, lateral heel portion. The second impact-attenuating member may be designed and/or configured to provide less resistance to an impact force as compared with the first impact-attenuating member.

Abstract: Impact-attenuation systems, e.g., for use in footwear, can help control foot positioning during a step cycle, e.g., to help reduce or eliminate misorientation of the foot, and the fatigue and/or strain that may result from such misorientation. Articles of footwear including such impact-attenuation systems may include: (a) an upper member; and (b) a sole structure engaged with the upper member. The sole structure may include: (i) a first impact-attenuating member located in a heel portion of the foot-supporting member, and (ii) a second, separate impact-attenuating member located at a rear, lateral heel portion. The second impact-attenuating member may be designed and/or configured to provide less resistance to an impact force as compared with the first impact-attenuating member.

Abstract: Impact-attenuation members include: (a) an impact-attenuating member and (b) a shear resistant member engaged with the impact-attenuating member. Another example impact-attenuation member includes a shear resistant member having a continuous wall that bulges outward on opposing sides when in an uncompressed base orientation. The shear resistant members may be structured and arranged to allow bending or compression against impact forces in one direction (e.g., when landing a step or a jump), but remain highly stable against shear or lateral forces in another direction (e.g., in a side-to-side direction). Such impact-attenuation members may be used in footwear products, including in athletic footwear.

Abstract: An article of footwear with a shock absorbing heel system is disclosed. The heel system includes a lower heel plate, a set of support members, and an upper heel plate. Also, the heel system includes a heel cover configured to hide the upper heel plate from view. The lower heel plate is associated with a cantilever portion that supports the upper heel plate laterally. As force is applied to the heel system, the support members may compress slightly and the cantilever portion may lower, absorbing energy and or shocks applied by the ground.

Abstract: A footwear sole includes shock absorbing elements that extend from upper and lower plates. In one embodiment, the shock absorbing elements include a bridge defining a plurality of receptacles extending from the lower plate and a plurality of protrusions extending from the upper plate. Each protrusion is associated with one receptacle, and a portion of each protrusion extends into the receptacle.

Abstract: An article of footwear may include an upper with a first size and an outsole with a second size that is different from the first size. A midsole of the article of footwear may be configured with an upper portion that fits the first size of the upper and a lower portion that fits the second size of the outsole.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for dynamically building financial solution recommendations based on received inputs. These inputs, which may be received from the customer, an associate collaborating with the customer or from a customer database, may include customer behaviors, customer attitudes, customer life events, customer life interests, customer personal/profile data, customer financial data, such as portfolio data and the like. Based on the received inputs, financial solution recommendations are determined and presented to the customer in real time or near time. As such, the customer is able to instantaneously see how each input of recommendation criteria impacts the financial solution recommendations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, with a cushioning system comprising a lower sole element and an upper sole element. The cushioning system further comprises at least one lever having at least two arms where an angle ? between the arms lies within the range 0°<?<180°. The first arm is connected to a deformation element and the second arm is connected to one of the two sole elements, wherein the lever is pivotably arranged at the other sole element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a shoe having a detachable cushioning member, in which the cushioning member for relieving an impact is detachable from a lower surface of a heel. More particularly, in the shoe having a detachable cushioning member, the cushioning member is selectively mounted to a lower surface of a heel of the shoe, a structure of the heel for mounting the cushioning member is simple so that it is possible to easily manufacture the shoe, and only the cushioning member has the construction for cushioning so that it is possible to easily replace and repair the cushioning member.

Abstract: Impact-attenuation members include: (a) an impact-attenuating member and (b) a shear resistant member engaged with the impact-attenuating member. Another example impact-attenuation member includes a shear resistant member having a continuous wall that bulges outward on opposing sides when in an uncompressed base orientation. The shear resistant members may be structured and arranged to allow bending or compression against impact forces in one direction (e.g., when landing a step or a jump), but remain highly stable against shear or lateral forces in another direction (e.g., in a side-to-side direction). Such impact-attenuation members may be used in footwear products, including in athletic footwear.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shoe comprising an upper part and a sole, a support and inner part of an intermediate sole and an outer sole. The intermediate sole contains a damping element which comprises a plurality of first elements which are arranged adjacent to each other and which are embodied as a hollow body defining a receiving area in which an associated second element having a smaller cross-section than the first element can at least partially penetrate. The elements are coaxial. At least one part of the second elements have a prism or cylindrical form and are embodied at least partially as a massive part. Both of the elements, which are associated with each other, are connected together by means of an elastic connection section which only extends between the first element and the second element and the first element, the connecting section and the second element are embodied as a single piece.

Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure incorporates a support element that includes a fluid-filled chamber, a first insert, and a second insert. The chamber defines a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface. The first insert is secured to the first surface and at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber, and the second insert is secured to the second surface. In addition, the chamber may be pressurized to deform the first insert or the second insert.

Abstract: A triple density heel cup is disclosed which comprises a generally heel-shaped substrate having a length extending from a heel portion of an integral wall to a front border, which front border in use is adapted to underlie a portion of the arch area of a human foot. The heel-shaped substrate comprises a structural gel layer having a foot receiving surface and a shoe side surface. A generally flat portion of the foot receiving surface will lie adjacent the bottom of a wearer's foot in use and the integral wall which is adapted to lie adjacent the back of wearer's heel and portion of the side of a wearer's heel in use, said integral wall having an apex of maximum height, said wall tapering down in height from said apex toward said front border; The shoe side surface defines a channel formed in said structural gel adapted to receive a reinforcing component which is secured to said structural gel in said channel and is made of a denser material than said structural gel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a structure of a multi-elastic insole for shoes wherein a plurality of polyurethane foams having different elasticity from one another are sequentially laminated on the concaved portion of the bottom surface of an insole abutting against a wearer's heel portion, thereby excellently absorbing the impacts generated from a foot sole to make the wearer feel comfortable while in use, which reduces the work load of the leg and foot and the muscle fatigue in the workers standing up for long hours on a hard floor and prevents the muscular skeletal diseases to make the workers healthy.

Abstract: A spring-loaded jumping shoe featuring a shoe component comprising a sole, a top, and a foot hole; a track disposed in the sole of the shoe component; an attachment flange removably attached in the track in the sole of the shoe component; a generally flat base having a top surface, a bottom surface, an upwardly curved front end, and an upwardly curved back end; and at least a first hydraulic spring and a second hydraulic spring each extending upwardly from the base and sandwiched between the base and the attachment flange.

Abstract: A component for supporting a wearer's foot includes a central plate joined at its periphery to one or more tubular portions.

Abstract: An adjustable shock attenuating means comprises at least one arch element (1) and at least one tensile element (2) arranged between any two positions at a concave surface of the element (1) or between two ends of the arch element (1). This means further comprises at least one additional arch element (12) arranged intersecting with the arch element (1) or arranged with the arch element (1) side by side. The arch element (1) has a U-shaped cut-out (13, 14) at its two ends respectively and the tensile element (2) correspondingly has a connecting piece (23, 24) at its two ends respectively to be coupled with the U-shaped cut-outs (13, 14) of the arch element (1) with which the tensile element (2) is coupled with the arch element (1).

Abstract: Impact-attenuation members include body portions, optionally with an arched structure, that define a base orientation and an open space; and a spring member extending across the open space and engaging the body portion(s). When a force is applied to the body portion(s) in at least some orientations and/or directions of incident force, e.g., so as to change the impact-attenuation member out of its base orientation, the spring member may exert a force that urges the impact-attenuation member back toward the base orientation. Various example structures for the impact-attenuation member are described. Such impact-attenuation members may be used in articles of footwear or other foot-receiving device products.

Abstract: The invention relates to an article of footwear having a hollow heel cavity that is adapted to receive a heel insert. A user can interchange heel inserts of varying thicknesses based on their activity, and is not required to change their footwear when undertaking a new activity. For example, hiking on a dirt trail may require a heel insert with less cushioning and more support, while running on pavement may require a heel insert with more cushioning and less support. The user can simply carry with him multiple heel inserts and replace the heel insert as needed to achieve a desired level of support, cushioning and comfort.

Abstract: The shoe, has a shoe upper part and a sole. The sole has a supporting part, which is designed for receiving the heel region of the wearer's foot and is connected to the shoe upper part, and a sole element, which is connected to the supporting part. In order to improve the damping behavior of the shoe, the supporting part and the sole element are spaced apart from each other, in the longitudinal direction of the shoe. The connection between the supporting part and the sole element is preformed at two spaced-apart points in such a way as to form, under the heel region of the wearer's foot, a gap. The gap extends at least in portions over the entire width of the sole. The sole element, in the rear end region of the shoe, is connected to the supporting part.

Abstract: Impact-attenuating elements, e.g., for use in footwear or other foot-receiving device products, may include: (a) a base member, such as a fluid-tight and/or other fluid-filled or fluid-containing enclosure element; (b) a support element integrally and contiguously formed in a surface of the base member; and/or (c) a spring device engaged with the support element. The support element and its corresponding spring device (if any) may include a non-planar surface (e.g., substantially parabolic shaped, cylindrically shaped, etc.) that extends in a direction into the base member and toward its opposite surface. The support element and its corresponding spring device (if any) also may include reinforcing structure(s), such as raised ribs extending along a surface of the support element and/or spring device.

Abstract: A sole construction having a heel carrier and an upwardly-arched heel pad. The heel pad is fitted into and supported by the heel carrier so that the heel pad provides a spring-like bending reaction to a load. The sole construction may further include a support element disposed above the heel pad and fitted into heel carrier. The support element may be upwardly-arching so that, like the heel pad, it provides spring-like bending reaction in response to a load. The support element and heel pad may be integrally formed, for example, by molding the heel pad directly onto the support element. The heel pad and/or support element may be fitted into slots in the lateral and medial sidewalls of the heel carrier to interconnect the heel pad, support element and heel carrier. The support element may have a forward extension to function as a shank.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper and having a support assembly. The support assembly has an upper plate and a lower plate spaced from the upper plate. The lower plate has a peripheral edge and a plurality of spring arms, with each spring arm curving initially outwardly and then upwardly and inwardly from the peripheral edge to the upper plate.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved sole for footwear with a convex or rounded shape, provided with a stabilizer, with a damping system and with an internal system for the rotation of air, which modifies the phase of contact of the foot with the ground in a roller, such that it transforms the process of reception of the ground (with the heel of the foot) and forward translation of the propelling forces (by means of the area of the metatarsus and toes) in a roller effect, obtaining the damping/stability/impulse effects, and the actuation of the airing system by means of a pad/wedge, the outsole thus configured allowing a rotation on the ground such that the inertia of the body and the vertical forces applied from the heel of the foot are more easily converted into horizontal propelling forces.

Abstract: A sole construction includes a cushion insert that is installable in the sole at different orientations to vary the support/cushioning characteristics of the sole. The sole construction may include a midsole defining a receptacle configured to receive the cushion insert in different orientations. The sole may be inserted into low-profile footwear having an outsole with a receptacle for retaining a corresponding differentiated heel portion of the sole. The sole may be included in a shoe construction having an outsole portion capable of bending or pivoting to provide access to the cushion insert for adjustment thereof. The sole may be included in a shoe construction having an outsole that defines an opening, through which the cushion insert may be accessed and manipulated. The cushion insert may include at least one channel that varies in depth about the insert so that different regions of the insert provide different support/cushioning characteristics.

Abstract: A sole construction having a cushion insert that is installable in the sole at different orientations to vary the support/cushioning characteristics of the sole. The sole construction may include a midsole defining a receptacle configured to receive the cushion insert in a plurality of different orientations. The cushion insert and the receptacle may include a plurality of lobes that are interfitted when the cushion insert is installed in the receptacle. The size, shape and configuration of the lobes may be varied between different regions of the cushion insert so that different regions of the cushion insert provide different support/cushioning characteristics. The cushion insert and the receptacle may be generally disc-shaped so that the sole is adjusted simply by rotating the cushion insert with respect to the receptacle. The lobes may be configured so that rotation of the cushion insert adjusts the sole between supination, pronation, soft and firm settings.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly including a midsole. A cavity is formed in the midsole and has a cavity wall, with a groove formed in the cavity wall. A membrane is received in the groove and extends across the cavity. An upper member is secured to an upper surface of the midsole, with a portion of the upper member extending across the cavity.