Abstract: A sports sandal includes sole and a partial upper. The partial upper includes a plurality apertures that accommodate a lace therethrough. The lace tension is selectively adjustable and the partial upper is flexible and contoured to fit snugly about the wearer's foot. The use of flexible fabrics enable the sports sandal to be used in a wider variety of athletic activities, while the adjustable lacing system adds to wearer's comfort.

Abstract: An inertially responsive lighting system (10) for footwear has at least one electric light source (12), a battery (16), circuit means (22) to connect the battery to the light, and electro-mechanical switching means (24) disposed in the circuit means that are responsive to an inertial impulse force acting on the footwear to cause the light to flash on and off for a brief interval after the force is applied.

Abstract: A replaceable shoe heel spring assembly allows the wearer of a shoe to selectively change the energy absorption and return characteristics of the heel portion of the shoe by changing shoe heel spring cartridges. The wearer activates a release mechanism located on an exterior surface of the shoe and a cartridge containing a shoe heel spring is ejected from a location in the mid-sole of the shoe. Another shoe heel spring cartridge having different energy absorption and return characteristics can then be inserted into the mid-sole. The cartridge is securely held in the mid-sole by a locking mechanism connected to the release mechanism. The shoe heel spring is provided with a cover which matches the material of the mid-sole. The cover assists in preventing debris from entering the mid-sole. The selectable range of energy absorption and return characteristics is limited only by the number of cartridges available.

Abstract: An athletic shoe (20) having an inflatable air bladder (52) integrated into the design and construction of the shoe, and apparatus (50) for inflating the air bladder, as well as apparatus (82) for sensing and indicating the pressure in the bladder, all incorporated into the design of the shoe.

Abstract: Footwear for improving the visibility of the wearer includes a processing circuit that responds to operation of switch to turn a lighting system disposed in the footwear off and on. The switch is responsive to pressure from the foot of the wearer. When a wearer raises a foot from the ground, the lighting system is activated. When the foot is returned to the ground, or at the expiration of a predetermined period of time, the lighting system is deactivated.

Abstract: An adjustable shoe heel spring and stabilizer device provides the wearer of a shoe the ability to adjust the energy absorption and return characteristics of the shoe to suit their particular needs. An operable adjustment device is located on an exterior surface of the shoe. The wearer operates the adjustment device to selectively position a fulcrum at a desired location relative to upper and lower members of a spring mechanism disposed within the mid-sole of the shoe. The position of the fulcrum defines the energy absorption and return characteristics for the shoe. An indicator is provided for displaying to the wearer the relative position of the fulcrum, and hence the energy absorption and return setting for the shoe.

Abstract: A speed closure (100) for footwear (10) comprises an elastic instep strap (110) having ends (111, 112) on opposite sides of the wearer's foot. The ends of the strap terminate in pulleys (114, 115) interleaved between the tongue (28) and respective ones of the flaps of the shoe for independent, sliding movement therebetween. A foldable fastening tab (120) is moveably attached to the tongue of the shoe. A tensioning line (140) having ends joined to form a continuous loop is threaded in an ordered sequence through eyelets (34) in the flaps, eyelets (127) in the tab, and the line pulleys, such that the line does not pass through any pulley more than once, and through any eyelet more than twice, and such that the line does not cross over itself. A cowl (150) is disposed over the instep of the shoe to cover portions of the instep opening of the shoe, the tongue, and the tab. The cowl has a top edge (151) and sides that lap past the flaps and attach to respective sides of the shoe.

Abstract: A thin, heel-sized plate formed of a composite sandwich of thermoplastic resin and carbon-glass fiber cloth has a pair of upwardly-flanged lateral edges, front and rear ends, and an integral, rearwardly-extending, upwardly-inclined, vertically-acting spring member appending from it. The device is encapsulated within the resilient material of the heel portion of the midsole of an athletic shoe such that the spring member is disposed below the calcaneus of the wearer's foot. The midsole is relieved in an area below the spring member to permit it to bend downward freely in response to heel-imparted forces. A "snubber" or stopper bushing can be molded into the outsole of the shoe to limit the maximum deflection of the spring member.

Abstract: Footwear (1) adapted to enhance the visibilty of the wearer contains a light source (12), a power source (14), circuitry (15, 16, 17) to connect the power source (14) to the light source (12) , and a pressure switch (18) disposed in the sole (5) of the footwear (1) between the wearer's foot and the ground and adapted to turn the light source (12) off when the wearer's foot is on the ground, and hence static, thereby conserving the power source (14), and to switch the light source (12) on when the wearer's foot is off the ground, and usually moving, thereby providing enhanced visibility of the footwear (1) and its wearer.

Abstract: An athletic shoe (20) includes a sole (22), an upper (25), and a tongue (26), as well as fasteners (28), such as shoelaces. Incorporated into the sole (22) of the athletic shoe (20) is a receptacle (30) for receiving and retaining a plug-in module (32) in a slide-in, releasably locking arrangement. The plug-in module (32) preferably includes a battery (62), a light emitting device (54), and electrical circuit elements (58, 60, 72) arranged to selectively connect the battery (62) to the light emitting device (54).