Abstract: An article of footwear including an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper and including a support assembly having an upper member and a lower member spaced from the upper member. A first layer is positioned beneath and in contact with the upper member and has a wave shaped profile with a plurality of first wave crests and first wave troughs. A second layer is positioned above the lower member and has a wave shaped profile with a plurality of second wave crests and second wave troughs.

Abstract: An upper including: a plurality of panels provided in a medial side portion and/or a lateral side portion, the panels being separated from one another in a longitudinal direction of a foot, covering at least a portion of the side surface of the foot, and being pulled by a fastening member toward a center portion between the medial side and the lateral side of the foot; and a plurality of string-like non-stretchable string portions that are extending in the longitudinal direction, the string portions placed between a pair of the plurality of panels that are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a convertible footwear apparatus can be worn as a shoe or converted to a boot by attaching or removing an upper section from the shoe. The apparatus is configured to allow someone wearing the shoe component to attach or remove the upper section with a single continuous operation and without having to remove the shoe component from the wearer's foot. In one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus comprises a zipper. In another embodiment of the invention, the shoe component includes a heel.

Abstract: A method for making a shoe in a three dimensional manner includes: a step of sewing and weaving, a step of prototyping, a step of inserting an insole, a step of seaming, a step of inserting a shoe tree, a step of pressing which includes: preparing a sole mold filled with a semi-cured sole, and a decorative-member mold filled with a semi-cured decorative member, pushing the decorative-member mold against the vamp with the semi-cured decorative members and the semi-cured sole pressed against the bottom surface; and a step of heating which includes: heating the cloth sleeve to melt the semi-cured sole and decorative members; the decorative members and the sole will be fully cured.

Abstract: An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. Various warp or weft knitting processes, including circular knitting, may be utilized to form the textile element.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes at least a first outsole member and a second outsole member, and at least one flex member secured to the first outsole member and the second outsole member and having sufficient flexibility to permit the first outsole member to move relative to the second outsole member to expand the article of footwear from a first size to a second, larger size.

Abstract: An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. Various warp or weft knitting processes, including flat knitting, may be utilized to form the textile element.

Abstract: A snowshoe (1500) is formed from multi-density foam materials. The snowshoe (1500) generally includes a deck 1502 and binding 1504 mounted on the deck 1502. The deck 1502 is formed from layers of flexible multi-density foam materials and has a continuously curved bottom surface to promote forward rocking motion. Consequently, it is not necessary to provide a pivot plate with crampons or to provide an opening in the deck 1502. The deck 1502 further includes a traction plate 1510. The traction plate 1510 is formed from a material that is harder than the lower layer of the deck 1502. The traction plate 1510 includes a number of cleats 1512 distributed from side-to-side and front-to-back across the traction plate 1510. Each of the cleats 1512 includes a number of spikes 1514 for penetrating snow or ice to provide enhanced traction.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel shoe sole including a specific layered sheet, an insole of a shoe, an out sole of a shoe, and a shoe including the shoe sole. The object can be fulfilled by a shoe sole formed of a layered sheet of a plurality of cloths wherein; the cloths formed of a strand of an oriented thermoplastic resin; and the plurality of cloths are integrated by heating and compressing.

Abstract: Embodiments of footwear, in particular, a shoe, sandal or boot, may reduce the effort and improve the performance of walking, running, hiking, as well as jumping, hopping, and other motion involving the ankle, lower leg and Achilles tendon, through integration of force-carrying mechanisms within footwear that manage the forces and energy associated with such motion by productively harvesting and storing energy during dorsiflexion motion and releasing and returning energy during plantar flexion and limiting range of motion that conduce towards ankle inversion and eversion. Such footwear may comprise a yoke connected to footwear at a pivot approximately in parallel to the axis of rotation of the ankle and a tension spring suspended approximately parallel to the Achilles tendon.

Abstract: Safety shoes with a ventilation structure are provided. The safety shoes include a toecap on a front inner part, a plurality of longitudinal ventilation holes formed at one side of the toecap, an outer skin with an opening which laterally extends to overlap and communicate with the ventilation hole, the outer skin joined with an outer surface of the toecap, and an inner skin formed of a waterproof and breathable function material and joined with the inside of the opening. Thus, user's feet may be maintained always agreeably.

Abstract: An article of footwear may include an upper and a sole structure fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper. The sole structure may include a sole component including a baseplate having a bottom surface and at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, the first ground engaging member having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape. In addition, the sole structure may also include a tapered support structure having a substantially pyramidal shape and extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and partially surrounding the first ground engaging member such that a portion of the first ground engaging member is exposed between edges of the tapered support structure. Also, the tapered support structure may extend downward from the baseplate less than the first ground engaging member.

Abstract: An electronically controlled bladder assembly includes an adjustable pressure bladder and a constant pressure reservoir connected by an electronically controlled valve. The electronically controlled valve is operated in a manner that inflates the adjustable bladder when the current pressure is below a target pressure and in a manner that deflates the adjustable bladder when the current pressure is above the target pressure. The inflation and deflation of the adjustable bladder are achieved in an iterative manner by controlling the flow of fluid between the constant pressure reservoir and the adjustable bladder over several cycles of heel strikes.

Abstract: An apparatus for use as at least part of a sole of a shoe or as at least part of an insole of the shoe, the apparatus comprises a fixed section that provides a positioning of a big toe area at a lower position than a heel area and/or at a lower position than an outer edge area, and an adjustable section associated with the fixed section, wherein the adjustable section adjusts at least one of the lower positioning of the big toe area with respect to the heel area and the lower positioning of the big toe area with respect to the outer edge area.

Abstract: A retrofit shoe heel system for stiletto-heeled shoes has a heel outsole piece, a heel midsection piece, and a heel top piece. The heel outsole piece has a column extending therefrom with an open-end, hollow shaft running longitudinally therethrough which is sized and shaped to receive the stiletto heel of a shoe, and a ground contact surface area extending outwardly about the column which increases the shoe's heel ground contact area. The heel midsection piece has an outer contour substantially matching an outer contour of the outsole piece, and an aperture therethrough which is sized and shaped to surround the column of the outsole piece. The heel top piece has a skirt portion with an outer contour substantially matching an outer contour of the outsole piece, and an aperture therethrough which is sized and shaped to surround the column when stacked on top of the outsole piece.

Abstract: An upper comprising a flexible layer configured to receive a foot, a bladder coupled to an outer surface of the flexible layer, and an inflation mechanism operatively coupled to the bladder for inflating the bladder such that the flexible layer is drawn toward the foot. The bladder extends from a lateral side in a heel region across a throat region to a medial side in the heel region. The bladder comprises a plurality of fluidly connected segments, each segment forming an angle with an adjacent segment.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of assembling a shoe including a printed design for providing flat material having a first designated area and a second designated area, printing a first portion of the design on the first designated area and printing a second portion of the design on the second designated area, separating the designated areas into individual panels and assembling each panel, so that the first portion of the design joins the second portion of the design when each panel is arranged side by side to form an uninterrupted and complete design.

Abstract: A bonded mesh composite panel can be used to form a three-dimensional upper shell that includes extensions used for double-lasting and/or to otherwise provide a shelf to support foam padding. The foam padding may be, e.g., a foam midsole. The extensions of the upper shell may be located in a lower portion of the shell and may be bonded to the foam midsole in a heel, midfoot and/or forefoot regions.

Abstract: Sole structures for articles of footwear (e.g., outsole components) have one or more of: a base plate having a V-shaped support structure with lateral and medial support members extending forward from a base support area located in a heel or rear midfoot area of the outsole component; a base plate having a matrix structure with recesses or openings formed between rib elements that make up the matrix structure; and/or a base plate having a rear heel support. The base plates may be made, at least in part, as unitary, one-piece constructions, using selective laser sintering or other three-dimensional printing and/or rapid manufacturing additive fabrication techniques.

Abstract: A locking device for sports footwear is adapted to lock two mutually hinged portions of sports footwear or to release them from each other. The locking device may be used in a ski boot for locking or releasing the shell and cuff relative to each other. The locking device comprises a male member and a female member, which members comprise respective engaging elements adapted to cooperate with each other, and actuating elements for moving the members from a configuration in which the male member is disengaged from the female member to a configuration in which the male member is engaged with the female member. The engaging elements of the male member and/or the engaging elements of the female member have a tapered or conical shape, whereby it is possible to make a coupling without clearance between the male member and the female member when the members are engaged.