Abstract: An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the footwear are disclosed. The footwear has an upper and a sole structure. The upper is secured to sole structure and the upper is formed from three layers: a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The second layer is formed from a polymer material and molded to the first layer, but the second layer may alternately be molded to the third layer. The third layer is joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer.

Abstract: An article of footwear with multiple cross sectional profile shapes disposed on an outer peripheral edge of a sole is disclosed. The multiple cross sectional profile shapes on the outer peripheral edge of the sole can help increase the lateral performance and lateral stability of a wearer of the article of footwear.

Abstract: A skate boot with a rear element that includes a tendon guard upwardly extending from an outsole of the boot is disclosed. The rear element covers at least a rear portion of an ankle received within the boot. The rear element has a base in connection with a heel portion of the outsole such that the rear element is displaceable relative a remainder of the boot in a forward and rearward direction about the connection. The rear element is an external element of the boot, and has a desired flexibility allowing the rear element to flex in the forward and rearward direction following a given forward and rearward flexion of the ankle.

Abstract: A hands-free fastening mechanism for releasably securing a user's foot to footwear is disclosed. The fastening mechanism comprises at least one pivotable strap which is coupled to a hinge mechanism which, in turn, is secured to the footwear. The hinge mechanism allows the strap to pivot between an open and a closed position. The strap is further coupled to a lever which is engageable by a user's foot so as to cause the strap to move from the open position to the closed position. When the strap moves to the closed position, a catch will engage, thereby securing the user's foot within the footwear. The footwear may then be removed by using the other foot to apply pressure to a protruding member or by striking the heel on a hard surface and then withdrawing the secured foot such that the catch is disengaged and the foot is released.

Abstract: Articles of footwear and other devices include modules, e.g., for sensing physical and/or physiological characteristics associated with use of the footwear or other devices. Such devices include: (a) a housing, optionally an asymmetrical housing, for receiving an electronic module; (b) release mechanisms for removably mounting the module in the housing; and/or (c) activation/authentication systems for selectively activating the module. Additionally, methods of making articles of footwear or other structures that include such housings, electronic modules, release systems, activation systems, authentication systems, etc. are described. Performance sensing systems and methods of using the above devices for sensing performance characteristics also are described.

Abstract: An athletic shoe includes an upper, an outsole, a pair of hinged plates, and a spring. The pair of hinged plates are attached between the outsole and the upper in a forefoot portion of the shoe, and the spring biases the plates apart, so that energy is stored and returned during a propulsion phase of a gait cycle in a human step. Foam may be disposed between the plates. A shroud may enclose an outer periphery of the plates. An adjustable torsion spring may be disposed in a hinge portion of the plates, and one or more wave springs may be disposed between the plates.

Abstract: An article of footwear having a sole structure with openings formed therethrough is disclosed. The article of footwear includes an upper for receiving a foot of a wearer and a sole structure attached to the upper and positioned generally below the foot. The sole structure has at least one opening formed therein that extends through the sole structure. The at least one opening formed through the sole structure exposes the plantar surface of the foot of the wearer to a ground surface when the article of footwear is worn by the wearer, and is constructed so as to allow contact between the plantar surface of the foot and the ground surface.

Abstract: An upper structure for a shoe includes an upper body and an outside upper member that overlaps the lateral side of the upper body to cover the foot's talus and that has a bottom edge portion fixedly attached to a bottom surface of the upper body. A rear end portion of the bottom edge portion is located rearwardly of the calcaneus load centerline. A rear edge portion of the outside upper member is separate from the upper body rearwardly of the talus. An instep edge portion of the outside upper member is connected to the shoelace. The upper structure includes a region that is expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction. A top end of the region extends to the opening of the upper body, and a bottom end of the region is disposed in front of the calcaneus load centerline and below 55% of the foot's lateral ankle height.

Abstract: An orthotic device has a readily adjustable variable forefoot posting system. In some embodiments, a generally planar plate is pivotally coupled to a foot-receiving shell. The plate is generally under the arch and not in contact with the supporting surface when in a neutral position. Along the plate's perimeter are raised regions that can be deployed into position as a forefoot post via pivoting the plate. In some versions, adjustability is via a sliding motion. Some areas have a greater height than others do and these raised areas or protrusions can be set at either an inner side or an outer side. Depending upon the shape of the ridges on the plate and the plate's pivoted position, a range of tilts can be variability provided. The plates can be part of an interchangeable system providing more options. Professional versions can have a greater range of settings than consumer versions.

Abstract: The pressure-reducing device has a body, a heel portion and an elevation portion. The body has a thickness and a body-fore end. The heel portion is defined in the body. The elevation portion is defined in the body and has a rear boundary and a fore boundary. The rear boundary is adjacent to the heel portion and is positioned between the heel portion and the body-fore end of the body. The fore boundary is positioned in front of the rear boundary between the rear boundary of the elevation portion and the body-fore end of the body. The thickness of the body decreases from the rear boundary to the fore boundary.

Abstract: An adjustably vented shoe including a body adapted to cover an entire user foot therein. Such a body preferably has an outer surface provided with an opening formed therethrough. The shoe further includes a first plate statically interfitted within the opening, a mesh screen statically interfitted within the opening and abutted with the first plate respectively, and a second plate adjustably engaged with the first plate respectively. Notably, the first plate and the mesh screen remain stationary while the second plate is dynamically displaced between open and closed positions relative to the first plate and the mesh screen respectively. In this manner, the mesh screen is exposed to ambient air when the second plate is displaced to the open position such that air is permitted to freely ingress and egress the shoe via the mesh screen.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multifunctional primer, comprising a first solution including 15 to 55 parts by weight of natural rubber and 750 to 1350 parts by weight of an organic solvent; a second solution from 100 parts by weight of the first solution and additionally 45 to 90 parts by weight of a polyurethane-dispersion; comprising a third solution from 100 parts by weight of the second solution and 100 to 250 parts by weight of a butadiene-based rubber solution containing 50 to 200 parts by weight of a butadiene rubber and 800 to 950 parts by weight of an organic solvent. Additionally a method of manufacturing a shoe is disclosed in an environmentally friendly manner by application of the primer to a transfer sheet, this being dried and cut into appropriate pieces, and this film-type multifunctional primer applied on a non-vulcanized outersole of a shoe.

Abstract: A footwear sole assembly (10) for walking with a rolling action is described. An elastically compressible midsole element (33) is provided with a rolling element (40) situated in and extending over a portion of the length and over at least a portion of the width of the midsole element (33). The rolling element (40) consists at least partially of a resilient material and is disposed at least in that region of the midsole (33) which is opposite to the arch of the wearer's foot. This shoe offers the rolling gait advantages of the well known MBT shoe, but has a different construction which enables it to retain the outward appearance of conventional shoes such as trainers.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprising an upper portion, an outsole portion disposed opposite the upper portion, and a midsole portion disposed intermediate the upper portion and the outsole portion, the midsole portion connected to the upper portion; and a sole artwork portion disposed intermediate the midsole portion and the outsole portion and connected to the midsole portion, the outsole portion configured and dimensioned to allow the sole artwork portion to be visible through a portion of the outsole portion, and a method for making the same.

Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a midsole element that defines a void, and the void may extend substantially vertically through a central area of the midsole element. The void may also extend between an upper surface and a lower surface of the midsole element to define an interior surface. A plurality of bores are also defined in the midsole element. The bores may extend substantially horizontally through the midsole element, and the bores may extend between an exterior surface of the midsole element and the void.

Abstract: A shoe contains an adjustable space for the foot and several fluidically connected chambers. In order to adjust the space for the foot, the flowability of a magnetorheological fluid can be influenced by one or more devices that generate a magnetic field and thereby adjust the space for the foot resulting in a better fitting of the shoe. The novel system may also be implemented in orthoses (e.g., pronation correction) or in complete shoes with orthotics devices for correcting musculoskeletal abnormalities.

Abstract: A fluid-filled chamber may include an upper barrier portion, a lower barrier portion, and a tensile member. An upper tensile layer of the tensile member may be secured to the upper barrier portion, and a lower tensile layer of the tensile member may be secured to the lower barrier portion. The upper barrier portion and the lower barrier portion may have first areas and second areas. The first areas may be indentations extending into the chamber, and the second areas may be protrusions extending outward from the chamber. At least a portion of the first areas may be unbonded with the upper barrier portion and the lower barrier portion. Accordingly, one or more properties of the chamber, such as a flexibility, stiffness, rigidity, tensile response, compressibility, or force attenuation property, may be altered.

Abstract: A rowing shoe (1) of adjustable length has a shell (2) divided into heel- and toe-sections (4, 9) carried by parts (6, 7) of an elongate chassis (5). The chassis-part (7) carrying the toe-section (9) slides on a head (21) of chassis-part 6 which is fixed to the foot-stretcher of the boat. A lever (30) pivoted on the chassis-part (7) projects forwardly from the toe-section (9) and has a slotted projection (29) engaged with one of a series of teeth (31) of the head (21) to restrain sliding of chassis-part (7). Depression of lever (30) releases the restraint by lifting projection (29) clear of the teeth (31), so allowing length-adjustment of the shoe (1) to a size indicated through a window (3) on an extension (24) of a plate (23) carried with the chassis-part (7). Release of the lever (30) allows the projection (29) to engage a tooth (31) and hold the adjusted size, urged by pressure of the rower's foot.

Abstract: A footwear outsole includes an arch member shiftably assembled on a central part of an upper surface of a outsole body in a longitudinal direction and a rear heel shiftably assembled on a rear part of a lower surface of the outsole body in a longitudinal direction. The footwear outsole has an advantage in that the footwear outsole can not only prevent the foot from becoming flat, but can also minimize shock on the sole of the foot, and reduce foot fatigue Therefore, the comfortable sensation can be maintained, and an effect of stretching are maximized so as to make the blood smoothly circulate and acupressure the acupunctural K1 region.

Abstract: A safety shoe includes a sole unit, an upper body, a protective toe cap, and a welt unit. The upper body includes an upper open end portion, a lower open end portion connected to the sole unit, and a vamp portion disposed between the upper and lower open end portions. The protective toe cap is disposed in the vamp portion of the upper body. The welt unit is mounted on the sole unit, surrounds the vamp portion, and has a stack of welt layers having different colors. A lowermost one of the welt layers has a bottom surface contacting the sole unit. An uppermost one of the welt layers has a top surface opposite to the lowermost one of the welt layers. A vertical distance between the top surface and the bottom surface is not smaller than 6 mm.