Abstract: A shoe construction including a shoe upper, an intermediate composite structure and an outsole. The composite structure underlies at least a portion of the upper and overlies at least a portion of the outsole. The composite structure includes cushion members with one cushion member being positioned to underlie a heel of a wearer and another cushion member being positioned to underlie the ball of the foot. The cushion member underlying the ball may be perforated. The composite structure can also include a relatively rigid lower member which can be perforated in the area of the ball of the foot underlying the cushion member for the ball of the foot. The composite structure can provide a flexure discontinuity in the shoe forward of the midfoot zone of the shoe.

Abstract: A dowelled top lift assembly for a shoe heel including an anchor member affixed or molded to a dowel pin member and a top lift member for contacting the walking surface affixed, molded to and encapsulating the anchor member. The anchor member is made of a harder material as compared to the top lift member, the anchor member being made of a hard thermoplastic material and the top lift member being made of a softer thermoplastic material such as a thermoset polyurethane elastomer or a softer thermoplastic polyurethane. The anchor member may include one or more ridges for cooperatively engaging grooves associated with the head portion of the dowel pin member.

Abstract: A shoe with an outsole having at least one traction zone, the traction zone including a base surface in a first plane, a plurality of ground engaging members in a second plane and a plurality of intersecting grooves defined by a pair of opposing walls and a groove surface located in a third plane. The base surface includes a plurality of spaced apart base surface elements. The plurality of intersecting grooves are positioned adjacent the plurality of base surface segments and the ground engaging members. The first, second and third planes are positioned elevationally in spaced apart arrangement from one another. The ground engaging members project out beyond the first plane while the intersecting grooves are recessed from the first plane toward a shoe upper. Each of the ground engaging members includes side walls and an angled first surface for contacting the ground.

Abstract: A shoe outsole and method of manufacture wherein the outsole, or various components thereof such as various inserts and/or additional layers associated with a particular outsole, are formed using various scrap materials generated during the shoe manufacturing process such as leather, leather dust, jute, and other fibrous material, the scrap materials being used as a filler material and being mixed with various elastomeric materials to form the shoe outsole and various components thereof. The outsole can be formed as a substantially one-piece unit, or it can be formed as a base sole layer having one or more additional layers associated therewith including inserts associated with the forefoot and heel regions of the outsole.

Abstract: A soft top lift member for a shoe heel wherein the top lift member is made by mixing a filler carbon material with a thermoplastic elastomer to form a filled elastomer. The filled elastomer is then formed into a top lift member for a shoe heel by using an injection molding process. The top lift member is then attached to a shoe heel. The thermoplastic elastomer can be a relatively soft thermoplastic polyurethane material and the carbon material can be a carbon powder. The filler or carbon powder is provided to enhance abrasion resistance properties.

Abstract: A dowelled top lift assembly for a shoe heel including an anchor member affixed or molded to a dowel pin member and a top lift member for contacting the walking surface affixed, molded to and encapsulating the anchor member. The anchor member is made of a harder material as compared to the top lift member, the anchor member being made of a hard thermoplastic material and the top lift member being made of a softer thermoplastic material such as a thermoset polyurethane elastomer or a softer thermoplastic polyurethane. The anchor member may include one or more ridges for cooperatively engaging grooves associated with the head portion of the dowel pin member.

Abstract: An air circulating footbed adapted for insertion into a shoe including first and second layers of material shaped and attached to each other so as to define at least two cavities therebetween, the first cavity being disposed generally in the forefoot region of a shoe and the second cavity being disposed generally in the heel region of a shoe, the first and second cavities being in fluid communication with each other whereby foot pressure exerted by a wearer's foot in the forefoot and heel regions of the footbed during a wearer's walking or running gait will circulate air flow back and forth between the at least two cavities. The cavities may also include low density polyurethane (PU) foam in the density range of 0.20 to 0.50 pounds per cubic foot.

Abstract: A shoe outsole and method of manufacture wherein the outsole is formed using recycled rubber granules generated during the shoe manufacturing process, the recycled rubber granules being used as a filler material and being mixed with various thermoplastic materials or vulcanized rubber to form the shoe outsole. The recycled rubber granules are mixed with the thermoplastic material or vulcanized rubber to form a filled elastomer which includes at least 50% by weight of a virgin thermoplastic material and no more than about 30% by weight of the recycled rubber granules.

Abstract: A shoe with an outsole having at least one traction zone, the traction zone including a base surface in a first plane, a plurality of ground engaging members in a second plane and a plurality of intersecting grooves defined by a pair of opposing walls and a groove surface located in a third plane. The base surface includes a plurality of spaced apart base surface elements. The plurality of intersecting grooves are positioned adjacent the plurality of base surface segments and the ground engaging members. The first, second and third planes are positioned elevationally in spaced apart arrangement from one another. The ground engaging members project out beyond the first plane while the intersecting grooves are recessed from the first plane toward a shoe upper. Each of the ground engaging members includes side walls and an angled first surface for contacting the ground.

Abstract: A shoe outsole and method of manufacture wherein the outsole, or various components thereof such as various inserts and/or additional layers associated with a particular outsole, are formed using various scrap materials generated during the shoe manufacturing process such as leather, leather dust, jute, and other fibrous material, the scrap materials being used as a filler material and being mixed with various elastomeric materials to form the shoe outsole and various components thereof. The outsole can be formed as a substantially one-piece unit, or it can be formed as a base sole layer having one or more additional layers associated therewith including inserts associated with the forefoot and heel regions of the outsole.

Abstract: A shoe construction including a shoe upper, an intermediate composite structure and an outsole. The composite structure underlies at least a portion of the upper and overlies at least a portion of the outsole. The composite structure includes cushion members with one cushion member being positioned to underlie a heel of a wearer and another cushion member being positioned to underlie the ball of the foot. The cushion member underlying the ball may be perforated. The composite structure can also include a relatively rigid lower member which can be perforated in the area of the ball of the foot underlying the cushion member for the ball of the foot. The composite structure can provide a flexure discontinuity in the shoe forward of the midfoot zone of the shoe.

Abstract: An outsole for a shoe has a bottom surface with a fabric insert glued into a recess. The method of gluing the fabric insert to the shoe outsole comprises cleaning the recess of the outsole, priming the recess to receive glue, applying glue to the recess; applying glue to the fabric insert; and pressing the fabric insert into the recess to fix the fabric insert in the recess.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved footwear that overcomes many of the limitations of the prior art. A shoe according to the present invention, includes a sole member with an upper surface for receiving a user's foot and a lower surface for contacting a support surface. The sole member has a first sidewall and a second sidewall that are spaced apart and extend between the upper and lower surfaces. The sole member also has a slot defined therethrough, with the slot extending between the first and second sidewalls. A strap has a pair of opposed ends and a midportion therebetween. The midportion is designed to be received in and retained by the slot. The slot also has a closure member for joining the opposed ends. When the midportion of the strap is received in the slot and the closure member joins the opposed ends, the strap and the sole cooperate to form a shoe upper for receiving the foot.

Abstract: A shoe heel includes a rigid heel block that attaches to a shoe sole at the heel seat on the sole and a top lift having a molded base that is located below the heel block such that a space exists between the bottom of the block and the top of the base. This space, along the peripheries of the block and base, contains' a highly resilient skirt, the interior of which is for the most part a void. An elastomeric slug projects from the heel block, through the space, and at its lower end bears against the base of the top lift. The slug, while being resilient, possesses enough firmness to support the weight of an individual over the base of the top lift. The top lift contains pins which project from its base into bores in the heel block to prevent the top lift from rotating under the heel block. The slug, while transferring the weight of the individual to the top lift, attenuates impacts to which the top lift is subjected.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved footwear that overcomes many of the limitations of the prior art. A shoe according to the present invention, includes a sole member with an upper surface for receiving a user's foot and a lower surface for contacting a support surface. The sole member has a first sidewall and a second sidewall that are spaced apart and extend between the upper and lower surfaces. The sole member also has a slot defined therethrough, with the slot extending between the first and second sidewalls. A strap has a pair of opposed ends and a midportion therebetween. The midportion is designed to be received in and retained by the slot. The slot also has a closure member for joining the opposed ends. When the midportion of the strap is received in the slot and the closure member joins the opposed ends, the strap and the sole cooperate to form a shoe upper for receiving the foot.

Abstract: A shoe heel includes a rigid heel block that attaches to a shoe sole at the heel seat on the sole and a top lift having a molded base that is located below the heel block such that a space exists between the bottom of the block and the top of the base. This space, along the peripheries of the block and base, contains a highly resilient skirt, the interior of which is for the most part a void. An elastomeric slug projects from the heel block, through the space, and at its lower end bears against the base of the top lift. The slug, while being resilient, possesses enough firmness to support the weight of an individual over the base of the top lift. The top lift contains pins which project from its base into bores in the heel block to prevent the top lift from rotating under the heel block. The slug, while transferring the weight of the individual to the top lift, attenuates impacts to which the top lift is subjected.

Abstract: A method of fixturing a shoe component from a block of suitable material by forming a first cavity in the block to expose a first surface of the component, applying a release agent to the first surface of the component, placing a body of a rigid material in the first cavity so as to extend over the entire first surface and into the surfaces of the block for adherence thereof to the block of material, repositioning the block, forming a cavity in the repositioned block to initiate the shaping of the shoe component, attaching the shoe component in its unfinished state to the body of rigid material, continuing the formation of the shoe component to completion to free it from connection with the block of material, and releasing the thus completed shoe component from the body of rigid material.