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 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 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: 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: A mold (4) for producing a shoe bottom (B) has a drag (20) which contains a mold cavity (24) in the configuration of the shoe bottom and a cope (22) which fits against the drag and closes the mold cavity. To form the drag, a model (40) is placed against the cope, and a metallic coating (30) is applied to the exposed surfaces of the model and the surrounding parting surface (34) of the cope. A form (50) is installed around the parting surface of the cope and a fluent backing material is introduced into it and allowed to solidify over the metallic coating to form a backing (34) for the metallic surface. After the drag and cope are separated the model is removed from the drag, thus providing the mold cavity in which shoe bottoms are molded.

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: A mold for producing a shoe bottom has a drag which contains a mold cavity in the configuration of the shoe bottom and a cope which fits against the drag and closes the mold cavity. To form the drag, a model is placed against the cope, and a metallic coating is applied to the exposed surfaces of the model and the surrounding parting surface of the cope. A form is installed around the parting surface of the cope and a fluent backing is introduced into it and allowed to solidify over the metallic coating to form a backing for the metallic surface. After the drag and cope are separated the model is removed from the drag, thus providing the mold cavity in which shoe bottoms are molded.