Abstract: An article of footwear with a bladder system providing cushioning and dynamic motion control in a multi-bladder system. The bladder system gives the needed amount of motion control by stiffening a portion of the footwear in response to the individual user's side-to-side motion. When used in the heel, the bladder system takes into consideration a center-of-pressure pathway of the foot to increase medial stiffness in response to lateral-to-medial rotation of the foot, so the more a user pronates, the stiffer the medial portion of the footwear is made. The bladder system provides comfort and control without the extra weight and bulk of prior art support structures. The bladder system dynamically changes the stiffness of a portion of the footwear when pressure is applied thereto, and returns to equilibrium when the pressure is removed.

Abstract: An article of footwear having a fluid filled cushioning bladder. The bladder comprises indentations and mating inserts in the top and bottom surfaces of the bladder. The inwardly directed indentations abut one another, are attached to one another, and have an ovoid shape. The construction of the indentations provide lateral stability and improved shear compliance by providing an increased contact surface area at the abutment point. The contact area preferably corresponds to the shape of the indentation. Each indentation receives an insert having a corresponding shape. The insert is designed to collapse in response to a compressive load and then recover its shape. The profile of each insert and indentation pair is configured for preferential collapse. That is, the two ends of the ovoid have different stiffnesses, so that one end collapses in response to a smaller compressive load than the other end.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved in-line roller skate that cools and drys a skater's foot, provides increased performance, and increased comfort. The skate of the present invention includes a boot having a plurality of venting apertures selectively located therein so as to achieve an interchange of air between the inside of the boot and the external environment thereby providing a cooling and drying circulation of air with in the boot of the in-line roller skate. A skate according to the present invention further includes a cuff pivoting on a pair of guide rails attached to the boot.