Abstract: The invention relates to articles of footwear, and portions thereof, including convex and/or concave elements thereon, and related systems and methods for designing and manufacturing same. An example article of footwear including a midsole having a medial side, a lateral side, a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the midsole including a sidewall, wherein the sidewall includes a first wall portion having a plurality of convex structures extending out from the sidewall and a second wall portion having a plurality of concave structures extending into the sidewall.

Abstract: The invention relates to articles of footwear, and portions thereof, including convex and/or concave elements thereon, and related systems and methods for designing and manufacturing same. An example article of footwear including a midsole having a medial side, a lateral side, a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the midsole including a sidewall, wherein the sidewall includes a first wall portion having a plurality of convex structures extending out from the sidewall and a second wall portion having a plurality of concave structures extending into the sidewall.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for designing and manufacturing customized footwear, and components thereof. An example method includes a method of designing at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear customized for a user. The method includes the steps of determining at least one input parameter related to a user, analyzing the at least one input parameter to determine at least one performance metric of a foot of the user, and determining at least one customized structural characteristic of at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear for the user based on the performance metric.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring one or more athletic performance characteristic and physiological characteristic of a user. An exemplary system includes a first sensing unit adapted to monitor at least one performance characteristic of a user, a second sensing unit adapted to monitor at least one physiological characteristic of the user, and a transmitter for transmitting the at least one performance characteristic and at least one physiological characteristic to a remote receiver that is adapted to identify a relationship between the at least one performance characteristic and the at least one physiological characteristic.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for designing and manufacturing customized footwear, and components thereof. An exemplary method includes a method of designing at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear customized for a user. The method includes the steps of determining at least one input parameter related to a user, analyzing the at least one input parameter to determine at least one performance metric of a foot of the user, and determining at least one customized structural characteristic of at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear for the user based on the performance metric.

Abstract: The invention relates to shoes including sole elements having a cambered profile. An example sole element includes a midsole having a heel portion, a midfoot portion, and a forefoot portion, the midfoot portion including a longitudinal arch including a medial longitudinal arch portion and a lateral longitudinal arch portion, wherein the longitudinal arch is at least partially elevated above a ground surface in an unloaded condition and deforms towards a ground surface and elongates longitudinally in a loaded condition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polymeric treatment for a textile component. An exemplary method of treating a textile element for incorporation into at least a portion of an upper of an article of footwear includes applying a thermoplastic polymer to a textile element having at least one first region and at least one second region, selectively activating the thermoplastic polymer in the at least one first region to modify at least one structural property of the at least one first region, and leaving the thermoplastic polymer in the at least one second region of the textile element unactivated, wherein the at least one modified structural property of the at least one first region differs from at least one structural property of the at least one second region.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for creating a foamed part. An example method includes providing a polymer processing system, providing a mold having at least one expandable mold cavity in fluid communication with the polymer processing system, mixing polymeric material and blowing agent within the polymer processing system to produce a unfoamed mixture, injecting a volume of the mixture of polymeric material and blowing agent from the polymer processing system and into the expandable mold cavity, and expanding the mold cavity to expand the unfoamed mixture within the mold cavity and form a foamed preform. Thereafter, the foamed preform may be inserted into a compression mold to press-form the foamed preform into a finished part.

Abstract: The invention relates to parts having a foamed polymeric material attached to a fabric, and systems and methods for forming same. An example method of attaching foamed polymeric material to a fabric layer includes providing a mold having at least one cavity and at least one material injection channel in fluid communication with the cavity, disposing a fabric over the at least one cavity, closing the mold, injecting unfoamed polymeric material into the at least one cavity through the material injection channel, wherein the unfoamed polymeric material penetrates at least a portion of the fabric proximate the at least one cavity to attach the polymeric material to the fabric layer, and foaming the unfoamed polymeric material.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for designing and manufacturing customized footwear, and components thereof. An example method includes a method of designing at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear customized for a user. The method includes the steps of determining at least one input parameter related to a user, analyzing the at least one input parameter to determine at least one performance metric of a foot of the user, and determining at least one customized structural characteristic of at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear for the user based on the performance metric.

Abstract: The invention relates to shoes including sole elements having a cambered profile. An example sole element includes a midsole having a heel portion, a midfoot portion, and a forefoot portion, the midfoot portion including a longitudinal arch including a medial longitudinal arch portion and a lateral longitudinal arch portion, wherein the longitudinal arch is at least partially elevated above a ground surface in an unloaded condition and deforms towards a ground surface and elongates longitudinally in a loaded condition.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for monitoring one or more athletic performance characteristic of a user. An example apparatus includes a sensing unit adapted to be attachable to a shoe of a user, the sensing unit including a first sensor adapted to monitor an movement of a foot of the user while the user is in motion, the first sensor comprising a gyroscopic sensor, processing means for determining a first performance characteristic of the user based upon an output from the first sensor, the first performance characteristic comprising a foot strike location of a foot of the user upon striking a ground surface, and transmitting means for transmitting a data package representative of the performance characteristic to a remote receiver.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for creating a foamed part. An example method includes providing a polymer processing system, providing a mold having at least one expandable mold cavity in fluid communication with the polymer processing system, mixing polymeric material and blowing agent within the polymer processing system to produce a unfoamed mixture, injecting a volume of the mixture of polymeric material and blowing agent from the polymer processing system and into the expandable mold cavity, and expanding the mold cavity to expand the unfoamed mixture within the mold cavity and form the foamed part.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for monitoring one or more athletic performance characteristic of a user. An example apparatus includes a sensing unit adapted to be attachable to a shoe of a user, the sensing unit including a first sensor adapted to monitor an movement of a foot of the user while the user is in motion, the first sensor comprising a gyroscopic sensor, processing means for determining a first performance characteristic of the user based upon an output from the first sensor, the first performance characteristic comprising a foot strike location of a foot of the user upon striking a ground surface, and transmitting means for transmitting a data package representative of the performance characteristic to a remote receiver.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring one or more athletic performance characteristic and physiological characteristic of a user. An exemplary system includes a first sensing unit adapted to monitor at least one performance characteristic of a user, a second sensing unit adapted to monitor at least one physiological characteristic of the user, and a transmitter for transmitting the at least one performance characteristic and at least one physiological characteristic to a remote receiver that is adapted to identify a relationship between the at least one performance characteristic and the at least one physiological characteristic.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for designing and manufacturing customized footwear, and components thereof. An exemplary method includes a method of designing at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear customized for a user. The method includes the steps of determining at least one input parameter related to a user, analyzing the at least one input parameter to determine at least one performance metric of a foot of the user, and determining at least one customized structural characteristic of at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear for the user based on the performance metric.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for creating a foamed part. An example method includes providing a polymer processing system, providing a mold having at least one expandable mold cavity in fluid communication with the polymer processing system, mixing polymeric material and blowing agent within the polymer processing system to produce a unfoamed mixture, injecting a volume of the mixture of polymeric material and blowing agent from the polymer processing system and into the expandable mold cavity, and expanding the mold cavity to expand the unfoamed mixture within the mold cavity and form a foamed preform. Thereafter, the foamed preform may be inserted into a compression mold to press-form the foamed preform into a finished part.

Abstract: The invention relates to articles of footwear, and portions thereof, including convex and/or concave elements thereon, and related systems and methods for designing and manufacturing same. An example article of footwear including a midsole having a medial side, a lateral side, a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the midsole including a sidewall, wherein the sidewall includes a first wall portion having a plurality of convex structures extending out from the sidewall and a second wall portion having a plurality of concave structures extending into the sidewall.

Abstract: The invention relates to shoes including sole elements having a cambered profile. An example sole element includes a midsole having a heel portion, a midfoot portion, and a forefoot portion, the midfoot portion including a longitudinal arch including a medial longitudinal arch portion and a lateral longitudinal arch portion, wherein the longitudinal arch is at least partially elevated above a ground surface in an unloaded condition and deforms towards a ground surface and elongates longitudinally in a loaded condition.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for designing and manufacturing customized footwear, and components thereof. An example method includes a method of designing at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear customized for a user. The method includes the steps of determining at least one input parameter related to a user, analyzing the at least one input parameter to determine at least one performance metric of a foot of the user, and determining at least one customized structural characteristic of at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear for the user based on the performance metric.