Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure and a guide secured to the inner surface of the sole structure. An outer surface of the bottom of an upper is secured to the inner surface of the sole structure, the upper and the guide forming a passage. A tensioning component extends along the guide in the passage, and extends out of the passage at a medial side and/or a lateral side of the upper. An increase in tension in the tensioning component flexibly conforms the sole structure to a foot disposed in the upper. A method of manufacturing the article of footwear includes placing an upper on a last, applying adhesive on an inner surface of a sole structure, placing a guide on the adhesive, the tensioning component on the guide, and the inner surface of the sole structure against an outer surface of the upper.

Abstract: An article of footwear including a sole system, including an upper and the sole system. The sole system includes a knitted component incorporating a one-piece knit outsole. The knit outsole has a ground-facing side, a top side, an inlaid tensile element, and a ground-engaging cleat member protruding from the ground-facing side of the knit outsole. The tensile element may be adjacent a cleat member. The upper is connected at its bottom to the top side of the knit outsole.

Abstract: Woven products using combined materials are provided. An intermittent weaving splicer terminates and combines materials having different functional and/or aesthetic properties to create woven products that reflect the different properties of the combined material. Further, a dynamic tensioner variably adjusts tension on the combined materials based on the different properties of the combined material.

Abstract: A sole for article of footwear includes a midsole component having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface. A plurality of blind holes each extends from the outer surface toward the inner surface. The plurality of blind holes are arranged in an auxetic configuration in the outer surface. Each hole in the plurality of holes extends towards the inner surface. The plurality of blind holes is arranged in a pattern that provides a tunable performance characteristic. The patterns of blind holes vary between different regions of the midsole component to provide different types of responses in the different regions.

Abstract: An article of footwear including a sole system, including an upper and the sole system. The sole system includes a knitted component incorporating a one-piece knit outsole. The knit outsole has a ground-facing side, a top side, an inlaid tensile element, and a ground-engaging cleat member protruding from the ground-facing side of the knit outsole. The tensile element may be adjacent a cleat member. The upper is connected at its bottom to the top side of the knit outsole.

Abstract: A method of customizing the sole structure of an article of footwear includes providing a sole structure with a sole component having an inner surface and an opposite-facing outer surface. The sole component includes a plurality of inner recesses extending from the inner surface and a plurality of outer recesses extending from the outer surface, the plurality of inner recesses include a blind-hole inner recess, the plurality of outer recesses include a blind-hole outer recess, and the blind-hole inner recess is generally aligned with the blind hole outer recess along a vertical direction. The method further includes adjusting the flexibility of the sole component by selectively cutting or removing material from one or both of the blind-hole inner recess and the blind-hole outer recess.

Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear is described. In one example, the sole structure includes first and second foam components and one or more mesh components, e.g., a mesh textile component. The first foam component includes first and second opposing sides, and the second foam component includes first and second opposing sides. The first and second foam components form a stack in the sole structure. The mesh components, e.g., a mesh textile component, are positioned in the stack between and bonded to the second side of the first foam component and the first side of the second foam component. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Abstract: A sole for article of footwear includes a midsole component having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface. A plurality of blind holes each extends from the outer surface toward the inner surface. The plurality of blind holes are arranged in an auxetic configuration in the outer surface. Each hole in the plurality of holes extends towards the inner surface. The plurality of blind holes is arranged in a pattern that provides a tunable performance characteristic. The patterns of blind holes vary between different regions of the midsole component to provide different types of responses in the different regions.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article of footwear includes cutting a plurality of sipes into an outer surface of a pre-formed, foamed thermoplastic sole structure that has both an inner surface and an opposite outer surface. An adhesive is then applied to the inner surface of the pre-formed sole structure and the sole structure is heated to permit forming. The heated sole structure is positioned adjacent to a ground-facing surface of a lasted upper, and then is thermoformed against the lasted upper to draw the adhesive into contact with the ground-facing surface of the upper, and such that at least a portion of the pre-formed sole structure bends into contact with a sidewall of the upper.

Abstract: An intermediate sole structure for an article of footwear includes a foamed thermoplastic sole component. The foamed thermoplastic sole component has a foamed thermoplastic base layer and a foamed thermoplastic outer layer that is integrally formed with the foamed thermoplastic base layer. The outer layer includes a plurality of sipes extending through the outer layer and terminating at the base layer. The thermoplastic sole component has an inner surface defined by the base layer, an opposite, outer surface defined by the outer layer, and a thickness defined between the inner surface and the outer surface. The inner surface is substantially planar and is operative to be adhered to a ground-facing surface of an upper. Additionally, the thickness is smaller at a peripheral edge of the sole component than within a central region.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure that is thermoformed to the upper. The upper has a ground facing surface, and opposing medial and lateral sidewalls disposed on opposite sides of the ground facing surface. The sole structure has an inner surface adhered to the upper and an outer surface that is opposite the inner surface. The sole structure includes a thermoplastic base layer that defines the inner surface of the sole structure. The sole structure further includes a thermoplastic outer layer integrally formed with the base layer. The outer layer has a plurality of protuberances, each protuberance has an outer face that defines a portion of the outer sole surface, and the outer layer further includes a plurality of splayed sipes extending across a portion of the sole structure. Each splayed sipe generally extends between at least two adjacent protuberances.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in one aspect, provides an upper for an article of footwear. The upper may include a knitted component. The knitted component may include a knit element, a first tensile strand with an exposed first end, and a second tensile strand with an exposed second end. The first tensile strand may be at least partially inlaid within the knit element, the second tensile strand may be at least partially inlaid within the knit element, and the exposed first end of the first tensile element may be secured to the exposed second end of the second tensile element.

Abstract: A method of customizing the sole structure of an article of footwear includes providing a sole structure with a sole component having an inner surface and an opposite-facing outer surface. The sole component includes a plurality of inner recesses extending from the inner surface and a plurality of outer recesses extending from the outer surface, the plurality of inner recesses include a blind-hole inner recess, the plurality of outer recesses include a blind-hole outer recess, and the blind-hole inner recess is generally aligned with the blind hole outer recess along a vertical direction. The plurality of inner recesses and the plurality of outer recesses provide the sole component with an auxetic structure. The method further includes adjusting the flexibility of the sole component by selectively cutting or removing material from one or both of the blind-hole inner recess and the blind-hole outer recess.

Abstract: An article of footwear and a sole structure including an auxetic sole assembly are described. The auxetic sole assembly includes an auxetic layer and a base layer. The auxetic layer is made of an auxetic material and includes a plurality of apertures. Portions of the base layer are disposed within the apertures of the auxetic layer. Upon the application of force, portions of the base layer extend upwards through the apertures of the auxetic layer to form a plurality of protuberances. The plurality of protuberances can be used for proprioception.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in one aspect, provides an upper for an article of footwear. The upper may include a knitted component. The knitted component may include a knit element, a first tensile strand with an exposed first end, and a second tensile strand with an exposed second end. The first tensile strand may be at least partially inlaid within the knit element, the second tensile strand may be at least partially inlaid within the knit element, and the exposed first end of the first tensile element may be secured to the exposed second end of the second tensile element.

Abstract: A method for forming a seamless knitted abutment may include a joining thread. The joining thread may extend between a first portion and a second portion in a first orientation. The joining thread may be tensioned and bring the first portion and the second portion together. The first portion and the second portion may be then oriented in a second orientation.

Abstract: An article of footwear has an auxetic sole structure formed from members surrounding apertures. The members may have a trapezoidal geometry. Adjoining members are hingedly connected, so that they can rotate with respect to each other in the plane of the sole structure. The rotation allows the auxetic sole structure to expand when tension is applied.

Abstract: A knitted component may include a knit element that has an auxetic portion configured to move between a first position and a second position as the knitted component stretches. The knitted component may also include a tensile strand inlaid within at least one of a course and a wale of the knit element, where the tensile strand extends through the auxetic portion, and where the tensile strand is selectively securable to the knit element via a securement device. The securement device may be spaced from the auxetic portion.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure with a midsole component and an inner sole component. The midsole component includes holes arranged in an auxetic configuration. The midsole component and the inner sole component may have a different density. The midsole component and the inner sole component may have a different compressibility.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a midsole component and an outer sole member. The midsole component has an inner surface and an outer surface, and including a plurality of holes extending from the outer surface. The plurality of holes are arranged to provide the midsole component with an auxetic configuration. The plurality of holes includes a plurality of through holes, each extending through the midsole component and through both the inner surface and the outer surface, and at least one blind hole. The outer sole member is affixed to the midsole component and includes a blind hole extending from the outer surface.