Abstract: A slipper or sandal-type footwear having two or more coupling devices for detaching the upper shoe part from the plastic sole. The coupling devices are distributed around the edges of the shoe upper and have teeth-like prongs which mesh with resilient tongues positioned within sockets that are embedded in the sole. Buttons are provided on the sidewalls of the sole for releasing the prongs from the sockets when it is desired to exchange the shoe uppers on the sole. Methods of manufacture are provided for molding the sole and preventing leakage of the injected plastic into the sockets that would interfere with the operation of the coupling device. The socket can be manufactured with a frangible membrane that seals off the button orifice, or with a cap that fit around and encloses the entire socket.

Abstract: A punch-to-fix structure of steel-head shoes comprises a vamp, a steel head, and a sole, in which a covering portion and a wearing entrance are formed at a front and a rear end of the vamp, respectively. The bottom end of the vamp is an upper jointing mouth having a plurality of peripherally punched through holes, and there is also a plurality of through holes formed surrounding the steel head. The top end of the sole is a lower jointing mouth surrounded by a plurality of protruding dots corresponding to the through holes in the steel head and the upper jointing mouth of the vamp. When assembling, the protruding dots along the perimeter in the lower jointing mouth of the sole are squeezed into the through holes of the covering portion in the upper jointing mouth and into the through holes of the steel head to thereby combine the steel head, the vamp, and the sole solidly together.

Abstract: The present invention provides performance enhancing shoe components and methods of using those shoe components to increase exercise performance. The shoe components comprise a layer of 1,4-polybutadiene and, optionally, a high energy returning rubber. A second layer of an energy returning rubber and/or a coating is optionally applied to the first layer. The invented shoe components may be formed as shoe inserts, insoles, midsoles, soles, or portions thereof.

Abstract: A shoe with replaceable vamp and insole consists of an outsole, an insole, a vamp and a plurality of anchor blocks. The outsole and insole have respectively anchor bores and anchor struts to attain replacement function. The outsole has housing chambers for holding the anchor blocks and a storing chamber for storing a dismantle tool. The anchor block has a wedge trough to engage with a latch section of the vamp to allow the vamp be replaced as desired.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plastic moulded monolithic sandal using an upper that comprises a continuous base band, with no holes or incisions, directly fixed to the sole, as well as one or more transversal closing straps, each of them composed of two separate ends capable of overlapping and closing.

Abstract: The present invention provides performance enhancing shoe components. The invented shoe component includes an upper layer of 1,4-polybutadiene and, optionally, a rubber such as natural rubber, synthetic isoprene rubber or polyisoprene. The first layer is attached to a resilient layer which extends substantially the length of the shoe. Optionally, a third layer or a coating may be attached to the resilient layer. The invented shoe components may be formed as shoe inserts, insoles, midsoles or shoe soles.