Abstract: An article of footwear including a sole with a chassis constructed to provide, in a pre-selected manner, comfort, flexibility, support, and power transfer by varying the configuration, thickness, and/or material of the chassis in various areas of the chassis, thereby providing for varying degrees of stiffness in the footwear.

Abstract: A protective cage for footwear bladders is disclosed. The protective cage includes a cage base and a plurality of support members that extend outwardly from the cage base. The support members extend across the side wall of the bladder to protect the device from abrasion and to prevent fatigue. The use of the support members, which selectively bend and buckle under loaded conditions, control the amount of perimeter deflection of the bladder, while allowing for complete deflection at the center of the bladder.

Abstract: The invention is an article of footwear with an upper and a sole structure. The primary components of the sole structure are a midsole and a frame element. The midsole is connected to the upper in a forefoot region of the footwear, but is unconnected to the upper in a rearfoot region of the footwear. The frame element is structured to extend onto a heel portion of the upper and around the heel portion to thereby stabilize the heel portion. The frame element may serve as a spring that provides cushioning in combination with the midsole. The configuration of the frame element, which extend onto the heel portion of the upper, leaves a lower surface of the upper exposed to permit direct contact with the midsole.

Abstract: The invention is a wear indicator for a footwear outsole. The wear indicator includes a plurality of strata that each have different properties, such as color. As portions of an individual stratum are worn away, corresponding portions of an underlying stratum are revealed. The underlying strata may be worn away in a similar manner to reveal further strata, thereby providing a wearer with the ability to determine the amount of wear that has occurred in an outsole.

Abstract: An insole for footwear that is capable of providing a protective layer between a plantar surface of a human foot and an upper surface of a sole of the footwear. The insole can have a first portion positioned in a rearfoot region of the insole and a second portion positioned at a forefoot portion of the insole, wherein the second portion can be more flexible than the first portion. The insole may further include a toe piece positioned in a toe region of the insole and a footbed that overlays the first portion of the insole, the second portion of the insole, and the toe piece of the insole.

Abstract: A shoe having a sole contour which follows a theoretically ideal stability plane as a basic concept, but which deviates, outwardly therefrom to provide greater than natural stability. Thickness variations outwardly from the stability plane are disclosed, along with density variations to achieve a similar greater than natural stability.

Abstract: A stability device that increases foot security on the footbed of a shoe, provides lateral or medial stability, shock dampening, and optimizes flexibility. The stability device includes a resilient bladder insert having a horizontal sole portion underneath a wearer's foot, and a vertical foot portion positioned to a lateral or medial side edge of a wearer's foot. The horizontal sole portion and the vertical foot portion are in fluid communication and are proximal the first or fifth metatarsal regions of the foot. The stability device can be generally L-shaped to cradles a portion of the foot. A compression force of a foot landing onto horizontal sole portion causes an increase in fluid pressure in the foot portion which stiffens the veridical foot portion forming a bumper-like wall for absorbing side impacting force from the foot and serving to keep the foot on the footbed.

Abstract: The invention is an article of footwear that includes a sole structure having a plate assembly that includes a separator plate and a split plate. The split plate is located in a midfoot portion of the sole structure and includes a lateral portion and a medial portion separated by a split. The separator plate is located within the split and is attached to the split plate. When compressed against a surface, the longitudinal portion and the medial portion separate further, thereby increasing the width of the split and dissipating energy.

Abstract: Footwear comprising a sole. The sole has a heel section for supporting a heel of the foot. The heel section has medial and lateral regions. At least a portion of the lateral region has a first compressive resilience for attenuating the shock of impact to the wearer during running and walking. Further, the sole has an arch section forward of the heel section for supporting an arch of the foot. The arch section also has medial and lateral regions. At least a portion of the lateral region of the arch section has the first compressive resilience and at least a portion of the medial region of the arch section has a second compressive resilience harder than the first compressive resilience for providing firm support for the foot during running and walking. In addition, the sole has a forefoot section forward of the arch section for supporting a ball of the foot including first, second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal heads and associated metatarsal necks, proximal phalanges and metatarsal phalangeal joints.

Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a concave element, a footbed, and a core. The concave element has a structure that includes a base portion and sidewalls extending upward from the base portion to define a cavity within the concave element. The footbed is secured to the sidewalls and suspended above at least a portion of the cavity. The footbed includes a plurality of beams that extend across the cavity. The beams are separated by spaces in the footbed, and the beams may be oriented parallel to each other. In this configuration, at least a portion of the beams are independently deflectable into the cavity. The core is positioned within the cavity and below the footbed, and the core may be formed of a compressible material.

Abstract: A shoe including a plate capable of being deflected in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major longitudinal axis of the shoe, an arch bridge integral with the plate, and a rear sole having a bottom surface with a ground-engaging portion including at least four portions each having a generally circular shape when viewed from beneath the bottom surface of the rear sole.

Abstract: A sporting shoe equipped with a device to control the flexion of the toe includes a localized low friction protection body, particularly for a technical boot designed for practicing the sport of motorcycling, removable, attached along one side of the shoe with the use of reciprocal holder and engaging at least part of the point and of the side. The protection body is hinged to a second element, placed at the back, fixed along the external side of the shoe or a part of it, with the cooperation of a third element ovelapping the first two, which, engaging the second, provides two opposite stops that limit the run of the protection body and of the toe part of the relative shoe, or of a part thereof with respect to the back part.

Abstract: A unique athletic shoe sole that is constructed of two more separate pieces designed to release when a predetermined longitudinally directed force is applied. A releasable athletic shoe sole includes a detachable lower sole; a mechanical release mechanism constructed to release when a predetermined force is applied; and a longitudinal guiding element. The longitudinal guiding element allows the lower sole to detach specifically in a longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction of release prevents knee ligament injuries, particularly ACL injuries.

Abstract: A walking shoe. According to one aspect of the present invention, a walking shoe includes a segmented midsole with a thickness that changes from back to front. The midsole includes a back portion and an arcuate front portion. The arcuate front portion interfaces with the back portion and includes a plurality of forward sections. At least one of the forward sections differs in density relative to another of the forward sections. Relatively denser forward sections facilitate a rebound or spring effect as a walker pushes off during a walking stride. Relatively less dense forward sections add cushioning, making the walking stride more comfortable by lessening impact to the walker's foot.

Abstract: An athletic shoe midsole includes a hard elastic stabilizing member that extends generally around a central opening through which a relatively soft elastic cushioning layer extends downwardly from a heel center beneath a wearer's calcaneus bone to thereby form a heel-cushioning pillar. The stabilizing member extends along lateral and medial sides of the pillar to prevent pronation and supination, and preferably includes a protrusion that extends into a depression in the heel-cushioning pillar in alignment with a line of flexure of the heel region to thereby affect flexure characteristics of a heel region of the shoe. The midsole may also include flex grooves, channels, and/or notches aligned with the line of flexure for promoting the desired flexure characteristics in the heel region of the sole and for helping decelerate the wearer's heel-toe gait during the stance phase of the wearer's gait cycle.

Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed that includes upper and a sole structure. The upper defines an interior void that is configured to receive the sole structure and a foot. A lower surface of the upper defines a plurality of apertures, and the sole structure includes a plurality of projections that extend through the apertures to form a ground-engaging surface. The projections are connected to a foot-supporting member that remains within the upper. A locking system is incorporated into the upper and sole structure to secure the sole structure to the upper.

Abstract: Disclosed is a shoe sole comprising an outer sole 1F, 1B, a midsole 2 and a reinforcement device 4 made of a resin plate. The reinforcement device 4 is firmly secured to the underside of an arch portion 2M of the midsole 2. At a medial side 11 and a lateral side 10 of the foot, the reinforcement device 4 is shaped like an arch between separated outer sole parts 1F and 1B. A medial foot portion 43 of the reinforcement device 4 is formed to have a higher hardness than a lateral foot portion 40 of the reinforcement device 4. This allows the reinforcement device 4 to have a greater flexural rigidity in its medial foot portion 43 than in its lateral foot portion 40.

Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed having an upper, a foot-supporting member, and a sole structure. The foot-supporting member includes a heel region located at a greater elevation than a forefoot region, thereby defining a recess under the heel region. The sole structure includes a midsole that forms a protrusion on the interior of the footwear. The protrusion mates with the recess to provide support for the heel region. The foot-supporting member may also incorporate pronation control characteristics, including a downward cant from a medial to a lateral side of the foot-supporting member and a region of reduced support generally underlying the first metatarsal. To further reduce the rate of pronation, the sole structure includes a region in the rear-lateral corner that is more compressible than other areas of the sole structure.

Abstract: Shoe structure comprising a first subset apt to be a foot-containing structure and a second subset which can be coupled to the first subset and apt to isolate, at least partially, the foot sole from the ground. The first subset comprises a first insole, at least partially made of an elastically deformable material, and one or more edges, at least partially made of an elastically deformable material, which extend from said first insole and form a shoe upper which can at least partially wrap the foot upper portion; the second subset comprises a supporting framework, at least partially made of an elastically deformable material, having an upper face which can be coupled to said first subset and a lower face with one or more inserts which are intended to be in contact with the ground.

Abstract: A shoe sole particularly for athletic footwear for supporting the foot of an intended wearer having multiple rounded portions formed by midsole component as viewed in a frontal plane of the sole when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition. The rounded portions approximate the structure of and support provided by features of the human foot. The rounded portions are located proximate to important structural support areas of an intended wearer's foot on either or both sides of the shoe sole or the middle portion of the shoe sole, or at various combinations of these locations. The midsole component also includes an indentation in the sole midtarsal portion, as viewed in a sagittal plane, and midsole component extends into a sidemost section of the solve and above a lowermost point of the midsole component, as viewed in a frontal plane cross-section when the shoe sole is upright and in an unloaded condition.

Abstract: A ventilated walking shoe comprising a mid-sole, under the upper. The mid-sole is constituted by a felt of natural fibers and is surmounted by a perforated insole made of leather or hide. The mid-sole is arranged within a perimetric edge for connecting the upper to the insole without requiring a toe lasting machine, the heel region and/or the front region and/or the central region contain, below the mid-sole, components made of a felt of natural fibers and covered with a membrane of microporous, transpiring and waterproof material and/or with perforated components made of leather or hide at openings of the edge of a box-like rubber sole that contains the entire assembly. The openings on the edge of the sole are closed all around by the edge so as to avoid interrupting its continuity.

Abstract: A weighted footwear insert for use inside a footwear. The weighted footwear insert includes a weighted plate defining at least one longitudinal fold line and a plurality of transversal fold lines. The fold lines are specifically positioned so as to allow the weighted plate to follow the contour of the sole of a foot during movement of the latter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sole structure of an athletic shoe and its object is to effectively absorb a shock applied to a shoe heel portion directly after landing and to prevent pronation or supination after landing.

Abstract: A construction for a shoe, particularly an athletic shoe such as a running shoe, includes a sole that conforms to the natural shape of the foot, particularly the sides, and that has a constant thickness in frontal plane cross sections. The thickness of the shoe sole side contour equals and therefore varies exactly as the thickness of the load-bearing sole portion varies due to heel lift, for example. Thus, the outer contour of the edge portion of the sole has at least a portion which lies along a theoretically ideal stability plane for providing natural stability and efficient motion of the shoe and foot particularly in an inverted and everted mode.

Abstract: A sole for a shoe with a foot guiding mechanism which has the particularity that the sole comprises a sole body which has, on an outer face thereof, at least one protrusion. The at least one protrusion is flexible in order to produce a desired movement of the protrusion which is suitable to force a guided sequence for a foot, wearing the shoe sole, from when the heel section initially contacts a ground surface to when the front edge of the sole breaks contact with the ground surface.

Abstract: A shoe having an upper and a sole, the sole including a wear sole and an intermediary sole. The intermediary sole includes an upper surface and a bottom surface, a rear zone provided to support the user's heel zone, and a front zone provided to support the user's forefoot zone. In the front zone, the upper surface includes a plurality of top protuberances and the bottom surface includes a plurality of bottom protuberances, each top protuberance of at least one portion of the plurality of top protuberances is vertically aligned with a bottom protuberance so as to constitute shock-absorbing cylindrical studs that are linked to one another only by their central portion.

Abstract: This invention is a spring shoe whose sole is a structure constrained to compress without tilting. This optimally simple, anti-tilt, compressible structure comprises overlapping diamond and parallelogram linkages, which constrain an upper plate from tilting as it moves vertically up and down with respect to a lower plate. Applications include a space shoe with push-off means for natural foot action. Here, a minimal number of springs and stops can be changeably incorporated in the sole to optimi8ze walking and running performance. A heel hugger mechanism ensures that the shoe hugs the heel of the wearer during swing phase. A flex-rigger prevents sideways rollover and sprained ankles. The first shoe embodiment has springs at shoe level to minimize device weight at foot level. The shoe is energy-efficient as it returns maximum impact energy to the runner during thrust at toe-off.

Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed having an upper, a foot-supporting member, and a sole structure. The foot-supporting member includes a heel region located at a greater elevation than a forefoot region, thereby defining a recess under the heel region. The sole structure includes a midsole that forms a protrusion on the interior of the footwear. The protrusion mates with the recess to provide support for the heel region. The foot-supporting member may also incorporate pronation control characteristics, including a downward cant from a medial to a lateral side of the foot-supporting member and a region of reduced support generally underlying the first metatarsal. To further reduce the rate of pronation, the sole structure includes a region in the rear-lateral corner that is more compressible than other areas of the sole structure.

Abstract: A shoe having a sole contour which follows a theoretically ideal stability plane as a basic concept, but which deviates outwardly therefrom to provide greater than natural stability. Thickness variations outwardly from the stability plane are disclosed, along with density variations to achieve a similar greater than natural stability.

Abstract: A protective cage for footwear bladders is disclosed. The protective cage includes a cage base and a plurality of support members that extend outwardly from the cage base. The support members extend across the side wall of the bladder to protect the device from abrasion and to prevent fatigue. The use of the support members, which selectively bend and buckle under loaded conditions, control the amount of perimeter deflection of the bladder, while allowing for complete deflection at the center of the bladder.

Abstract: An inner sole assembly for a shoe. The inner sole assembly comprises an upper body with an upper surface for engaging with a foot of a wearer. A foot bed composite supporting the lower surface of the upper body, and the foot bed composite comprising at least a heel portion and an arch portion. The heel portion of the foot bed composite provides lift to the heel portion to assist with introducing forward motion of a foot of the wearer. The heel portion of the foot bed composite typically has a plurality of protrusions projecting from a bottom surface of the foot bed composite for engagement with a outer sole of the shoe. The inner sole assembly may also include a frame assembly and a canting assembly.

Abstract: A midsole structure for an athletic shoe includes an upper midsole (3) formed of a soft elastic material and disposed from a heel region to a forefoot region of the shoe, a lower midsole (4) formed of a soft elastic material and disposed at least at the heel region of the shoe under the upper midsole (3) and a corrugated sheet (5) sandwiched between the upper and lower midsoles (3, 4) and extending from a heel portion (H) of the upper midsole (3) to a midfoot portion (M). The corrugated sheet (5) has a laterally extending sheet portion (5a) and a medially extending sheet portion (5b). Edges (50e, 51e) of the laterally and medially extending sheet portions (5a, 5b) are overlapped in a band-shape and connected to each other. The edge (51e), or a boundary line between the laterally and medially extending sheet portions (5a, 5b) crosses a load transfer curve (TW) for a heel striker who strikes onto the ground from the heel region of the shoe.

Abstract: Disclosed is a shoe sole comprising an outer sole 1F, 1B, a midsole 2 and a reinforcement device 4 made of a resin plate. The reinforcement device 4 is firmly secured to the underside of an arch portion 2M of the midsole 2. At a medial side 11 and a lateral side 10 of the foot, the reinforcement device 4 is shaped like an arch between separated outer sole parts 1F and 1B. A medial foot portion 43 of the reinforcement device 4 is formed to have a higher hardness than a lateral foot portion 40 of the reinforcement device 4. This allows the reinforcement device 4 to have a greater flexural rigidity in its medial foot portion 43 than in its lateral foot portion 40.

Abstract: A shoe comprising a sole provided with at least one part (1; 5, 6) for supporting at least partially the forefoot, said part being divided into at least two elements (3,4; 3A, 3B, 4B; 15A, 16) distinct and separated with each other, so as to increase the flexibility of the sole in correspondence with said forefoot, said two distinct elements (3, 4; 3A, 3B, 4B; 15A, 16) being connected to an upper face (7) of the shoe.

Abstract: A sole component for an article of women's footwear intended to address biomechanical characteristics unique to women. The sole component includes a lateral alignment portion underlying and extending through a region beneath the distal head of the second metatarsal, the distal head of the fifth metatarsal and the proximal head of the fifth metatarsal, and not into the flex zone ahead of the distal heads of metatarsals. The lateral alignment portion provides relatively firm resistance to compression. The sole component may further include a forefoot fixing portion underlying the distal head of the fifth metatarsal. The forefoot fixing portion provides relatively soft resistance to compression. In some embodiments, the sole component may also include a medial alignment portion extending along the medial side of the component from the heel through the arch.

Abstract: A construction for a shoe, particularly an athletic shoe such as a running shoe, includes a sole that conforms to the natural shape of the foot, particularly the sides, and that has a constant thickness in frontal plane cross sections. The thickness of the shoe sole side contour equals and therefore varies exactly as the thickness of the load-bearing sole portion varies due to heel lift, for example. Thus, the outer contour of the edge portion of the sole has at least a portion which lies along a theoretically ideal stability plane for providing natural stability and efficient motion of the shoe and foot particularly in an inverted and everted mode.

Abstract: A bowling shoe construction having various options for adjustment with removable and replaceable slide parts to attach to the tread surface of a slide shoe. The slide parts can attach interchangeably using hook and pile loop fasteners. A kick shoe includes an interchangeable kick part covering the toe area. The kick part can be attached using adhesives or hook and pile loop fasteners.

Abstract: A shoe sole particularly for athletic footwear for supporting the foot of an intended wearer having multiple rounded bulges existing as viewed in a frontal plane of the sole when the shoe is upright and in an unloaded condition. The bulges include concavely rounded inner and outer portions for approximating the structure of and support provided by the natural foot. The bulges can be located proximate to important structural support areas of an intended wearer's foot on either or both sides of the shoe sole or the middle portion of the shoe sole, or on various combinations of these locations. The bulges include side and upper midsole portions to improve stability while also improving cushion and comfort. The bulges can be tapered as viewed in a horizontal plane to improve flexibility and reduce unnecessary weight.

Abstract: A shoe having a sole contour which follows a theoretically ideal stability plane as a basic concept, but which deviates, outwardly therefrom to provide greater than natural stability. Thickness variations outwardly from the stability plane are disclosed, along with density variations to achieve a similar greater than natural stability.

Abstract: A tunable shoe sole and heel energy storage device incorporating at least confronting upper and lower generally planar polymeric portions joined by a releasable fastener assembly. Cooperating post and recess retainers are preferably formed in the polymeric portions to capture and retain a plurality of reconfigurably removable, stackable, and replaceable energy absorbers. With the novel configuration of the energy storage device, a shoe may be customized and tuned for optimal energy absorption and release by arranging the quantity and location of the energy absorbers about the post and recess retainers. Preferably, the energy absorber is selected from the group of items that includes, for example, conical and coil springs, disc springs such as flat, conical, finger, curved, wave, and belleville disc springs and washers.

Abstract: A midsole has a hard portion and at least one soft portion. The hard portion of the midsole can support the shoe into a predetermined shape and the soft portion of the midsole will provide a bendable capacity for facilitating walking. The midsole is made by double tube injection molding method. Thus, the material capacity of the portion of the hard portion connecting with the soft portion will change gradually from the hard portion to the soft portion to provide a strong structure of the midsole.

Abstract: A protective cage for footwear bladders is disclosed. The protective cage includes a cage base and a plurality of support members that extend outwardly from the cage base. The support members extend across the side wall of the bladder to protect the device from abrasion and to prevent fatigue. The use of the support members, which selectively bend and buckle under loaded conditions, control the amount of perimeter deflection of the bladder, while allowing for complete deflection at the center of the bladder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a shoe sole, in particular for a sports shoe, wherein a preform of the sole is first produced from a first material and at least one second material in a common mold by injection molding and wherein subsequently the preform is vulcanized to obtain the finished sole.

Abstract: Footwear comprising a sole. The sole has a heel section for supporting a heel of the foot. The heel section has medial and lateral regions. At least a portion of the lateral region has a first compressive resilience for attenuating the shock of impact to the wearer during running and walking. Further, the sole has an arch section forward of the heel section for supporting an arch of the foot. The arch section also has medial and lateral regions. At least a portion of the lateral region of the arch section has the first compressive resilience and at least a portion of the medial region of the arch section has a second compressive resilience harder than the first compressive resilience for providing firm support for the foot during running and walking. In addition, the sole has a forefoot section forward of the arch section for supporting a ball of the foot including first, second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal heads and associated metatarsal necks, proximal phalanges and metatarsal phalangeal joints.

Abstract: A cushioning device for footwear that provides flexibility in the forepart area. The device having an insole with perforations in the forepart region and a first pad underlying the region. The device having a cutout in the heel region with an insert provided in the cutout.

Abstract: A blast and fragment resistant polyester or polyether-based polyurethane boot sole includes embedded protective material throughout the entire sole. The embedded protective material consists of one or more layers of woven polyaramid fibers. The polyaramid fibers are thinly coated with polyester or polyether-based polyurethane before they are woven into a layer for incorporation into the sole. This enhances the adhesion between the embedded polyaramid protective material and the polyurethane sole.

Abstract: A midsole structure of an athletic shoe includes an upper midsole (3) formed of a soft elastic material and extending from a heel region to a forefoot region of the shoe, lower midsoles (4, 5) each formed of a soft elastic material and disposed at the heel region and the forefoot region under the upper midsole (3), and a first and second corrugated sheet (6, 7) disposed opposite to each other between the upper midsole (3) and the lower midsoles (4, 5). Trough holes (10, 11) are provided at the heel region and the midfoot region of the shoe. The through holes (10, 11) are formed of each corrugated surface of the first and second corrugated sheets (6, 7). The through hole (11) provided at the midfoot region has an oblong and elongated shape in cross section.

Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed, in particular a sports shoe with a sole ensemble and a stability element constructed of a material and configured for the selective support of single parts of the sole ensemble. The stability element includes a base element extending from a rearfoot portion to a forefoot portion of a shoe along the medial or the lateral side of the forefoot portion of the shoe and includes at least one support element. The at least one support element encompasses the sole ensemble upwardly or downwardly or both. Further, the stability element may include a heel support connected to the base element and a second base element for additional lateral support of the shoe.

Abstract: An article of footwear including a sole with a stability element constructed of a material and configured for controlling, in a preselected manner, the rotation of the forefoot portion of the article of footwear around the longitudinal axis with respect to the rearfoot portion.

Abstract: A climbing shoe includes an inner sole, an outer sole and a molded middle sole between the inner sole and the outer sole. The middle sole is concave in shape. The outer sole conforms to the concave shape of the middle sole. The concave shape allows the outer sole to hook on a rocky ledge. The molded middle sole provides a structure that causes the concave outer sole to substantially maintain the concave shape when pressure is applied to the outer sole.