Abstract: We disclose herein a rotatable sole assembly for a shoe which comprises a first plate (305), a second plate (320); and a coating layer (330) between the first and second plates. The coating layer (330) is configured to rotate one of the first and second plates with respect to the other of the first and second plates. The sole assembly is designed to reduce ACL injuries as well as the incidence of other lower leg injuries related to high torque forces.

Abstract: An ankle/foot orthosis includes an orthosis boot that is attached to an adjustor unit that positions a sole offset from the orthosis boot. The adjuster unit provides angular adjustments of an inclination of the sole relative to the orthosis boot to accommodate a specific condition of the user's foot by rotation of wedged rotary plates to provide corrective alignment of the user's foot relative to a support surface during walking.

Abstract: A shoe heel shock absorber comprising a lower pedestal with a penetrating hole that penetrates through from a top surface to a bottom surface of the lower pedestal; a step edge is formed on an inner surface of the penetrating hole in the top surface of the lower pedestal; an air-cushion is fixed on the to surface of the lower pedestal, which comprises a straight hole and several second positioning holes which are through the air-cushion, and the second positioning holes correspond to the first positioning holes.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein attempt to provide data capture and analysis in a non-intrusive fashion. The captured data can be analyzed for qualitative conclusions regarding an object's actions. For example, a system for analyzing activity of an athlete to permit qualitative assessments of that activity comprises a first processor to receive activity-related data from sensors on the athlete. A first database stores the activity-related data. A second database contains pre-identified motion rules. A second processor compares the received activity-related data to the pre-identified motion rules, wherein the second processor identifies a pre-identified motion from the pre-identified motion rules that corresponds to the received activity-related data. A memory stores the identified pre-selected motion.

Abstract: A multi-position heel assembly is structured and arranged to be integrally formed with or mechanically connected to a shoe. The assembly includes: a chassis; a heel connected to the chassis and rotatable relative to the chassis about an axis; and a locking mechanism including an actuator that is axially translatable along the axis. The locking mechanism selectively allows rotation of the heel relative to the chassis.

Abstract: A heel support for an athletic shoe that in one embodiment includes a recumbent-U shaped member to assist in shock absorption. The member may include a tent-shaped wall with an upper perimeter in contact with a non-ground-engaging member.

Abstract: A heel support for an athletic shoe that in one embodiment includes a recumbent-U shaped member to assist in shock absorption. The member may include a tent-shaped wall with an opening exposing the interior of the member.

Abstract: A shoe sole includes a rotatable pivot assembly to allow easy pivoting of a ball region of a shoe. The shoe sole includes a pivot cavity defined by an upper plate support surface and a lower plate support surface having an aperture therein. A rotatable pivot assembly includes a pivot plate and a sole element attached thereto. The pivot plate is pivotally constrained within the pivot cavity and the sole element extends through the aperture in the pivot cavity to define an exterior contact surface. Preferably contacting surfaces of the pivot plate and upper plate support surface are formed of a low coefficient of friction material to allow easy rotation of the pivot plate within the cavity. Because the assembly can be made thin with minimal parts, it results in a structure that substantially retains the look, feel and balance of a normal shoe while being able to achieve improved pivot action.

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 rotatable traction pad for a shoe can be mounted in a circular cavity in the shoe sole bottom surface, with the cavity being relatively shallow in relation to the shoe sole thickness. The pad mounting mechanism can include an annular bearing housing adhesively bonded to the circular side surface of the cavity, and an anti-friction bearing carried within the annular housing. The traction pad includes a rigid central post that extends upwardly through the bearing.

Abstract: A control chipset having dual-definition data pins capable of reducing circuit layout to memory module slots. Using dual-definition data pins of the control chipset and multiplexing/de-multiplexing devices, the control chipset is able to sense the particular type of memory modules plugged into memory slots automatically and hence assigning the function to each data pin accordingly. Consequently, circuit layout from the control chipset to the data pins of far off memory slots is simplified and overall circuit length is greatly reduced.

Abstract: A foot heel massaging device is located in the heel of a shoe to massage the foot heel of a person wearing the shoe. The device consists essentially of a fixed member located fixedly in the shoe heel, a movable member located movably on the fixed member and provided with a plurality of massaging knobs, a confining member for confining the fixed member and the movable member, and two magnets located respectively in the fixed member and the movable member such that the like magnetic poles of the two magnets are opposite to each other to bring about a repulsion force to cause the movable member to move away from the fixed member at the time when the movable member is relieved of an external force exerting thereon.

Abstract: A shoe includes a rear sole support for receiving a replaceable rear sole to provide longer wear. The shoe may also include a flexible plate supported by the rear sole support between the heel and the rear sole to reduce midsole compression and provide additional spring. A mounting member secures the rear sole to the rear sole support, and a locking member prevents rotation of the rear sole relative to the rear sole support during use. The replaceable rear sole and the flexible plate allow the shoe to be adapted to different desired performance characteristics depending upon the intended activity and terrain or playing surface.

Abstract: A shoe includes a heel support for receiving a rotatable and replaceable rear sole to provide longer wear. The shoe may also include a graphite insert supported by the heel support between the heel and the rear sole to reduce midsole compression and provide additional spring. The replaceable rear sole and the graphite insert allow the shoe to be adapted to different desired performance characteristics depending upon the intended activity and terrain or playing surface.

Abstract: A shoe includes a heel support for receiving a rotatable and replaceable rear sole to provide longer wear. The shoe may also include a graphite insert supported by the heel support between the heel and the rear sole to reduce midsole compression and provide additional spring. The replaceable rear sole and the graphite insert allow the shoe to be adapted to different desired performance characteristics depending upon the intended activity and terrain or playing surface.

Abstract: A ski boot is provided having a heel element rotatable about an axis in the heel piece which, by means of screw bolts, is secured on the wall of the sole of the boot within the region of the heel of the ski boot. The axis extends essentially perpendicularly to the surface of the sole of the boot. The foot covering of the rotatable heel element comes to bear on the support plate of the ski brake when the ski boot is secured to the ski by means of the front and back bindings. Because the heel element is rotatable, the friction relationship between the heel element and the support plate no longer impacts on the release characteristics of the front binding in the event of a fall occurring while turning or of a fall resulting from a head-forward fall during turning.

Abstract: A heel having a circular wear-element spring-locked to a heel base, in which position the wear-element may be manually unlocked against the spring action to permit rotation and relocation in a new position on the heel base, and being manually releasable for spring-locking in the relocated position.

Abstract: A wear resisting member or pad is mounted in the undersurface of the heel of an article of footwear, such as a ski boot, to improve the wearability of the heel. When employed in a ski boot, the heel thereof is formed with a cavity for weight reduction, and an opening is provided in the bottom wall of the heel for receiving the pad. When mounted in the opening in the heel, an upstanding boss on the pad engages a depending boss on the underside of an inclined wall in the heel so that the pad strengthens the heel and supports the heel of the wearer's foot. The pad is releasably retained in the opening in the heel by a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs on the margin of the opening and a groove in the outer periphery of the pad into which the lugs extend. The pad is shiftable to different rotated positions in the opening to compensate for wear and can be replaced when worn out.

Abstract: An article of footwear including a heel, at least a portion of the heel which presents a rear ground engaging zone of the heel, being rotatable relative to the remainder of the article of footwear. Preferably, the heel comprises a base portion adapted to be attached to the remainder of the article of footwear; and a rotary portion rotatably mountable on the base portion and presenting a rear ground engaging edge of the heel.