Abstract: A system and method for forming 3D printed structures includes one or more anchor portions on a base component. Additional materials can be printed on or adjacent to the anchor portions to provide additional structural components bonded to the anchor portions. These structures can be printed on, and can be a part of, a base component of an article of apparel.

Abstract: As worn with a pull-on boot, a pair of pants has an outer shell and a liner, which has a leg-covering portion and a foot-covering portion. In a ready-to-don condition, the pull-on boot is placed onto a horizontal surface so as to open upwardly, the foot-covering portion is fitted into the pull-on boot. and the outer shell is fitted over the pull-on boot, whereupon the pair of pants is pulled downwardly, over the pull-on boot, toward the horizontal surface. The foot-covering portion of the liner may be detachably attached to and within the boot, as by hook-and-loop attaching means, when the combination has been manipulated to the ready-to-don position. The liner has a pair of pull-on loops, each of which is attached to and within the liner so as to be manually graspable when the combination has been manipulated into the ready-to-don condition.

Abstract: Footwear, incorporating a self-locking sock for stopping the slippage of a user's foot inside the shoe while walking or running. The footwear with a self-locking sock comprises: a footwear with two male portions of hook and loop fasteners with one attached to the inner side of the tongue and the other attached to the insole, and a sock with two female portions of hook and loop fastener with one attached to the instep and the other attached to the sole.

Abstract: A woman's high-heeled pump wherein the heel portion is relatively narrowed and lengthened to extend along and firmly embrace the entire calcaneus of the wearer. The forward portion of the shoe receives the forward part of the wearer's foot including her toes in a relatively unrestrained manner. A foot bed corresponding to the shoe size is received entirely over the shoe's insole and is provided with arch supports that assist in retaining the foot in place within the shoe. The heel is cradled at a level somewhat lower than the surrounding part of the foot bed. The foot bed is provided on its lower side with grooves for comfort and compressability and cavities are provided under the metatarsal pad and heel for compressability and comfort.

Abstract: An orthotic device for inserting within a heel portion of a shoe of a user for inhibiting excessive pronation or excessive supination of a user's foot, and for comforting associated pain by cushioning a heel of the foot, which includes a sloped wedge member with a cutout for receiving a portion of the heel of the user; and a cup member positionable adjacent the wedge member, the cup member including a cushion material therein located so as to substantially underlie the cutout of the wedge member when the cup member is positioned adjacent the wedge member.

Abstract: An insole of a sheet material of polymeric foam material having two openings therein corresponding to a portion of the heel and a portion of the arch. The openings are filled with a polymeric gel composition having a tacky bottom surface to assist holding the insole in place and for the removable attachment of a polymeric gel arch cushion.

Abstract: An anti-flap device is formed from double sided adhesive material. The device includes a first adhesive surface which attaches to an article of footwear and a second adhesive surface which attaches to the heel of the wearer. The device allows for increased walking stability and eliminates separation of the heel from the foot.

Abstract: A liner and an insole, which are attached at a sole portion of the liner, are wearable with a boot, which is provided with a recess where an upper structure of the boot is affixed to a sole structure of the boot, at a heel end of the sole structure. At a heel end of the insole, the insole extends beyond heel portion of the liner so as to provide a tongue, which is fittable into the recess. The liner may be fixed to a pants leg. When the tongue is fitted into the recess, the liner is restrained against inverting and pulling from the boot, when the foot of the wearer is removed. The boot, liner, insole combination can be advantageously worn by a wearer, such as a firefighter, who needs quickly to don the combination and to doff the combination.

Abstract: An article of footwear, e.g., a shoe for running, jogging, and walling, that is designed to provide a better and more anatomical fit to the wearer's foot to enhance performance and provide better arch support. The shoe includes an articulated arch that is independent from the main sole unit to provide better arch support, optimal comfort, and enhanced articulation. A heel notch is cut in the medial and lateral quarter panels to enable the shoe to move in a manner more like the human foot. A heel clip is provided, in lieu of a traditional heel counter, to provide a secure fit in the heel region without the inflexibility and discomfort of a traditional heel counter.

Abstract: A shoe insert includes a support layer having a bottom surface and a top surface opposing the bottom surface. The shoe insert further includes a cushion layer fixedly superposed onto the top surface of the support layer. The bottom surface includes a generally planar distal portion, a proximal portion and a medial portion interconnecting the distal portion and the proximal portion. The distal portion cushions the toes and the ball of the foot. The proximal portion supports the heel of the foot and has a centrally disposed depression concave and a generally planar border located posteriorly with respect to the centrally disposed concave depression. The centrally disposed concave depression and border together produce a medial and lateral wedging effect against the heel of the foot. The medial portion supports the mid-region of the foot.

Abstract: The shoe has a sole which has a ball section and a heel, the heel having an open middle section under the heel of the foot which is bridged by a bridging element. The bridging element is rigid. The open middle section of the heel can reach as far as the front edge of the heel so that this is U- or C-shaped. The edge section of the bridging element can overlap with the inner edge of the heel. The ball section of the sole can be separated from the heel so that both are connected to the upper part of the shoe without being directly connected to each other, or the bridging element can reach as far as the ball section and overlaps with approximately one third of this.

Abstract: An orthotic system includes a combination partial insole, heel cup and metatarsal pad. The combination partial insole is comprised of the heel cup, a modified metatarsal pad, a midfoot support and a longitudinal arch support. The heel cup and metatarsal pad may be used separately or in combination. Each of the structural elements of the system are designed to control the motion of a human foot during gait, as well as to attenuate shock to the foot during gait. Each of the structural elements of the system are self-adjustable for variations in foot and shoe size and are formed of a compression-resistant, deformable material without rigid components.

Abstract: An insole and a method for relieving bottom-of-heel pain (ie. plantar heel pain) and/or arch pain associated with bottom-of-heel pain is described.

Abstract: An innersole for use in a shoe or the like and generally having a shoe-shape said innersole comprising a first region having a first hardness, said first region designed to underlie the periphery of the rearfoot, the centroid region of the foot and the periphery of the forefoot, and, a second region having a second hardness, said second region designed to underlie the calcaneal region and the metatarsal or transverse arch, wherein the first region is about 5 to about 15 Shore A durometer harder than the second region. The first region is preferably a second layer and the second region is preferably a first layer. The first layer is generally shoe-shaped and has a first hardness.

Abstract: A system for allowing a shoe wearer to lean forwardly beyond his center of gravity by virtue of wearing a specially designed pair of shoes which will engage with a hitch member movably projectable through a stage surface. The shoes have a specially designed heel slot which can be detachably engaged with the hitch member by simply sliding the shoe wearer's foot forward, thereby engaging with the hitch member.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a multilayer laminate for use as a sole of a shoe. The shoe construction includes a combination of rigid support materials and polymeric foam materials of varying Shore hardness values permanently attached atop a conventional outer sole. The specific structural configuration of the material enhances the durability of the shoe and improves the comfort it provides for its wearer.

Abstract: An insole base member in planar form for providing a mechanical interlock with a shoe insole is disclosed. The insole base provides a low volume, low profile molded pattern which contacts the underside of the insole material and prevents shearing shifts of the insole. In one embodiment, the insole base has a smooth upper surface in the region adjacent the metatarsal heads of the foot, with a plurality of raised ridges extending transversely across the smooth upper surface, and with the upper surface of the insole base having a cross hatch pattern extending over the remainder of the base anterior and posterior to the smooth upper surface portion. The raised ridges may be positioned so as to lie parallel to the transverse and oblique metatarsal axes of the foot. In alternative embodiments, a plurality of raised ridges are positioned adjacent to the heel or the ball of the foot, with such raised ridges being located outwardly of a central reference point in a pattern corresponding to the spokes of a wheel.

Abstract: An insole construction for shoe comprising an insole layer having a forward portion, an instep portion having upwardly flared walls defining a flexible support for the wearer's instep, and a heel portion having upwardly flared peripheral walls defining a heel cup and having an enlarged opening through which a segment of the heel portion projects, and an insert positioned below and secured to the insole layer.

Abstract: A rigid orthotic insert made of a plurality of layers bonded to one another, with each of the layers comprising parallel fibers, some of which are graphite. Along an outside edge of the insert, there is a layer of reinforcing graphite fibers. This arrangement desirably alleviates certain force patterns when high heels are worn, and also adds to comfort.

Abstract: The low profile functional orthotic constructed of polypropylene and formed with a heel, arch and forefoot area terminating short of the metatarsals. The heel portion is formed with an integral heel post and the forefoot portion is contoured on the underside to form a flat downwardly facing forefoot support surface projecting in a plane which is intersected by the upper plantar support surface at the forward extremity of the orthotic.

Abstract: A rigid orthotic insert made of layers bonded to one another, with each of the layers being made of graphite fibers positioned parallel to one another. At least one of the inserts is made of several sections, with some of the sections having the fibers oriented at different angles, thus causing a desired pattern of transmission of forces through the insert.

Abstract: An orthotic insert formed of a plurality of layers bonded to one another. Some of the layers are made from fiberglass reinforced plastic, having the fibers oriented at 45.degree. from the longitudinal axis. At least one of the layers is made of parallel graphite fibers, having an axis of orientation offset from the longitudinal axis of the insert.

Abstract: A shoe incorporating dynamic Orthotic means which adapt to the foot in a prescribed manner, controlling heel "strike" and weight bearing loads, establishing a cup-shape to "catch" the heel and foot to stabilize it, balancing and maintaining the sub-talar joint in a neutral attitude and the mid-tarsal joint locked, enabling the foot and ankle to maintain optimum integrity as an efficient support and propulsion system, and resisting the symptomatic tendency for the sub-talar joint and foot to overcompensate and overstress the anatomy.

Abstract: An orthotic stabilizer for an athletic shoe comprising a semirigid body formed to fit around and under the wearer's heel above the midsole forming a concave pocket for receiving the heel and extending from the heel along approximately two-thirds of the length of the foot. Immediately beneath the calcaneous region is an opening in the stabilizer approximately the size of the calcaneous lower extremity filled with a padding material. The stabilizer serves to cushion the calcaneous during running and expedite subtalar joint stabilization to allow the foot to accommodate to the running surface as heel contact is made.

Abstract: The invention is a sole for footwear having an indentation for the ball of the heel and a heel stop under the rear of the arch to prevent the foot from sliding forward in the footwear.

Abstract: A foot clamping device for ski boots comprises, inside the boot body a presser member at the foot heel region and a threaded peg extending from the presser member and rotatably engaged in a threaded bush associated with a boss on the outside of the boot body. When the boss is rotated by a strap rigid therewith and constituting a closure element for the boot, the presser member is caused to traverse.

Abstract: A device for use in footwear to correct and prevent problems associated with the human foot. The device includes upstanding side and rear walls which are integrally joined with a lower wedge to form a heel cup that closely fits with and supports the heel bone with respect to vertical. An upper planar surface of the wedge inclines at a predetermined lateral angle for controlling contact position and movement of the heel bone during locomotion. A support anchor projects forwardly from the wedge and terminates in a pointed distal end which is located toward the medial side of the foot.

Abstract: A ski boot is constructed with a relatively rigid bottom foot enclosure, a somewhat more flexible cuff portion pivotally connected to the foot enclosure at the axis of the ankle, and an even more flexible spat portion arranged to close over the upper portion of the foot. A bottom traction surface comprised of heel and sole portions is removably connectable to the boot. The bottom of the foot enclosure and the traction element are mutually adapted to provide a variable cant for the foot enclosure with respect to the bottom of the traction element. A removable inner boot of soft cellular foam material is provided within the foot enclosure, and is slit down the front to facilitate foot entry without a tongue. The inner boot is also provided with external spacing tabs in the vicinity of the lower ankle to ensure a snug fit around the heel. The cuff portion is releasably engageable by a spring biased connector located at the back of the boot.