Provided is a self-fitting and automatically adjustable footwear wherein the shoe upper and/or shoe tongue have or are attached to a shape memory material (‘SMM”). Upon stimulation, the SMM deforms and brings the footwear to self-assemble about a foot, which further brings two clasp members close to each other and facilitates the clasp thereof to form a self-assembled and closed footwear. The clasp members may be integrated with straps or shoelaces, and optionally SMM. The footwear may include a motor, a control unit, and sensors which enable a motor-actuated fine tensioning of the footwear. A push button to enable manual opening of the footwear may be affixed on the footwear or removably attached to multiple surfaces/locations. The entire assembly generates data transmittable to health care providers and other data trackers. The footwear may include a battery, which may be charged by placing the footwear on a charge dock station.

The invention relates to a monopolymer multifunctional sequenced cast polyurethane matrix produced simply and efficiently, by sequentially pouring various isocyanate/polyol complex phase solutions successively into a mould with alternating solidification of said phase solutions according to a defined order and respecting the polymerisation stage (after the pot life and before the demolding time) of the sequence preceding the one being cast, so as to end with the casting of the last phase solution that will go up to the demolding time thereof and thereby finish the polymerisation of the whole of the matrix. It is loaded, in its “reservoir” sequences, with naturally originating or synthesised transdermally penetrating or volatile active substances. They are medicating and therapeutic, cosmetic, phytosanitary or wellness substances, repellents, attractants, pheromones, biocides, perfumes or deodorants. At least two active substances can be loaded into the same matrix in order to act unidirectionally or in opposite directions. Said matrix is used to form different devices that adhere to the skin or any other surface, in order to deliver at least one substance in a controlled manner. Said devices are patches, patches with a plurality of active substances, replaceable plasters stuck to a textile support, active heel pads and ball pads for shoes, pheromone cards for controlling insects, self-adhesive insecticide attractant cards, or other devices equivalent in terms of structure and function.

A shoe comprising an upper, a midsole coupled to the upper and comprising a recess proximal to a junction between the upper and the midsole, a midsole insert comprising a channel, the midsole insert configured to seat within the recess, and a shoe panel configured to detachably couple to the upper of the shoe, the shoe panel comprising a first end configured to seat within the channel of the midsole insert. The shoe panel may be a midfoot or heel panel and may be detachably coupled to the upper by a hook and loop closure. The shoe may be a slip on shoe comprising a tongue side extension that is tucked under a quarter extension to allow a midfoot panel to smoothly couple to the upper over the tongue.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for closure of footwear. According to an example embodiment, an article of footwear that automatically secures to a user's foot includes a sole and a closure mechanism with a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the closure mechanism is attached to the sole. The second portion extends away from the sole. Deformation of a surface of the closure mechanism actuates the closure mechanism such that it automatically moves from a first stable position to a second stable position. In the second stable position, the closure mechanism conforms to and applies a force to at least one of an upper surface of the article of footwear and an upper surface of a foot of a user of the article of footwear.

Uppers for article of footwear may include one or more skin layers attached to a base layer, wherein the skin layers overlap with one another in varying ways (e.g., with a first skin layer overlaying a second skin layer at some locations and the second skin layer overlaying the first skin layer at other locations). If desired, at least one of the skin layers may be at least partially transparent or translucent. The skin layer(s) may be applied over other elements of the upper (e.g., other skin layers, base layers, reinforcing layers, etc.). Additional aspects of this invention relate to production of curved tongue composite structures and/or footwear having a bonded (hot melt) side seam for forming the upper (and optionally do not include a rear heel seam).

Provided is a shoe sole member including a crosslinked foam forming a part or the whole of the shoe sole member, wherein the crosslinked foam is formed by a polymer composition showing specific results in measurement using pulsed NMR.

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.

The present invention relates to a method for interconnecting components of a sporting good, in particular a sports shoe, and a sports shoe manufactured with such a method. The method may include (a.) forming a pattern element having at least one removable at least partially non-transparent or non-reflective portion, (b.) irradiating at least one of the first and the second component via the pattern element with heat radiation and (c.) interconnecting the irradiated first and second component.

An article of footwear may include an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper has a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction that includes at least one gore region located in a heel region of the article of footwear. The gore region provides a contoured configuration to the knitted component. In a method of manufacturing, a knitted component may include a first gore region and a plurality of second gore regions, with the first gore region being located in a heel area of the article of footwear and the second gore regions being located adjacent to the sole structure.

A variety of devices for protecting a user's foot from injury are disclosed. In one instance, the device is an external metatarsal protection device for a shoe or boot, having a sole with a first surface for supporting a wearer's foot and a second surface for contacting a ground area, an upper affixed to the sole, and an integral toe cap. An interior surface of the upper and the first surface of the sole define a receptacle for receiving the wearer's foot. The external protection device is incorporated along an exterior surface of the upper and is positioned to protect at least a metatarsal region of the wearer's foot. In an instance, the external protection device has injection-molded first and second layers of material, with the cushioning elements formed on a surface of the first layer and a plurality of grooves defined on a surface of the second layer.