Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment are provided including a high energy return foam having improved abrasion resistance. A variety of foams and foam components and compositions for forming the foams are provided. In some aspects, the foams and components including the foams can have exceptionally high energy return while also having improved durability and softness and an improved abrasion resistance. In particular, midsoles including the foams are provided for use in an article of footwear. Methods of making the compositions and foams are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding or injection molding followed by compression molding.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a connecting portion coupled to a siped portion. The connecting portion extends across the sole structure, with an upper surface operative to be secured to an upper of the article of footwear. The siped portion extends from a ground-facing side of the connecting portion and includes a plurality of sole elements. Each of the plurality of sole elements is at least partially defined by one or more of a plurality of sipes that extend from the ground-contacting surface to the ground-facing side of the connecting portion. At least one of the plurality of sipes is a lateral sipe that is located within the midfoot region and extends from the medial side to the lateral side of the sole structure. This at least one lateral sipe is sized to permit plantarflexion of the sole structure without deformation of an adjacent sole element.

A sole structure includes a foam element extending from a forefoot region to a heel region. A lower surface of the foam element includes a recess formed in the forefoot region. The sole structure also includes a posterior cushioning arrangement extending along a peripheral region of the sole structure from a heel region to a mid-foot region, and an anterior cushioning arrangement disposed in the recess of the foam element. The anterior cushioning arrangement has a proximal end adjacent to the lower surface of the foam element and a distal end formed on an opposite side of the anterior cushioning arrangement than the proximal end. The anterior cushioning arrangement includes at least one medial bladder proximate to a medial side of the sole structure and at least one lateral bladder proximate to a lateral side of the sole structure.

A plate is used for a sole that forms a part of a shoe. The plate includes a mid- and rear-foot support portion in a shape extending from a position superimposed on a rear end portion of a metatarsal bone of a wearer of the shoe in a thickness direction of the sole to a position superimposed on a heel bone of the wearer, the mid- and rear-foot support portion supporting a midfoot portion and a rear foot portion of the wearer. The mid- and rear-foot support portion is in a shape convex upward in a cross-section in a foot width direction.

A sole for sports shoes is provided including a base or tread component, a top or midsole component and at least one intermediate or elastic cushioning component. Advantageously, the sole is able to provide high cushioning, elastic yield and stability thanks to the mechanical or structural characteristics of the sole.

The present invention relates to an enhanced method for the manufacture of a plastic component (135), in particular a cushioning element for sports apparel, the method comprising: opening a mold (100) by a predetermined amount into a loading position, wherein the mold comprises at least two mold parts (110, 112) and wherein the amount by which the mold is opened influences an available loading volume of the mold, loading a material comprising expanded particles (130) into the loading volume, closing the mold into a closed position, wherein during closing of the mold the mold parts are moved together over different distances (140) in different areas of the mold, compressing the expanded particles by closing the mold and fusing at least the surfaces of the expanded particles to mold the plastic component.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper that is attached to the sole structure. The upper defines a cavity that is configured to receive a foot of a wearer. The upper is at least partially defined by a textile. The textile includes a first area that is substantially smooth. The first area defines a reference boundary that conforms to the cavity. The textile includes a second area. The second area includes a plurality of projection structures that project away from the reference boundary and outwardly from the cavity at varying heights. The second area includes a plurality of recess structures that recess away from the reference boundary and inwardly toward the cavity. The plurality of projection structures and the plurality of recess structures are in an alternating arrangement across the textile.

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment are provided including a high energy return foam having improved abrasion resistance. A variety of foams and foam components and compositions for forming the foams are provided. In some aspects, the foams and components including the foams can have exceptionally high energy return while also having improved durability and softness and an improved abrasion resistance. In particular, midsoles including the foams are provided for use in an article of footwear. Methods of making the compositions and foams are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding or injection molding followed by compression molding.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a midsole and a stabilizing member. The stabilizing member can include a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is positioned along the bottom surface of the midsole. A first sub-portion of the first end portion extends along a first side of the midsole and a second sub-portion of the first end portion extends across the bottom surface from the first side of the midsole to a second side of the midsole. The second portion extends upwardly from the first portion and onto the second side of the midsole to wrap around at least a portion of a periphery of a heel region of the midsole and onto the first side of the midsole.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a forefoot region disposed adjacent an anterior end, a heel region disposed adjacent a posterior end, and a mid-foot region disposed intermediate the forefoot region and the heel region. The sole structure further includes fluid-filled bladder having a first segment extending along a medial side in the heel region, a second segment extending along a lateral side in the heel region, and a web area disposed between the first segment and the second segment. Additionally, the sole structure includes an outer sole member having an upper portion extending from a first end in the forefoot region to a second end in the heel region. The second end of the outer sole member is received on a first side of the web area. The outer sole member also includes a rib extending downwardly from the upper portion and defining a cavity.