A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a sole plate that includes a foot-facing surface with a forefoot portion, and a ground-facing surface opposite from the foot-receiving surface. A tension member is operatively secured to the ground-facing surface and has a portion configured to move relative to the sole plate during dorsiflexion of the sole structure in a first portion of a flexion range, and interfere with the sole plate during dorsiflexion of the sole structure in a second portion of the flexion range greater than the first portion altering the rate of the resultant torque.

A footwear assembly having an upper that comprises a neoprene sock with a foot portion integrally connected to a leg portion. The foot portion has heel, vamp and under-foot portions. The leg portion has front shin, side wall, and rear calf-side portions. The upper has a unitary, outer, injection molded layer molded directly onto the foot and shin portions of the neoprene sock, while the sidewall and rear calf-side portions remain substantially uncovered by the injection molded layer. The injection molded layer encases the foot portion of the neoprene sock. The injection molded layer on the shin portion defines a shin guard portion having a necked down area integrally connected to the injection molded layer at the vamp portion, wherein the shin guard extends upwardly from the necked-down portion in an outwardly diverging shape away from the vamp.

An article of footwear has a tubular structure that may conform to various anatomical features of a foot. The tubular structure has a tunnel, and a tensile strand runs through the tunnel. Applying tension along the tensile strand may cause the tubular structure to conform more closely to one or more anatomical features. The geometry, or path, of the tubular structure on the article may be customized.

Method for producing a customized midsole and a customized cleat representation for an article of footwear comprising a knit outsole. The method includes obtaining information relating to a customized cleat arrangement in a knit outsole and other information relating to a midsole customized to the user's foot and having cleat reinforcements arranged to match the cleat arrangement on the knit outsole. The information is used to form an article of footwear including the customized knit outsole and the customized midsole.

A shoe body-forming piece includes an upper portion including an instep portion and a pair of heel portions separately disposed on one side of the instep portion to make the upper portion have a substantially U-shaped configuration outlined by a perimeter edge and an inner edge; and a shoe-sleeve portion having a connection side at least partially connected to the inner edge, wherein the upper portion and the shoe-sleeve portion are knitted from at least one yarn to form a unitary knit construction with a plurality of courses and wales, so that the shoe body-forming piece does not have any sewing portion as the knitting process is completed; when the shoe body-forming piece is processed to form a shoe body, the upper portion corresponds to a fore portion, a lateral portion, and a heel portion of a foot, and the shoe-sleeve portion corresponds to an ankle portion of the foot.

A pressure injected plastic footwear is provided characterized in that comprising double liner made of fabric, one on the inside part and one on the outside part; both liners may be identical or different and provide the footwear with special characteristics such as being fire retardant, antifungal, anti-mold and hermetic to moisture and liquid water as well as thermal insulating.

An article of footwear including a full monofilament upper is described. The full monofilament upper incorporates a knitted component including a monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element is formed by knitting with a monofilament strand. The monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component, including peripheral portions that are knit using a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn. An inlaid tensile element can extend through the knitted component, including portions of the monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element may be knitted with a monofilament strand according to a variety of knit structures.

Described are shoes, particularly a sports shoe, having an upper and at least one of an outer sole and a midsole connected to the upper. As examples, the outer sole is knitted in a unitary fashion with the upper. As further examples, an insert is positioned within the one-piece knitwear, wherein the insert comprises a profile that increases traction of the outer sole.

Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear including forming a first upper on a textile manufacturing machine and forming a second upper on the textile manufacturing machine at a time that at least partially overlaps with formation of the first upper. The first upper and the second upper are formed at separate locations of the textile manufacturing machine.

The present invention teaches a method of making a custom article of footwear. Further, the article of footwear can include a knitted upper and means for cushioning. In addition, the components of the article of footwear can be selected from a wide range of options, and can be easily removed and replaced, as desired.