Disclosed is a vibration generator for shoes, including: a flat vibration plate having a length longer than the width thereof; support pieces horizontally protruding in the widthwise direction of the vibration plate; upper and lower casings coupled while restricting each end portion of each support piece, so as to accommodate the vibration plate therein; core magnets fixedly provided in one or more places among the respective end portions in the lengthwise direction of the vibration plate; upper magnets fixed to the upper casing so as to face the core magnets, thereby generating a repulsive force; and bottom magnets fixed to the lower casing so as to face the core magnets, thereby generating a repulsive force.

An article of footwear including an adaptive support system includes a plurality of support members. Each support member includes an outer chamber and an inner chamber, the inner chamber being filled with a magnetorheological fluid. An electromagnet is disposed adjacent to the inner chamber and can be used to vary the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid.

A foot presence sensor system for an active article of footwear can include a sensor housing configured to be disposed at or in an insole of the article, and a controller circuit, disposed within the sensor housing, configured to trigger one or more automated functions of the footwear based on a foot presence indication. In an example, the sensor system includes a capacitive sensor configured to sense changes in a capacitance signal in response to proximity of a body. A dielectric member can be provided between the capacitive sensor and the body to enhance an output signal from the sensor.

An article of footwear facilitates relatively easy donning and removal, and secure adjustment. The article of footwear comprises a sole structure, an upper secured to the sole structure, and a plurality of tensioning cables having proximal ends fixed to at least one of the upper or the sole structure and extending out of the upper. A strap has a proximal end connected to distal ends of the plurality of tensioning cables, and has a distal end releasably securable to the upper to tighten the tensioning cables. A webbed spacer is secured to the plurality of tensioning cables. The webbed spacer extends between adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables, and the adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables spaced apart from one another by the webbed spacer.

The present invention is footwear having a convex shaped outsole with opposing wedge shaped configurations in the bottom of the front sole section and the back sole section which provide rotation of the front sole section and the back sole section in opposite directions when weight is applied. The present invention is also footwear convex shaped in the longitudinal direction with a split sole having opposing wedge shaped configurations in the bottom of the front sole section and the back sole section that provide rotation of the front sole section and the back sole section in opposite directions when weight is applied. The invention further includes footwear having at least one pair of wedges on the outsole which provide footwear having improved arch support. The invention is also footwear with a flexible, elastic, member between the front sole section and the back sole section of the sole.

The present Invention Comprises a Shoe, Boot, Sandal, type Footwear consisting of an

Actuated Heel Portion that may also contain a portion of Said Footwear's Sole structure. Heel Portion is affixed into place during use by way of: magnets, Velcro, hook and loop, Ball and socket or desired elements or mechanics so when manipulated in a downwardback-Motion against the Floor or Ground, will Unsecure Heel Portion to Remove Said Footwear. Electronics, Mechanics, Mechanical, Pneumatic, or Hydraulic Elements may also assist or Actuate Heel Portion to Open, Close or Intermediate Position upon Desire of Wearer.

Another way to achieve Same Benefit of Said Footwear is by way of Elements affixing on both Sides of Wearer's Ankle or the Area there of and extending under Heel Area and attached or Fashioned to or as part of Said Footwear in an Actuating Fashion allowing insertion and Securement upon desire.

Other ways of achieving same Said benefit of Actuated Heel Portion of Shoe, Sandal, or Footwear is by way of Spring Tensioning or assisting Hinge or Actuating point of Movement or about there of or by way of Assisting Said Actuating Point of Movement with Electrical, Electronic, Mechanical, Pneumatic, Hydraulic, Magnet, or desired Elements to Achieve desired results.

A sandal with a magnetically connected upper straps uses a sandal sole, multiple strap-attachment coupler, and a removable upper to enable a user to modify the sandal's appearance. The strap-attachment couplers are fasteners which are used to attach the removable upper to the multilayered sole. To accomplish this the strap-attachment couplers includes a connector-receiving receptacle and an upper-fastening mechanism. The removable upper includes multiple strap segments, each of which is connected to a connector insert. Inserting the connector insert into the connector-receiving receptacle enables the upper-fastening mechanism to become coupled to the connector inserts, thus tethering the removable upper to the sandal sole. Additionally, the strap-attachment couplers are distributed across the insole, such that the strap-attachment couplers enable the user to create a desired type of sandal.

A shoe is provided for use by a user and for use with a communication device that transmits a physiological signal based on a detected physiological parameter of the user. The shoe includes a sole, a force actuating mechanism, a receiver and a controller. The sole has a top surface for supporting the foot of the user when being worn by the user. The force actuating mechanism provides a force to the top surface of the sole and is disposed at the sole so as to provide the force to a plantar venous plexus of the foot. The receiver receives the physiological parameter signal. The controller generates a control signal to control the force actuating mechanism. The controller further modifies the control signal based on the received physiological parameter signal.

A magnetic fastener such as for an article of footwear comprises a male fastener portion and a female fastener portion. The male fastener portion is configured to magnetically fasten to the female fastener portion. The female fastener portion defines a recess with an outer periphery that is asymmetric about a center axis of the recess. The male fastener portion fits into the recess when the male fastener portion is in a first orientation relative to the female fastener portion, and interferes with the female fastener portion when the male fastener portion is urged to rotate about the center axis of the recess away from the first orientation.

A shoe heel platform includes a substantially flat base sized to extend under a heel of a high heeled shoe. The base includes a heel section with a connecting member positioned and configured to removably attach to the heel of the high heeled shoe. The connecting member may be a magnet, a receptacle to receive a tap piece of the heel of the shoe, or both. The base also may include a sole section with a connecting member positioned and configured to removably attach to the sole of the high heeled shoe. The base also may include a linking member that connects the heel section to the sole section in a manner that enables a user to adjust the size of the base.