A modular article of footwear has a shock absorbing insert placed between the insole and the outsole thereof, for example at the heel. The insert includes a spring carrier having upper and lower portions, each having a plurality seats for receiving a respective ends of respective coil springs. Each of the springs extends between said upper and lower portions and is captured therebetween. A pair of opposed permanent magnets generates a separating force which supplements the supporting force of the mechanical springs. The insert may also contain a device for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy.

An article of footwear comprises a sole structure, and an upper including a front section and a rear section. The front section is fixed to a forefoot region of the sole structure and partially defines a foot-receiving cavity. The rear section is operatively secured to the sole structure at least partially rearward of the front section, and includes medial and lateral wings. A medial set of magnets includes at least one front medial magnet secured to a medial side of the front section and at least one rear medial magnet secured to the medial wing. A lateral set of magnets includes at least one front lateral magnet secured to a lateral side of the front section and at least one rear lateral magnet secured to the lateral wing. The rear section is movable relative to the front section between an access position and a use position.

A belt with a recess defined in the surface of the belt. The recess is configured to receive and hold an insert in place. A magnet is positioned behind the recess and the insert is fabricated from a magnetic material. The depth of the recess is such that a significant portion or all of the thickness of the insert fits within the recess thus alleviating the risk of the insert being inadvertently dislodged from the belt.

An insert liner is provided and is configured to be removably received in an inner cavity of a shoe. The elastomeric liner includes: a longitudinal portion: opposing first and second lateral portions; and opposing front and rear portions, wherein the longitudinal, lateral, front, and rear portions define a cavity having an opening configured below the opposing front and rear portions and configured to receive a user's foot; and a fastener coupled to at least the front portion and the rear portion of the liner while being bond free relative to a toe portion of the shoe, the front portion is configured to releasably adhere to the tongue portion to maintain the opening below an upper edge of at least one of the heel portion and the opposing sidewall portions and to define the opening configured to receive the user's foot.

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.

A magnetic acupoint massage insole for conditioning chronic diseases includes a left insole and a right insole. The left insole includes a heel, a middle part and a head, and a magnet, a functional bump and an auxiliary bump are disposed on the left insole. The right insole comprises a heel, a middle part and a head, the right insole, and a magnet, a functional bump and an auxiliary bump are disposed on the right insole. The present invention has the effects of providing a better massage effect by the distribution of reasonably designed bump massage points together with the magnetic therapy effect provided by a magnet, stimulating the nerve endings of human body and organs, promoting user's blood circulation, and enhancing metabolism. In addition, the invention has a health care effect on a multiple of reflection zones, a high practicality, and a strong promotion effect.

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.

A walking-assisted air-jet insole includes an insole base. A plurality of pressed-air outlet units that can generate airflow based on stepping pressure are provided on the insole base; the pressed-air outlet unit includes a cavity for retaining air. An upper part of the insole base is provided with an upper air hole that communicates with the cavity, and a lower part of the insole base is provided with an air sac part that is elastically deformed and restored based on the stepping pressure. A volume of the cavity can be changed based on the elastic deformation and restoration of the air sac part. A lower end of the air sac part is provided with a convex column that moves up and down based on the stepping pressure. The cavity includes an upper cavity portion and a lower cavity portion from top to bottom.

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.