An insole having a magnetic propulsion insert, provided with magnets or magnetic charges inside thereof, which provides a magnetic distracting effect in the midfoot and the hindfoot of a user. The insole formed by two sheets is merged in the fore third, known as the forefoot zone leaving the sheets in the midfoot zone and the hindfoot zone separated. The magnetic propulsion insert is a structure formed by a sheet which bends in its midpoint to create two separate surface and with identical magnetic charges. These generate a propulsion effect by the force or impulse produced by the magnetic charges. In the rear thirds of the insole, the top sheet has charges in its bottom surface, and in these two thirds the bottom sheet has the same charges as the top surface. This is to generate the propelling effect in the foot heel of a user.

A heel pad for placement within a shoe and a method of use. The heel pad includes a pliable body, a filler element contained within the pliable body, and a malleable member fastened within the pliable body and extending along at least part of a length of the pliable body. In use, the heel pad is positioned in a heel section of the shoe. A longitudinal end of the heel pad is folded along an upper edge of the heel section of the shoe. The folded longitudinal end of the heel pad is affixed to an outer surface of the heel section of the shoe.

An assembly for assisting a user in putting on footwear having a tongue includes a shoehorn portion and one or more attachment portions. The shoehorn portion includes an elongated handle and an engagement member. The engagement member includes a first surface and one or more shoehorn magnets situated proximate to the first surface. The attachment portions are removably attached to the tongue and include a clip and a body portion. The clip is configured to removably attached to the tongue. The body portion is connected to the clip and includes one or more attachment magnets configured to engage with the shoehorn magnets. The engagement of the attachment magnets to the shoehorn magnets allows the user to manipulate a movement of the tongue.

A medical shoe having a plurality of outsole projections is provided. The medical shoe may include a sole assembly configured to support a foot, and a frame surrounding the sole assembly. The sole assembly may include a midsole portion forming a substantially planar surface for supporting the foot and an outsole portion including the plurality of outsole projections extending from the midsole portion. The frame may include a plurality of through holes corresponding to the plurality of outsole projections. The plurality of outsole projections may extend through the plurality of through holes so as to form a ground contacting surface. The plurality of outsole projections may also be provided in a symmetrical pattern. The sole assembly may be secured to the frame by a self-locking fit between the sole assembly and the frame.

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.

Lace lock comprising a body with openings crossed by a lace (4) and with means for locking and unlocking the lace. Said body is constituted by a frame (1) on which two opposed levers (2d, 2s) are hinged, with a right lever (2d) and a left lever (2s), each of which can rotate on said frame (1) to assume a raised position (A) and respectively a lowered position (B), in which in the raised position (A) each lever (2d, 2s) leaves a corresponding space (3d, 3s), crossable by a lace (4), space that is closed when the levers (2d, 2s) are in lowered position, so that, when the levers (2d, 2s) are raised, the lace (4) is free to slide between each of the levers (2d, 2s) and the frame (1) and vice versa, when the levers (2d, 2s) are lowered, the lace (4) is locked.

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 footwear accessory apparatus and system disposed on and within shoes to facilitate movement of one or more accessories around a pre-established track via an electric motor is described. The track is equipped with an internal chain drive disposed in communication with the motor via at least one gear. Accessories are preferably mounted to the chain via at least one magnet which protrudes through a top of the track via a groove. A remote control is preferably configured to enable the user to command the movement of the accessories around the track of each shoe independently. The remote is equipped with a speaker to facilitate the playback of audio and sound effects pertinent to the movement of the accessory. Accessories may be also equipped with internal batteries to facilitate the illumination of interior lights and/or headlights of the accessory.

A system for selectively coupling a shoe to a pedal electromagnetically or electromechanically, the system including: an electromagnet for coupling a pedal and shoe and/or an electromechanical retention element for coupling to a pedal to a shoe, the electromagnet and/or the electromechanical retention element being activatable based on a signal from a cadence sensor indicating a predetermined cadence condition for a pedal associated with the cadence sensor.

A pedal comprising: (a) a housing; (b) a magnet have a portion located within the housing and a portion extending outside of the housing; and (c) a hall effect sensor connected to or located within the housing and configured to measurement movement, rate of movement, or both of the pedal.