A method for making puncture resistant material is made by aggressively twisting high modulus continuous filament polypropylene yarns and weaving the twisted yarns into a tight weave. Batting materials are placed adjacent the woven layer (which may comprise one or more individual woven layers) to form a stack and the stack is needlepunched to form a consolidated material. The material is heat treated and calendared and the finished product may be used in applications where puncture resistance is required, such as in a shoe insole material.

A method for making puncture resistant material is made by aggressively twisting high modulus continuous filament polypropylene yarns and weaving the twisted yarns into a tight weave. Batting materials are placed adjacent the woven layer (which may comprise one or more individual woven layers) to form a stack and the stack is needlepunched to form a consolidated material. The material is heat treated and calendared and the finished product may be used in applications where puncture resistance is required, such as in a shoe insole material.

A skate (e.g., an ice skate) for a skater (e.g., a hockey player). The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of the skater and a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface (e.g., ice). At least part of the skate boot and optionally at least part of one or more other components (e.g., the skating device) may be constructed from one or more materials (e.g., foams) molded by flowing in molding equipment during a molding process (e.g., injection molding or casting). This may allow the skate (or other footwear) to have useful performance characteristics (e.g., reduced weight, proper fit and comfort, etc.) while being more cost-effectively manufactured. Other articles of footwear are also provided.

A skate (e.g., an ice skate) for a skater (e.g., a hockey player). The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of the skater and a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface (e.g., ice). At least part of the skate boot and optionally at least part of one or more other components (e.g., the skating device) may be constructed from one or more materials (e.g., foams) molded by flowing in molding equipment during a molding process (e.g., injection molding or casting). This may allow the skate (or other footwear) to have useful performance characteristics (e.g., reduced weight, proper fit and comfort, etc.) while being more cost-effectively manufactured. Other articles of footwear are also provided.

An article of footwear includes a midsole, an upper disposed above the midsole, and an outsole disposed below the midsole. The midsole includes a lattice structure having an upper side and a lower side, wherein the upper side is a user-facing side and the lower side is a ground-facing side. A first platform is integrally formed into the upper side of the lattice structure. A second platform is integrally formed into the lower side of the lattice structure. The lattice structure extends from the first platform to the second platform.

An article of footwear includes a midsole, an upper disposed above the midsole, and an outsole disposed below the midsole. The midsole includes a lattice structure having an upper side and a lower side, wherein the upper side is a user-facing side and the lower side is a ground-facing side. A first platform is integrally formed into the upper side of the lattice structure. A second platform is integrally formed into the lower side of the lattice structure. The lattice structure extends from the first platform to the second platform.

Presented are footwear sole structures with pressure-mapped midsole topographies and inlaid wear-mitigating outsoles, methods for making/using such sole structures, and footwear fabricated with such sole structures. An article of footwear includes an upper for receiving and attaching to a foot of a user, and a sole structure attached to the upper for supporting thereon the user's foot. The sole structure includes a midsole that is formed with a first material having a first hardness, and an outsole that is mounted to the midsole and formed with a second material that is harder than the first material. The midsole has a ground-facing surface with multiple cavities, multiple channels interspersed with the cavities, and ground-contacting land segments that separate the cavities from the channels. The outsole is disposed in the channels and positioned between the cavities such that a ground-contacting outsole surface is substantially flush with the midsole's ground-contacting land segments.

Presented are footwear sole structures with pressure-mapped midsole topographies and inlaid wear-mitigating outsoles, methods for making/using such sole structures, and footwear fabricated with such sole structures. An article of footwear includes an upper for receiving and attaching to a foot of a user, and a sole structure attached to the upper for supporting thereon the user's foot. The sole structure includes a midsole that is formed with a first material having a first hardness, and an outsole that is mounted to the midsole and formed with a second material that is harder than the first material. The midsole has a ground-facing surface with multiple cavities, multiple channels interspersed with the cavities, and ground-contacting land segments that separate the cavities from the channels. The outsole is disposed in the channels and positioned between the cavities such that a ground-contacting outsole surface is substantially flush with the midsole's ground-contacting land segments.

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.

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.