An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure includes a chamber that encloses a pressurized fluid. The chamber includes subchambers laterally extending in a medial to lateral direction of the bladder. A bottom surface of the chamber may include at least one bond that laterally extends across the bottom surface of the chamber from one side edge to another side edge of the chamber in the medial to lateral direction. The bond may cooperate with an indentation in the bottom surface that separates one subchamber from an adjacent subchamber. A diameter of the subchambers may decrease in a direction from a heel region of the bladder to a forefoot region of the chamber.

A shoe includes a sole, an upper, and a welt. The sole and upper define a seam. The welt overlies the seam. The sole includes flex grooves. The upper includes perforations. The welt includes flex slits.

A shoe includes a sole, an upper, and a welt. The sole and upper define a seam. The welt overlies the seam. The sole includes flex grooves. The upper includes perforations. The welt includes flex slits.

An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure includes a chamber that encloses a pressurized fluid. The chamber includes subchambers laterally extending in a medial to lateral direction of the bladder. A bottom surface of the chamber may include at least one bond that laterally extends across the bottom surface of the chamber from one side edge to another side edge of the chamber in the medial to lateral direction. The bond may cooperate with an indentation in the bottom surface that separates one subchamber from an adjacent subchamber. A diameter of the subchambers may decrease in a direction from a heel region of the bladder to a forefoot region of the chamber.

A variety of devices for protecting a user's foot from injury are disclosed. In one embodiment, the device may be a metatarsal protection device, which may include a first layer of material having top and bottom surfaces, with at least one of such surfaces including a series of cones or a pattern of hexagons thereon. The metatarsal protection device may also include a second relatively rigid layer of material overlying the first layer, and the first layer may be shaped to conform to the metatarsal region of the user's foot, such that the device is configured to protect the metatarsal region against injury. Other configurations and variations of a metatarsal protection device are also disclosed, as are other uses for the principles of the invention(s) disclosed herein (e.g., protection devices for other areas of the foot, etc).

A variety of devices for protecting a user's foot from injury are disclosed. In one embodiment, the device may be a metatarsal protection device, which may include a first layer of material having top and bottom surfaces, with at least one of such surfaces including a series of cones or a pattern of hexagons thereon. The metatarsal protection device may also include a second relatively rigid layer of material overlying the first layer, and the first layer may be shaped to conform to the metatarsal region of the user's foot, such that the device is configured to protect the metatarsal region against injury. Other configurations and variations of a metatarsal protection device are also disclosed, as are other uses for the principles of the invention(s) disclosed herein (e.g., protection devices for other areas of the foot, etc).

An expandable shoe (01) capable to grow with a wearer/user's feet comprising: an upper (18) together with an expanding sole (16) which are capable of automatically adjusting and adapting comfortably to a wearer's feet resulting in increased comfort, usability and postponed obsolescence; wherein the sole (16) having a plurality of flaps (14) growing upwards from the bottom surface of the sole (16) around the sole's (16) circumference; wherein the shoe (01) provided with adjustment mechanisms including plurality of cuts being positioned at different locations in the sole (16) having some and/or equal and/or more distance between the flaps (14) and wherein said cuts effectively vary length and width of the shoe (01) and vary interior size of the shoe (01) to provide a comfortable fit to a wearer/user.

An expandable shoe (01) capable to grow with a wearer/user's feet comprising: an upper (18) together with an expanding sole (16) which are capable of automatically adjusting and adapting comfortably to a wearer's feet resulting in increased comfort, usability and postponed obsolescence; wherein the sole (16) having a plurality of flaps (14) growing upwards from the bottom surface of the sole (16) around the sole's (16) circumference; wherein the shoe (01) provided with adjustment mechanisms including plurality of cuts being positioned at different locations in the sole (16) having some and/or equal and/or more distance between the flaps (14) and wherein said cuts effectively vary length and width of the shoe (01) and vary interior size of the shoe (01) to provide a comfortable fit to a wearer/user.