The present disclosure relates to an insole including a lower layer, an upper layer and an intermediate layer arranged between the lower layer and the upper layer. The lower layer or base of the insole is a supporting layer designed to be placed, in use conditions of the insole, above a sole of an item of footwear. The upper layer is designed to be placed, in use conditions of the insole, in contact with a foot, with or without a sock, of a user. The intermediate layer includes natural feathers distributed uniformly and treated so as not to allow displacement thereof along the intermediate layer. The disclosure further relates to an upper of an item of footwear.

The implementation improves in the best possible way the integration between the insole and a modified sock, different than those currently known. The present implementation describes an insole-sock type insert for shoes, which presents a novel configuration that consists of an insole, which has a short, medium, or modified sock attached to it, totally or partially, within the extension of the insole; a short, medium, or modified sock, partially attached to the insole, remaining loose or free in the front part where the toes go and/or part of the instep as well as the front part of the foot, and; an attachment mechanism between the insole and the short, medium, or modified sock, which allows for their attachment, where such mechanism is a seam, Velcro, adhesive, or any other type of method that has the same function.

Disclosed is a platform for generating and delivering 3-D printed wearables. The platform includes scanning, image processing, machine learning, computer vision, and user input to generate a printed wearable. Scanning occurs in a number of ways across a number of devices. The variability of scanning generates a number of scanning output types. Outputs from the scanning process are normalized into a single type during image processing. The computer vision and machine learning portions of the platform use the normalized body scan to develop models that may be used by a 3D printer to generate a wearable customized to the user. The platform further provides opportunities for the user to check the work of the scanning, image processing, computer vision, and machine learning. The user input enables the platform to improve and inform the machine learning aspects.

Improved soles and insoles for shoes, in particular sports shoes, are described. In an aspect, a sole for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, with at least a first and a second surface region is provided. The first surface region comprises expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The second surface region is free from expanded TPU.

A compound for protection of an object from a blast or shock wave. The compound include a matrix material and at least a first and second sets of inclusions in the matrix material that differ in size, quantity, shape and/or composition in a direction through the impact-absorbing material, the combination of which contributes to the ability of the material to exhibit at least one property that changes as the inclusions are deformed in response to a blast or shock wave.

A shoe is provided and includes a ventilated outsole that includes a recessed portion formed along an upper face of the outsole and has one or more openings formed along a ground contacting bottom face of the outsole. The shoe includes a ventilation insert disposed within the recessed portion. The ventilation insert includes a base layer that has through holes formed therein and a membrane that is coupled to the base layer. The base layer represents a bottom layer of the ventilation insert, while the membrane represents a top layer of the ventilation insert that are exposed over and cover the through holes formed in the base layer. The openings formed within the outsole are in communication with the recessed portion such that the ventilation insert is visible through the openings formed in the outsole.

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment are provided including a foam. A variety of foams and foam components are provided. The articles include a composition having a foam structure, wherein the composition includes an ionomeric polymer and a plurality of cations, wherein the ionomeric copolymer is crosslinked by the cations. The crosslinks are ionic, so in some aspects the composition is free or essentially free of any covalent crosslinks between the ionomers. In particular, midsoles including the foams are provided for use in an article of footwear. Methods of making the compositions and foams are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding or injection molding followed by compression molding.

Provided is a shock absorber formed by a resin composition and provided in a shoe, the shock absorber satisfying all formulas (1) to (4) below when changes in storage elastic modulus between 20 C. to 50 C. are linearly approximated by a least-squares method: Y=aX+b . . . (1); 0.1a0.02 . . . (2); 1.0b16.0 . . . (3); and R.sup.20.75 . . . (4), where X represents a temperature (unit: C.) of the shock absorber, Y represents a storage elastic modulus of the shock absorber, and R represents a correlation coefficient in the least-squares method.

A method of forming a castless orthotic for a patient's foot in need thereof. The method comprises preparing an orthotic template for the foot wherein the template extends between a heel end and a toe end. In preparing the template the steps of attaching a three-quarter length or full length upper thermoplastic material to a or three-quarter length lower thermoplastic material, or providing a thermoplastic material having a variable thickness such that said thickness decreases from said heel end to said toe end is provided. Then attaching an outer lower layer to the lower thermoplastic material and attaching an outer upper layer to the upper thermoplastic material, or attaching an outer layer to each face of the variable thickness thermoplastic material and heating the prepared orthotic template for a predetermined period of time at a predetermined temperature to soften the orthotic template. A wrap is then placed on top of the foot foam and the foot of the patient is placed on top of the wrap and foot foam. The patient's foot is lifted and the heated orthotic template is placed on top of the wrap and then placing the patient's foot on top of the heated orthotic template. The wrap is placed about the longitudinal axis of the foot to retain the heated orthotic template intermediate the sole of the foot and the foot foam whereby the sides of the orthotic template are particularly supported by the wrap. The method further includes ensuring the foot is positioned over a cuboid support and a medial longitudinal arch support wherein the cuboid support is disposed on the outside of the bottom of the foot and the cuboid support is moved to push the foot upwardly until a resistance is felt, and where the foot is also positioned over the medial longitudinal arch support which is then pushed and pulled upwardly until the foot is moved into a neutral position or if it is unable to be translated or rotated due to until it reaches its end range of motion. At this time, the heel of the patient's foot is lifted to place their weight substantially on the front of their foot and a coolant is applied to at least the heel end of the orthotic template.

A custom fitted shoe for diabetic patients including a custom insole and a custom upper, both manufactured from a whole-foot impression, the custom upper featuring a widened toe box, extra cushioning in the big toe, pinky toe, and heel regions, and elastic in the ankle region, and dual fastening system including elastic laces and removable Velcro fastening system; the custom insole feature toe wells and toe separation ridges to prevent toes from contacting and rubbing against one-another.