An apparatus is provided to secure a primary body to a shoe. Exemplary implementations may include an apparatus with one or more connectors to be engaged with one or more other connectors. The connectors of the apparatus may be engaged with the primary body eyelets and the shoelace eyelets in order to secure the primary body to the exterior side of the shoe.

An article of footwear can include provisions for facilitating the installation of various components. During manufacture of the article of footwear, the upper and/or sole structure can include one or more specialized compartments designed to receive the components. The components can be installed in compartments after manufacture of the article of footwear. In some cases, the components can be used to perform different functions in a motorized tensioning system.

An article includes a receptacle defining an interior void and an adjustment element attached to the receptacle. The adjustment element includes bladder defining one or more chambers each having a compressible component disposed therein. The adjustment element is operable between a contracted configuration providing the receptacle with a first size and an expanded configuration providing the receptacle with a second size different than the first size by adjusting a pressure within the one or more chambers.

This disclosure is directed to lace-receiving structures that may be included in articles of footwear. More specifically, in some embodiments, the articles of footwear disclosed herein include a sole structure, an upper coupled to the sole structure and forming a foot-receiving cavity therebetween, and a lace-receiving structure that extends through the upper into the foot-receiving cavity and is configured to receive an adjustment member. In some embodiments, the upper includes an aperture that is configured to permit the lace-receiving structure to extend through the upper. In some embodiments, the lace-receiving structure may include an anchor portion that extends underneath an interior surface of the upper within the foot-receiving cavity. The anchor portion may be configured to couple the lace-receiving structure to the upper.

Embodiments of footwear, in particular, a shoe, sandal or boot, that have the unexpected benefit of reducing the pressure on the plantar surface of the foot while also reducing metabolic demand of walking while also gait speed and improving walking, running, hiking, as well as jumping, hopping, and other motion involving the ankle, lower leg and Achilles tendon, through integration of force-carrying mechanisms within footwear that manage the forces and energy associated with such motion by productively harvesting and storing energy during dorsiflexion motion and releasing and returning energy during plantar flexion and limiting range of motion that conduce towards ankle inversion and eversion. Such footwear may comprise a yoke connected to footwear at a pivot region in parallel to the axis of rotation of the ankle and a tension spring region suspended between the yoke and the posterior portion of the footwear sidewalls or sole.

A footwear article includes a tongue and a tongue reinforcer, which helps the tongue maintain a shape and position when the tongue is subjected to forces or adjustments, such as from other footwear-article elements or from a wearer. For example, the tongue reinforcer may help the tongue maintain a shape and position when a wearer is inserting his or her foot into the footwear article or when medial and/or lateral quarters press inward on the tongue.

Disclosed are flippers worn with shoes, including: a fin portion including a body worn on the front of a shin of a user and formed in a plate shape, and an instep seating portion formed to be cut upward from a center of a lower side of the body; one or more bands coupled to a side of the body in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the body; and a pair of first fastening devices each coupled to both ends of the band to be fastened with each other.

A shoe includes a sole and an upper which together enable a user to put on the shoe quickly and easily. The upper includes a heel support member that is fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from a rear portion of the sole, and a toe box fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from a front portion to form a toe receiving recess. A middle flap is fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from a first side edge of the sole and extending to a terminal edge, the middle flap pivoting between an open position wherein the shoe is adapted to receive the user's foot, and a closed position wherein the middle flap is closed over the user's foot. The shoe further includes a fastener for fastening the terminal edge of the middle flap to a second side edge of the sole.

A charging system can include provisions for providing power to various systems or components associated with the article of footwear. A charging system may include a charging device dimensioned to be used with one or more articles of footwear, where the articles of footwear can include different sizes. In some cases, the charging system can be used to facilitate the transfer of power to components in a motorized tensioning system.

Universal shoe fastening systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention are provided. In one embodiment, a shoe fastening system for a shoe includes an anchoring strap-clip configured to attach to a first pair of eyelets of the shoe, an adjustment strap-clip configured to attach to a second pair of eyelets of the shoe, and a strap closure that includes an anchoring end portion configured to attach the anchoring strap-clip, an adjustable end portion configured to traverse under a bar region of the adjustment strap-clip that allows for the shoe to be fasten, and a fastening portion configured to connect the anchoring end portion with the adjustable end portion.