Devices with internal flexibility sipes, such as slits, provide improved flexibility, improved cushioning to absorb shock and/or shear forces, and improved stability of support. Siped devices can be used in any existing product that provides or utilizes cushioning and stability. These products include human and other footwear, both soles and uppers, as well as orthotics; athletic, occupational and medical equipment and apparel; padding or cushioning, such as for equipment or tool handles, as well as furniture; balls; tires; and any other structural or support elements in a mechanical, architectural, or any other product.

Devices with internal flexibility sipes, such as slits, provide improved flexibility, improved cushioning to absorb shock and/or shear forces, and improved stability of support. Siped devices can be used in any existing product that provides or utilizes cushioning and stability. These products include human and other footwear, both soles and uppers, as well as orthotics; athletic, occupational and medical equipment and apparel; padding or cushioning, such as for equipment or tool handles, as well as furniture; balls; tires; and any other structural or support elements in a mechanical, architectural, or any other product.

A footwear insole system for use with an article of footwear including a base insole component and an upper insole component. The base insole includes a chassis and first and a second shock absorbing inserts. The upper insole includes a spacer panel, first and a second gel insert members, and a fabric sheet layer. The insole system may be permanently secured to an article of footwear or the insole system may be replaceable or interchangeable for installation and removal to and from an article of footwear by a user.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a bladder and at least one insert. The bladder includes an upper surface having a first portion defining a chamber and a second portion defining at least one recess adjacent to the chamber. The at least one insert is disposed within the at least one recess and has a top surface that is substantially flush with the first portion of the upper surface of the bladder. The first portion of the upper surface is exposed to the at least one insert.

A footwear systems utilizing silica derived gel sheets used as a footwear component in upper linings of the footwear. The upper linings provide a cushioning and shock absorption system, particularly in inclined high-heel shoes where the toes and MTP (metatarsophalangeal) joints typically bear most of the weight in such shoes and come in contact with the footwear linings. The material advantageously not only provides padding, but also absorbs shock to further reduce force placed on the foot by dissipating energy of each footstep. In addition like material may be disposed in the sole of the shoe under the ball of the foot to provide shock absorption and cushioning below as well.

Footwear articles for walking are provided. In one example, a footwear article may include an upper, a midsole coupled to the upper, an outsole coupled to the midsole, and a moderation plate positioned within the midsole, the moderation plate including a toe-off section, a heel section, and a midfoot section positioned intermediate the toe-off section and the heel section, the moderation plate having a plate length that extends from the toe-off section to the heel section that is within a range of 60-95% of an outsole length of the outsole. In this way, the moderation plate may provide rigidity to the midsole while increasing cushion and enhancing propulsion. In turn, a wearer of the footwear article may smoothly walk for extended periods of time with reduced fatigue.

A sole structure may include chambers and a transfer channel containing an electrorheological fluid. Electrodes may be positioned to create, in response to a voltage across the electrodes, an electrical field in at least a portion of the electrorheological fluid in the transfer channel. The sole structure may further include a controller including a processor and memory. At least one of the processor and memory may store instructions executable by the processor to perform operations that include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-inhibiting levels at which flow of the electrorheological fluid the through the transfer channel is blocked, and that further include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-enabling levels permitting flow of the electrorheological fluid through the transfer channel.

A three-layered article of footwear construction having an outsole, midsole, and footbed. The outsole is made out of a rubber and has a mating relationship with the midsole. The midsole is made of a single density blown ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). The midsole includes a first air cavity in the forefoot region and a second air cavity in the hind foot. The air cavities act like a suspension units under the impact areas of a foot giving improved impact reduction and help in reducing muscular and joint stress, fatigue, and impact during the normal walking gait motion. The footbed is made of a dual-density EVA. The dual density of the footbed allows for a greater flexibility and cushioning in the forefoot and heel regions due to its lighter density and provides greater support and stability around the perimeter area of the footbed due to its heavier density.

An insole which provides cushioning and support to a user's foot subjected to a high magnitude of ground reaction forces (GRF) encountered in playing court sports, such as basketball, is herein disclosed. The insole comprises a base having a bottom side which defines recesses adapted to receive pads having particular properties. The location and materials of the various pads and pods work together to provide ground reaction force modulation to the user's foot which is highly desirable for users engaged in basketball and similar activities.

A shoe sole including an outsole 2 and a midsole 1, wherein: the midsole 1 includes a lower midsole 4 of a lower layer formed by a foamed body of a resin, and an upper midsole 3 of an upper layer formed by a foamed body of a resin and arranged on the lower midsole 4; a lateral roll-up portion 42 for supporting a lateral side of a foot from a side of the foot is formed integrally with the lower midsole 4; a hardness of a lateral portion 40 of the lower midsole 4 including the lateral roll-up portion 42 is a first hardness; a hardness of a medial portion 41 of the lower midsole 4 is a second hardness lower than the first hardness; a hardness of a lateral portion 30 of the upper midsole 3 is a third hardness lower than the first hardness; and a part or a whole of the high-hardness lateral roll-up portion 42 is protruding in an upward direction past the upper midsole 3 on a lateral side of the upper midsole 3 so that the lateral side of the foot is supported by the lateral roll-up portion 42 from the side of the foot without being supported by the upper midsole 3 from the side of the foot.