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 corrective insole having a bottom part including a posterior molded part formed at the position corresponding to the calcaneus, an anterior height part and a skinned part. The anterior height part is formed at a position corresponding to the head of the fifth metatarsal bone. The corrective insole is configured to have a minimal difference in height between the tip and the heel of the corrective insole or the tip is slightly higher than the heel to shift the wearer's body weight to the back when the wearer is in a standing position. The skinned part has a boundary protrusion part, which is formed between the posterior molded part and the anterior height part, configured to shift the wearer's body weight to the outside and scatter the wearer's body weight along the lateral side of the corrective insole.

A shoe may include a midsole surface located along a bottom of an interior of the shoe, the midsole surface including a peripheral area located towards a front of the shoe. A shoe may include a crescent pad located on the peripheral area of the midsole surface, the crescent pad having a width that tapers from the first longitudinal end to the second longitudinal end. The crescent pad is shaped to conform to a sulcus of a foot of a wearer of a shoe. A shoe may include a wing support shaped to support a navicular bone of a wearer of the shoe at an apex of an arch of a foot. A shoe may include a concave shaped portion located towards a back of the shoe, the concave shaped portion contoured to fit with a calcaneus of a foot of a wearer of the shoe.

The present invention is footwear having a convex shaped outsole with opposing wedge shaped configurations in the bottom of the front sole section and the back sole section which provide rotation of the front sole section and the back sole section in opposite directions when weight is applied. The present invention is also footwear convex shaped in the longitudinal direction with a split sole having opposing wedge shaped configurations in the bottom of the front sole section and the back sole section that provide rotation of the front sole section and the back sole section in opposite directions when weight is applied. The invention further includes footwear having at least one pair of wedges on the outsole which provide footwear having improved arch support. The invention is also footwear with a flexible, elastic, member between the front sole section and the back sole section of the sole.

A convertible shoe may include a sole portion and a plurality of interchangeable heel portions, each selectively attachable to the sole portion. The heel portions may each include a mounting surface configured to interface with a heel receiver of the sole, such that mounting the heel causes a support shank of the shoe to be secured in a longitudinal position relative to the sole.

The invention relates to shock-absorbing adaptable footwear which has a hidden fastening system, having a cushioning device, a device for supporting the sole of the foot, and an accessory-fastening device arranged in the inner material of the body of the footwear. The cushioning device has two sheets between which there are cushioning elements, arranged on at least one portion of the sole of the footwear. The device for supporting the sole of the foot has an area of elastic material that allows the body of the footwear to expand or contract.

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.

An insole having a top sheet, a base layer, a forefoot pad, a heel cushion, and stability cradle. The forefoot pad can be made a blown EVA or other material, and the heel cushion can be made of a clear TPR, soft polyurethane or blown EVA. A heel cup surrounds the exterior back by a heel cup, and a heel pod opening and midfoot pod opening is located in the stability cradle for allowing placement of heel pads and midfoot pads in a replacement manner. There is also a soft metatarsal raised dome on the top (foot contact) surface of the insole which would be directly above the metatarsal midfoot area.

Shoes and shoe sole assemblies and associated methods of manufacture are disclosed herein. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a shoe and shoe sole assembly made of a non-linearly viscous, SEBS block copolymer-based material that becomes more resilient as more energy is applied. The shoe and shoe sole assembly is configured with a heel and forefoot insert configured to fit within a recess in a midsole. In other embodiments, the non-linearly viscous, SEBS block copolymer-based material is mixed with at least one other polymer in a foam. The midsole is formed with a heel impact region and a forefoot region made of the foam.

The present invention is directed toward an article of footwear having a sole structure effective to increase traction on a support surface. The article of footwear includes a sole structure comprising a first sole structure and a second sole structure. The article of footwear includes a forefoot region, midfoot region, and hindfoot region. The first sole structure is disposed in the forefoot and hindfoot regions. The second sole structure is disposed in is coupled to the forefoot region and the hindfoot region. An extension of the second sole structure that extends through the forefoot region is substantially covered by the first sole structure. A plurality of lugs extend downwardly from the bottom surface of the first sole structure. At least one lug extends downwardly from the extension of the second sole structure through the first sole structure. The first sole structure and the second sole structure have different durometers.