The present invention is a sole having an adjustable height mechanism along at least one of the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis whereby the height of the sole can be adjusted creating one or more angles of inclination in the sole. The sole includes, in one embodiment, slidable spacing blocks. In a preferred embodiment, the sole further includes a motor connected to at least one block, the motor connected to a controller communicating wirelessly to a processor providing instructions to the controller for positioning the one or more blocks.

The shoe outer sole includes a ball region and a heel region. The ball region includes a first and second longitudinally extending lobes, with a narrower third middle lobe connected therebetween, for adhering flocking to the shoe outsole. The heel region includes fourth and fifth lobes connected together and forming a J-shape conforming to an outside area of a heel of a wearer, for adhering flocking to the shoe outsole.

A method of insert molding comprises placing in a first mold a curable rubber composition comprising a reactive species; placing on a surface of the rubber composition a first thermoplastic material in a film or layer comprising a group reactive with the reactive species of the rubber composition; curing the rubber composition in the mold to form a first molded article of cured rubber having a first thermoplastic material layer covalently bonded through reactive of the reactive species and the group; placing the first molded article as an insert into a second mold, the cured rubber contacting an inside surface of the second mold and the thermoplastic layer facing into the second mold cavity; closing the second mold and injecting into the second mold a second thermoplastic material that to form a second molded article comprising the first molded article thermally welded and/or covalently bonded to the second thermoplastic material.

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.

An insole providing cushioning and control of foot motion. The insole includes a stability cradle and an extended heel pad secured to the underside of the base of the insole. A supplemental heel pad is also attached to lay over a portion of the extended heel pad. The extended heel pad and supplemental heel pad are constructed of materials to help control foot pronation.

An insole having a top sheet and a base layer with three pieces that include a base layer, a forefoot pad and a midfoot-to-heel support cushion. The mid-foot/heel surface has a raised medial arch and longitudinal curvilinear indentations, a flattened mid-foot area with a metatarsal mid-foot tear-drop raised area, and a surrounding the heel pod that cups the exterior back by a heel cup. A heel pad opening goes through the entirety of the thickness of base layer of the insole body and a heel pad is affixed to the bottom surface of the base layer. There is also a supersoft heel dome and a metatarsal raised dome on the top (foot contact) surface of the insole which would be directly above the heel pod and the metatarsal midfoot area, respectively.

An article of footwear may include an upper, an outsole, and a spring plate. The spring plate may be located above at least a portion of the outsole and may extend through at least medial forefoot and medial midfoot regions. The spring plate may have an unloaded shape in which a front portion of the spring plate in a forefoot region is downwardly bent relative to a rear portion of the spring plate located rearward of the front portion. The spring plate may comprise an open central region defined by a surrounding band and may be nondestructively removable from and replaceable into the upper. The article may further include at least one inner sole member shaped to rest securely within a void defined at least in part by the upper. The at least one inner sole member may be compressible in at least first and fifth metatarsophalangeal joint regions.

An insole having a top sheet and a base layer with three pieces that include a base layer, a forefoot pad and a midfoot-to-heel support cushion. The mid-foot/heel surface has a raised medial arch and longitudinal curvilinear indentations, a flattened mid-foot area with a metatarsal mid-foot tear-drop raised area, and a surrounding the heel pod that cups the exterior back by a heel cup. A heel pad opening goes through the entirety of the thickness of base layer of the insole body and a heel pad is affixed to the bottom surface of the base layer. There is also a supersoft heel dome and a metatarsal raised dome on the top (foot contact) surface of the insole which would be directly above the heel pod and the metatarsal midfoot area, respectively.

An insole having a top sheet and a base layer with three pieces that include a base layer, a forefoot pad made of a clear TPR gel and a mid-foot to heel cushion made of a supersoft polyurethane. The midfoot/heel surface has a raised arch with criss-crossing longitudinal curvilinear indentations, a flattened midfoot area with a metatarsal midfoot tear-drop raised area, and a heel cup that surrounds the exterior back of the heel. A heel pod opening goes through the entirety of the thickness of base layer of the insole body and a heel pad is affixed to the bottom surface of the base layer being made of a clear TPR gel or blown EVA. There is also a supersoft heel dome and a metatarsal raised dome on the top (foot contact) surface of the insole which would be directly above the heel pod and the metatarsal midfoot area, respectively.

The invention relates to a method for producing a sole for a shoe, especially for a sports shoe, wherein the sole has at least a first section which consists of a first plastic material and has at least a second section which consists of a second plastic material, wherein the second plastic material is Expanded Thermoplastic Polyurethane. To obtain good wearing properties of the shoe the method includes the steps of: a) Producing the first section of the sole, wherein in the first section at least one recess is created which has an opening at an upper side of the sole and which is at least partially closed by a bottom region at a bottom side of the sole, wherein the recess has a defined shape in a top plan view; b) Producing of a laminar sheet made of the second plastic material; c) Cutting-out of an insert of the laminar sheet produced according to step b), wherein the insert is or forms at least a part of the second section of the sole, wherein the shape of the insert corresponds to the shape of the recess; d) Fixing the insert in the recess.