An adjustable multiple bladder system for an article of footwear is disclosed. The bladder system includes an outer bladder that may be inflated using an external pump. A valve member is disposed within the outer bladder and divides the outer bladder into two distinct inflation chambers. The inflation chambers may be inflated separately.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for generating orthotic device models using simulated patient anatomy. In one implementation, a method comprises receiving images of a body part of a patient; deriving physical measurements from the images; generating anatomy model data of the body part using the physical measurements; and generating orthotic model data based on the anatomy model data, the orthotic model data being representative of an orthotic device.

A shoe sole, to which an upper member is joined, the shoe sole including a bottom receiving part corresponding to a bottom of the upper member, and a rising part that is formed to rise upwardly from an upper side of the bottom receiving part so as to cover an outer surface of a side of the upper member, wherein the bottom receiving part is formed with vent grooves each recessed in a thickness direction from the upper surface of the bottom receiving part, wherein the rising part is formed with vent holes each penetrating therethrough in a thickness direction of the rising part, and wherein the vent hole is formed to have a vertically elongated shape extending from an upper end side to a lower end side of the rising part, and to be in communication with the vent groove.

A variety of devices for protecting a user's foot from injury are disclosed. In one instance, the device is an external metatarsal protection device for a shoe or boot, having a sole with a first surface for supporting a wearer's foot and a second surface for contacting a ground area, an upper affixed to the sole, and an integral toe cap. An interior surface of the upper and the first surface of the sole define a receptacle for receiving the wearer's foot. The external protection device is incorporated along an exterior surface of the upper and is positioned to protect at least a metatarsal region of the wearer's foot. In an instance, the external protection device has injection-molded first and second layers of material, with the cushioning elements formed on a surface of the first layer and a plurality of grooves defined on a surface of the second layer.

An insole, which is insertable into a shoe and is removable from the shoe, includes at least a top layer, a middle layer, and a bottom layer. The middle layer has apertures or cavities, that define several discrete storage chambers within the insole. Each storage chamber stores a mixture of two or more particulate materials. The mixture includes one or more materials selected from Group A, which includes natural sand, synthetic sand, artificial sand, kinetic sand, silica, quartz. The mixture further includes one or more materials selected from Group B, which includes: powdered aluminum, powdered titanium, powdered zinc, powdered magnesia, powdered silver, powdered anti-bacterial agent, powdered metal, powdered talcum, grained cork, grained coal, grained wood.

A foot sole stimulation tool is provided to press pressure points or support an arch by using protrusions, and the foot sole stimulation tool can place the protrusions in accurate positions. Four or more projections are sealed tightly within a bag body whose bottom side is affixed to a shoe sole, three or more of the projections determine a position of each projection by projections for recessed portion placed on a recessed portion of a foot sole, and projections for convex portion placed on a pressed target part of the foot sole are arranged accurately. The projections for convex portion press the pressure points and support the arch. For example, it can execute pressures to an adductor hallucis muscle precisely and is helpful for preventing hallux valgus.

A footbed system (10) for footwear comprises an insole mechanism (14), a midsole mechanism (11), wherein the insole mechanism is positioned on the midsole mechanism, and the outsole mechanism (15) is positioned under the midsole mechanism. The insole mechanism comprises a footbed insole (1), a heel pad (2) and a forefoot pad (3). The footbed insole comprises a pad anatomically shaped to correspond to the sole of a human foot, wherein the heel pad is positioned in the hindfoot portion of the footbed insole, and the forefoot pad is positioned in the forefoot portion of the footbed insole. The outsole mechanism comprises an opening (15A) for exposing a natural gait line groove of the midsole mechanism.

A method of making an orthotic is disclosed. The method includes the steps of taking measurements relating to a foot and then creating a digital representation of an orthotic on a display device based on said measurements. This digital representation of the orthotic having a heel portion for supporting a heel of a person and a distal portion located in front of the heel portion which can be divided into first and second distal portions. The thickness of the digital representation of the first and second distal portions is then varied such that one of the distal portions is thicker than the other. Finally, an additive manufacturing technique, using a substantially uniform material or materials, is used to create a physical version of the digital representation of the orthotic.

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment are provided including a foam. A variety of foams and foam components and compositions for forming the foams are provided. In some aspects, the foams and components including the foams can have exceptionally high energy return while also having improved durability and softness. 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.

A footwear, including an outsole including an anterior portion and a posterior portion wherein at least one of the anterior portion and the posterior portion are configured to receive at least one protuberance, the outsole including a visible outsole map including at least one of an anterior portion outsole map and a posterior portion outsole map, each including different outsole coordinate systems, and at least one protuberance movably mountable on the outsole and configured to contact the ground and including at least one visible protuberance coordinate system corresponding to the outsole map, wherein each of the reference points on the outsole map represents a unique protuberance alignment setting in respect to the outsole map.