A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a sole plate that has a forefoot portion with a foot-facing surface. The sole plate has at least one groove extending at least partially transversely in the foot-facing surface. The at least one groove is open when the sole structure is dorsiflexed in a first portion of a flexion range, and closed when the sole structure is dorsiflexed in a second portion of the flexion range that includes flex angles greater than in the first portion of the flexion range.

Presented are footwear sole structures with foot-cushioning insoles movably mounted onto impact-attenuating midsoles, methods for making/using such sole structures, and footwear fabricated with such sole structures. A multilayered sole structure assembly includes an insole movably mounted on a midsole. The midsole is formed with a first compressible material and includes opposing upper and lower midsole surfaces, multiple protrusions projecting from the upper midsole surface, and multiple pockets recessed into the upper midsole surface and interleaved with the midsole protrusions. The insole, which is formed with a second compressible material distinct from the first compressible material, includes opposing upper and lower insole surfaces, multiple protrusions projecting from the lower insole surface and interleaved with the midsole protrusions, and multiple pockets recessed into the lower insole surface and interleaved with the insole protrusions. Each midsole protrusion nests within a respective insole pocket, while each insole protrusion nests within a respective midsole pocket.

The invention provides a shoe with a sole providing a dynamic heel support, the shoe comprising a rubber outsole, a midsole comprising a harder elastic material, a softer elastic material, and at least one insert having a higher elastic hardness than the harder elastic material and the softer elastic material, and a higher resistance against bending, wherein the harder elastic material has elastic hardness in a range 1.3 to 3 times higher than the softer elastic material. The shoe is is distinguished in that the harder elastic material is arranged in a band inside the periphery along the sides and heel of the midsole, wherein the softer elastic material is arranged in the midsole inside the band of the harder elastic material, wherein the at least one insert is arranged within the softer elastic material, at least in the heel part of the midsole, and wherein the thickness of the softer elastic material above the insert in the heel part of the midsole is at least 0.5 times the thickness of the insert and the thickness of the softer elastic material below the insert in the heel part of the midsole is at least 1 times the thickness of the insert as measured at a centreline of the insert, excluding the thickness of any ribs on the inlay.

An article of footwear includes an upper, a midsole connected to the upper, and an outsole connected to the midsole. The midsole includes a platform extending along a perimeter portion of the midsole and a lattice structure integrally formed with the platform, the lattice structure including a network of laths.

A sole arrangement for an article of footwear with a gradient depth value is provided. In one aspect of the disclosure, the sole arrangement extending from an end of a posterior area of the sole arrangement to an end of an anterior area of the sole arrangement, wherein the posterior area of the sole arrangement being formed under a heel area and the anterior area of the sole arrangement being formed under a forefoot area of a foot. The sole arrangement having an upper facing surface and a ground engaging surface, wherein the upper facing surface being on an opposite side of the sole arrangement than the ground engaging surface. The sole arrangement having a maximum posterior depth value. The sole arrangement having a maximum anterior depth value. The maximum posterior depth value may be smaller than the maximum anterior depth value by a first margin.

A sole arrangement for an article of footwear with a gradient depth value is provided. In one aspect of the disclosure, the sole arrangement extending from an end of a posterior area of the sole arrangement to an end of an anterior area of the sole arrangement, wherein the posterior area of the sole arrangement being formed under a heel area and the anterior area of the sole arrangement being formed under a forefoot area of a foot. The sole arrangement having an upper facing surface and a ground engaging surface, wherein the upper facing surface being on an opposite side of the sole arrangement than the ground engaging surface. The sole arrangement having a maximum posterior depth value. The sole arrangement having a maximum anterior depth value. The maximum posterior depth value may be smaller than the maximum anterior depth value by a first margin.

A shoe sole includes an outsole and a sole body. The sole body includes a low hardness portion made of a foam material having relatively low hardness and a high hardness portion made of a foam material having relatively high hardness. The low hardness portion is provided to define an entire area of a lower surface of the sole body. The high hardness portion is disposed only in a specific region of a region located above the low hardness portion of the sole body.

A shoe includes a first plate, a second plate, a third plate, filler material, springs, an insole, and a midsole. The first plate and the second plate are hingedly connected to each other. The filler material is located between the first plate and the second plate. The springs are located within openings in the filler material. The third plate is affixed to a top surface of the first plate. The insole is located above the third plate. The first plate is made of a thermoplastic elastomer, and the third plate is made of carbon fiber. Another shoe includes a midsole, a plate located above the midsole, springs located at least partially within openings in the midsole, and a spring holding unit located below the midsole for holding the springs. The spring holding unit includes spring holding members and branches connecting corresponding spring holding members.

A shoe sole includes a resilient member, and has a bottom surface as a ground contact surface and a top surface. The resilient member has a three-dimensional shape formed by a wall having an outer shape defined by a pair of parallel flat or curved surfaces, and may buckle when the resilient member receives a compressive stress applied in a normal direction to the bottom surface. In the shoe sole, when a load is applied to the shoe sole in a gradually increasing manner such that a compressive stress is applied to the resilient member in the normal direction, the resilient member starts to buckle when a stress applied to the resilient member is within a range of 0.05 MPa or more and 0.55 MPa or less and a strain of the resilient member in the normal direction is within a range of 10% or more and 60% or less.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes an outsole defining a ground-contacting surface, a midsole disposed between the outsole and the upper, and a plate attached to the midsole and defining a recess extending in a direction away from the outsole and toward the upper, the recess including a first retainer. The sole structure further includes a first cushion having a first portion received within the recess, the first portion engaging the first retainer to maintain a desired position of the first cushion relative to the plate.