A force absorbing device for a footwear appliance includes a shoe upper and a shoe sole having a planar sole surface, such that forces between the shoe upper and planar sole surface in ground contact are absorbed by force mitigation structures disposed in the shoe sole. A footwear article includes a split-sole system that redefines a shoe sole as coplanar surfaces having a force mitigating interface for receiving sudden forces and effectively mitigating these forces by storing kinetic energy and releasing it over time. An elastic field in the force mitigation structure is defined by a resilient material adapted to deform in response to the received force. Frictional engagement between the upper and lower sole may also be augmented by surface characteristics such as dimples, voids and lubricants, in addition to interference engagement with an elastic field.

An article of footwear includes an upper, an outsole, and a midsole disposed between the upper and the outsole. The outsole is attached to the upper and has a ground-engaging surface. The midsole has a series of walls that define a series of channels extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the midsole and along an entire length of the midsole. The series of channels are isolated from one another and each channel receives a quantity of particulate matter therein.

An article of footwear includes an upper, a midsole attached to the upper, and an outsole. The midsole has a footbed and a bottom surface disposed on an opposite side of the midsole than the footbed. The outsole has a ground-engaging surface, an inner surface disposed on an opposite side of the outsole than the ground-engaging surface, and a wall extending from the ground-engaging surface and surrounding the outsole. The article of footwear also includes at least two casings each containing particulate matter and having a thickness extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the outsole. The at least two casings are arranged in a layered configuration and received within a cavity bounded by the wall of the outsole and between the bottom surface and the inner surface.

An article of footwear includes an outsole that has a bottom portion and a medial arch portion extending upward from the bottom portion. The medial arch portion of the outsole has a base and a plurality of protrusions extending outward from the base. The plurality of protrusions are arranged in vertical alignments. In each one of the vertical alignments, at least one protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is closer to the bottom portion and has a larger effective diameter than at least one other protrusion of the plurality of protrusions that is further from the bottom portion.

A dress shoe includes a flexible upper structure with stretchy lining and outside layers and a zonal-structured cloth layer therebetween to enable elasticity while maintaining structure; a cushioned insole with a three-point support system under the toe crest, the arch, and the heel; and a mixed material insole and outsole to prevent slipping during walking and standing.

A comfort system for Cowboy and work boots, including an insole chassis, an insole chassis backing board, and cushioning pads for absorbing and attenuating shocks encountered by a wearer of the boots. Cushioning pads are secured to a surface of the insole chassis backing board, and apertures in the insole chassis allow the cushions to pass through. Additional cushioning pads are retained in recesses in the midsole. Pads on insole chassis backing board and midsole are vertically aligned. A steel toe inset is utilized in conjunction with the comfort system for work boots. A rim may depend below the midsole to receive a foamed plastic pad.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a midsole coupled to an outsole. The midsole includes a plurality of sipes on a first side and a plurality of sipes on a second side opposite the first side. The sipes partition portions of the midsole body into impact attenuation cells on the first and second sides of the midsole. The second side of the midsole further includes a plurality of grooves and a plurality of protruding members separated by the grooves. The protruding members extend from a midsole body towards the outsole when the midsole is coupled to the outsole, spacing the midsole body apart from the outsole.

The invention relates to a set comprising a shoe (1) with a shoe sole (3), which has a support layer (31) and a plurality of support elements (4), wherein the support layer (31) comprises a plurality of cavities (310) having identical, constant cavity cross-sectional areas. At least one end face of each cavity (310) is recessed, whereby a structure of cavities (310) open on at least one side is created in the support layer (31). The support elements (4) are designed as rods with identical, constant cross-sectional areas and can be inserted into and removed from the cavities (310) in a form-fitting manner, wherein the support elements (4) are present in different strengths, such that the damping of the shoe sole (3) can be changed by the choice of the inserted support elements (4).

A fluid-filled chamber includes first subchamber having a substantially U-shape. The fluid-filled chamber also includes a second subchamber having a substantially U-shape and being spaced apart from the first subchamber in a direction extending along a longitudinal axis of the fluid-filled chamber.

A fluid-filled chamber includes first subchamber having a substantially U-shape. The fluid-filled chamber also includes a second subchamber having a substantially U-shape and being spaced apart from the first subchamber in a direction extending along a longitudinal axis of the fluid-filled chamber.