The invention relates to parts having a foamed polymeric material attached to a fabric, and systems and methods for forming same. An example method of attaching foamed polymeric material to a fabric layer includes providing a mold having at least one cavity and at least one material injection channel in fluid communication with the cavity, disposing a fabric over the at least one cavity, closing the mold, injecting unfoamed polymeric material into the at least one cavity through the material injection channel, wherein the unfoamed polymeric material penetrates at least a portion of the fabric proximate the at least one cavity to attach the polymeric material to the fabric layer, and foaming the unfoamed polymeric material.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure that has a heel portion with a rear, a lateral side, and a medial side. The article of footwear includes a heel extender that has a rear segment disposed at the rear of the heel portion, a lateral arm disposed at the lateral side of the heel portion, and a medial arm disposed at the medial side of the heel portion. The heel extender has a protuberance that establishes a rearmost extent of the article of footwear. The sole structure has a first hardness and the protuberance has a second hardness greater than the first hardness.

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 dual-layered midsole for footwear includes an internal midsole layer and an external midsole layer, which are coupled to and separated by a Strobel board. The internal midsole layer may compress and expand with the movement of a wearer of an article of footwear including the dual-layered midsole, while the external midsole may provide stability and cushion for the wearer. Materials selected for the internal and external midsole layers may provide tuned viscoelastic properties to different areas of the midsole as a function of midsole layer thickness at each sole area.

Provided is a cushion partially or entirely composed of a foam, wherein the foam is composed of: a hydrocarbon-based oil including ethylene and -olefin as constituent units; and a polymer composition including one or a plurality of polymers.

The invention provides a shoe (1) with a sole providing a dynamic foot arch support, the shoe comprising a rubber outsole (9) and an upper (10), the shoe further comprises a midsole (2), the midsole comprising a harder elastic material (4), a softer elastic material (5), 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 distinguished in that the harder elastic material is arranged in a band (3) inside the periphery of the midsole, wherein the softer elastic material (5) is arranged in the midsole inside the band of the harder elastic material, and the shoe further comprises: a support structure (8) arranged below the softer elastic material in direction medial to lateral and positioned from vertically below to 4 cm in front of the naviculare bone center of a typical user with feet fitting the shoe size, wherein the support structure has higher elastic hardness than the harder elastic material, with a larger vertical dimension medial compared to lateral as seen with the shoe standing on a horizontal surface, providing increased support under the medial side of the foot arch compared to the lateral side of the foot arch.

A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes a heel region, a forefoot region, and a mid-foot region disposed between the heel region and the forefoot region. The sole structure also includes a fluid-filled chamber including a first barrier layer cooperating with a second barrier layer to define a fluid-filled segment extending along a medial side of the sole structure within the heel region, a second fluid-filled segment extending along a lateral side of the sole structure within the heel region, and a web area disposed between and connecting the first fluid-filled segment and the second fluid-filled segment. The first barrier layer is attached to the second barrier layer within the web area.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a first plate extending from a forefoot region of the sole structure to a heel region of the sole structure. The first plate has a first surface and a second surface formed on an opposite side of the first plate than the first surface. The sole structure further includes a second plate extending from the forefoot region to the heel region. The second plate has a third surface opposing the second surface of the first plate and a fourth surface disposed on an opposite side of the second plate than the third surface. The third surface is spaced apart from the second surface to define a cavity between the first plate and the second plate that extends from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure between the forefoot region and the heel region.

An article of footwear is provided and includes an upper, a fluid-filled chamber including a first portion in contact with the upper in a first region, and a midsole including a first portion disposed between the fluid-filled chamber and the upper in a second region.

A footwear including a sole assembly having an upper midsole, a lower midsole, and a plate sandwiched therebetween. One or both of the upper and lower midsoles can include upper and/or lower pillars that cooperatively form an upper or lower void and/or compartment above or below the plate. The lower void and/or compartment below the plate can be disposed vertically below the upper void, with the plate separating the voids and/or compartments. The voids, compartments, plates and pillars can collapse to provide cushion and energy return. The upper plate can undulate from toe to heel, concave in the forefoot, convex in the arch and concave in the heel. The upper midsole can include a weight bearing surface with at least a 10 mm heel to toe drop. The plate can form a branding bridge between upper pillars, with an indicia element exposed in the upper void for advertising on the plate.