An anti-fatigue shoe apparatus is presented that is designed to reduce foot fatigue and discomfort. The anti-fatigue shoe apparatus makes use of novel combinations of insole, midsole, outsole, and comfort material configurations and designs to provide comfort, support, and flexibility within work footwear. The anti-fatigue shoe apparatus includes a raised arch support piece that cradles the foot's natural arch, reducing torque and improving stability. Toe and heel comfort zones made of cushioning materials provide targeted support and pressure relief. In some embodiments an injection system for providing a liquid comfort material injected into the toe and heel zones through canals in the outsole are presented for customized cushioning. The invention comes in various material combinations.

An outsole for footwear may include: a heel portion; a central portion; a forefoot portion; and a reactive plate that extends from the heel portion toward the forefoot portion and that occupies the central portion of the outsole. The reactive plate may include a front section, a rear section, and an intermediate section between the front section and the rear section. The rear section of the reactive plate may be adjacent to an upper surface of the heel portion. The front section of the reactive plate may be adjacent to a lower surface of the forefoot portion. The intermediate section of the reactive plate may be shaped in a form of an inverted Z or S.

An article of footwear includes an upper coupled with a sole structure that defines a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region. The sole structure includes an upper midsole cushioning member, a lower midsole cushioning member, an outsole coupled to a bottom surface of the lower midsole cushioning member, and a plate positioned between the upper midsole cushioning member and the lower midsole cushioning member. The plate includes a toe segment that extends through the forefoot region, the toe segment defining a first concave curved portion that extends downward from a distal end to a first inflection point disposed within the midfoot region. The plate further includes a middle segment defining a second concave curved portion that extends upward from the first inflection point and toward the heel region before transitioning to a convex curved portion at a second inflection point in the midfoot or heel region.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure. The sole structure includes a plate that has a heel portion, a midfoot portion, a forefoot portion, and an extension portion. The extension portion extends forward of the forefoot portion and forward of a foremost extent of upper. The plate includes a first plate layer establishing an outer surface of the plate and extending in each of the heel portion, the midfoot portion, the forefoot portion, and the extension portion, and a second plate layer interfacing with the first plate layer and extending in the forefoot portion and the extension portion. A bending stiffness of the second plate layer is greater than a bending stiffness of the first plate layer.

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 structure for an article of footwear is provided. The sole structure includes a first midsole portion, a second midsole portion, and a sheet. The first midsole portion includes a first sidewall. The second midsole portion includes a second sidewall. The sheet is disposed between the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion and extends from the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The sheet extends at least partially over the second sidewall.

A sole structure for an article of footwear is described. In one example, the sole structure includes first and second foam components and one or more mesh components, e.g., a mesh textile component. The first foam component includes first and second opposing sides, and the second foam component includes first and second opposing sides. The first and second foam components form a stack in the sole structure. The mesh components, e.g., a mesh textile component, are positioned in the stack between and bonded to the second side of the first foam component and the first side of the second foam component. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure that has a plate, a first foam layer, and a second foam layer. The first foam layer overlies the plate and has a distal side interfacing with a proximal side of the plate. The second foam layer underlies the plate and has a proximal side interfacing with a distal side of the plate. A compressive stiffness of the first foam layer is greater than a compressive stiffness of the second foam layer. A compressive stiffness of the plate is greater than the compressive stiffness of the first foam layer.

A sole structure includes: a midsole; a first support which is formed in a plate shape, which is firmer than the midsole, which is provided in a midfoot region of the midsole, and which is disposed along a lower surface of the midsole; and a second support which is firmer than the midsole, which is disposed behind the first support, and which is provided on a side portion of the midsole.

An article of footwear including an upper and a sole structure. The sole structure includes a midsole, wherein the midsole includes an enclosed cavity, a thermoformed cushioning element disposed within the enclosed cavity, wherein the cushioning element includes an upper barrier film and a bottom barrier film enclosing an internal volume, and an outsole layer, wherein the outsole layer forms a ground-engaging surface of the article of footwear.