A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a midsole system with a plurality of cushioning units, each having multiple cushioning layers configured to work together as a system to absorb a compressive load, such as a dynamic compressive load due to impact with the ground, in stages of progressive cushioning according to the relative stiffness values of the layers. Various midsole systems disclosed include isolated cushioning units, linked cushioning units, sole layers having stanchions interfacing with the midsole system, midsole systems with sole layers having keyed and unkeyed portions overlying a bladder, and midsole systems with vertically-stacked cushioning units disposed in inverted relationship to one another.

A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a midsole having four stacked polymeric sheets bonded to one another to define a first cushioning layer, a second cushioning layer, and a third cushioning layer. Each cushioning layer comprises a sealed chamber retaining gas in isolation from each other sealed chamber. Bonds between adjacent ones of the sheets are arranged such that the third cushioning layer is stacked directly above the first cushioning layer with the second cushioning layer bordering both the first cushioning layer and the third cushioning layer, and the sealed chamber of the second cushioning layer includes a plurality of elongated segments each extending lengthwise across a longitudinal midline of the midsole at a respective acute angle to the longitudinal midline.

An article of footwear has an upper, an outsole attached to the upper, and a midsole. The outsole includes a ground-engaging surface and an inner surface disposed on opposite sides. The midsole has a footbed and a bottom surface disposed on opposite sides. The bottom surface opposes the inner surface to define a cavity therebetween. The article of footwear also includes a first series of projections extending into the cavity from one of the inner surface and the bottom surface in a first direction toward the other of the inner surface and the bottom surface. The article of footwear also includes a second series of projection extending into the cavity from one of the inner surface and the bottom surface in the first direction toward the other of the inner surface and the bottom surface. The article of footwear also includes a quantity of particulate matter disposed within the cavity.

A sole structure may have a tiered plate assembly including a first plate and a second plate. The first plate may extend from a forefoot region of the sole structure to a heel region of the sole structure. Stated differently, the first plate may be a full-length plate that extends the full length of the sole structure. The second plate may be joined with the first plate in a midfoot region of the sole structure and at a rear of a heel region of the sole structure, and may diverge from the first plate between the midfoot region and the rear of the heel region to define a first heel gap between the first plate and the second plate in the heel region. Heel cushioning units may be stacked in the heel region, with a first heel cushioning unit disposed in the first heel gap.

A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a midsole including a first cushioning layer, a second cushioning layer, and a third cushioning layer. The first cushioning layer has a central portion, and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion. The first cushioning layer, the second cushioning layer, and the third cushioning layer are stacked with the second cushioning layer directly overlying the peripheral portion of the first cushioning layer, and the third cushioning layer overlying the second cushioning layer and directly overlying the central portion of the first cushioning layer. The first cushioning layer has a domed lower surface extending away from the second cushioning layer and the third cushioning layer and substantially centered under the central portion.

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 system and a method of asymmetric shock absorption and torsion cushioning for footwear. The asymmetric shock absorption system providing an upper plate attached to the upper section of the footwear and a lower plate attached to the lower section of the footwear. The upper plate may be in direct contact with or spaced apart from the lower plate. A flexible perimeter band extends around the entire perimeter of the sole of the footwear and permanently connects the upper section to the lower section of the footwear. The flexible perimeter band may have a low-profile and extend around only the perimeter of the upper and lower plates. The flexible perimeter band may wrap around one or more plate to provide for limited horizontal movement, e.g., lateral, longitudinal, or both lateral and longitudinal, between the upper section of the footwear and the lower section of the footwear.

A shoe sole including an outsole 2 and a midsole 1, wherein: the midsole 1 includes a lower midsole 4 of a lower layer formed by a foamed body of a resin, and an upper midsole 3 of an upper layer formed by a foamed body of a resin and arranged on the lower midsole 4; a lateral roll-up portion 42 for supporting a lateral side of a foot from a side of the foot is formed integrally with the lower midsole 4; a hardness of a lateral portion 40 of the lower midsole 4 including the lateral roll-up portion 42 is a first hardness; a hardness of a medial portion 41 of the lower midsole 4 is a second hardness lower than the first hardness; a hardness of a lateral portion 30 of the upper midsole 3 is a third hardness lower than the first hardness; and a part or a whole of the high-hardness lateral roll-up portion 42 is protruding in an upward direction past the upper midsole 3 on a lateral side of the upper midsole 3 so that the lateral side of the foot is supported by the lateral roll-up portion 42 from the side of the foot without being supported by the upper midsole 3 from the side of the foot.

A sole structure can include provisions for improving the cushioning characteristics and stability of an article of footwear. The sole structure may include multiple layers with specialized structural properties designed to integrate regions of stiffness with cushioning layers. In some cases, the sole structure can include at least two independent stability layers that differ in stiffness.

A running shoe includes an upper coupled to a sole structure. The sole structure includes a midsole and an outsole. The outsole wraps around a sole structure such that it contacts the midsole. The outer surface of the outsole includes a series of treads or traction elements extending along the bottom and sides of the outsole. With this configuration, when the sole structure contacts an uneven topography, the outsole conforms around the topography, stabilizing the footwear during use.