A sole assembly for an article of footwear comprises a midsole, a sole having a heel region, and a first wave spring disposed within a vacuity located within the heel region. The wave spring includes a top surface and a bottom surface. A plate, resting upon the top surface of the wave spring, is unsecured to the midsole and sized to permit movement within the vacuity along with the wave spring responsive to a rolling foot strike.

Foot support systems (and articles of footwear including them) include: (a) a medial side member having one or more medial side supports (e.g., ribs); (b) a lateral side member having one or more lateral side supports (e.g., ribs); and (c) structure (such as a hinge system) configured to move the foot support system (e.g., the medial side support(s) with respect to the lateral side support(s)) between: (a) a foot-insertion configuration and (b) a foot-containing configuration. In moving from the foot-insertion configuration to the foot-containing configuration, the foot support system can be changed between an open condition and a closed condition.

Haptic output devices may provide haptic output to a user. The haptic output devices may include foot-shaped structures with cavities configured to receive the feet of users. The haptic output devices may also include foot platforms with planar exterior surfaces on which a user may stand. In hybrid arrangements, haptic output devices include foot-shaped support structures with components such as magnets and a foot platform components with corresponding electromagnets. Haptic output components such as piezoelectric components, electroactive polymer components, electromagnetic actuators, and other haptic output components may be mounted to haptic output device support structures in arrays. Shear forces and forces normal to the inner surfaces of a foot-shaped support surface and/or the exterior surface of a foot platform may be generated. Haptic output may be generated based on sensor signals such as sensor signals associated with foot movement.

Custom shoes for preventing diabetes, preventing diabetic foot caused by diabetic complications and easing ulcer pain of diabetic necrosis which disperse plantar pressure and prevent impact are proposed. The shoes may prevent shoes from creasing and deforming by attaching a deformation prevention frame to an external side of a sole; and increase weights of shoes by manufacturing shoes, wherein columns with which springs are embedded are formed on the bottom, an insole with massaging protrusions formed on the top of columns is attached to the top of the sole, an inner sole made of shock absorption material is attached to the top of the insole, and an upper combined to a sock lining is installed to the top of the insole.

System for automatically putting on/taking off a footwear (S), comprising: a fixed inner sole (1), to support the front part of a user's sole; a movable inner sole (2), for supporting the rear part of the user's sole, connected to the fixed inner sole (1) and movable relative to the fixed inner sole (1) by means of a joint (3); a lower inflatable cushion (4) fixed to the movable inner sole (2), on a side of the movable inner sole (2) which is opposite to the one intended to come into contact with the rear part of the user's sole; where the lower inflatable cushion (4) has the capacity to store, through a supply/drain valve (5), a quantity of fluid under pressure. The fluid stored in the lower inflatable cushion (4) can also be partially or totally evacuated (4) by means of the valve (5); an upper inflatable cushion (6), intended to be fixed in an area and on a surface of the (S) footwear where the laces are usually placed; a flexible hose (7) that is non-deformable in terms of volume that permanently ensures fluid communication between the lower inflatable cushion (4) and the upper inflatable cushion (6); where the movable inner sole (2) is capable of moving between a first extreme position, in which the movable inner sole (2) compresses to a minimum the lower inflatable cushion (4), the lower inflatable cushion (4) having maximum volume and the upper inflatable cushion (6) having minimum volume implicitly, and a second extreme position, in which the movable inner sole (2) compresses to the maximum the lower inflatable cushion (4), the lower inflatable cushion (4) having minimum volume and the upper inflatable cushion (6) having maximum volume; the system additionally comprises a locking/unlocking assembly of the movable inner sole (2) in/from the second extreme position.

A shock absorbing device having at least one nautilus spring disposed between two members is described. When the members move toward each other, the one or more nautilus coil springs are canted and compressed. The shock absorbing device takes advantage of the unique force-displacement curve of canted springs and reduces bounce back.

Variable stiffness apparatuses using an interconnected dual layer fluid-filled cell array. One example of the present apparatuses comprises: a substrate having a first side and a second side; and a plurality of structures coupled to the substrate, where each structure comprises: a flexible first portion having a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending between the first end and the second end, the first portion defining a first chamber; and a second portion having a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending between the first end and the second end, the second portion defining a second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber; where each of the plurality of structures is coupled to the substrate such that the first portion is disposed on the first side of the substrate, and the second chamber is disposed on the first side or the second side of the substrate.

The present invention relates generally to a functional shoe having spaced front and rear outsoles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a functional shoe having spaced front and rear outsoles, the functional shoe providing comfort to a user by being flexibly deformed to conform to a shape or walking form of a user's foot during walking, and guiding a tandem gait by allowing a front portion of the foot to be leaned inward while allowing an inside portion of the foot to be leaned inward at the moment when the foot contacts the ground during walking.

Disclosed herein are a shock-absorbing devices and shoes. In one aspect, the shoe encompasses an upper; a sole; and at least one shock-absorbing assembly, the shock-absorbing assembly including: a support frame connected to at least a portion of the upper or sole, and a plurality of shock-absorbing members having first and second opposed ends, the first ends of the shock-absorbing members being connected to a portion of the support frame. Also disclosed herein are methods for dampening an applied force to a joint during walking using the disclosed devices and shoes.

The present invention provides an anti-sprain and shock-absorbing balance sole and a footgear including the same, the anti-sprain and shock-absorbing balance sole includes an upper sole and a lower sole, a cavity is sandwiched between the upper sole and the lower sole, multiple compressible and reboundable shock-absorbing elements are embedded in the cavity. The shock-absorbing elements in the sole can buffer the impacts from the ground to the feet, and has good shock-absorbing effect. Second, the balance beams connecting the two shock-absorbing elements in each row can provide opposite roll torque when the road is uneven or the user stamps on stones. Third, the opposite roll torque above can prevent the sole from further rolling over, therefore improves the balance stability when walking. This can further effectively prevent the occurrence of spraining, and avoid sports injury during exercises.