A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a sole plate that includes a foot-facing surface with a forefoot portion, and a ground-facing surface opposite from the foot-receiving surface. A tension member is operatively secured to the ground-facing surface and has a portion configured to move relative to the sole plate during dorsiflexion of the sole structure in a first portion of a flexion range, and interfere with the sole plate during dorsiflexion of the sole structure in a second portion of the flexion range greater than the first portion altering the rate of the resultant torque.

Embodiments provide a support structure for an article of footwear, which may include upper and lower support elements, upper and lower members, a compression element disposed between the upper and lower members, and a torsion element. A vertical force applied to the upper support element compresses the compression element, rotationally displaces in a first direction the upper member relative to the lower member, rotationally displaces in the first direction a second portion of the torsion element relative to a first portion of the torsion element, deflects a torsion loading portion of the torsion element, and moves the upper member vertically toward the lower member. Upon release of the force, the torsion loading portion rotationally displaces in a second direction opposite to the first direction the second portion of the torsion element relative to the first portion. Embodiments of methods of manufacturing a support structure are also disclosed.

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 structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes an outsole having a ground engaging surface and a midsole member disposed between the outsole and the upper. The midsole member has a pocket extending from a heel region to a forefoot region and a sole plate disposed within the pocket. The sole plate extends from the heel region into the forefoot region. In the heel region, the sole structure is shaped to define an entry region that is configured to increase contact at the ground engaging surface during a heel strike. The entry region defines an angled portion that is angled at an entry angle relative to a flat ground surface. The midsole member is a supercritical foam.

A shoe sole (1) comprising an outsole (3), an insole (2) and a midsole (5) which extends between the insole (2) and the outsole (3), the midsole (5) being composed of a plurality of bars (6) which are substantially transversal and are aligned substantially longitudinally over the length of the sole, the insole (2) and the bars are composed of an elastomeric material.

A shock-absorbing shoe using a spring, comprising: a spring for absorbing shock by providing an elastic force; an outsole which constitutes the bottommost sole of a shoe; an upper sole which is fixed to the top of the outsole, has a gap between the heel part thereof and the heel part of the outsole so as to provide a space in which the spring is provided, and is lowed by the weight of a user or raised by the elastic force of the spring; a lower spring seat which is formed on the upper surface of the outsole and supports the lower end part of the spring; an upper spring seat which is formed below the bottom of the upper sole and supports the upper end part of the spring; and a raising and lowering guide for guiding the lowering and raising of the upper sole straightly.

An article of footwear is provided and includes an upper, a sole secured to the upper and including a stabilizing member extending outwardly from the upper, where the stabilizing member includes a groove that separates the stabilizing member into a medial balancing member and a lateral balancing member, and the medial balancing member and the lateral balancing member move independently of each other to provide balance and stability on different terrains, and a support plate is positioned between the upper and the sole.

A design of heel of footwear which reproduces the ground contacting portion, or minimally the key elements of the ground contacting portion of the heel of the wearer in shape and placement in relation to the foot and function. That is a shape of heel in the footwear which does not imbalance the natural functions and leverage of the foot in bipedal locomotion through addition of material outside the confines of the shape and measurements of the wearer's own heel in the sagittal plane. This design of heel will afford the wearer the grace, smoothness and ease of stride enjoyed while barefoot. The wearer of a shoe with such a shape of heel will not suffer from shocks and strains to the foot and supporting members caused by the shape of the shoeheel. These being the types of shocks and strains contributing largely to shin splints and plantar fasciitis and attendant pathologies.

An article of footwear having a sole structure and an upper, the sole structure includes an outsole with a ground-engaging surface, a first cushioning member disposed between the outsole and the upper in a heel region of the sole structure, a second cushioning member disposed between the outsole and the upper in a forefoot region of the sole structure, and a sole plate having a rear portion and a curved portion that includes an anterior curved portion and a posterior curved portion. Additionally, the anterior curved portion is disposed proximate the second cushioning member, a portion of the posterior curved portion spans between the first cushioning member and the second cushioning member, and the rear portion is disposed between the first cushioning member and the upper. Further, the ground-engaging surface is not continuous along a midfoot region of the article of footwear.

The present invention teaches a method of making a custom article of footwear. Further, the article of footwear can include a knitted upper and means for cushioning. In addition, the components of the article of footwear can be selected from a wide range of options, and can be easily removed and replaced, as desired.