A footwear sole structure includes a midsole having a ground-facing surface with a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region. The midsole defines downwardly-extending protrusions at the ground-facing surface distributed over the midfoot region and the heel region, each of the downwardly-extending protrusions having a convex outer surface. A height of the midsole is greatest at the midfoot region. The sole structure may also include an outsole covering at least a portion of the ground-facing surface of the midsole, and a height of the sole structure may be greatest at the midfoot region.

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.

An article of footwear may include an outer member comprising a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the outer surface of an outer member. Ground engaging members may be auxetic structures that can increase their dimensions in a direction that is orthogonal to the direction of applied force or tension. The outer member may have a substantially uniform thickness. Ground engaging member shapes may include various polygonal features. The first ground engaging member may have a substantially three-pointed star-shaped pyramidal structure. The first ground engaging member may have three arm portions, a central region, a central tip, and an apex. The outer member may have an inner surface with apertures that correspond with the ground engaging members of the outer surface.

A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a cushioning element including a first material and a cradle including a second material. The cradle is attached to the cushioning element and includes a first plate disposed against the cushioning element and a second plate spaced apart from the cushioning element, the second plate including an aperture. The sole structure additionally includes a bladder disposed within the cradle and including a first portion contacting the first plate and a second portion extending through the aperture of the second plate.

The present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear including an upper configured to receive a foot and a sole component fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper. The sole component may include a baseplate having a bottom surface and at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate and a first elongate support member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and extending horizontally from the side portion of the first ground engaging member. The first support member may extend horizontally away from the first ground engaging member in a direction toward a region of the sole component adjacent to a gap in the sole component.

Ground-engaging components for articles of footwear include: (a) an outer perimeter boundary rim at least partially defining an outer perimeter of the ground-engaging component and an open space at least at a forefoot support area, wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim defines an upper-facing surface and an opposite ground-facing surface; and (b) a forefoot edge support extending along and defining at least a portion of a first forefoot edge of the ground-engaging component. A bottom surface of the forefoot edge support (which may engage the ground) slants in an outward and downward direction from a location adjacent the open space toward the first forefoot edge. In some shoe pairs, the forefoot edge supports may be provided on a lateral forefoot side edge of one shoe, e.g., the right shoe, and on a medial forefoot side edge of the other shoe, e.g., the left shoe. The ground-engaging component(s) further may have “directional traction” features designed to support plant and rotation of the different feet when running a curve (e.g., on a curved or banked track).

The present invention relates to a high heel for women, and particularly, to a high heel which not only prevents weight from being concentrated to the toe when worn but also absorbs shock to achieve walking comfort, and in which stress is provided to the arch of the sole to prevent deformation of the toes and exercise the Achilles' tendon such that joints are protected and the posture is corrected thereby preventing damage to the spine. To this end, a protrusion part 1 is formed at a part to support a back end of the arching of the sole, and an inclined surface 2 inclined downward from a back end of the protrusion part 1, which positions the heel of the sole to an end part of the high heel such that the Achilles' tendon can be exercised while walking.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a first plate, a fluid-filled bladder supported on the first plate, and a second plate supported on the fluid-filled bladder with the fluid-filled bladder disposed between the first plate and the second plate. The first plate ascends rearward of the fluid-filled bladder and the second plate descends rearward of the fluid-filled bladder with a posterior portion of the first plate above a posterior portion of the second plate rearward of the fluid-filled bladder. A method of manufacturing footwear sole structures includes assembling sole structures for plural ranges of footwear sizes, each of the sole structures including a fluid-filled bladder with a predetermined inflation pressure that is different for at least two of the plural ranges.

In a sole for a flexible shoe having a soft-elastic midsole which comes in contact with the ground at least partially during running, which has laterally open, trough-shaped elements which project downwards towards the ground and which are aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction thereof, a midsole is divided into a medial and a lateral part by a longitudinal slot extending from the heel into the ball region. The midsole can have an edge strip which bridges the trough-shaped elements in each case. The midsole is covered by an incompressible but elastically resilient plate framed by the edge strip and that the trough-shaped elements are deformable as far as closure of the lateral openings thereof in the region of the edge strip under the action of forces acting vertically and/or in the longitudinal direction which occur during running.

A plurality of orthotic systems are provided. One bi-layer system is constructed from a single sheet of fabric that is molded into two layers. One tri-layer system includes a base layer; a mid-layer; and an upper layer. The upper layer is joined to the mid-layer and the mid-layer is joined to the base layer. The coupling of the base layer, the mid-layer and the upper layer create a rear spring section, a mid-spring section and a front spring section in which the upper layer is suspended over the mid-layer and the heel portion is suspended on the proximal heel end of the base layer.