A method of manufacturing an article of footwear includes perforating a midsole body of a sole structure to form perforations through the midsole body, wherein the midsole body has perforated holes established by the perforations. The method includes disposing each of a plurality of proprioceptive elements of the sole structure in a different one of the perforated holes as an integral portion of the midsole body surrounded by the perforations. Each central axis of the plurality of proprioceptive elements disposed in a medial sidewall portion of the midsole body and a lateral sidewall portion of the midsole body is angled relative to a vertical axis of the midsole body and is configured to align with a direction of a lateral loading force on the midsole body at a location of the respective proprioceptive element.

A sole system for an article of footwear can include a sole member and a protruding member assembly. The sole member includes outwardly and inwardly facing surfaces, a plurality of spaced apart first apertures extending though the sole member, and a plurality of first protruding members extending outward from and fixed to a base surface of the outwardly facing surface. The protruding member assembly includes a plurality of second protruding members that are interconnected by connecting portions, where the connecting portions are received on the inwardly facing surface of the sole member, and where each second protruding member is vertically movable within a corresponding first aperture of the sole member.

A shoe sole which has a landing surface composed of three regions of a middle-sole region, a fore-sole region and a rear-sole region, and has a plurality of groove portions in the landing surface. The groove portions include: a first groove portion located in the fore-sole region, on a first imaginary line extending along the MP joint; a second groove portion located in the fore-sole region, on a second imaginary line extending along a line which connects a medial outer edge of the fore-sole region and a lateral outer edge of the middle-sole region with each other, in an area which is closer to a toe than to the first groove portion; and a third groove portion located in the rear-sole region, on a third imaginary line extending along a line which connects a medial outer edge of the rear-sole region and a lateral outer edge of the middle-sole region with each other.

Footwear used for high performance activities such as running can be adhesively attached to the plantar surface of feet rather than uppers or straps. The upper surface of the protective layer of the footwear can have adhesive regions that secure the foot to the footwear and other regions that are not adhesively coupled to the foot. The adhesive regions can be under the heel, along the lateral side of the foot, under the first through fifth metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints and around the perimeter of the foot above the plantar surface.

The Invention describes a shoe sole equipped with a non-linear shock-absorbing characteristic and a peculiar rebound effect, favoring a layout designed for weight maximum containment and maximum ease of use.

A method of manufacturing an article of footwear includes perforating a midsole body of a sole structure to form perforations through the midsole body, wherein the midsole body has perforated holes established by the perforations. The method includes disposing each of a plurality of proprioceptive elements of the sole structure in a different one of the perforated holes as an integral portion of the midsole body surrounded by the perforations. Each central axis of the plurality of proprioceptive elements disposed in a medial sidewall portion of the midsole body and a lateral sidewall portion of the midsole body is angled relative to a vertical axis of the midsole body and is configured to align with a direction of a lateral loading force on the midsole body at a location of the respective proprioceptive element.

A sole structure includes a first support extending along a first axis transverse to a ground-engaging surface of the sole structure and having a first outer sheath including a first sheath material and a first core including a first core material. The sole structure further includes a second support extending along a second axis transverse to the ground-engaging surface of the sole structure and having a second outer sheath including a second sheath material and a second core including a second core material.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes an outsole having an outsole proximal surface and an outsole distal surface opposite the outsole proximal surface. The outsole defines a plurality of through-holes. The sole structure further includes a plurality of proprioceptive elements, each centered in and translatable within a different through-hole of the plurality of through-holes to enhance proprioception. The plurality of through-holes are aligned with the plurality of proprioceptive elements such that each of the plurality of proprioceptive elements extends from the different through-hole and is exposed at the outsole distal surface.

Methods for manufacturing at least a portion of an upper for an article of footwear that include thermo-forming a pattern on the upper. The methods may include disposing a skin for forming an upper over and inflatable bladder and disposing a mold insert between the skin and a surface of a mold cavity. The mold insert may include a mold pattern including surface features formed in the mold insert. The inflatable bladder may be inflated such that the skin is pressed against the mold insert within a heated mold cavity to form a pattern on an exterior surface of the skin and cause the skin to take on the shape of at least a portion of an upper. In some embodiments, the surface features may be disposed in a gradient pattern configured to provide varying degrees of one or more characteristics to different areas of an upper.