Soles for articles of footwear including a mechanically anisotropic three-dimensional mesh. The mechanically anisotropic three-dimensional mesh can include one or more mechanically anisotropic regions with a first lattice shear modulus measured in a first direction and a second lattice shear modulus measured in a second direction opposite to or orthogonal to the first direction. The first and second lattice shear moduli are different to provide the three-dimensional mesh with mechanically anisotropic properties. The mechanically anisotropic three-dimensional mesh can be three-dimensionally printed.

Soles for an article of footwear with a three-dimensional mesh having a plurality of interconnected unit cells composed of one or more soft sub-cells and one or more stiff sub-cells. The arrangement of one or more soft sub-cells and one or more stiff sub-cells for the interconnected unit cells can provide the three-dimensional mesh with anisotropic properties, for example, anisotropic lattice shear moduli. In particular embodiments, the arrangement of soft sub-cells and stiff sub-cells for the unit cells can create a three-dimensional mesh predisposed to deform forwards when a sole including the three-dimensional mesh contacts the ground.

The present invention relates to a method of providing an individualized footwear for a user, operated in a computerized calculation system, the method comprising: obtaining one or more input data relating to the user, allocating the one or more input data to a plurality of attributes relevant to an individualized footwear, each of the attributes being associated with the one or more input data, calculating a parameter for each of the attributes using the one or more input data associated thereto, and providing individualized construction data for manufacture of the individualized footwear based on the calculated parameters of the attributes.

Manufacturing and assembly of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement and assembly of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated by an automated manufacturing tool.

A data generating apparatus generates shoe last data for manufacturing a shoe from measured foot shape data. The data generating apparatus includes: an input unit that receives the foot shape data; a processor that computes the shoe last data from the foot shape data received by the input unit; and an output unit that outputs the shoe last data computed by the processor. The input unit further receives selected additional information. The processor specifies a portion of the shoe last data to be corrected, based on the additional information, and calculates an amount of correction of the specified portion based on the additional information.

An example method may comprise determining, based at least on one or more images, one or more areas of wear indicative of worn portions of an article such as an article of footwear. The example method may comprise mapping the one or more areas of wear to a two dimensional wear model. The example method may comprise determining, based at least on the one or more images, a severity of wear of one or more of the one or more areas of wear. The example method may comprise determining, based on the two dimensional wear model and the severity of wear of each of the one or more areas of wear, a pattern for a custom article. The example method may comprise outputting a machine-readable code representing the pattern. The machine-readable code may be configured to be processed by a machine to cause manufacture of at least a portion of the custom article.

Sensing devices including flexible and stretchable pressure sensors may be associated with or incorporated in garments intended to be worn against a body surface (directly or indirectly), or may be associated with other types of flexible substrates. Systems and methods for storing, communicating, processing, analyzing and displaying data collected by sensor components for remote monitoring of conditions at or near body surfaces are also disclosed. Sensors and sensor systems provide substantially real-time feedback relating to current body conditions and may provide user-specific feedback relating to gait and footwear fit and performance, facilitating improved footwear matching to individual users and improved footwear design and manufacturing, and enabling early intervention when conditions indicate intervention is appropriate.

A 3D foam component for an article of footwear and a method for manufacturing a 3D foam component for an article of footwear is provided. The method includes a sequential deposition of liquid droplets of liquid polymer material onto an object carrier. A blowing agent is introduced to the molten polymer prior to or sequentially with or after the discharge of a liquid droplet. The resulting component includes a plurality of foam pellets formed by the expansion and cooling of droplets of liquid polymer material injected with the blowing agent.

The present disclosure is related to three-dimensionally printed articles for use in footwear and associated systems and methods. In some embodiments, a three-dimensionally printed article may comprise a closed-cell foam. The closed-cell foam may have a gradient in and/or may be a single integrated material. In some embodiments, a three-dimensionally printed article may comprise a sensor. The use of such arrangements can, according to certain embodiments, allow for the production of improved articles of footwear and/or customized articles of footwear.

There is provided a shoe including an upper 2 and a sole 3. The upper 2 is formed from a web 41 containing one or a plurality of randomly layered thermoplastic fine strands 5. The web 41 includes a first region in which the thermoplastic fine strand 5 is point-bonded to each other at contact portions and a second region in which the thermoplastic fine strand 5 is fused, the second region has an apparent density higher than an apparent density of the first region, and a diameter of the thermoplastic fine strand 5 in the first region ranges from 0.2 mm to 2 mm, and the apparent density of the first region ranges from 0.005 g/cm.sup.3 to 0.2 g/cm.sup.3.