The invention relates to a self-assembled shoe and a method of manufacturing thereof. The self-assembled shoe comprises one or more locking systems for connecting a shoe base with one or more shoe components. The locking system is manually releasable upon actuation by a user at an actuating portion of the shoe base, and is substantially covered from view from an exterior of the shoe when assembled. The locking system further comprises an actuator arranged to be in direct contact with a medium of shoe base at the actuating portion, such that actuation at the actuating portion of the shoe base is directly transmissible through the shoe base medium to the actuator of the locking system to thereby actuate the locking system. The invention also relates to a covering member adapted to substantially cover one or more recesses defined by a female locking member of the locking system for the self-assembled shoe as described above. The covering member comprises one or more extensions configured to conform with the respective one or more recesses thereby, when the covering member is arranged to engage the female locking member, the one or more extensions are receivable by the respective one or more recesses to substantially cover the one or more recesses.

A modular article of footwear comprises a sole structure having a foot-facing surface, a ground-engaging surface, and a peripheral side surface extending between the foot-facing surface and the ground-engaging surface. The peripheral side surface has at least one recess. The modular article of footwear includes an upper component, and a flange secured to the upper component and projecting therefrom. An inner surface of the flange fits against and is securable to the peripheral side surface of the sole structure with the flange in the at least one recess, and the upper component at least partially defining a foot-receiving cavity over the foot-facing surface. A method of manufacturing a customized article of footwear comprises receiving a request for an upper with a specified characteristic, and assembling the modular article of footwear having an upper in accordance with the request.

An upper may be included with an article of footwear. The upper may include a textile portion, the textile portion forming a throat area of the upper. The upper may further include a base portion, the base portion extending to a biteline area of the upper. The upper may further include a tie structure, the tie structure extending through a first opening of the textile portion and a second opening of the base portion to secure the textile portion to the base portion.

A convertible shoe may include a sole and a plurality of interchangeable heel portions, each selectively attachable to the sole. The heel portions may each include a mounting surface configured to interface with a heel receiver of the sole. The heel receiver may include a fixed hook and a movable hook, with the movable hook being operable by an actuator coupled to a bottom surface of the sole. In some examples, an upper is secured to the sole of the shoe by one or more clamping plates. In some examples, the sole of the shoe is configured to be biased into a default bend corresponding to a high-heeled state even when a low heel is attached to the heel receiver.

A skate includes an inverted groove-shaped base secured to a boot and including front and rear pins; an elongated frame including front and rear sets of a transverse inner groove and a transverse open groove communicating with the transverse inner groove, and a threaded hole on the transverse open groove of the front set wherein either pin is disposed in the transverse inner groove and the elongated frame abuts an underside of the base; and a locking device including a spring biased block member disposed in the transverse open groove of the front set and having two projections at two ends respectively, a screw driven through a positioning member into the threaded hole to fasten the positioning member in the transverse open groove of the front set so that the block member abuts the front pin to block same in an assembled state.

A system and method for footwear with a handless entry construction. A heel band may be provided in the footwear that is sufficiently deformable and sufficiently resilient to handlessly a) facilitate insertion of a wearer's foot into the footwear and b) move upward relative to a ground surface to engage a heel of the wearer's foot in order to aid in securing the wearer's foot within the footwear.

In some embodiments, a shoe assembly comprises a vamp and a sole. The vamp includes a middle section, and the vamp and the middle section are formed of a continuous piece of a first molded material. The vamp also includes a first aperture and a second aperture. The sole includes a forefoot section and a heel section that are joined by a midfoot section. The forefoot section, the heel section, and the midfoot section are formed of a continuous piece of a second molded material. The second molded material is an EVA-based material. The first aperture of the vamp receives a part of the forefoot section and the second aperture receives a part of the heel section. When the shoe assembly is placed on a flat surface, the forefoot section is in direct contact with the flat surface.

Articles of footwear 1, and methods of manufacturing articles of footwear are disclosed. The footwear 1 comprises a heel portion 4 for supporting a heel of a foot 10 of a wearer. The heel portion 4 defines a channel 20 extending from a first opening 21 to a second opening 22. The openings 21, 22 are situated at laterally-facing surfaces 41, 42 of the heel portion 4. The footwear 1 may also comprises a fastening means 5 for fastening the article of footwear 1 to the foot 10 of the wearer. The fastening means 5 is arranged to extend through said channel 20 and, in use of the footwear 1, is fastenable around the dorsal region of the foot 10 of the wearer.

Present aspects are directed to a braided article of footwear comprising a mechanical lock structure. The braided upper comprises a tubular braided structure with a plurality of apertures. The midsole comprises a plurality of protruding studs that are configured to receive the plurality of apertures. The midsole receives the braided upper and the plurality of protruding studs extend below a bottom surface of the braided upper via the plurality of apertures, locking or securing the braided upper and midsole together, thereby creating a mechanical lock structure.

To allow user customisation, this shoe invention provides; 1. Interchangeable components of the shoe as shown in FIG. 1. The Shoe Sole (13) and the Shoe Upper (10). 2. Adjustable Nose Cone device, the raiser (14), as shown in FIG. 6. Provides further customisation allowing the Nose Cone (15) of the Shoe to be adjustable.

The interchangeable Shoe design and adjustable Nose Cone device described in this patent allows users to achieve interchangeability and customisation without eliminating functionality. 1. The interchangeable Shoe design, as shown in FIG. 1. Comprises of the Shoe Sole (13) and the Shoe Upper (10). Both Components are joined together in an independent and interchangeable way by means of two layers of hook and loop material strips affixed to the respective components i.e. the Shoe Sole (13) and the Shoe Upper (10). 2. The adjustable Nose Cone (15) as shown in FIG. 1. comprises of a device called, the raiser (14). FIG. 6. Provides further details and views of the raiser. This device is solely responsible for the Nose Cone (15) adjustment.