An article of footwear having a sole structure and an upper, the sole structure including a first cushioning member positioned in a heel region of the sole structure and a second cushioning member positioned in a forefoot region of the sole structure. A gap extends between the first cushioning member and the second cushioning member in a midfoot region of the sole structure, and one or both of the first cushioning member or the second cushioning member are a supercritical foam with pockets of nitrogen gas therein.

Foamed articles including a foamed thermoplastic elastomeric material, methods of making the articles, and methods for manufacturing articles of footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment incorporating the articles are provided. One exemplary method for making a foamed article comprises placing an article comprising a foamable material and carbon dioxide in a vessel, the foamable material; maintaining the vessel at a first pressure and first temperature at which the carbon dioxide is a liquid and carbon dioxide is soluble in the foamable material; optionally exposing the infused article to a second temperature and second pressure; and subjecting the article to a third pressure and third temperature at which the infused carbon dioxide phase transitions to a gas, thereby expanding the foamable material into a foamed material and forming the foamed article.

A method for manufacturing a shoe can include a) lasting an upper; b) providing an open sole casting mold; c) foaming sole material outside the sole casting mold; d) injecting the foamed sole material into the sole casting mold; and e) bringing the lasted upper into contact with the injected sole material.

The invention relates to a footwear with a rubber sole where such sole is comprised of a rubber composition which contains zinc rosinate. The zinc rosin is provided to include zinc rosinate as a product formed in situ within the rubber composition of zinc oxide and freely added rosin acid. The footwear rubber sole is intended for ground engagement. In one embodiment, the rubber composition for the rubber sole further contains triglyceride vegetable oil. In one embodiment, the rubber composition for the rubber sole additionally contains a traction promoting resin.

The invention relates to a footwear with a rubber sole where such sole is comprised of a rubber composition which contains zinc rosinate. The zinc rosin is provided to include zinc rosinate as a product formed in situ within the rubber composition of zinc oxide and freely added rosin acid. The footwear rubber sole is intended for ground engagement. In one embodiment, the rubber composition for the rubber sole further contains triglyceride vegetable oil. In one embodiment, the rubber composition for the rubber sole additionally contains a traction promoting resin.

An item of footwear comprises an upper adapted to receive a foot of the wearer and having a front-end portion. An outsole forms a bottom surface of the item of footwear, the outsole being single-piece monolithic and having a concave outsole shell receiving in its outsole concavity at least part of the front-end portion. A midsole being single-piece monolithic may be in direct-attach connection between the upper and the outsole, the midsole having a concave midsole shell between the concave outsole shell and the front-end portion, the concave midsole shell receiving in its midsole concavity at least part of the front-end portion. A shock-absorbing pad may be between the concave shell and the front-end portion of the upper, the shock-absorbing pad being made of a material attenuating an impact force by at least 60% in a flat surface impact test, single drop of a 8.5 kg mass, at 1.0 m/s velocity.

An item of footwear comprises an upper adapted to receive a foot of the wearer and having a front-end portion. An outsole forms a bottom surface of the item of footwear, the outsole being single-piece monolithic and having a concave outsole shell receiving in its outsole concavity at least part of the front-end portion. A midsole being single-piece monolithic may be in direct-attach connection between the upper and the outsole, the midsole having a concave midsole shell between the concave outsole shell and the front-end portion, the concave midsole shell receiving in its midsole concavity at least part of the front-end portion. A shock-absorbing pad may be between the concave shell and the front-end portion of the upper, the shock-absorbing pad being made of a material attenuating an impact force by at least 60% in a flat surface impact test, single drop of a 8.5 kg mass, at 1.0 m/s velocity.

Multi-layered structures and methods for producing them are disclosed.

Multi-layered structures and methods for producing them are disclosed.

A method of forming a plate for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes applying a first strand portion to a base layer including positioning adjacent segments of the first strand portion to form a first layer on the base layer. The adjacent segments of the first strand portion having a greater density across a width of the plate between a medial side and a lateral side at a forefoot region of the plate than at a midfoot region of the plate and at a heel region of the plate. The method also includes applying at least one of heat and pressure to the first strand portion and to the base layer to conform the first strand portion and the base layer to a predetermined shape.