A sole structure for an article of footwear. The sole structure includes at least one support plate located on an underside of a midsole on a medial forefoot side of the midsole and extending from a medial edge of the midsole to at least a longitudinal center line of the midsole, wherein a lateral edge of the plate is located medially of the lateral edge of the midsole. The support plate may contain at least one sipe or groove extending laterally across the midsole to provide flexibility in a forefoot-to-heel direction of the midsole. The support plate may contain at least one rail.

The disclosure relates to articles of footwear (100) and components thereof, including outsoles (112), which can be used in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles (112). In particular, the disclosure relates to articles of footwear (100) and components thereof including an outsole (112) with a material (116) including a polymeric network formed of a plurality of polymer chains, where the material (116) defines external ground-facing surface or side of the outsole (112). The outsoles (112) can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil on the footwear (100) during wear on unpaved surfaces such as sporting fields.

The present invention is footwear having a convex shaped outsole with opposing wedge shaped configurations in the bottom of the front sole section and the back sole section which provide rotation of the front sole section and the back sole section in opposite directions when weight is applied. The present invention is also footwear convex shaped in the longitudinal direction with a split sole having opposing wedge shaped configurations in the bottom of the front sole section and the back sole section that provide rotation of the front sole section and the back sole section in opposite directions when weight is applied. The invention further includes footwear having at least one pair of wedges on the outsole which provide footwear having improved arch support. The invention is also footwear with a flexible, elastic, member between the front sole section and the back sole section of the sole.

A shoe device having bimodal structures, configured to selectively snap the device to at least one of a second position and a first position, which selectively snaps the shoe into a first position upon being subjected to a first bending force, apt for placement or removal of a foot, and selectively snaps the shoe into a second position upon being subjected to a second bending force, apt for securement of a foot or having no foot. A forward leaning, flexible stadium arch structure, assembled to form a heel notch mechanism, connects to a sole. A morphing shoe collar portion connects to a heel. These are combined via vector changing devices for greater functionality.

An active suspension orthotic support system is disclosed. The suspension orthotic support system comprises at least one variable resistance beam extending from a heel section to a mid-arch section of the footwear, wherein rotation of the variable resistance beam from a first position to a second position causes a resistance provided by the variable resistance beam to vary between a minimum resistance to a maximum resistance.

The invention relates to an item of footwear in which is provided a mid-sole (10) with features that provide comfort to the wearer when walking. An item of footwear comprising: a sole (1) comprising a mid-sole (10), the mid-sole having a first major surface (11) for facing the foot of a wearer, a second major surface (12) opposite the first, the mid-sole (10) having an inner edge (13) corresponding to the inside of a wearer's foot and an outer edge (14) corresponding to the outside of a wearer's foot; and a securing means for securing the item of footwear to a foot of a wearer such that the first surface (11) of the sole (1) contacts the foot, wherein: the mid-sole (10) has formed therein a plurality of generally transverse grooves (20) and a generally longitudinal primary groove (30a), thereby dividing the sole (1) into an array of lands (50); and the primary groove (30a) is substantially parallel to the outer edge (14) of the sole (1) over a majority of the length of the sole (1) and defines with 15 the transverse grooves (20) a plurality of lands (50).

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes an outsole defining a ground-contacting surface, a midsole disposed between the outsole and the upper, and a plate attached to the midsole and defining a recess extending in a direction away from the outsole and toward the upper, the recess including a first retainer. The sole structure further includes a first cushion having a first portion received within the recess, the first portion engaging the first retainer to maintain a desired position of the first cushion relative to the plate.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a first midsole body and a second midsole body. The first midsole body defines a ground-facing surface and a foot-facing surface opposite the ground-facing surface and includes a first midsole material, which has a first hardness. The second midsole body extends through the first midsole body. As such, the second midsole body extends beyond the ground-facing surface of the first midsole body. The second midsole body includes a second midsole material, which has a second hardness, and the first hardness is greater than the second hardness.

A shoe may comprise an upper and a comfort sole attached to an outsole, the comfort sole having a radius of curvature at any point of a line from a heel to a toe and interfacing with outsole, wherein the lowest point of comfort sole and outsole, called the center of mass or balance point of the sole or natural balance point of the shoe, when placed on a substantially horizontal reference plane defines a transition zone of the roll of the foot having the highest radius of the comfort sole and the outsole, and in that the center of mass is behind point (B) of the metatarsals; and a rigid shell interposed between the upper and the comfort sole.

A shoe structure includes an upper assembly, having an upper and an insole, a bottom, joined in a lower region to the upper assembly and including a sole and a midsole, the sole having a tread. The sole includes one or more tabs monolithic therewith, directed toward the midsole.