A plate for an article of footwear includes a substrate, a first strand portion attached to the substrate via first stitching, and a second strand portion disposed on the first layer. The first strand portion includes first segments that each extend between two different locations along the substrate to form a first layer on the substrate. The second strand portion includes second segments that each extend between two different locations along the substrate to form a second layer on the first layer.

An apparatus includes a heel section, a mid-foot section, and a toe section. The heel section, the mid-foot section, and the toe section collectively have a geometric shape having a first slope of a polarity along an inner edge of the apparatus from the toe section to the heel section and a second slope of the polarity along the inner edge of the apparatus to an outer edge of the apparatus at the toe section.

A sole for sports shoes is provided including a base or tread component, a top or midsole component and a least one intermediate or elastic cushioning component. Advantageously, the sole if able to provide high cushioning, elastic yield and stability thanks to the mechanical or structural characteristics of the sole.

A sole structure may include chambers and a transfer channel containing an electrorheological fluid. Electrodes may be positioned to create, in response to a voltage across the electrodes, an electrical field in at least a portion of the electrorheological fluid in the transfer channel. The sole structure may further include a controller including a processor and memory. At least one of the processor and memory may store instructions executable by the processor to perform operations that include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-inhibiting levels at which flow of the electrorheological fluid the through the transfer channel is blocked, and that further include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-enabling levels permitting flow of the electrorheological fluid through the transfer channel.

An article of footwear is provided and includes an upper, a sole secured to the upper and including a stabilizing member extending outwardly from the upper, where the stabilizing member includes a groove that separates the stabilizing member into a medial balancing member and a lateral balancing member, and the medial balancing member and the lateral balancing member move independently of each other to provide balance and stability on different terrains, and a support plate is positioned between the upper and the sole.

A sole structure may include chambers and a transfer channel containing an electrorheological fluid. Electrodes may be positioned to create, in response to a voltage across the electrodes, an electrical field in at least a portion of the electrorheological fluid in the transfer channel. The sole structure may further include a controller including a processor and memory. At least one of the processor and memory may store instructions executable by the processor to perform operations that include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-inhibiting levels at which flow of the electrorheological fluid the through the transfer channel is blocked, and that further include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-enabling levels permitting flow of the electrorheological fluid through the transfer channel.

This invention generally relates to a shoe in which an orthopedic adjustment has been integrated into the construction of the shoe itself. The invention entails adjusting one or more of the soles or other construction features of the shoe itself in order to accommodate a medical condition or treatment regimen. In particular, in instances of abnormalities in the knee joint, there is a need to redistribute the weight of the body from an afflicted symptomatic medial compartment of the knee to an un-afflicted and asymptomatic, or lesser effected and less symptomatic compartment so as to relieve the pain and stress at the most afflicted and most symptomatic compartment. Benefits are also achieved by reducing a common ankle injury, and by improving lateral cutting, cornering, and push off maneuvers. The present invention achieves all this by laterally wedging the sole of a shoe, where the angle is chosen to counter and redistribute the weight of the body accordingly thereby changing the axial load on the knee and ankle joints.

A footwear component that includes a sole including a recessed area and a support member positioned in the recessed area. The support member includes a main support, a front support that extends at least partially over a front end of the main support, and a rear support that extends at least partially below a rear end of the main support. The front support of the support member moves toward the main support when pressure is applied to the front support and moves away from the main support when pressure is released from the front support. Similarly, the rear support of the support member moves toward the main support when pressure is applied to the rear support and moves away from the main support when pressure is released from the rear support.

A method of manufacturing footwear and an article of footwear having a tapered heel in part defining an impact point associated with a padded impact zone which first strikes a surface upon a foot plant and a plate embedded within a sole of the article such that the plate supports the heel of the sole from flexing or collapsing. The impact point is part of an impact area (F) positioned adjacent an ankle pivot axis of the wearer's ankle, and in one aspect is positioned at or slightly posterior the ankle pivot axis. In one aspect the method includes configuring a sole of the footwear based on an ankle pivot characteristic or balance pivot characteristic of a wearer in a custom manufacture or based on the same of a typical or an ordinary wearer in a non-custom manufacture.

A method of manufacturing a shoe includes preparing a flexible shell having an internal space, preparing an upper body in a form of a bag, the upper body being provided with an opening in a portion corresponding to a topline, preparing a sole body, accommodating the upper in the shell, partially fixing the shell and the upper body, and forming the upper body with a last being located in the upper body accommodated in the shell, taking the last out of the formed upper body, and inserting the sole body in the shell.