A sole structure for an article of footwear may have a midsole system that includes a sole plate having a forefoot region and a midfoot region. The sole plate may have a foot-facing surface and a ground-facing surface opposite to the foot-facing surface. The sole plate may define a through hole extending from the foot-facing surface to the ground-facing surface in the forefoot region. The through hole may be closer to a medial edge of the sole plate than to a lateral edge of the sole plate. The sole plate may have ridges extending longitudinally in the midfoot region and in the forefoot region. The ridges may have crests at least some of which may extend non-parallel with one another in a longitudinal direction of the sole plate.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a unitary cushioning component comprising a plurality of scrap foam pieces configured as a plurality of different polyhedron shapes and a resin binder securing the scrap foam pieces to one another. The sole structure may comprise a midsole including an outer shell defining a central cavity. The cushioning component may be disposed in the central cavity as a core of the midsole. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear cutting the scrap foam body into pieces, mixing the pieces with a resin binder, and compression molding the mixed pieces and resin binder in a mold to form a cushioning component of a sole structure of the article of footwear.

An article of footwear including an adaptive support system includes a plurality of support members. Each support member includes an outer chamber and an inner chamber, the inner chamber being filled with a magnetorheological fluid. An electromagnet is disposed adjacent to the inner chamber and can be used to vary the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid.

A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a midsole body having a proximal surface and a distal surface. Proprioceptive elements may extend in the hole in the midsole body, and translate toward the proximal surface in the holes upon a force directed along a central axis of the hole at a distal end of the proprioceptive elements. In various embodiments, the holes may angle relative to vertical from the proximal surface to the distal surface, the holes may be defined by perforations and the proprioceptive elements may be integral portions of the midsole body, or the midsole body may have a plurality of annular holes at the proximal surface, and a plurality of annular recesses in the distal surface, and a plurality of proprioceptive elements, each centered in a different annular hole of the plurality of annular holes. Methods of manufacturing articles of footwear are described.

A footwear construction includes a sole assembly having a convoluted lower surface with multiple rolling peaks and valleys, and first and second midsoles having different durometers to provide dynamic stability, cushion and/or traction. The second midsole can include apertures that extend into some peaks so those peaks are compressible and conform well to underfoot terrain. The sole assembly can include certain lateral or medial peaks that transition to a perimeter of the sole assembly, and that are of a truncated shape with a sidewall to provide firmness and/or rigidity to the sole assembly around the perimeter. Other peaks can be disposed inward from the lateral or medial peaks and can be of a lesser firmness so those central peaks can provide cushioning and/or macro traction capabilities. A related method of manufacture also is provided.

A plate is used for a sole that forms a part of a shoe. The plate includes a reinforcement portion composed of a composite material containing a synthetic resin and a plurality of fibers. The plurality of fibers in the reinforcement portion each have a weight average fiber length not shorter than 0.4 mm and not longer than 7.0 mm and have such an orientation property that orientations thereof are aligned in a foot length direction.

A sole includes a midsole body and a buffer member made of a material having hardness lower than that of a material constituting the midsole body. A mounting portion that mounts the buffer member is formed on a surface of a rearfoot region of the midsole body. The buffer member is mounted on the mounting portion in a non-adhesive state. One of the mounting portion and the buffer member includes a reference surface and a protrusion. The other of the mounting portion and the buffer member includes a recess. The recess includes a surrounding wall having a shape that entirely surrounds a periphery of the protrusion.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure coupled with an upper that defines a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region. The sole structure includes a plurality of pods that each have a pod body formed from a foam material that optionally has a coating disposed on an outer surface of the pod body. The sole structure includes a chassis attached to a bottom surface of each of the plurality of pods. The chassis includes a plurality of ground contacting regions and an elongated fork structure. The elongated fork structure includes a chassis stem, a first chassis leg, and a second chassis leg that each extend from the chassis stem through the heel region, the midfoot region, and the forefoot region of the sole structure. A continuous elongated groove is positioned between and extends along substantially the entire length of the first and second chassis leg.

An article of footwear comprising a sole and an upper on the sole. The sole comprises a dandelion latex foam material. The dandelion latex foam material comprises dandelion latex and at least one other natural or synthetic polymer. The dandelion latex foam material is between 20% and 80% dandelion latex.

A sole includes: a midsole main body; an elastic portion; and a pressing member. The midsole main body includes a containing portion. The elastic portion is contained in the containing portion in a compressed state. The pressing member has an elastic modulus higher than an elastic modulus of the elastic portion in the compressed state, and presses the elastic portion so that the elastic portion is maintained in the compressed state. The elastic modulus of the elastic portion in the compressed state is larger than an elastic modulus of the midsole main body.