Foot support systems include a fluid flow control system that facilitates movement of fluid into, out of, and/or within a sole structure and/or article of footwear, e.g., to change and/or control pressure in fluid filled bladder(s). The fluid flow control system includes: (a) a manifold body defining an internal chamber; (b) at least a first port in fluid communication with the internal chamber; (c) at least a first valve (including a first valve activator) controlling fluid flow through the first port; and (d) a movable cam at least partially within the internal chamber. Valve activator surface(s) on the cam interact with the valve activator(s) to selectively open and close valve(s) based on cam positioning.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a connecting portion coupled to a siped portion. The connecting portion extends across the sole structure, with an upper surface operative to be secured to an upper of the article of footwear. The siped portion extends from a ground-facing side of the connecting portion and includes a plurality of sole elements. Each of the plurality of sole elements is at least partially defined by one or more of a plurality of sipes that extend from the ground-contacting surface to the ground-facing side of the connecting portion. At least one of the plurality of sipes is a lateral sipe that is located within the midfoot region and extends from the medial side to the lateral side of the sole structure. This at least one lateral sipe is sized to permit plantarflexion of the sole structure without deformation of an adjacent sole element.

A shoe sole member formed by a foam includes cells having a certain size and being excellent in transparency in order to provide a shoe sole member being lightweight and excellent cushioning properties while having transparency.

A sole structure includes a foam element extending from a forefoot region to a heel region. A lower surface of the foam element includes a recess formed in the forefoot region. The sole structure also includes a posterior cushioning arrangement extending along a peripheral region of the sole structure from a heel region to a mid-foot region, and an anterior cushioning arrangement disposed in the recess of the foam element. The anterior cushioning arrangement has a proximal end adjacent to the lower surface of the foam element and a distal end formed on an opposite side of the anterior cushioning arrangement than the proximal end. The anterior cushioning arrangement includes at least one medial bladder proximate to a medial side of the sole structure and at least one lateral bladder proximate to a lateral side of the sole structure.

A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes a midsole. The midsole may include a cushion and a chassis. The cushion extends from a forefoot region to a heel region of the sole structure. The chassis is disposed between a top side of the cushion and the upper. An outsole is mounted to a bottom surface of the midsole. The outsole includes a first outsole portion, a second outsole portion and a third outsole portion. The first outsole portion, the second outsole portion and the third outsole portion are spaced apart from each other so as to provide flexibility to the sole structure. The first outsole portion, the second outsole portion and the third outsole portion may be formed of a first material and a second material. The second material is more durable relative to the first material.

A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes a cushion member and a chassis. The cushion member extends from a forefoot region to a heel region of the sole structure. The cushion member includes a first series of lobes alternating with a first series of recesses along a length of the cushion member. The first series of lobes and the first series of recesses extend along one of a medial side of the sole structure and a lateral side of the sole structure. The chassis is disposed between the cushion member and the upper and includes a series of first supports alternating with a second series of recesses. The supports of the series of first supports are aligned and in contact with respective lobes of the first series of lobes and the second series of recesses are aligned with the first series of recesses.

Provided is a composite insole structure including: an insole body being oblong, having a front segment, a middle segment and a rear segment, being made of foam by foaming, and having hardness of 50˜80 OO; and a heel element made of plastic and disposed at the rear segment of the insole body. The middle area of the heel element is of greater thickness than the peripheral area of the heel element; hence, the middle area of the heel element is arched to be centrally raised and thus thinned toward the edge of the middle area radially. The heel element is of hardness of 35˜75 OO.

An object of the present invention is to provide a composition capable of allowing for production of a crosslinked foamed product suitable for applications of footwear parts such as soles and excellent in properties such as lightweight properties, heat shrinkability, compression set and mechanical strength in a well-balanced manner, a foamed product using the composition and a footwear part using the same. An ethylene copolymer composition including an ethylene copolymer (A) satisfying all the following requirements (A-a), (A-b), (A-c) and (A-d), ethylene/α-olefin having 3 to 20 carbon atoms/non-conjugated polyene copolymer rubber (B), and, if necessary, an ethylene/polar monomer copolymer (C); (A-a) a vinyl group content per 1,000 carbon atoms is 0.025 to 0.3, (A-b) MFR.sub.10/MFR.sub.2.16 is 7 to 20, (A-c) a density is 0.850 to 0.910 g/cm.sup.3, and (A-d) a melt flow rate is 0.01 to 200 g/10 min.

A sole arrangement for an article of footwear with a gradient depth value is provided. In one aspect of the disclosure, the sole arrangement extending from an end of a posterior area of the sole arrangement to an end of an anterior area of the sole arrangement, wherein the posterior area of the sole arrangement being formed under a heel area and the anterior area of the sole arrangement being formed under a forefoot area of a foot. The sole arrangement having an upper facing surface and a ground engaging surface, wherein the upper facing surface being on an opposite side of the sole arrangement than the ground engaging surface. The sole arrangement having a maximum posterior depth value. The sole arrangement having a maximum anterior depth value. The maximum posterior depth value may be smaller than the maximum anterior depth value by a first margin.

A sole arrangement for an article of footwear with a gradient depth value is provided. In one aspect of the disclosure, the sole arrangement extending from an end of a posterior area of the sole arrangement to an end of an anterior area of the sole arrangement, wherein the posterior area of the sole arrangement being formed under a heel area and the anterior area of the sole arrangement being formed under a forefoot area of a foot. The sole arrangement having an upper facing surface and a ground engaging surface, wherein the upper facing surface being on an opposite side of the sole arrangement than the ground engaging surface. The sole arrangement having a maximum posterior depth value. The sole arrangement having a maximum anterior depth value. The maximum posterior depth value may be smaller than the maximum anterior depth value by a first margin.