A sophisticated air bladder that functions as an arch support of the foot that can be adjusted, a multitude of times as needed, by the user. The bladder is constructed so the air that provides the support is directed and corralled to the areas of the foot where support is typically needed and desired and will be maintained throughout weight bearing activities of the user. It is also versatile and can be used with any type of footwear, insole, orthotic or just a strap.

Orthotics and methods for forming orthotics are described. The orthotics can be designed with a patient-specific design and can include variation in hardness across the orthotic so as to satisfy clinical need. An orthotic can be a custom-designed orthotic formed according to an additive manufacturing process such as a 3-D printing methodology. Through utilization of on-site formation methods such as 3-D printing, an orthotic can be designed, formed and fit at the point of care in a much shorter time period than traditional orthotics. The orthotics can include a layer that includes a plurality of cells across the layer. The layer can exhibit variable hardness across the layer through variation in cell void volume and optionally material of formation across the layer.

Orthotics and methods for forming orthotics are described. The orthotics can be designed with a patient-specific design and can include variation in hardness across the orthotic so as to satisfy clinical need. An orthotic can be a custom-designed orthotic formed according to an additive manufacturing process such as a 3-D printing methodology. Through utilization of on-site formation methods such as 3-D printing, an orthotic can be designed, formed and fit at the point of care in a much shorter time period than traditional orthotics. The orthotics can include a layer that includes a plurality of cells across the layer. The layer can exhibit variable hardness across the layer through variation in cell void volume and optionally material of formation across the layer.

An insole for an article of footwear includes a base that extends generally in the transverse direction, and the base includes a base superior surface and a base inferior surface. Furthermore, the insole includes a dampener that is resiliently flexible to cushion the foot of the wearer. The dampener extends inferiorly from the inferior surface of the base and terminates at a dampener inferior surface. The dampener also is rounded in a cross section taken in the inferior-superior direction. The dampener also includes an opening that extends through the dampener inferior surface and that extends superiorly therefrom.

An insole for an article of footwear includes a base that extends generally in the transverse direction, and the base includes a base superior surface and a base inferior surface. Furthermore, the insole includes a dampener that is resiliently flexible to cushion the foot of the wearer. The dampener extends inferiorly from the inferior surface of the base and terminates at a dampener inferior surface. The dampener also is rounded in a cross section taken in the inferior-superior direction. The dampener also includes an opening that extends through the dampener inferior surface and that extends superiorly therefrom.

An anti-sprain shock-absorbing balance air-cushion shoe includes a shoe insert and a sole, it further includes two airbags communicating with each other, two airbag rooms are formed in the upper surface of the sole, used to contain the two airbags respectively, the two airbag rooms are arranged in the sole along the left-and-right direction, which are stretchable and compressible, and the combination of the shoe insert and the sole fixes the two airbags in the two airbag rooms respectively. In the air-cushion shoe, two intercommunicated airbags are mounted in the sole, when an airbag room on one side of the sole steps onto a foreign matter, the airbag room on the side is compressed, and the airbag in the compressed airbag room is also compressed, gas in the compressed airbag flows to the other airbag, which prevents the sole from rolling over and keeps the sole to be in balance.

An anti-sprain shock-absorbing balance air-cushion shoe includes a shoe insert and a sole, it further includes two airbags communicating with each other, two airbag rooms are formed in the upper surface of the sole, used to contain the two airbags respectively, the two airbag rooms are arranged in the sole along the left-and-right direction, which are stretchable and compressible, and the combination of the shoe insert and the sole fixes the two airbags in the two airbag rooms respectively. In the air-cushion shoe, two intercommunicated airbags are mounted in the sole, when an airbag room on one side of the sole steps onto a foreign matter, the airbag room on the side is compressed, and the airbag in the compressed airbag room is also compressed, gas in the compressed airbag flows to the other airbag, which prevents the sole from rolling over and keeps the sole to be in balance.

An article of footwear includes an upper for securing the article of footwear to a wearer. The footwear also includes a sole assembly operatively coupled to the upper. The sole assembly includes a bladder that contains a fluid. The bladder has a posterior portion, an anterior portion, and a middle portion disposed between the posterior and anterior portions. The posterior portion has a heel recess that is approximately coincidental with a center of a heel of the wearer. The middle portion includes a neck chamber that extends between the posterior and anterior portions. The neck chamber is elongate and has a width that is less than both the posterior and anterior portions, and the anterior portion has a plurality of toe recesses that extend generally away from the neck chamber.

An article of footwear includes an upper for securing the article of footwear to a wearer. The footwear also includes a sole assembly operatively coupled to the upper. The sole assembly includes a bladder that contains a fluid. The bladder has a posterior portion, an anterior portion, and a middle portion disposed between the posterior and anterior portions. The posterior portion has a heel recess that is approximately coincidental with a center of a heel of the wearer. The middle portion includes a neck chamber that extends between the posterior and anterior portions. The neck chamber is elongate and has a width that is less than both the posterior and anterior portions, and the anterior portion has a plurality of toe recesses that extend generally away from the neck chamber.

A dynamic pressure controlled air cushion device disposed on a bottom part of a shoe comprises a first air bag and a second air bag communicated with each other through an air passage, and the first air bag and the second air bag are respectively disposed corresponding to a front foot sole and a rear foot sole of a user. Through introducing the air into the first air bag by the first air pump and introducing the air into the second air bag by the second air pump, the first air bag and the second air bag are inflated, so as to increase a supporting force for the front foot sole and the rear foot sole of the user