The invention relates to articles of footwear having traction elements, and systems and methods for manufacturing same. An example shoe includes an upper and a sole plate, the sole plate including a lower surface adapted for ground contact having a first sole portion including first traction elements, the first traction elements having a distal end and a side wall with extensions extending from a central core, and a second sole portion including second traction elements, the second traction elements having at least one geometrical feature differing in one or more aspects from a corresponding geometrical feature of the first traction elements.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can include a set of apertures that is formed along various surfaces of the sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a customized cushioning sole system, forming generally circular patterns throughout the sole member. A user's foot morphology and/or preferences may be used to design the sole member.

Midsoles, and articles of footwear having such midsoles, with a distal surface profile based, in whole or in part, on a pressure map of pressures exerted on the bottom of a human foot when in contact with the ground are provided. The pressure map may be a measurement of the pressures exerted on the bottom of a human foot during, for example, standing, walking, or running (e.g., a natural gait). The distal surface profile of a midsole and an article of footwear may be defined, at least in part, by a plurality of cushioning projections extending from the midsole and having predetermined height profiles based on a pressure map. Methods of making midsoles and articles of footwear including a distal surface profile based, in whole or in part, on a pressure map are also provided.

A system (10) for detecting and displaying baropostural parameters comprises a platform (11) with a footplate (15) intended to accommodate a person standing on it and provided with sensors for detecting the pressure distribution of the imprint of the two feet on the footplate. An electronic acquisition device (32) is connected to the sensors for digital acquisition of the pressure distribution in order to create a map of the pressure points of the feet on the footplate. Calculation means (33a) are designed to calculate, for each foot and for both feet on the footplate, the geometric centers (52, 53, 54) and the barycenters (55, 56, 57) of the map of the pressures and display means (33b) display on a screen (31) a graphical representation of the imprints of the two feet on the footplate together with the corresponding geometric centers (52, 53, 54) and barycenters (55, 56, 57) calculated by the calculation means. The footplate may have a rear part (15) which can be raised for simulating shoe heels underneath the heels. Front and/or lateral telecameras (19, 20) may be provided in order to provide further postural data.

A custom insole and process for fabrication comprised of scanning to map a foot, sending the scan to a remote processing computer and returning a 3D compatible printable file that can render the custom insole in a short time. The foot is preferably not deformed by standing pressure during the scan. The podiatrist taking the scan can amend the electronic file to add or remove material from the yet-to-be-made custom insole to tailor the fit to the specific patient.

A sole measuring device includes a slow recovery memory unit configured to receive a foot sole and to create a foot print, an alignment unit connected to the slow recovery memory unit used for indicating an alignment position of the foot, and a scale unit connected to the slow recovery memory unit used for providing a scale mark. The present invention is able to measure not only foot length but also foot width precisely, as well as foot arch can be inferred properly.

The invention relates to devices and methods for designing and manufacturing customized footwear, and components thereof. An exemplary method includes a method of designing at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear customized for a user. The method includes the steps of determining at least one input parameter related to a user, analyzing the at least one input parameter to determine at least one performance metric of a foot of the user, and determining at least one customized structural characteristic of at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear for the user based on the performance metric.

An article of footwear with a marking system is disclosed. The marking system is configured to help locate one or more portions of a foot during training of an athlete. The marking system includes markings that extend from a lower surface of a sole system to an outer peripheral portion of a sole system.

Custom-made shoes and orthopedic insoles support the wearer, with these products being manufactured at specialist retailers by a method that includes the steps of: producing a footprint; capturing the footprint and a measurement standard as a footprint image using a camera; and, extracting and/or determining the characteristic foot data on the basis of the footprint image.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can include a set of apertures that is formed along various surfaces of the sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a customized cushioning sole system, forming generally circular patterns throughout the sole member. A user's foot morphology and/or preferences may be used to design the sole member.