A protective device, in particular a safety toe cap, for use with an article of footwear is provided. A safety toe cap of the present technology includes one or more strain hardened portions configured to strengthen or reinforce sections of the safety toe cap against impact, particularly from above. The one or more strain hardened portions have increased strength in relation to adjacent non-strain hardened portions and therefore may maintain adequate protection of a user's toes and foot, while simultaneously allowing for lowered material use and a device with a lightweight, streamlined profile.

A footwear to prevent snake bite may include a lower portion, an upper portion, and an inner protecting portion. In one embodiment, the appearance of footwear has no difference from a typical boot, and the upper portion can be used to cover at least to the user's leg portion. The upper portion can be made by a number of layers of fabric, leather, or the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the inner protecting portion can be a metal sheet that can be used to protect the user from snake bite. More specifically, the inner protecting portion can be disposed inside and surrounding the lower and upper portions of the footwear.

Various articles, such as footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, watchbands, and the like, and methods of forming those articles are presented. The articles are generally formed, in whole or in part, using rapid manufacturing techniques, such as laser sintering, stereolithography, solid deposition modeling, and the like. The use of rapid manufacturing allows for relatively economical and time efficient manufacture of customized articles. The articles may include one or more reinforcements configured to provide added durability to various regions of the articles. In addition, the articles may be formed from two or more materials in a single rapid manufacturing process. The rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique may also include using of varying intensities of the laser to fuse material to form the articles.

The present invention involves footwear that utilizes tread members having generally rectangular arrays of lugs and protuberances on the lugs. Grooves separate the lugs and provide flow paths from the interior area of a tread member to the exterior. Sipes are positioned between the protuberances and form flow paths from the interior area of the lugs to the grooves. The tread members are positioned at least at the forefoot portion and heel portion of the outsole.

A protective device, in particular a safety toe cap, for use with an article of footwear is provided. A safety toe cap of the present technology includes one or more strain hardened portions configured to strengthen or reinforce sections of the safety toe cap against impact, particularly from above. The one or more strain hardened portions have increased strength in relation to adjacent non-strain hardened portions and therefore may maintain adequate protection of a user's toes and foot, while simultaneously allowing for lowered material use and a device with a lightweight, streamlined profile.

A work shoe, in particular a safety shoe, includes at least one passive protection unit which is intended to passively protect a shoe wearer at least against mechanical and/or electrical loads, and includes at least one active protection unit which has at least one sensor unit which is intended to detect at least one characteristic variable at least in order to enable a protection function and/or a comfort function. The sensor unit is configured at least for detecting at least one person-related characteristic variable and/or at least one environmental characteristic variable.

A protective device, in particular a safety toe cap, for use with an article of footwear is provided. A safety toe cap of the present technology includes one or more strain hardened portions configured to strengthen or reinforce sections of the safety toe cap against impact, particularly from above. The one or more strain hardened portions have increased strength in relation to adjacent non-strain hardened portions and therefore may maintain adequate protection of a user's toes and foot, while simultaneously allowing for lowered material use and a device with a lightweight, streamlined profile.

A comfort system for Cowboy and work boots, including an insole chassis, an insole chassis backing board, and cushioning pads for absorbing and attenuating shocks encountered by a wearer of the boots. Cushioning pads are secured to a surface of the insole chassis backing board, and apertures in the insole chassis allow the cushions to pass through. Additional cushioning pads are retained in recesses in the midsole. Pads on insole chassis backing board and midsole are vertically aligned. A steel toe inset is utilized in conjunction with the comfort system for work boots. A rim may depend below the midsole to receive a foamed plastic pad.

A comfort system for Cowboy and work boots, including an insole chassis, an insole chassis backing board, and cushioning pads for absorbing and attenuating shocks encountered by a wearer of the boots. Cushioning pads are secured to a surface of the insole chassis backing board, and apertures in the insole chassis allow the cushions to pass through. Additional cushioning pads are retained in recesses in the midsole. Pads on insole chassis backing board and midsole are vertically aligned. A steel toe inset is utilized in conjunction with the comfort system for work boots. A rim may depend below the midsole to receive a foamed plastic pad.

Footwear is provided including a protective toe element in the form of a rigid protective toe guard nested in a recess defined by a sole component so that the toe guard is of a low profile and has an at least partially closed bottom which cleanly transitions to an upper surface of the sole component. The footwear and its components provide impact and crushing force resistance, yet the footwear is low profiled and flexible enough to provide enhanced mobility and comfort to a wearer.