A sole structure may include chambers and a transfer channel containing an electrorheological fluid. Electrodes may be positioned to create, in response to a voltage across the electrodes, an electrical field in at least a portion of the electrorheological fluid in the transfer channel. The sole structure may further include a controller including a processor and memory. At least one of the processor and memory may store instructions executable by the processor to perform operations that include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-inhibiting levels at which flow of the electrorheological fluid the through the transfer channel is blocked, and that further include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-enabling levels permitting flow of the electrorheological fluid through the transfer channel.

A foldable shoe includes a first sole section under the ball of a wearer's foot and includes a first outsole portion and a first footbed. A second sole section is located under the heel the foot and includes a second outsole portion and a second footbed. An upper section extends from the first sole section, and a hinge is connected to the first sole section and the second sole section and is configured to fold the foldable shoe from a first position, to be worn, to a second position, for storage. The upper section includes a first upper section connected to the first sole section and a second upper section connected to the second sole section. A connector connects the first upper section to the second upper section when the foldable shoe is in the first position and is disengaged when the foldable shoe is in the second position.

The present invention includes a sole that can be used as a dance or a general shoe. The protruding platforms of the sole are arranged, oriented, and dimensioned to permit ruggedness, dancing, and substantial grippiness for both dance moves as well as general wear.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure, a footwear upper, and a closure system. The sole structure may have a front sole portion and a rear sole portion pivotable relative to the front sole portion between a use position and an access position. The footwear upper may be fixed to the front sole portion and to the rear sole portion. The closure system may comprise an adjustment cord and a cord lock. The adjustment cord may be operatively secured to the footwear upper at an anchor location. The cord lock may be secured to the footwear upper and may be configured so that the adjustment cord slides through the cord lock when under tension to tighten the footwear upper in the use position, and the adjustment cord is repositionable relative to the cord lock to lock to the cord lock and retain tension in the adjustment cord.

A shoe device having bimodal structures, configured to selectively snap the device to at least one of a second position and a first position, which selectively snaps the shoe into a first position upon being subjected to a first bending force, apt for placement or removal of a foot, and selectively snaps the shoe into a second position upon being subjected to a second bending force, apt for securement of a foot or having no foot. A forward leaning, flexible stadium arch structure, assembled to form a heel notch mechanism, connects to a sole. A morphing shoe collar portion connects to a heel. These are combined via vector changing devices for greater functionality.

A collapsible footwear and a method of altering the configuration thereof into a compact form, configured for transportation, is described; the collapsible footwear includes a top part and collapsible sole including: a top sheet, bottom sheet, lateral support elements, laterally extending channels, top hinge elements, bottom hinge elements and stopper element, reversibly assuming collapsed and erected configurations; the method includes providing a collapsible sole, providing at least one top part, compressing the collapsible sole to assume a collapsed configuration and altering the configuration of the collapsible sole to assume an erected configuration.

An active suspension orthotic support system is disclosed. The suspension orthotic support system comprises at least one variable resistance beam extending from a heel section to a mid-arch section of the footwear, wherein rotation of the variable resistance beam from a first position to a second position causes a resistance provided by the variable resistance beam to vary between a minimum resistance to a maximum resistance.

A shoe heel (1) which is height adjustable so as to have at least two positions, to which a respective height (h1, h2, h3) of the heel (1) corresponds, at which it can be locked, the heel (1) comprising: a hollow body (101 ) adapted to be fastened to the sole (2) of the shoe, provided with grooves (121a, 121b, 122a, 122b, 123a, 123b) arranged at different heights from one another; a group (102) of components at least partially inserted into the hollow body (101 ), the group (102) of components and the hollow body (101 ) being adapted to mutually slide; said group (102) of components comprising a lever (103); a button (104) connected to the lever (103), adapted to cause a rotation of the lever (103); - at least one locking element (106, 107) connected to the lever (103) so as to switch from a locked position, in which said at least one locking element (106, 107) is inserted into a groove (121a, 121b, 122a, 122b, 123a, 123b) of the hollow body (101 ), whereby the group (102) of components and the hollow body (101 ) are mutually locked in position; to a sliding position, in which the group (102) of components and the hollow body (101 ) can mutually slide; elastic means (108) arranged so as to exert a force which brings said at least one locking element (106, 107) from the sliding position to the locked position.

A rapid-entry shoe having an upper, a sole portion, and at least one pocket coupled to a rear portion of the upper and encapsulating a compressed medium that biases a topline of the shoe toward an uncollapsed configuration.

The present disclosure relates to an article of footwear with a sole structure having at least one adjustability pod configured to adjust at least one of a length and a width of the sole structure.