411results about "Inserts" patented technology

An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first area and a second area with a unitary construction. The first area is formed of a first stitch configuration, and the second area is formed of a second stitch configuration that is different from the first stitch configuration to impart varying textures to a surface of the textile element. Various warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be utilized to form the textile element.

Articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include one or more of: (a) a sole structure; (b) an upper having lateral and medial side elements engaged with the sole structure, the upper made from a polymer matrix structure that extends through at least a heel region; (c) a size adjustment mechanism located at the heel region; (d) a heel tongue element located adjacent the size adjustment mechanism; (e) a shoe securing mechanism; (f) an instep tongue member; and/or (g) a bootie member located at least partially within the foot-receiving chamber. Methods of manufacturing such articles of footwear also are disclosed.

A disposable shoe liner that is formed from a first substrate, a second substrate, and discrete regions of a functional material sandwiched therebetween is provided. In particular, the first and second substrates contain are fused together at certain portions such that fused portions and unfused portions are formed. The unfused portions form pockets that contain the functional material. In some embodiments, for example, the pockets contain activated carbon granules to provide comfort to the foot and to absorb odors exuded therefrom.

The present invention relates to a reduced abrasion shoe. The reduced abrasion shoe comprises strategically removing seams from the interior cavity of the shoe. In particular, the tongue traversing the throat is attached to the exterior surface of the upper about the toe box. A full liner between the upper and the interior cavity is coupled to the upper about the shoe mid-point. Finally, exterior surface patches are coupled to the exterior surface using a fusion bond instead of a stitch to remove the corresponding interior seam.

Podalic foot pads of various shapes and configurations which utilize a padding material that is primarily an A-B-A triblock copolymer and a plasticizer. A-B diblock copolymers may be compounded into the padding material. An anti-bleed agent is preferably employed. The plasticizer may be a resin, mineral oil or otherwise. A detackifier may be employed such as grape seed oil or another slip agent. Antioxidants, pigments and micropsheres may be added to the material. The material has good cushioning properties.

An orthotic foot device for footwear may include a flexible insole chassis adapted to extend substantially between the heel and the toe of the footwear and at least one support component attached at a lower side of the chassis. The chassis may include a cushioned layer composed of conforming resilient material overlying the upper side of the chassis.

A modular shoe separates into components. The components may be interchangeable to provide versatility without requiring a large number of single use shoes. Each shoe component may also be collapsible to provide for convenient packing in a travel bag or other location where space is limited.

A web comprising a matrix fiber containing a non-elastic polyester based short fiber and an elastic composite fiber which is made of a thermoplastic elastomer having a melting point of at least 40° C. lower than a melting point of a polyester polymer constituting the short fiber and a non-elastic polyester, with the former being at least exposed on a surface of the fiber, and optionally a hygroscopic and exothermic fiber is heat molded such that the fibers are aligned in a thickness direction thereof, thereby obtaining a mat layer, onto which is then stuck a surface skin material to form an internal material of shoe, and a shoe insole and a boot are obtained by using the internal material of shoe.

The invention relates to a boot having a sole, an upper placed above the sole, an outer bootie placed between the sole and the upper, a first interchangeable inner bootie removably attachable within the outer bootie, and a second interchangeable inner bootie removably attachable within the outer bootie. The first interchangeable inner bootie may be different than the second interchangeable inner bootie so that a user can, depending upon the weather conditions, select which inner bootie to insert into the outer bootie. The invention also relates to a method for making the boot.

A footwear sole assembly with at least one compressible protruding element extending downwardly beyond the bottom surface of the outsole, the at least one protruding element providing a natural instability to a wearer when the sole assembly initially contacts a supporting surface. The at least one protruding element is a three-dimensional structure formed of a substantially solid elastomeric material. In another embodiment, the at least one protruding element may also protrude upwardly beyond the sole assembly in such a manner that the wearer's foot can apply pressure to the top portion of said at least one protruding element.

A shoe includes a protective wrap disposed inside an upper and includes a sole portion disposed removably on a sole unit, and two side portions extending upwardly and respectively from two sides of the sole portion and connected to a fastening unit. When the fastening unit is tightened, the fastening unit pulls the side portions, and the side portions lift the sole portion so that the protective wrap is wrapped tightly around the foot of the wearer.

A method and wearable system and for enhancing human balance and gait and preventing foot injury through neurological stimulation of the foot and the ankle. Subthreshold stimulation for neurosensory enhancement is provided via electrodes or vibrational actuators, or combination thereof, disposed in or on a wearable a platform, such as an insole, sock shoe, removable shoe insert, or applied without the support of a platform, to the skin surface of an individual. Suprathreshold stimulation for therapeutic purposes, such as improving blood flow, is also provided by the vibrational actuators. The actuators and electrodes are driven by bias signals generated by a bias signal generator that is coupled to a controller. The signal generator under the control of the controller is adapted to generate a non-deterministic random signal, a repetitive pattern or series of patterns. The controller optionally includes a communication port for interfacing with an external computer for purposes of optimizing and programming the controller. The wearable system is powered by a power source.

The invention relates to a lacing system (2) for a shoe (1), in particular for an inner shoe, with a cord-type or lace-type tensioning means (12) and looping means (11) for the tensioning means (12) arranged on oppositely lying wall regions (8, 9) of a shoe cut-out (5) extending from an entry opening (3) approximately to as far as an ankle region (4) and having at least one fixing means (18) for the tensioning means (12). In a first tensioning region (13) extending across the ankle region (4), the looping means (11) are arranged more or less opposite one another and in another tensioning region (14) extending in the direction towards the entry opening (3), the looping means (11) are arranged offset in height from one another on the oppositely lying wall regions (8, 9) and the tensioning means (12) in the first tensioning region (13) forms a tensioning loop (32) zigzaging over the shoe cut-out (5), from which a tensioning means cord (30) spanning the shoe cut-out (5) in a zigzag pattern between the looping means (11) forms the other tensioning region (14), and an end region (19) of the tensioning means cord (30) is joined to the shoe (1) by means of the fixing device (18) disposed in the region of the entry opening (3) in a clamped and/or releasable arrangement.

This invention relates generally to footwear with a shoe sole, including at least one insertable midsole orthotic. The insertable midsole orthotic is removably inserted within the shoe upper, the sides of which hold it in position. The shoe sole includes a concavely rounded side or underneath portion, which may be formed in part by the insertable midsole orthotic. The insertable midsole orthotic may extend the length of the shoe sole or may form only a part of the shoe sole and can incorporate cushioning or structural compartments or components.

The insertable midsole orthotic permits replacement of midsole material which has degraded or has worn out in order to maintain optimal characteristics of the shoe sole and allows customization for the individual wearer to provide tailored cushioning or support characteristics for the purpose of orthopedic, podiatric, corrective, prescriptive, therapeutic and/or prosthetic purposes.

A boot, such as a snowboard boot, having an outer shell including a flexible upper and a harness assembly disposed in the outer shell. The harness assembly wraps about a user's ankle, includes a plurality of cord keepers. A cord—for example, a lace or a stainless steel cable—slidably engages the cord keepers, for tightening the harness about the user's ankle. A tensioning mechanism such as a spool mechanism or a lace keeper is attached to the flexible upper and engages the cord, such that the user can releasably tension the cord. The cord extends through an aperture in the outer shell whereby the user can tighten or loosen the harness without removing the boot. In an embodiment, the tensioning mechanism is a lace locker fixedly attached to the shell tongue, wherein the tongue includes apertures disposed near the bottom of the lace locker to slidably accommodate the cord.

According to one embodiment, a removable tightening device is described. The tensioning mechanism is removably coupleable with an article without damaging the article so that upon removal, the coupling of the tensioning mechanism with the article is unrecognizable or not readily detectable. The tensioning mechanism is operable with a tension member to maintain a tension of the tension member and thereby maintain a tightness of the article. The tension member is guided along a path about the article, via one or more guide members, and is tensionable, via the tensioning mechanism, to tighten the article.