Footwear article

Abstract

A footwear article comprising a generally elongate sole for engagement with and support of the foot of a person, said sole having an upper surface, a lower surface, a first portion being for interaction with at least the heel region of the foot of the person and a second portion for interaction with at least the metatarsal region of the foot of the person; and a foot engagement means for securing the footwear article to the foot of a person. The footwear article being characterised in that a first portion of the sole includes a first material having a first material property and the a second portion of the sole includes a second material having a second material property; and said first portion and said second portion extend at least to the upper surface of the sole and first material property provides for dampening of load imparted to the foot of the person upon contact with a surface.

1 . A footwear article comprising:
 a generally elongate sole for engagement with and support of the foot of a person, said sole having an upper surface, a lower surface, a first portion being for interaction with at least the heel region of the foot of the person and a second portion for interaction with at least the metatarsal region of the foot of the person; and   a foot engagement means for securing the footwear article to the foot of a person.   wherein a first portion of the sole includes a first material having a first material property and the a second portion of the sole includes a second material having a second material property,   said first portion and said second portion extend at least to the upper surface of the sole and first material property provides for dampening of load imparted to the foot of the person upon contact with a surface.   
     
     
         2 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion further provides for interaction with and at least partial support of the plantar arch of the user. 
     
     
         3 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion extends substantially laterally across the sole. 
     
     
         4 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion is provided as a first part and a second part and laterally spaced apart such that the first part provides for interaction with the lateral inferior of the heel of the person and the second part provides for interaction with the medial inferior aspect of the heel of the user. 
     
     
         5 . A footwear article according to  claim 4  wherein the first part and the second part of the first portion are sized and selected from a material so as to provide lateral stabilisation and load distribution of the heel of the person. 
     
     
         6 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material property and the second material property differ from each other. 
     
     
         7 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material differ from each other. 
     
     
         8 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material have differing densities. 
     
     
         9 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein and the first material property and the second material property differ from each other. 
     
     
         10 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are selected from the group including polymeric materials, rubbers, elastomers and organic materials or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material are selected from the group including thermoplastic polymeric material, co-polymers and mixed polymer blends. 
     
     
         12 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material are selected from the group including polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate, poly vinyl acetate and the like. 
     
     
         13 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material are provided in the form of expanded form, compact form or gel form of combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material is a polyurethane gel and the second material is an expanded poly vinyl acetate material. 
     
     
         15 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein said foot engagement means is selected from the group including straps, an enclosure, a buckle or the like. 
     
     
         16 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the sole is formed as a unitary construct by co-molding the first portion and the second portion together. 
     
     
         17 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the sole is formed as a unitary construct whereby the first portion and the second portion are joined together by an adhesive bonding agent, contact cement pressure or heat activated film or the like. 
     
     
         18 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the sole is provided as a substantially continuous surface and formed by at least part of the first portion and the second portion of the sole. 
     
     
         19 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion extends partially towards the lower surface of the sole. 
     
     
         20 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion extends through the sole to the lower surface of the sole. 
     
     
         21 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface is of concave form and the sole includes a peripheral lip extending at least partially along the periphery of the sole so as to provide a contoured upper surface configured to receive the underside of the foot of the person. 
     
     
         22 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , further including a cushioning member located within the sole. 
     
     
         23 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the sole further includes a third portion which extends to the upper surface of the sole and having material property provides for dampening of load imparted to the foot of the person upon contact with a surface, said third portion providing for interaction with at least the metatarsal region of the foot of the person. 
     
     
         24 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion is provided as a multi-layered gel construct. 
     
     
         25 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the article is provided in the form of a “flip-flop” type footwear article. 
     
     
         26 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the article is provided in the form of a “sandal” type footwear article. 
     
     
         27 . A footwear article according to  claim 1 , wherein the article is provided as an at least partially enclosed footwear article. 
     
     
         28 . A footwear article according to  claim 22 , wherein the footwear article is provided as a heeled article such that the upper surface of the sole is inclined in a direction of from the upper surface towards the lower surface in a direction of from the first portion towards the second portion, and the third portion is located in a portion to substantially prevent or reduce movement of the foot of the person along the upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         29 . A footwear article according to  claim 23 , wherein the third portion is located so as to be at adjacent the ball of the underside of the foot of the person. 
     
     
         30 . A footwear article comprising:
 a generally elongate sole for engagement with and support of the foot of a person, said sole having an upper surface, a lower surface, a first portion being for interaction with at least the heel region of the foot of the person and a second portion for interaction with at least the metatarsal region of the foot of the person; and   a foot engagement means for securing the footwear article to the foot of a person.   wherein a first portion of the sole includes a first material having a first material property and the a second portion of the sole includes a second material having a second material property, first material property providing for dampening of load imparted to the foot of the person upon contact with a surface.   
     
     
         31 . A footwear article according to  claim 30 , wherein said first material is a gel type polymeric material and said second material is an expanded polymeric material. 
     
     
         32 . A footwear article according to  claim 30 , wherein the sole is formed as a unitary molded structure. 
     
     
         33 . A footwear article according to  claim 30 , wherein said first portion and said second portion co-operatively form a flexible sole. 
     
     
         34 . A footwear article according to  claim 30 , wherein a part of the first portion and a part of the second portion form the upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         35 . A footwear article according to  claim 30 , wherein
 the second portion defines the entire lower surface of the sole for direct contact with a surface;   a part of the first portion and a part of the second portion define the entire upper surface of the sole,   said upper surface being provided for direct contact with the underside of the foot of a user the first and second portion constitute the entire sole   
     
     
         36 . A footwear article according to  claim 30 , wherein the foot engagement means is provided such that the foot of a person is substantially non-enclosed. 
     
     
         37 . A footwear article according to  claim 30 , wherein the article is provided as a “flip-flop” type footwear article. 
     
     
         38 . A footwear article comprising:
 a generally elongate sole comprising a first portion and a second portion and having an upper surface and a lower surface, said first portion being for direct contact and interaction with at least a portion of the underside of the foot of the person and being formed from a first polymeric material having a first density; and said second portion forming substantially the entire lower surface and being for direct contact and interaction with a surface and being formed from a second polymeric material having a second density; and   a generally elongate and flexible foot engagement means for securing the footwear article to the foot of a person, said foot engagement being engaged directly with at least said second portion and configured so as to extend over a portion of the upper side of the foot of the person;   wherein the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material are selected and the first portion and the second portion are sized and arranged such that the sole is substantially flexible and elastic so as to allow for substantial flexion of the sole longitudinally and return, when in use and during ambulation of the person;   wherein the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material are selected and the first portion and the second portion are sized and arranged such that dampening is provided upon load being imparted to the foot of the person upon contact with the surface; and   wherein the sole is formed as a unitary construct by co-molding the first portion and the second portion together, and the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material are suitably selected for said co-molding.   
     
     
         39 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein the first density is greater than the second density. 
     
     
         40 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein the first material is provided in a gel form and the second polymeric material is provided in an expanded form. 
     
     
         41 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein said foot engagement means is a “thong” type engagement means, and the footwear article is provided in the form of a “flip-flop” type footwear article. 
     
     
         42 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material are selected from the group including thermoplastic polymeric materials, co-polymers and mixed polymer blends. 
     
     
         43 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein first polymeric material and the second polymeric material are selected from the group including polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate, poly vinyl acetate and the like. 
     
     
         44 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein the first material is a polyurethane gel material and the second material is an expanded polyurethane material. 
     
     
         45 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein the first portion extends substantially laterally across upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         46 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein first portion substantially forms the rear part of the upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         47 . A footwear article according to  claim 46 , wherein the second portion forms at least a part of the front part of the upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         48 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein first portion forms at least part of the front part of the upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         49 . A footwear article according to  claim 48 , wherein the second portion forms at least a part of the rear part of the upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         50 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein the first portion further provides for interaction with and at least partial support of the plantar arch of the user. 
     
     
         51 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein the first portion forms substantially the entire upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         52 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein the first portion is provided as a first part and a second part and laterally spaced apart such that the first part provides for interaction with the lateral inferior of the metatarsal region of the foot of the person and the second part provides for interaction with the medial inferior aspect of the metatarsal region of the foot of the person. 
     
     
         53 . A footwear article according to  52 , wherein the first part and the second part of the first portion are sized and selected from a material so as to provide lateral stabilisation and load distribution of the heel of the person. 
     
     
         54 . A footwear article according to  claim 38 , wherein the upper surface is of concave form and the sole includes a peripheral lip extending at least partially along the periphery of the sole so as to provide a contoured upper surface configured to receive the underside of the foot of the person.