Footwear with shaped sole surface

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a footwear having a contoured mid sole, which avoids the need for a separate insole member located within the upper of the footwear. In one embodiment the upper of the footwear includes bottom surface interfaces between the user's foot and mid sole. The present disclosure also provides related methods of manufacturing.

1 . A footwear with a fitted sole comprising:
 a sole including a bottom surface configured to engage the ground surface and an upper surface having contours thereon that are configured to reflect the contours on the bottom of a person's foot;   an upper configured to wrap around a person's foot, the upper including a foot bed portion that is positioned against the upper surface of the sole such that the foot bed portion follows the contours of the upper surface of the sole.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the foot bed portion is constructed of a resilient material. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the foot bed portion is constructed of a urethane material. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the foot bed portion is constructed of a memory foam material. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the foot bed portion has a thickness of between ⅛ to ⅜ of an inch. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a radiused periphery in the heel portion. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the radiused periphery has a radius of curvature greater than three-eighths of an inch. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the radiused periphery has a radius of curvature greater than seven-sixteenths of an inch. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the radiused periphery has a radius of curvature greater than seven-sixteenths of an inch in the heel area and less than seven-sixteenths in the forefoot. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a support member is positioned between the top surface of the sole and the bottom surface of the sole. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the support member includes a forefoot plate portion configured for point load distribution. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the forefoot portion includes opposed torsion arms that connect in the mid foot portion of the sole and extend towards the rear of the sole. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the foot bed is adhered to the upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the sole in the heel area along the center of the sole is curved at the periphery with a radius of curvature that is greater than seven-sixteenths of an inch. 
     
     
         15 . A footwear with a fitted sole comprising:
 a sole including a bottom surface configured to engage the ground surface and a contoured upper surface;   an upper configured to wrap around a person's foot, the upper including a foot bed portion that is positioned against the upper surface of the sole such that the foot bed portion follows the contours of the upper surface of the sole;   wherein the upper is configured to not receive a removable insole.   
     
     
         16 . The footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the footwear does not include a removable insole positioned above the foot bed within the upper. 
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a footwear comprising:
 providing a sole with a contoured upper surface;   providing an upper with a resilient foot bed portion;   connecting the resilient foot bed portion to the contoured upper surface such that the foot bed portion is contoured to fit a person's foot.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein footwear is constructed without inserting an insole into the upper. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the heel portion of the surface of the sole is concaved. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the periphery of the heel portion of the upper surface of the sole has a radius of curvature greater than seven-sixteenths of an inch. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising the step of providing a last into the upper, wherein the last includes a contoured bottom surface.