Footwear article

Abstract

The footwear article comprises a generally elongate sole having a first portion for interaction with a ground surface during ambulation, a second portion for interaction with the ground surface during ambulation, and a third portion between the upper surface and the lower surface. The first portion includes a first material with a first material property, the second portion includes a second material with a material property, and the third portion includes a material with a third material property. The first and portions extend to the upper surface of the sole. The first material property provides dampening of impact load imparted to the foot of the person upon contact of the footwear article with the ground surface. The third material property is a visco-elastic property for providing controlled deformation upon contact of the footwear article with the ground surface and returns to an initial state upon removal of the impact.

1 - 70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . A footwear article comprising:
 a generally elongate sole comprising a first portion, a second portion and a third 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;   said second portion forming substantially the entire lower surface of the footwear article and being for direct contact and interaction with a ground surface and being formed from a second polymeric material having a second density;   said third portion being disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface, and being formed from a third polymeric material,   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 material is provided in a gel form and the second polymeric material is provided in an expanded form, and wherein the first density is greater than the second density;   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 third material property is a visco-elastic property for providing controlled deformation upon contact of the footwear article with a ground surface and return to an initial state upon removal of said impact.   
     
     
         72 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , wherein the first portion forms substantially the entire upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         73 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , wherein the third portion is provided as a shape memory expanded polymer and the viscosity of and density is selected such that the third portion in conjunction with the third material property provides said visco-elastic property. 
     
     
         74 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , wherein the third portion is provided in the form of interconnected deformable sub-portions or discrete deformable sub-portions. 
     
     
         75 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , wherein the third portion is provided as an expanded shape memory sponge construct. 
     
     
         76 . A footwear article according to  claim 74 , wherein the sub-portions a geometry which is partially spherical. 
     
     
         77 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , wherein the third portion extends substantially the length of the sole and substantially the width of the sole. 
     
     
         78 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , wherein the visco-elastic property of the third portion is non-uniform laterally. 
     
     
         79 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , wherein the visco-elastic property of the third portion is non-uniform longitudinally. 
     
     
         80 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , 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. 
     
     
         81 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , 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. 
     
     
         82 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , wherein the third polymeric material is polyurethane. 
     
     
         83 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , wherein said foot engagement means is selected from the group including straps, an enclosure, a buckle or the like. 
     
     
         84 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , wherein the sole is formed as a unitary construct by co-molding the first portion and the second portion together, with the third portion encapsulated within the sole. 
     
     
         85 . A footwear article according to  claim 71 , 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.