ARTICLES OF FOOTWEAR TRANSITIONAL BETWEEN A FOOT INSERTION OR REMOVAL CONFIGURATION AND A FOOT SUPPORTING CONFIGURATION

摘要

Sole structures 104 for footwear 100 include a forefoot support component 200F, a heel support component 200H, and a midfoot flex component 200M engaging the forefoot support component 200F and the heel support component 200H. The midfoot flex component 200M includes a medial side edge 210M, a lateral side edge 210L, and an intermediate portion 210I extending between the lateral side edge 210L and the medial side edge 210M. This midfoot flex component 200M is movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein: (a) in the closed position, at least a portion of the midfoot flex component 200M has a transverse cross sectional shape extending in a direction from the medial side edge 210M to the lateral side edge 210L in which the intermediate portion 210I of the midfoot flex component 200M curves in a first direction from a local extrema 210E located in the intermediate portion 210I, and (b) in the open position, at least said portion of the midfoot flex component 200M has a transverse cross sectional shape extending in the direction from the medial side edge 210M to the lateral side edge 210L in which the intermediate portion 210I of the midfoot flex component 200M is substantially flat or curves in a second direction from a local extrema 210E located in the intermediate portion 210I, wherein the second direction is opposite from the first direction.