Support system for footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a sole member, an insole, and a forefoot cushioning member. In some aspects, the sole member defines a forepart recess and a backpart aperture, and the insole is secured to a top side of the sole member. The insole defines a forepart aperture aligned with the forepart recess of the sole member, and a length of the forepart aperture is less than a length of the forepart recess. The forefoot cushioning member is secured within the forepart recess of the sole member and between the insole and the sole member.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper defining an upper cavity;   a sole member connected to the upper and defining a forepart recess and a backpart aperture;   an insole secured to a top side of the sole member and comprising a body defining a forepart aperture aligned with the forepart recess of the sole member; and   a forefoot cushioning member secured within the forepart recess of the sole member and between the insole and the sole member, wherein a hardness of the forefoot cushioning member is less than a hardness of the sole member.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the sole member comprises an outsole and a heel, wherein the outsole comprises a body defining the forepart recess, and wherein the backpart aperture of the sole member comprises a backpart aperture of the outsole aligned with a heel cavity defined by a body of the heel. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the body of the heel further comprises a heel slot extending from the heel cavity to a bottom surface of the heel, wherein the article of footwear further comprises a heel cushioning member comprising a heel projection, and wherein the heel cushioning member is removably positioned within the heel cavity such that the heel projection is removably positioned within the heel slot. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a heel cushioning member removably positioned within the the backpart aperture of the sole member. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the sole member comprises a hardness of from about 60A to about 75A, and wherein the forefoot cushioning member comprises a hardness of from about 50A to about 65A. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a footbed removably positioned within the upper cavity, wherein the footbed comprises a body with a front projection and a back projection, and wherein a hardness of the footbed is less than a hardness of the forefoot cushioning member. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the sole member has a hardness of from about 60A to about 75A, wherein the forefoot cushioning member has a hardness of from about 50A to about 65A, and wherein the footbed has a hardness of from about 40A to about 55A. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the forepart aperture of the insole is less than a length of the forepart recess of the sole member such that the insole overlaps a portion of the forepart recess and a portion of the forefoot cushioning member. 
     
     
         9 . A method of assembling an article of footwear comprising:
 positioning a forefoot cushioning member in a forepart recess of a sole member; and   securing an insole to the sole member such that a backpart aperture of the insole provides access to a backpart aperture of the sole member, a forepart aperture of the insole is aligned with the forepart recess, and the insole at least partially overlaps the forefoot cushioning member in the forepart recess, wherein a hardness of the forefoot cushioning member is less than a hardness of the sole member.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising positioning and retaining a heel cushioning member within the backpart aperture of the insole and the backpart aperture of the sole member. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein positioning and retaining the heel cushioning member further comprises positioning and retaining a heel extension of the heel cushioning member within a heel slot of the backpart aperture. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising removably positioning a footbed relative to the sole member and the insole within a cavity defined by an upper of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein securing the footbed comprises:
 removably positioning a back projection of the footbed within the backpart aperture of the insole and the backpart aperture of the sole member; and   removably positioning a front projection of the footbed within the forepart aperture.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein removably positioning the back projection comprises abutting the back projection with a heel cushioning member, and wherein removably positioning the front projection comprises abutting the front projection with the forefoot cushioning member. 
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole member defining a forepart recess and a backpart aperture;   an insole secured to a top side of the sole member and defining a forepart aperture aligned with the forepart recess of the sole member, wherein a length of the forepart aperture is less than a length of the forepart recess; and   a forefoot cushioning member secured within the forepart recess of the sole member and between the insole and the sole member.   
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , further comprising a heel cushioning member removably positioned within the backpart aperture, wherein the backpart aperture further comprises a heel slot extending from the backpart aperture and having a length less than a length than the backpart aperture, and wherein the heel cushioning member further comprises a heel extension removably positioned within the heel slot. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the heel slot extends to a bottom surface of the sole member, and wherein the article of footwear further comprises a spacer positioned within the heel slot between the bottom surface of the sole member and the heel extension. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , further comprising a footbed comprising a body with a front projection and a back projection, and wherein a hardness of the footbed is less than a hardness of the forefoot cushioning member and less than a hardness of the sole member. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the sole member has a hardness of from about 60A to about 75A, wherein the forefoot cushioning member has a hardness of from about 50A to about 65A, and wherein the footbed has a hardness of from about 40A to about 55A. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the front projection is removably positioned within the forepart aperture and abutting the forefoot cushioning member, and wherein the back projection is removably positioned within the backpart aperture and abutting a heel cushioning member within the backpart aperture.