Impact-attenuating elements removably mounted in footwear or other products

摘要

Articles of footwear have a sole structure that extends along the longitudinal length of the article of footwear within the forefoot region, the midfoot region, and the heel region of the article of footwear. One or more removable inserts may be inserted into at least a portion of the sole structure in any desired region. Various removable inserts may have different characteristics, including different performance characteristics. The various removable inserts may be inserted into and removed from the sole structure of the article of footwear. A wearer may be able to compare the characteristics for each of the removable inserts. Such a process may help a wearer to determine the more favorable characteristics for an article of footwear; may facilitate testing of sole structures or other components of an article of footwear for a manufacturer or developer of articles of footwear; may help train wearers who test the articles of footwear for such a manufacturer or developer; may improve versatility of a single article of footwear; and the like.

主权项

1. A method of comparing removable inserts used during an athletic activity, comprising:
instructing a first wearer to insert into a sole structure of an article of footwear a first removable insert having a first set of characteristics, the first removable insert being inserted into at least one of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region; instructing the first wearer to perform at least one athletic activity while wearing the article of footwear containing the sole structure with the first removable insert; instructing the first wearer to remove the first removable insert from the sole structure; instructing the first wearer to insert into the sole structure a reference removable insert having a reference set of characteristics that are different from the first set of characteristics, each of the reference characteristics having a reference value that is a value on a scale, the scale and value being assigned by another party, the reference removable insert being inserted into the at least one of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the sole structure; instructing the first wearer to perform the at least one athletic activity while wearing the article of footwear containing the sole structure with the reference removable insert; instructing the first wearer to compare the first set of characteristics to the reference set of characteristics and assign values for the first characteristics on the scale; and instructing the first wearer to record information in a tangible medium of expression relating to a comparison of the scaled values of the first set of characteristics and the reference set of characteristics.