Ariat International, Inc.

Calvin Myron Buck, Iv

Marco Aurelio Grott

Heel dampening systems and footwear including the same. Articles of footwear include an upper and a sole assembly. The sole assembly includes at least an outsole and a heel assembly. The heel assembly includes a heel dampening system, an upper heel layer that includes a cushion aperture, and a lower heel layer. The heel dampening system includes a heel dampening layer configured to at least partially absorb an impact force and a cushioning projection that extends from the heel dampening layer and at least partially through the cushion aperture in the upper heel layer.

Heel dampening systems and footwear including the same

Support plates, and footwear soles and articles of footwear containing the same. The support plate generally may provide one or more of heel cushioning, arch support in a midfoot region of the support plate, and integral medial and lateral legs extending from the midfoot region of the support plate towards an anterior end of the support plate. An article of footwear may include a support plate at least partially embedded within a sole assembly, such as a midsole thereof. The support plate may be configured to provide energy return and arch support to a wearer of the article of footwear. The support plate may include a domed structure with radially extending arms extending from a central heel portion, where the domed structure provides heel cushioning to the wearer when a force is transmitted through the midsole to the domed structure.

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Vancouver, WA, United States of America

Calvin Myron Buck, Iv