Cushioning system for footwear and related method of manufacture

A sole assembly for a welted article of footwear comprising:

• an outsole including an upper surface;
• a midsole secured to said outsole, said midsole of a sheet construction substantially covering said upper surface;
• an insole platform secured to said midsole, said insole platform including a downwardly extending rib which defines a downwardly opening recess, said insole platform defining an upwardly opening recess bounded by one or more side walls and a bottom, at least a portion of said bottom in a position that is at least one of in and below said downwardly opening recess;
• and
• an insert including a footbed and a cushion extending from said footbed and interfit with said upwardly opening recess.

A sole assembly for a welted article of footwear comprising:

• an outsole including an upper surface;
• a midsole secured to said outsole, said midsole of a sheet construction substantially covering said upper surface;
• an insole platform secured to said midsole, said insole platform defining a recess bounded by one or more side walls and a bottom;
• an insert including a footbed and a cushion extending from said footbed and interfit with said recess;
• and
• wherein said outsole defines a cavity including at least one of a pad positioned in said cavity and a plug molded in said cavity.

A method for manufacturing a sole assembly for welted footwear comprising:

• providing an insole platform including an insole heel portion, an insole forefoot portion, and an insole plate, said insole plate including a side wall extending downwardly from said insole plate on a first side of said insole plate and a bottom wall, said side wall and said bottom wall cooperating to define an upwardly opening recess below said insole plate on said first side, the insole platform further including a rib extending downwardly from said insole plate on said first side, said rib adapted to affix the insole platform to a welt;
• securing the rib to a midsole;
• and
• securing at least one of the midsole and the insole platform to an outsole, the outsole including an outsole heel portion.

A method for manufacturing a sole assembly for welted footwear comprising:

• providing an insole platform including an insole heel portion, an insole forefoot portion, and an insole plate defining an upwardly opening recess bounded by a bottom wall and at least one side wall, the insole platform further including a rib extending therefrom for affixing the insole platform to a welt;
• securing the rib to a midsole of a sheet construction;
• securing at least one of the midsole and the insole platform to an outsole, the outsole including an outsole heel portion;
• and
• wherein the outsole defines a heel cavity in the outsole heel portion, the heel cavity including at least one of a heel pad positioned in said heel cavity and a heel plug molded in said heel cavity.