Patent landscapes › Clothing & accessories
Is a sneaker patented?
Short answer: specific designs of a sneaker have been patented many times, but "a sneaker" as a general idea is not what is protected. What matters is the exact combination of features in your version.
What our index shows
- 321 US and WO patent publications since 2000 have a title matching “athleticsportrunning shoe” or a close variant (our index of 9.7 million patent families; one publication per family).
- Among the 116 best keyword matches we examined, 44 were published in 2020 or later, and the earliest was published in 2000.
- Most frequent assignees in those matches: MIZUNO KK (15), ON CLOUDS GMBH (7), TRUELSEN EJNAR (3), ANTA CHINA CO LTD (2).
- Most common patent classes (CPC subclasses): A43B (110), A43C (18), B29D (4), Y10T (3).
Counts come from keyword matching on titles and abstracts, so they are indicative, not a legal count. Some matches are different products that share a word.
14 real patent publications related to a sneaker
- Running shoe sole comprising a soft-elastic midsole US-12599194-B2 2026 · ON CLOUDS GMBH
A sole for a running shoe with a soft-elastic midsole ( 1 ) includes an underside ( 2 ) at least partially contacting the ground (B) during running and comprises a plurality of channels ( 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d, 3 …
View on Google Patents - Sole for a running shoe US-12593891-B2 2026 · ON CLOUDS GMBH
A sole for a running shoe having a midsole ( 1 ), the midsole ( 1 ) having a soft-elastic top layer ( 2 ) and a soft-elastic bottom layer ( 3 ), a flexurally elastic incompressible plate ( 4 ) being arranged in the vertical direct…
View on Google Patents - Sole for a Running Shoe US-2025331602-A1 2025 · ADIDAS AG
The present disclosure relates to a sole for a shoe, in particular for a sports shoe such as a running shoe, comprising (a) a midsole, and (b) at least one ground-contacting support element comprising a foam material and being dis…
View on Google Patents - Air-permeable sneaker sole assisting in movement and shoe WO-2023035329-A1 2023 · FUJIAN HONGXING ERKE SPORTING
An air-permeable sneaker sole assisting in movement, comprising a sole body (1). An air exchange layer (2) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the upper side of the sole body (1); multiple air dredging grooves (3) are formed…
View on Google Patents - Rigid component for sole, functional racing shoe sole, and sneaker WO-2022021472-A1 2022 · ANTA CHINA CO LTD
A rigid component for a sole, a functional racing shoe sole, and a sneaker. The rigid component is a rigid plate which is formed by longitudinally connecting a forefoot section (1) and a heel section (2) and covers the foot sole, …
View on Google Patents - Sole for a shoe, in particular for a running shoe US-2022022596-A1 2022 · ECCO SKO AS
A shoe sole includes a midsole and an outsole having discrete outsole elements. The midsole has on the side facing the outsole a multiple of flex grooves crossing each other and creating pads in the midsole. A curved forefoot flex…
View on Google Patents - Running shoe and running shoe sole system WO-2022134386-A1 2022 · ANTA CHINA CO LTD
A running shoe sole system and a running shoe. The running shoe sole system comprises a sole body; the sole body comprises a midsole (1) for being in contact with a sole of a runner, and an outsole (2) attached to the bottom of th…
View on Google Patents - Sneakers shoe having improved cushion force WO-2019172730-A1 2019 · PARK YOUNG SOUL
The present invention relates to a shoe called a canvas shoe or sneakers shoe having a sole configured to be in almost close contact with the ground, wherein the shoe has an improved cushion force and can maintain original charact…
View on Google Patents - Sole for a shoe, in particular for a running shoe US-10165821-B2 2019 · TRUELSEN EJNAR
A sole for a shoe, in particular for a running shoe, the sole having a polyurethane injected midsole, a longitudinally extending shank, and an outsole. The shank extends from the forefoot of the sole through an arch area to a heel…
View on Google Patents - Self-fitting, self-adjusting, automatically adjusting and/or automatically fitting shoe/sneaker/footwear US-9999278-B2 2018 · FEINSTEIN PETER A
Provided is a self-fitting and automatically adjustable footwear wherein the shoe upper and/or shoe tongue have or are attached to a shape memory material (“SMM”). Upon stimulation, the SMM deforms and brings the footwear to self-…
View on Google Patents - Sole structure for a running shoe US-9775403-B2 2017 · ON CLOUDS GMBH
A sole structure for a running shoe is presented having an outsole and a midsole. The sole structure includes a plurality of hollow elements, which are closed off in each case by front flanks and rear flanks, and have spaced-apart…
View on Google Patents - Shoe sole of athletic shoe with high running efficiency US-8863407-B2 2014 · NISHIWAKI TSUYOSHI
An athletic shoe suitable for efficient running. A depression is formed in the rear foot portion which extends forward from the calcaneal bone and which does not contact the ground. A band-like area is provided in the middle foot …
View on Google Patents - Athletic shoe or sneaker with stabilization device US-6775929-B2 2004 · KATZ BARRY H
A stabilization device for an athletic shoe or sneaker having two elongate straps for wrapping around a foot within the shoe. The straps are attached to the inside sidewalls of the shoe and exit the shoe through lateral slits adja…
View on Google Patents - Protective footwear for use with running shoes, sneakers US-6412195-B1 2002
A one-piece toe plate is removably placeable inside the toe box of a shoe such as a running shoe, a sneaker or the like to protect the wearer's toes. The footwear can thus be used in a work situation requiring foot protection,…
View on Google Patents
What this means for your idea
Because patents cover specific combinations of features, the useful question is not “has a sneaker been patented?” but “has my combination of features been described before?” Accessories and apparel are often protected by design patents as much as utility patents; how something fastens, adjusts or is shaped is usually the difference.
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Guides that help with this
First-look landscape. Not exhaustive. Not legal advice. This page lists keyword-matched publications from a limited database; it does not say whether any product is or isn't covered by a patent, whether a patent is still in force, or whether your idea is patentable. Consult a registered patent attorney or agent.