US 12,064,011 B2
Footwear article with hinged heel
Ami M. Davis, Hillsboro, OR (US); and Richard S. Ramsay, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/969,086.
Application 17/969,086 is a continuation of application No. 17/194,513, filed on Mar. 8, 2021, granted, now 11,523,654.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/989,185, filed on Mar. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0045198 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A43B 11/00 (2006.01); A43B 3/00 (2022.01); A43B 3/24 (2006.01); A43B 21/433 (2006.01); A43C 11/12 (2006.01); A43B 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC A43B 3/0036 (2013.01) [A43B 3/24 (2013.01); A43B 3/242 (2013.01); A43B 11/00 (2013.01); A43B 21/433 (2013.01); A43C 11/12 (2013.01); A43B 3/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A footwear article comprising:
a sole;
an upper coupled to the sole and including a collar;
a heel flap connected to the collar by a hinge; and
an elastic member comprising:
an end portion coupled to the sole, the upper, or any combination thereof;
an elongate portion extending both superiorly and posteriorly from the end portion to a pull portion of the elastic member, the pull portion being movable between a first position that is superior to the hinge and a second position that is inferior to the hinge; and
a tacked-down portion coupled to the heel flap by a fixed-state connector, the fixed state connector directly coupling the elastic member to the heel flap at the tacked-down portion.