US 12,419,387 B2
Footwear heel counter for easier foot entry or removal
John Maxwell Weeks, Los Angeles, CA (US); Scott Kelley, Redondo Beach, CA (US); Frank F Chuang, Cypress, CA (US); Pei-Chun Liao, Torrance, CA (US); Johnson Tja, Foshan (CN); Hui Xie, Dongguan (CN); and Kurt Stockbridge, Palos Verdes Estates, CA (US)
Assigned to Skechers U.S.A., Inc. II, Manhattan Beach, CA (US)
Filed by Skechers U.S.A., Inc. II, Manhattan Beach, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/639,831.
Application 18/639,831 is a continuation of application No. 18/199,262, filed on May 18, 2023, granted, now 12,011,064.
Application 18/199,262 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2022/046726, filed on Oct. 14, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/256,521, filed on Oct. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0277114 A1, Aug. 22, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A43B 23/08 (2006.01); A43B 11/00 (2006.01); A43B 21/24 (2006.01)
CPC A43B 23/08 (2013.01) [A43B 11/00 (2013.01); A43B 21/24 (2013.01); A43B 23/088 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A shoe comprising a sole and an upper;
the upper comprising a heel counter, and the upper forming a foot receiving shoe opening;
the heel counter comprising a heel cup;
wherein the heel cup is uniformly molded with an upper portion, midportion, and lower portion;
wherein, in a vertical cross-section, the heel cup has an S wave shape with a concave lower portion facing the shoe opening;
wherein a thickness of the heel cup decreases gradually from a peripheral portion forming an area at a periphery of the heel cup toward a central region of the midportion of the heel cup;
wherein the heel cup is attached to an interior compressible layer;
wherein the compressible layer extends into the shoe opening;
wherein the compressible layer is configured to be compressed by a user's foot during insertion or removal of the user's foot, and configured to at least partially expand to hold an ankle of the user's foot once the foot is inserted;
wherein the compressible layer extends from a medial side and a lateral side of the upper portion of the heel cup along at least a portion of the inner surface of the upper to form a medial side portion and a lateral side portion of the compressible layer; and
wherein the compressible layer tapers at the medial side portion and the lateral side portion;
and wherein a rear portion of the compressible layer curves inward and tapers vertically downward along the concave lower portion.