US 12,419,388 B2
Footwear heel counter for easier foot entry or removal
John Maxwell Weeks, Los Angeles, CA (US); Scott Kelley, Redondo Beach, CA (US); Frank 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 Dec. 6, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/972,657.
Application 18/972,657 is a continuation of application No. 18/807,927, filed on Aug. 17, 2024.
Application 18/807,927 is a continuation of application No. 18/199,250, filed on May 18, 2023.
Application 18/199,250 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 2025/0098820 A1, Mar. 27, 2025
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)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A shoe comprising:
a sole extending from a front portion to a rear portion of the shoe;
an upper comprising elastic material;
a heel cup comprising a uniformly molded flexible polymer material,
the heel cup comprising an aperture at a rear of the heel cup, wherein tension created by the elastic material of the upper at the aperture upon stretching facilitates securement of a user's foot within the shoe,
the heel cup comprising an upper portion attached to the upper, the upper portion being concave relative to the front portion of the shoe in a plane of the sole and flexing downward upon application of downward force by the user's foot when donning the shoe, temporarily widening a foot-receiving shoe opening into which the user's foot is inserted, and returning upward to surround a rear portion of a heel of the user's foot to facilitate the securement of the user's foot within the shoe after donning,
the heel cup comprising a lower portion attached to the sole; and
a foam layer positioned near a topmost region of the foot-receiving shoe opening and extending into the shoe opening, the foam layer configured to be compressed by the user's heel during foot insertion, and to facilitate the securement of the foot within the shoe after donning.