Footwear heel spring device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11304477-B2
Application number	US-202016933118-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2020
Priority date	Oct 26, 2016
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A device configured to surround a portion of a foot-receiving cavity at a heel region of an article of footwear includes a control bar having a center segment, a medial side arm extending from the center segment, and a lateral side arm spaced from the medial side arm and extending from the center segment. The device may include an extension extending toward the control bar. At least a portion of the control bar may be elastically deformable under an applied force depressing the control bar toward the extension, and the extension may limit movement of the control bar. The control bar may be adapted to return to an unloaded position upon removal of the applied force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper defining a foot-receiving cavity with an ankle opening;
a device connected to a heel region of the upper and including:
a control bar having a center segment connected to the upper rearward of the ankle opening, a medial side arm extending downwardly and forwardly from the center segment at a medial side of the upper, and a lateral side arm extending downwardly and forwardly from the center segment at a lateral side of the upper;
an extension disposed at a back portion of the article of footwear and having a tip extending upwardly toward the control bar;

wherein the upper has a first stiffness at a first location between the control bar and the extension, a second stiffness at a second location between the first location and the extension, and the second stiffness is less than the first stiffness;
wherein at least a portion of the control bar is elastically deformable under an applied downward force depressing the control bar toward the extension, the tip of the extension deforming the upper inward toward the foot-receiving cavity at the second location; and wherein the control bar and the upper return to an unloaded position upon removal of the applied downward force.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper has a first thickness at the first location, a second thickness at the second location, and the second thickness is less than the first thickness.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the extension is centrally disposed at the back portion of the article of footwear.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the upper includes:
multiple layers of a first material at the first location; and
an insert disposed between the layers of the first material.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the upper includes:
an additional layer of a second material at the second location.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein the insert is stiffer than the first material and the second material.

7. The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein the multiple layers extend between the first location and the second location, below the insert and above the second material.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein a portion of the upper below the insert and above the second material consists of only the multiple layers.

9. The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein one of the layers of the first material extends from the first location to the second location.

10. The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein the first material is a flexible nylon, and the second material is suede.

11. The article of footwear of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the device comprises a polyether block amide.

12. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a base having a medial base arm connected to the medial side arm of the control bar, a lateral base arm connected to the lateral side arm of the control bar, and a center segment connecting the medial base arm to the lateral base arm; and
the extension is disposed on the center segment of the base and extends away from the medial base arm and the lateral base arm.

13. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the center segment of the control bar includes an aperture; and the article of footwear further comprising:
a tab extending from the heel region of the upper through the aperture and secured to the heel region of the upper adjacent to the control bar to connect the upper to the control bar.

14. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the extension has a rear protrusion that has a beveled outer surface with a concave upper bevel extending forwardly from a rearmost extent of the rear protrusion, and with a lower bevel that slopes downwardly and forwardly from the rearmost extent of the rear protrusion.

15. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a base connected to both the medial side arm and the lateral side arm; wherein the extension extends from the base.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein the medial side arm and the lateral side arm extend downwardly and forwardly from the center segment of the control bar to define an acute angle with the base when in the unloaded position.

17. The article of footwear of claim 16 , wherein:
the base has a medial base arm connected to the medial side arm of the control bar, a lateral base arm connected to the lateral side arm of the control bar, and a center segment connecting the medial base arm to the lateral base arm; and
the extension is a rounded protrusion extending upwardly to the tip from the center segment of the base.

18. The article of footwear of claim 16 , wherein:
the base has a medial base arm connected to the medial side arm of the control bar, a lateral base arm connected to the lateral side arm of the control bar, and a center segment connecting the medial base arm to the lateral base arm; and
the center segment of the base has a rear protrusion extending away from the medial base arm and the lateral base arm.

19. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the center segment of the control bar slopes forwardly and downwardly.

20. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein at either or both of a medial side and a lateral side of the control bar, an upper surface of the center segment extends along a ledge projecting forwardly above a descending portion of a corresponding one of the medial side arm and lateral side arm.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Beers Tiffany A
• Dimoff John T
• Flanagan Wade
• Orand Austin
• Sullivan Gerald
• Xanthos George A

Classifications

• A43B3/248 Primary

  Collapsible, e.g. foldable for travelling · CPC title

• A43B11/00

  Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing, e.g. with straps · CPC title

• A43B23/088

  Heel stiffeners (A43B23/10, A43B23/14, A43B23/16, A43B23/17 take precedence) · CPC title

• A43B21/32

  Resilient supports for the heel of the foot · CPC title

• A43B21/26 Primary

  Resilient heels · CPC title