Rear access article of footwear with movable heel portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12317960-B2
Application number	US-202318317478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2023
Priority date	May 23, 2017
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

An article of footwear comprises a sole structure, and an upper including a front section and a rear section. The front section is fixed to a forefoot region of the sole structure and partially defines a foot-receiving cavity. The rear section is operatively secured to the sole structure at least partially rearward of the front section, and includes medial and lateral wings. A medial set of magnets includes at least one front medial magnet secured to a medial side of the front section and at least one rear medial magnet secured to the medial wing. A lateral set of magnets includes at least one front lateral magnet secured to a lateral side of the front section and at least one rear lateral magnet secured to the lateral wing. The rear section is movable relative to the front section between an access position and a use position.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure with adjoining forefoot, midfoot, and heel regions;
a multipart upper defining therein a foot-receiving cavity and including:
a first upper section attached to and extending across the forefoot, midfoot, and heel regions of the sole structure; and
a second upper section movably attached via stitching to the first upper section adjacent the heel region of the sole structure, the second upper section including first and second wings configured to wrap around and abut a first heel region of the first upper section;

a first series of magnets attached to the first upper section and extending around the first heel region; and
a second series of magnets attached to the second upper section and extending across the first and second wings,
wherein the second upper section is movable relative to the first upper section between an access position, whereat the first and second wings and the second series of magnets are spaced from the first heel region and the first series of magnets, and a use position, whereat the first and second wings abut the first heel region of the first upper section and the first series of magnets magnetically couple to the second series of magnets.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lace attached to and configured to tension the first upper section;
a first lace hook attached to the first wing and configured to receive a first portion of the lace to thereby secure the first wing to a first midfoot region of the first upper section; and
a second lace hook attached to the second wing and configured to receive a second portion of the lace to thereby secure the second wing to the first midfoot region of the first upper section.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the first upper section further includes a plurality of lace-receiving elements, and wherein the lace extends through the plurality of lace-receiving elements to thereby attach to the first upper section.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first series of magnets includes a first plurality of medial magnets located on a medial side of the first heel region and a first plurality of lateral magnets located on a lateral side of the first heel region, and wherein the second series of magnets includes a second plurality of medial magnets located on the first wing and a second plurality of lateral magnets located on the second wing.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the second plurality of medial magnets is embedded within the first wing and the second plurality of lateral magnets is embedded within the second wing.

6. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the first plurality of medial magnets is arranged in a first medial row and spaced from each other along a length of the footwear, and the first plurality of lateral magnets is arranged in a first lateral row and spaced from each other along the length of the footwear.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein inward-facing lower surfaces of the first and second wings seat against a rearward-facing outer surface of the first heel region of the first upper section when the second upper section is in the use position.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein distal ends of the inward-facing lower surfaces located adjacent terminal ends of the first and second wings seat against respective sides of a first midfoot region of the first upper section.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first heel region of the first upper section is U-shaped and extends continuously along the heel region of the sole structure, and wherein the second upper section, when in the use position, is U-shaped and extends continuously around an outer perimeter of the first heel region.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein a central region of the second upper section is fastened to the first heel region of the first upper section.

11. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first series of magnets is arranged on the first heel region of the first upper section wings and have sufficient magnetic strength to pull the first and second wings with the second series of magnets and the second upper section to the use position.

12. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the second upper section further includes a second heel region interposed between and connecting the first and second wings, the second heel region being pivotably mounted to the first heel region of the first upper section such that the second upper section rotates back and forth between the access position and the use position.

13. An upper for an article of footwear, the article of footwear including a sole structure with a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the upper comprising:
a first upper section configured to attach to and extend across the forefoot, midfoot, and heel regions of the sole structure, the first upper section including a first heel region extending continuously around the heel region of the sole structure;
a second upper section movably attached via stitching to the first upper section adjacent the heel region of the sole structure, the second upper section including first and second wings configured to wrap around and abut the first heel region of the first upper section;
a first series of magnets attached to the first upper section and extending around the first heel region; and
a second series of magnets attached to the second upper section and extending across the first and second wings,
wherein the second upper section is movable relative to the first upper section between an access position, whereat the first and second wings and the second series of magnets are spaced from the first heel region and the first series of magnets, and a use position, whereat the first and second wings abut the first heel region of the first upper section and the first series of magnets magnetically couple to the second series of magnets.

14. A method of assembling an article of footwear, the method comprising:
receiving a sole structure with adjoining forefoot, midfoot, and heel regions;
receiving a multipart upper defining therein a foot-receiving cavity, the multipart upper including a first upper section and a second upper section, the first upper section including a first heel region extending continuously around the heel region of the sole structure;
attaching a first series of magnets to the first upper section such that the first series of magnets extends around the first heel region of the first upper section;
attaching a second series of magnets to the second upper section such that the second series of magnets extends across the first and second wings;
attaching the first upper section to the sole structure such that the first upper section extends across the forefoot, midfoot, and heel regions of the sole structure; and
movably attaching the second upper section to the first upper section adjacent the heel region of the sole structure via stitching, the second upper section including first and second wings configured to wrap around and abut the first heel region of the first upper section,
wherein the second upper section is movable relative to the first upper section between an access position, whereat the first and second wings and the second series of magnets are spaced from the first heel region and the first series of magnets, and a use position, whereat the first and second wings abut the first heel region of the first upper section and the first series of magnets magnetically couple to the second series of magnets.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Hatfield Tinker L
• Beers Tiffany A
• Dimoff John T
• Kilmer Jared M
• Rucier Kevin J

Classifications

• A43B3/24

  Collapsible or convertible · CPC title

• A43B3/242

  characterised by the upper · CPC title

• A43B1/0054 Primary

  provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances · CPC title

• A43B3/244

  characterised by the attachment between upper and sole · CPC title

• A43B11/00 Primary

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