Article of footwear including a sizing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9788596-B2
Application number	US-201414297820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2014
Priority date	Apr 4, 2008
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

An article of footwear with a size-adjustable system capable of adjusting the size of the artifice of footwear is provided. The size-adjustable system comprises three sets of removable inserts. The inserts engage the article of footwear in the heel region of the upper to provide both space-filling in the heel region as well as stabilization of the foot. When each set of sizing inserts are disposed within the article of footwear, the size of the foot the article of footwear is capable of receiving is different. By providing a size-adjustable system, the article of footwear is capable of receiving multiple foot sizes, such as that of a growing child.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of modifying the size of an article of footwear comprising:
providing an article of footwear including: (a) an upper having an inward-facing surface that defines an interior void of the article of footwear, (b) a medial connector configured to receive removable medial inserts located at a medial heel area of the upper, wherein an inward-facing surface of the medial connector facing toward the interior void is substantially flush with the inward-facing surface of the upper, and (c) a lateral connector configured to receive removable lateral inserts located at a lateral heel area of the upper, wherein an inward-facing surface of the lateral connector facing toward the interior void is substantially flush with the inward-facing surface of the upper; and
inserting a first removable medial insert into the article of footwear by inserting a medial upper attachment of the first removable medial insert into a recess defined by the medial connector, wherein a contact surface of the first removable medial insert projects into the interior void of the article of footwear beyond the inward-facing surface of the medial connector;
inserting a first removable lateral insert into the article of footwear by inserting a lateral upper attachment of the first removable lateral insert into a recess defined by the lateral connector, wherein a contact surface of the first removable lateral insert projects into the interior void of the article of footwear beyond the inward-facing surface of the lateral connector, wherein the first removable medial insert is a separate part from the first removable lateral insert, and wherein the step of inserting the first removable medial insert and the step of inserting the first removable lateral insert into the article of footwear changes an original size of the article of footwear to a first altered size;
removing the first removable medial insert from the article of footwear by disengaging the medial upper attachment from the medial connector;
removing the first removable lateral insert from the article of footwear by disengaging the lateral upper attachment from the lateral connector;
inserting a second removable medial insert into the article of footwear by inserting a medial upper attachment of the second removable medial insert into the recess defined by the medial connector; and
inserting a second removable lateral insert into the article of footwear by inserting a lateral upper attachment of the second removable lateral insert into the recess defined by the lateral connector, wherein the second removable medial insert is a separate part from the second removable lateral insert, and wherein the step of inserting the second removable medial insert and the step of inserting the second removable lateral insert into the article of footwear modify the first size to a second size different from the first size.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a contact surface of the second removable medial insert projects into the interior void of the article of footwear beyond the inward-facing surface of the medial connector when the medial upper attachment of the second removable medial insert is inserted into the recess defined by the medial connector, and wherein a contact surface of the second removable lateral insert projects into the interior void of the article of footwear beyond the inward-facing surface of the lateral connector when the lateral upper attachment of the second removable lateral insert is inserted into the recess defined by the lateral connector.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein modifying the article of footwear from the first size to the second size changes a size of the article of footwear by ½ a shoe size.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein modifying the article of footwear from the first size to the second size changes a size of the article of footwear by one shoe size.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
removing the second removable medial insert from the article of footwear by disengaging the medial upper attachment of the second removable medial insert from the medial connector;
removing the second removable lateral insert from the article of footwear by disengaging the lateral upper attachment of the second removable lateral insert from the lateral connector;
inserting a third removable medial insert into the article of footwear by inserting a medial upper attachment of the third removable medial insert into the recess defined by the medial connector; and
inserting a third removable lateral insert into the article of footwear by inserting a lateral upper attachment of the third removable lateral insert into the recess defined by the lateral connector, wherein the third removable medial insert is a separate part from the third removable lateral insert, and wherein the step of inserting the third removable medial insert and the step of inserting the third removable lateral insert into the article of footwear modify a size of the article of footwear to a third size different from the first size and the second size.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the first size is ½ shoe size smaller than the second size, and wherein the second size is ½ shoe size smaller than the third size.

7. A method of modifying the size of an article of footwear comprising: providing an article of footwear having an upper including a sidewall defining an interior void configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the upper having an inward-facing surface facing toward the interior void; and changing an original size of the article of footwear to a first altered size by inserting a first removable insert into a first connector, wherein an inward-facing surface of the first connector, facing toward the interior void, is substantially flush with the inward-facing surface of the upper, and wherein a contact surface of the first removable insert is located and configured to contact the foot of the wearer and projects into the interior void beyond the inward-facing surface of the first connector and beyond the inward-facing surface of the upper; the first connector being formed of a different piece of material than the upper, wherein the first connector defines a first recess in a heel region of the article of footwear; removing the first removable insert; and inserting a second removable insert into the article of footwear to modify the first size to a second size; wherein the first removable insert includes a first attachment portion and the second removable insert includes a second attachment portion that is substantially similar to the first attachment portion, wherein the first recess is configured to interchangeably receive at least a portion of the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion; and wherein the first connector includes a first interference lip configured to engage with the first attachment portion of the first removable insert and with the second attachment portion of the second removable insert.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the article of footwear includes a second connector; wherein an inward-facing surface of the second connector, facing toward the interior void, is substantially flush with the inward-facing surface of the upper; and wherein the first attachment portion of the first removable insert is configured to match with a shape of the first recess of the first connector and is configured to match with a shape of a second recess of the second connector.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of each of the first and second removable inserts may be press-fitted into the first recess.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second removable insert has a smooth surface witho

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Schenone Scott

Classifications

• A43B23/28

  Devices to put in shoes in order to prevent slipping at the heel or to prevent abrading the stockings · CPC title

• A43B3/26 Primary

  adjustable as to length or size · CPC title

• A43B7/1465

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A43B7/1469

  adjustable by selectively fastening or securing into multiple available positions · CPC title