# US 12,108,834 B2 · Articles of footwear and other foot-receiving devices having dynamically adjustable heel portions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,108,834 B2 - Document ID: US12108834B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/525,629 - Filed: 2021-11-12 - Published: 2023-05-18 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-12 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: Nike, Inc. - Inventors: Shane S. Kohatsu; Matthew C. Palmer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12108834B2 ## CPC - A43B 11/00: Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing, e.g. with straps - A43B 23/088: {Heel stiffeners (A43B23/10, A43B23/14, A43B23/16, A43B23/17 take precedence)} - A43B 3/242: {characterised by the upper} - A43B 23/0235: {Different layers of different material} - A43B 23/027: {with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion} - A43B 23/086: {made of impregnated fabrics, plastics or the like} - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract Articles of footwear having an upper including a dynamic fit heel portion and a main body. The dynamic fit heel portion may include a lower heel counter and an upper heel collar. The upper heel collar may define at least in part, a foot-receiving chamber. An expandable joint may be provided between the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar. A material forming the expandable joint may have a higher flexibility and a higher stretch than the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar. The lower heel counter, the upper heel collar, and the expandable joint may be configured to align with portions of a heel and ankle of a wearer so as to provide a flexible heel and ankle fit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising: a main body including a lateral side, a medial side, and a toe portion; and a dynamic fit heel portion including: a lower heel counter extending from a lower portion of the lateral side of the main body, around a rear heel portion, and to a lower portion of the medial side of the main body; an upper heel collar extending from an upper portion of the lateral side, around the rear heel portion, and to an upper portion of the medial side, wherein the upper heel collar defines, at least in part, a foot-receiving chamber; and an expandable joint provided between the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar, wherein a material forming the expandable joint has a higher flexibility and a higher stretch than the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar, wherein the lower heel counter, the upper heel collar, and the expandable joint are configured to align with portions of a heel and ankle of a wearer so as to provide a flexible heel and ankle fit, and wherein the dynamic fit heel portion further includes a reinforced collar aligned with at least a portion of the upper heel collar and at least a portion of the lower heel counter, wherein the reinforced collar has a higher stiffness than the lower heel counter, the upper heel collar, and the expandable joint, and wherein the reinforced collar is positioned on an inner layer of the dynamic fit heel portion that is interior to the at least a portion of the upper heel collar and the at least a portion of the lower heel counter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the expandable joint is formed from a single textile layer with mechanical stretch fabric. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic fit heel portion further includes a rear anchor plate over the rear heel portion and connected to a portion of the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein the rear anchor plate includes a finger loop. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic fit heel portion further includes at least one side anchor on a lateral or a medial side of the dynamic fit heel portion, and wherein the at least one side anchor connects the lower heel counter to the upper heel collar. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein the at least one side anchor is positioned on the article of footwear so as to align with malleolus locations of the ankle of the wearer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic fit heel portion is configured to align with the heel of the wearer so as to prevent or reduce heel slip. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the reinforced collar connects the upper heel collar to the lower heel counter by at least one anchor point. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The article of footwear according to claim 8, wherein the at least one anchor point includes a medial side anchor point, a lateral side anchor point, and a rear central anchor point. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the upper heel collar includes at least one lace receiving element of a portion proximate to the upper portion of the lateral side or the upper portion of the medial side. ### Claim 11 A heel support component for an article of footwear, comprising: a lower heel counter extending around a rear heel portion; an upper heel collar extending around the rear heel portion, wherein the upper heel collar defines, at least in part, a foot-receiving chamber; an expandable joint provided between the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar, wherein the expandable joint is formed from a single textile layer with a mechanical stretch fabric; and a reinforced collar aligned with at least a portion of the upper heel collar and at least a portion of the lower heel counter, wherein the reinforced collar has a higher stiffness than the lower heel counter, the upper heel collar, and the expandable joint, and wherein the reinforced collar is positioned on an inner layer of the heel support component that is interior to the at least a portion of the upper heel collar and the at least a portion of the lower heel counter, wherein the lower heel counter, the upper heel collar, and the expandable joint are configured to align with portions of a heel and ankle of a wearer so as to provide a flexible fit around a malleolus area of a wearer's foot. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The heel support component according to claim 11, wherein a material forming the expandable joint has a higher flexibility and a higher stretch than the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The heel support component according to claim 11, further comprising a reinforced collar aligned with at least a portion of the upper heel collar and at least a portion of the lower heel counter, the reinforced collar having a higher stiffness than the lower heel counter, the upper heel collar, and the expandable joint. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The heel support component according to claim 11, further comprising a rear anchor plate over the rear heel portion and connected to a portion of the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The heel support component according to claim 11, further comprising at least one side anchor on a lateral or a medial side of the rear heel portion, and wherein the at least one side anchor connects the lower heel counter to the upper heel collar. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The heel support component according to claim 15, wherein the at least one side anchor is positioned on the article of footwear so as to align with malleolus locations of the ankle of the wearer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The heel support component according to claim 11, further comprising a reinforced collar aligned with at least a portion of the upper heel collar and at least a portion of the lower heel counter and connecting the upper heel collar to the lower heel counter by at least one anchor point. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The heel support component according to claim 17, wherein the at least one anchor point includes a medial side anchor point, a lateral side anchor point, and a rear central anchor point. ### Claim 19 An article of footwear having an upper that define a foot-receiving chamber and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising: a main body including a lateral side, a medial side, and a toe portion; a lacing system extending from the foot-receiving chamber to the toe portion; and a dynamic fit heel portion including: a lower heel counter extending from a lower portion of the lateral side of the main body, around a rear heel portion, and to a lower portion of the medial side of the main body; an upper heel collar extending from an upper portion of the lateral side, around the rear heel portion, and to an upper portion of the medial side, wherein the upper heel collar defines, at least in part, the foot-receiving chamber; an expandable joint provided between the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar; and a reinforced collar aligned with at least a portion of the upper heel collar and at least a portion of the lower heel counter, wherein the reinforced collar has a higher stiffness than the lower heel counter, the upper heel collar, and the expandable joint, and wherein the reinforced collar is positioned on an inner layer of the dynamic fit heel portion that is interior to the at least a portion of the upper heel collar and the at least a portion of the lower heel counter, wherein the dynamic fit heel portion is configured to align with portions of a heel and ankle of a wearer and is configured to adjust over portions of a heel of a wearer when adjusting a looseness of the lacing system.