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US 12,262,789 B2Granted
Adjustable heel support member for article of footwear
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorSergio Cavaliere
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable heel support member includes a base portion and an extended portion. The extended portion comprises a lateral portion, a medial portion and a rearward portion. The heel support member further includes a fastening member that can be used to adjust the lateral portion, the medial portion and the rearward portion to resize the heel support member. In some cases, the fastening member may be an elastic ring.
Claims16
A heel closure apparatus for an article of footwear, comprising:
- a heel cup comprising a side lobe;
- and
- a fastener receiving portion extending from the side lobe and configured to capture a fastener;
- wherein the fastener receiving portion includes an engaging portion spaced apart from a surface of the side lobe and configured to prevent the fastener from sliding off the fastener receiving portion;
- wherein the fastener fits between the engaging portion and the surface of the side lobe;
- wherein the fastener receiving portion is a medial fastener receiving portion, the side lobe is a medial lobe, the heel cup further comprises a central lobe and a lateral lobe, the heel closure apparatus further comprises a lateral fastener receiving portion disposed at a distal end of the lateral lobe of the heel cup, and the medial fastener receiving portion and the lateral fastener receiving portion are mirror images of each other, the heel closure apparatus further comprises a central fastener receiving portion disposed at a distal end of the central lobe, and the central fastener receiving portion defines at least one guide channel sized to receive the fastener;
- wherein:
- a medial portion of the fastener extends outwardly from the at least one guide channel and toward the medial lobe;
- and
- a lateral portion of the fastener extends outwardly from the at least one guide channel and toward the lateral lobe;
- and
- a guard disposed proximate the medial fastener receiving portion;
- wherein the guard defines a first ramp portion and a cross-bar coupled to the first ramp portion;
- and
- wherein the medial fastener receiving portion includes a second ramp portion that connects an anterior edge of the medial fastener receiving portion to an outward-facing surface of the medial lobe.
12 more elements
A heel closure apparatus for an article of footwear, comprising:
- a heel cup comprising a side lobe;
- a fastener receiving portion extending from the side lobe and configured to capture a fastener;
- wherein the fastener receiving portion includes an engaging portion spaced apart from a surface of the side lobe and configured to prevent the fastener from sliding off the fastener receiving portion;
- wherein the fastener fits between the engaging portion and the surface of the side lobe;
- wherein the fastener receiving portion is a medial fastener receiving portion, the side lobe is a medial lobe, the heel cup further comprises a central lobe and a lateral lobe, the heel closure apparatus further comprises a lateral fastener receiving portion disposed at a distal end of the lateral lobe of the heel cup, and the medial fastener receiving portion and the lateral fastener receiving portion are mirror images of each other, the heel closure apparatus further comprises a central fastener receiving portion disposed at a distal end of the central lobe, and the central fastener receiving portion defines at least one guide channel sized to receive the fastener;
- wherein:
- a medial portion of the fastener extends outwardly from the at least one guide channel and toward the medial lobe;
- and
- a lateral portion of the fastener extends outwardly from the at least one guide channel and toward the lateral lobe;
- and
- a guard disposed proximate the medial fastener receiving portion;
- wherein the guard is a raised portion, the central fastener receiving portion includes a central fastener receiving body, the central fastener receiving portion defines the at least one guide channel extending through the central fastener receiving body from a medial side of the central fastener receiving portion to a lateral side of the central fastener receiving portion, and the at least one guide channel is sized to receive the fastener;
- and
- wherein the fastener includes an elastic cord, and the guard is spaced apart from the medial fastener receiving portion by a distance that is equal to or greater than a cross-sectional diameter of the elastic cord.
11 more elements
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper;
- a sole structure coupled to the upper;
- and
- a heel cup including:
- a base portion disposed between the upper and the sole structure such that the base portion is sandwiched between the upper and the sole structure;
- a side lobe extending from the base portion, wherein the side lobe is at a heel portion of the article of footwear;
- and
- a fastener receiving portion extending from the side lobe and configured to capture a fastener;
- wherein the fastener receiving portion includes an engaging portion spaced apart from a surface of the side lobe and configured to prevent the fastener from sliding off the fastener receiving portion;
- wherein the fastener fits between the engaging portion and the surface of the side lobe;
- and
- a guard spaced apart from the fastener receiving portion;
- wherein the guard defines a first ramp portion and a cross-bar coupled to the first ramp portion;
- and
- wherein the fastener receiving portion includes a second ramp portion that connects an anterior edge of the fastener receiving portion to an outward-facing surface of the side lobe.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.