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US 12,733,709 B2Granted
Rapid-entry footwear
AssigneeFast IP, LLC
InventorsCraig Cheney, Steven Hermann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a shoe having a compressible lattice structure in a heel portion to facilitate rapid, easy donning and doffing of shoes. In example embodiments, the lattice structure includes a plurality of interconnected, overlapping, intersecting and/or woven ribs defining a plurality of apertures. The lattice structure has an open position in which the shoe opening is expanded to facilitate reception of a foot of an individual wearing the rapid-entry shoe, and a closed position in which the shoe opening is smaller to retain the foot within the rapid-entry shoe.
Claims21
A rapid-entry shoe comprising:
- a base;
- an upper coupled to the base and including a rear portion, a forward portion, a medial portion, and a lateral portion, the rear portion including a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper defining a shoe opening;
- and
- a heel portion positioned at the rear portion and including a compressible structure and a stabilizer that is separate from and coupled to the compressible structure, the heel portion being moveable between an open position and a closed position,
- wherein the shoe opening is expanded when the heel portion is in the open position,
- wherein, when a downward force is applied to the heel portion, the heel portion is configured to transition toward the open position and the compressible structure is configured to compress downward toward a compressed configuration,
- wherein the compressible structure is configured to bias the heel portion toward the closed position,
- wherein the compressible structure is positioned at the rear portion of the upper and is defined at least partially by a series of interconnected ribs including a plurality of linear segments interconnected by curved segments at which adjacent linear segments converge,
- wherein the compressible structure extends from the lower portion of the rear portion of the upper toward the upper portion of the rear portion of the upper,
- wherein the stabilizer extends from the base at the medial side portion to the base at the lateral side portion across at least a portion of the rear portion of the upper, wherein the stabilizer is configured to limit inward deflection or buckling of the heel portion.
7 more elements
A rapid-entry shoe comprising:
- a base;
- an upper coupled to the base and including a rear portion, a forward portion, a medial portion, and a lateral portion, the rear portion including a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper defining a shoe opening;
- and
- a heel portion including a stabilizer and a unitary structure, the heel portion being moveable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the shoe opening is expanded when the heel portion is in the open position,
- wherein the unitary structure is coupled to the base portion and the rear portion of the upper and is defined by a series of interconnected ribs, the interconnected ribs including linear segments and including curved segments at which adjacent linear segments converge,
- wherein the stabilizer is coupled to the unitary structure and includes a stiff material such that the stabilizer provides stiffness,
- wherein the heel portion is configured to collapse toward the open position when a downward force is applied thereto and bias back toward the closed position in an absence of the downward force;
- and
- wherein the unitary structure is continuously coupled to the base from the medial portion, across the rear portion, and to the lateral portion.
6 more elements
A rapid-entry shoe comprising:
- a base;
- an upper coupled to the base and including a rear portion, a forward portion, a medial portion, and a lateral portion, the rear portion including a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper defining a shoe opening;
- and a heel portion including a collapsible structure and a flange, the heel portion being moveable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the shoe opening is expanded when the heel portion is in the open position,
- wherein the collapsible structure is coupled to the base portion and the rear portion of the upper and is defined by a plurality of interconnected ribs, the collapsible structure extending from a central portion of the base at the rear portion of the upper toward a medial side of the rapid-entry shoe and toward a lateral side of the rapid entry shoe, wherein the interconnected ribs include linear segments and curved segments at which adjacent linear segments converge,
- wherein the flange is coupled to and extends above a top edge of the collapsible structure,
- wherein the flange is coupled to the collapsible structure and includes a stiff material such that the flange provides stiffness, and
- wherein the heel portion is configured to collapse toward the open position when a downward force is applied thereto and bias back toward the closed position in an absence of the downward force.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.