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US 2026/0248232 A1Published application
Footwear upper with components for easier foot insertion
AssigneeSkechers U.S.A., Inc. II
InventorsJennifer Fosburg, Bin Wang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear has an upper and a heel cup in a heel region of the upper. The heel cup has a first S-wave shape in a trough region of the heel cup. The first S-wave shape has a first lower concavity that has a greater depth than and a first upper concavity. The heel cup has a has a second S-wave shape in a crest region of the heel cup. The second S-wave shape has a second upper concavity that has a greater depth than a first lower concavity.
Claims14
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper;
- and
- a heel cup positioned in a heel region of the upper;
- wherein, along a first vertical cross-section taken through a trough region of the heel cup, the heel cup has a first S-wave shape, the S-wave shape including a first upper concavity and a first lower concavity, the first lower concavity having a greater depth than the first upper concavity;
- and
- wherein, along a second vertical cross-section taken through a crest region of the heel cup, the heel cup has a second S-wave shape including a second upper concavity and a second lower concavity, the second upper concavity having a greater depth than the second lower concavity.
3 more elements
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper;
- and
- a heel cup disposed in a heel region of the upper, the heel cup including a lower portion, a mid-portion, and an upper portion;
- wherein the heel cup has a peripheral portion forming an area at a periphery of the heel cup and a central portion of the mid-portion spaced from medial and lateral edges of the heel cup;
- wherein a thickness of the heel cup decreases gradually from the peripheral portion toward the central portion of the mid-portion such that the central portion of the mid-portion is thinner than the peripheral portion and provides increased flexibility to the heel cup during donning of the footwear;
- and
- wherein the heel cup includes a medial crest region, a lateral crest region, and a trough region, the medial crest region and the lateral crest region being thinner and more flexible than the trough region, and the trough region providing greater resistance to a user's heel during donning to aid in centering the heel.
4 more elements
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper including a heel counter;
- a heel cup located within the heel counter and having an upper portion and a lower portion;
- and
- a compressible layer adjacent the heel cup;
- wherein the upper portion of the heel cup includes a medial crest, a lateral crest, and a trough located between the medial crest and the lateral crest, the medial crest including a medial elevated point, the lateral crest including a lateral elevated point, and the trough including a recessed point between the medial elevated point and the lateral elevated point;
- wherein the compressible layer extends along an inner wall of the heel cup and extends into a shoe opening;
- wherein the compressible layer is thicker at or near the upper portion of the heel cup than at a lower portion of the heel cup;
- wherein the compressible layer is configured to be compressed by a heel during insertion of a user's foot into the shoe opening;
- and
- wherein the medial crest and the lateral crest are configured to guide the heel toward a center of the footwear during donning and the compressible layer is configured to aid in securing the foot after insertion.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.