Athletic shoe including a heel strap

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an athletic shoe including a heel strap for securing the foot in the shoe. The shoe includes an upper and a sole. The upper includes a quarter and a relatively stiff counter disposed at the periphery of the shoe. The quarter includes a lacing eyestay having a plurality of lacing eyelets. The counter has an opening formed through each side thereof and located such that when the shoe is worn on a foot, the openings are disposed below the malleolus. The upper also includes a relatively thin, flexible inner sleeve disposed interiorly of the quarter and counter. The shoe includes a heel strap having a heel tab fixed to the rear of the inner sleeve, and side straps extending laterally forwardly on both sides of the shoe. Side tabs including one or more eyelets are disposed on the forward end of each of the side straps. The side straps are disposed through the openings formed in the counter and are bent upwardly exterior of the counter, with the side tabs disposed adjacent the uppermost lacing eyelet. In securing the shoe, the shoe lace may be disposed through both the eyelets of the side tabs, and the corresponding eyelet of the upper on each side so as to adjustably secure the heel strap against the foot.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.