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US 7,757,412 B2Granted
Footwear with improved heel support
AssigneeSalomon S.A.
InventorYves Farys
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear including a sole and an upper, the upper including a seat adapted to nest the user's heel, the seat including a first stiffener, and an arrangement for varying the size or volume of the seat provided by the first stiffener, between an expanded position, for which the volume of the seat is relatively large, and a retracted position, for which the volume of the seat is reduced.
Claims18
An article of footwear comprising:
- a outer sole;
- an upper comprising:
- a heel seat adapted to receive a wearer's heel;
- the heel seat including a first stiffener extending from a body positioned rearward of the wearer's heel forwardly along forwardmost portions extending along a medial side of the upper and forwardly along a lateral side of the upper;
- an arrangement to vary a size of the heel seat by movement of the body and the forwardmost portions of the first stiffener between an expanded position, whereby the size of the heel seat is relatively large for the wearer's heel, and a retracted position, whereby the size of the heel seat is reduced, at least longitudinally and transversely, from the size in the expanded position.
2 more elements
An article of footwear comprising:
- a outer sole;
- a low upper comprising:
- an upper edge positioned at or below a wearer's ankle;
- a heel seat adapted to receive the wearer's heel;
- the heel seat including a first stiffener extending from a body positioned rearward of the wearer's heel forwardly along forwardmost portions extending along a medial side of the upper and forwardly along a lateral side of the upper;
- an arrangement to vary a size of the heel seat by movement of the body and the forwardmost portions of the first stiffener between an expanded position, whereby the size of the heel seat is relatively large for the wearer's heel, and a retracted position, whereby the size of the heel seat is reduced from the size in the expanded position.
3 more elements
An article of footwear comprising:
- a outer sole;
- an upper affixed to the outer sole, said upper comprising:
- a heel seat adapted to receive a wearer's heel;
- the heel seat including a first stiffener comprising:
- a body positioned rearwardly of the wearer's heel;
- a medial wing extending along a medial side of the upper;
- a lateral wing extending along a lateral side of the upper;
- an arrangement to vary a size of the heel seat by movement of the first stiffener between an expanded position, whereby the size of the heel seat is relatively large for the wearer's heel, and a retracted position, whereby the size of the heel seat is reduced from the size in the expanded position, said arrangement comprising:
- localized weakening mechanisms of the first stiffener;
- a device for constricting the first stiffener to move the first stiffener to the retracted position;
- the device for constricting the first stiffener comprising a second stiffener, said second stiffener being rearward of the first stiffener and extending around the first stiffener.
8 more elements
An article of footwear comprising:
- a outer sole;
- an upper comprising:
- a heel seat adapted to receive a wearer's heel;
- the heel seat including a first stiffener comprising:
- a body constructed and arranged to be rearward of the wearer's heel;
- a medial side extending from the body and along a medial side of the upper;
- a lateral side extending from the body and forwardly along a lateral side of the upper;
- the upper comprising an outer surface concealing the body and the medial and forward sides of the first stiffener;
- an arrangement to vary a size of the heel seat by movement of the first stiffener between an expanded position, whereby the size of the heel seat is relatively large for the wearer's heel, and a retracted position, whereby the size of the heel seat is reduced from the size in the expanded position.
6 more elements
An article of footwear comprising:
- a outer sole;
- an upper comprising:
- a heel seat having a volume for receiving a wearer's heel;
- the heel seat including a stiffener having a body, a medial wing, and a lateral wing;
- the body of the stiffener being structured and arranged to be rearward of the wearer's heel;
- the medial and lateral wings of the stiffener extending forwardly from the body along medial and lateral sides of the upper to respective front ends of said wings, said volume of the heel seat being forward of the body of the stiffener and between the medial and lateral wings of the stiffener;
- a pair of tensioning strands and at least one medial guide and at least one lateral guide affixed to, or integral with, the medial and lateral surfaces of the upper for guiding the tensioning strands relative to said guides;
- said tensioning strands extending from a position rearward of the stiffener forwardly to the medial and lateral guides and, from the medial and lateral guides proximate upper edges of the medial and lateral wings of the stiffener, inward toward a longitudinal vertical median plane of the article of footwear;
- said stiffener having an expanded volume state to facilitate entry and withdrawal of the wearer's heel relative to the heel seat, and a constricted volume state to reduce or eliminate movement of the wearer's heel relative to the upper;
- in said expanded state, said pair of tensioning strands having a reduced tension;
- in said restricted state, said pair of tensioning strands having a tension greater than said reduced tension.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.