Rapid-entry footwear with rebounding fit system

• US 10,506,842 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2018
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fast IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fast IP, LLC
• Inventors: Pratt, Michael James, Hermann, Steven, Lytle, Seth, Tsen, James Kuangcheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Gracz, Katharine
• Application Number:
  US15/934,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20180206588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 36 585, 36 583
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 11/00 Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing, e.g. with straps
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/027 with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/028 Resilient uppers, e.g. shock absorbing
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/088 Heel stiffeners A43B23/10, A43B23/14, A43B23/16, A43B23/17 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/26 Tongues for shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/28 Devices to put in shoes in order to prevent slipping at the heel or to prevent abrading the stockings
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/248 Collapsible, e.g. foldable for travelling

Abstract

A rapid-entry and rebounding fit shoe having one or both of a rapid-entry heel element and a rapid-entry tongue element and both snap back for fit. The rapid-entry shoe directs a user'"'"'s foot into or otherwise accommodates a user'"'"'s foot with respect to, a shoe opening, and thereafter secures a rear portion of rapid-entry shoe about a user'"'"'s heel as well as forefoot.

Claims

1. A rapid-entry shoe comprising:

a first anchor and a second anchor, each disposed beneath a footbed of the rapid-entry shoe, wherein the first anchor is disposed on a medial side of the rapid-entry shoe and the second anchor is disposed on a lateral side of the rapid-entry shoe; and

a deformable element extending continuously about and within a rear portion of an upper of the rapid-entry shoe, and between the first anchor and the second anchor;

wherein a first end of the deformable element terminates at and is non-rotatably coupled to the first anchor and a second end of the deformable element terminates at and is non-rotatably coupled to the second anchor;

wherein the shoe comprises a collapsed configuration and an uncollapsed configuration, wherein in the collapsed configuration the deformable element is in a compressed state, and wherein in the uncollapsed configuration the deformable element is in an uncompressed or a partially compressed state; and

wherein the deformable element is coupled to a heel piece, the heel piece being contained within the rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe and the heel piece comprising a bendable or flexible material distinct from that of both the deformable element and the rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe, wherein opposing sides of the heel piece extend to lateral and medial sides of the rapid-entry shoe and are bendably or flexibly drawn toward each other.

2. A rapid-entry shoe comprising:

a first anchor and a second anchor, each disposed beneath a footbed of the rapid-entry shoe, wherein the first anchor is disposed on a medial side of the rapid-entry shoe and the second anchor is disposed on a lateral side of the rapid-entry shoe; and

a deformable element coupled free of play directly to the first anchor, extending continuously about and within a rear portion of an upper of the rapid-entry shoe, and coupled free of play directly to the second anchor;

wherein a first end of the deformable element terminates at the first anchor and a second end of the deformable element terminates at the second anchor;

wherein the shoe comprises a collapsed configuration and an uncollapsed configuration, wherein in the collapsed configuration the deformable element is in a compressed state, and wherein in the uncollapsed configuration the deformable element is in an uncompressed or a partially compressed state; and

wherein the deformable element is coupled to a heel piece, the heel piece being coupled to the rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe and the heel piece comprising a bendable or flexible material distinct from that of both the deformable element and the rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe, wherein opposing sides of the heel piece extend to lateral and medial sides of the rapid-entry shoe and are bendably or flexibly drawn toward each other.

3. A rapid-entry shoe comprising:

a first deformable element non-rotatably coupled directly to a first anchor and extending from the first anchor towards a rear portion of an upper of the rapid-entry shoe, wherein the first anchor is disposed on a medial side of the rapid-entry shoe and beneath a footbed of the rapid-entry shoe, wherein a first end of the first deformable element terminates at the first anchor;

a second deformable element non-rotatably coupled directly to a second anchor and extending from the second anchor towards the rear portion, wherein the second anchor is disposed on a lateral side of the rapid-entry shoe and beneath a footbed of the rapid-entry shoe, wherein a second end of the second deformable element terminates at the second anchor;

wherein the first deformable element is not coupled to the second deformable element; and

wherein each of the first deformable element and the second deformable element is coupled to a heel piece, the heel piece being contained within the rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe and the heel piece comprising a bendable or flexible material distinct from that of each of the first deformable element and the second deformable element and the rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe, wherein opposing sides of the heel piece extend to lateral and medial sides of the rapid-entry shoe and are bendably or flexibly drawn toward each other.