Footwear with Counter-Supplementing Strap

• US 20110113650A1
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Nurse, Matthew A., Hurd, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,302,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/107
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/08 Heel stiffeners; Toe stiffeners
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/20 Ankle-joint supports or holders

Abstract

A heel cup formed from a flexible material is located under the heel region of an upper portion of an article of footwear. Lateral and medial counters extend upward from the heel cup on the lateral and medial sides, with the medial counter having a height less than that of the lateral counter, and with a rear edge of the heel cup being lower than the lateral and medial counters. A rear strap extends upward around the lateral counter and around the Achilles tendon of the wearer, and is secured to a location on the upper that is forward of the wearer'"'"'s ankle. During cutting movements in which the article is worn on the outside foot, tilting of the wearer foot and ankle toward the medial side pulls the strap and causes the lateral counter to conform to and support the wearer heel.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper configured to surround and retain a wearer foot when the article is worn;

a lateral counter located in a position corresponding to a lateral side of the wearer heel when the article is worn, the lateral counter being stiffer than at least some portions of the upper but yieldable in response to medial and lateral tilting of the wearer foot;

a medial counter located in a position corresponding to a medial side of the wearer heel when the article is worn, the medial counter being stiffer than at least some portions of the upper but yieldable in response to medial tilting of the wearer foot; and

a rear strap extending across a substantial portion of the lateral counter and configured to be securable in a wrapped position when the article is worn, the wrapped position extending upward and around the wearer Achilles tendon and over a medial side region at least as high as the wearer ankle.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the medial counter has a height less than a height of the lateral counter when the article is worn and the wearer is standing straight.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein at least portions of the rear strap float relative to the upper.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein at least portions of the rear strap float relative to the lateral counter.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4, wherein at least portions of the rear strap float relative to the upper.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the securing location is at least as high as the ankle of the wearer when the article is worn.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the rear strap is generally non-stretchable under loads imposable as a result of wearer activity when the article is worn.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the medial and lateral counters are respectively located on medial and lateral edges of a heel cup and separated by a rear edge of the heel cup, wherein the rear edge has a height less than the heights of the lateral and medial counters when the article is worn and the wearer is standing straight.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a forward strap configured to be securable, when the article is worn, in a position covering a portion of the wearer forefoot.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a support plate located in a position under the wearer foot when the article is worn.

11. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein the support plate includes at least one upward extension located in a position corresponding to at least a portion of the lateral edge of a wearer foot when the article is worn.

12. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a compressible midsole located at least partially inside the upper and having a raised edge located in a position corresponding to at least a portion of the lateral edge of the wearer foot when the article is worn.

13. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the midsole includes a pocket formed in an underside of the midsole, and further comprising at least one fluid-filled cushioning pad located in the pocket.

14. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising an outsole having straight tread patterns in heel regions, in a region located near a lateral outside edge and approximately under a distal end of a wearer fifth metatarsal when the article is worn, and in a region located near a medial outside edge and approximately under a distal end of a wearer first metatarsal when the article is worn.

15. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper includes a plurality of lacing eyelet pairs, each of the pairs including an eyelet on opposing sides of a tongue opening and forming a line approximately parallel to a line extending from a position that would be occupied by a proximal end of a first wearer metatarsal when the article is worn and a position that would be occupied by the wearer fifth proximal phalange when the article is worn.

16. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein

at least portions of the rear strap float relative to the lateral counter and at least portions of the rear strap float relative to the upper,

the securing location is at least as high as the ankle of the wearer when the article is worn,

the rear strap is generally non-stretchable under loads imposable as a result of wearer activity when the article is worn,

the medial counter has a height less than a height of the lateral counter when the article is worn and the wearer is standing straight,

the medial and lateral counters are respectively located on medial and lateral edges of a heel cup and separated by a rear edge of the heel cup, and

the heel cup rear edge has a height less than the heights of the lateral and medial counters when the article is worn and the wearer is standing straight.

17. The article of footwear of claim 16, further comprising:

a forward strap configured to be securable, when the article is worn, in a position covering a portion of the wearer forefoot;

a support plate located in a position under the wearer foot when the article is worn;

a compressible midsole located at least partially inside the upper and having a raised edge located in a position corresponding to at least a portion of the lateral edge of the wearer foot when the article is worn; and

at least one fluid-filled cushioning pad, and wherein

the midsole includes a pocket formed in an underside of the midsole,

the at least one fluid-filled cushioning pad is located in the pocket, and

the support plate includes at least one upward extension located in a position corresponding to at least a portion of the lateral edge of a wearer foot when the article is worn.

18. An article of footwear, comprising:

a counter located in a position corresponding to one of a lateral side of a wearer heel and a medial side of a wearer heel when the article is worn; and

a rear strap have a terminal end and a free end, wherein

the terminal end is fixed in a location of the article located under the wearer heel when the article is worn,

the rear strap extends across the counter and floats relative to the counter,

the strap is configured to be securable in a wrapped position when the article is worn, the wrapped position extending upward and around the wearer Achilles tendon with the free end secured,

tilting of the wearer foot and ankle toward the other of the lateral and medial sides, when the article is worn and the rear strap is in the wrapped position, pulls on the rear strap.

19. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the counter is a lateral counter located in a position corresponding to a lateral side of the wearer heel when the article is worn, and further comprising an upper configured to surround and retain a wearer foot when the article is worn, wherein at least portions of the rear strap float relative to the upper.

20. The article of footwear of claim 19, further comprising a medial counter located in a position corresponding to a medial side of the wearer heel when the article is worn, the medial counter having a height less than a height of the lateral counter when the article is worn and the wearer is standing straight.

21. The article of footwear of claim 20, wherein the rear strap is generally non-stretchable under loads imposable as a result of wearer activity when the article is worn.

22. The article of footwear of claim 20, wherein the medial and lateral counters are respectively located on medial and lateral edges of a heel cup and separated by a rear edge of the heel cup, wherein the rear edge has a height less than the heights of the lateral and medial counters when the article is worn and the wearer is standing straight.

23. The article of footwear of claim 20, further comprising a forward strap configured to be securable, when the article is worn, in a position covering a portion of the wearer forefoot.

24. The article of footwear of claim 20, further comprising a support plate located in a position under the wearer foot when the article is worn, the support plate including at least one upward extension located in a position corresponding to at least a portion of the lateral edge of a wearer foot when the article is worn.

25. The article of footwear of claim 20, wherein the upper includes a plurality of lacing eyelet pairs, each of the pairs including an eyelet on opposing sides of a tongue opening in the upper and forming a line approximately parallel to a directional line extending from a position that would be occupied by a proximal end of a first wearer metatarsal when the article is worn and a position that would be occupied by the wearer fifth proximal phalange when the article is worn.

26. The article of footwear of claim 25, further comprising a forward strap configured to be securable, when the article is worn, in an orientation approximately parallel to the directional line and in a position covering a portion of the wearer forefoot.

27. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the wrapped position extends upward and around the rear of the wearer foot, across the wearer Achilles tendon, and over a region at least as high as the wearer ankle on a side of the wearer foot opposite from the counter.