Article Of Footwear Including A Sizing System

• US 20140345161A1
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Schenone, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,788,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/97
• 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 3/26 adjustable as to length or size
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1464 with adjustable pads to allow custom fit

Abstract

An article of footwear with a size-adjustable system capable of adjusting the size of the artifice of footwear is provided. The size-adjustable system comprises three sets of removable inserts. The inserts engage the article of footwear in the heel region of the upper to provide both space-filling in the heel region as well as stabilization of the foot. When each set of sizing inserts are disposed within the article of footwear, the size of the foot the article of footwear is capable of receiving is different. By providing a size-adjustable system, the article of footwear is capable of receiving multiple foot sizes, such as that of a growing child.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A method of modifying the size of an article of footwear comprising:

providing an article of footwear configured to receive removable inserts and a plurality of removable inserts; and

inserting a first removable insert into the article of footwear to change an original size of the article of footwear to a first altered size;

removing the first removable insert; and

inserting a second removable insert into the article of footwear to modify the first size to a second size.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first removable insert comprises a set of multiple removable inserts.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the article of footwear size is modified to the second size by removing the first removable insert and inserting the second removable insert.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first and second removable inserts each comprise a set of multiple removable inserts.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the spacer system comprises a third removable insert to modify the size of the article of footwear to a third size.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the third removable insert comprises a set of multiple removable inserts.

17-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of modifying the size of an article of footwear comprising:

providing an article of footwear having an upper including a sidewall defining an interior void configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the upper having an inward-facing surface facing toward the interior void; and

changing an original size of the article of footwear to a first altered size by inserting a first removable insert into a first connector, wherein an inward-facing surface of the first connector, facing toward the interior void, is substantially flush with the inward-facing surface of the upper;

the first connector being formed of a different piece of material than the upper, wherein the first connector defines a first recess in a heel region of the article of footwear;

removing the first removable insert; and

inserting a second removable insert into the article of footwear to modify the first size to a second size.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first removable insert includes a first attachment portion and the second removable insert includes a second attachment portion that is substantially similar to the first attachment portion, wherein the first recess is configured to interchangeably receive at least a portion of the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion;

and

wherein the first connector includes a first interference lip configured to engage with the first attachment portion of the first removable insert and with the second attachment portion of the second removable insert.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the article of footwear includes a second connector;

wherein an inward-facing surface of the second connector, facing toward the interior void, is substantially flush with the inward-facing surface of the upper; and

wherein the first attachment portion of the first removable insert is configured to match with a shape of the first recess of the first connector and is configured to match with a shape of a second recess of the second connector.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of each of the first and second removable inserts may be press-fitted into the first recess.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one of the first removable insert and the second removable insert has a smooth surface without protrusions.

26. The method of claim 21, further including removing the second removable insert from the first connector;

and

inserting a third removable insert into the first connector;

wherein the first removable insert is larger than the second removable insert and the second removable insert is larger than the third removable insert.

27. A method of modifying the size of an article of footwear comprising:

providing an article of footwear having an upper including a sidewall defining an interior void configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the upper having an inward-facing surface facing toward the interior void; and

providing a first removable insert and a second removable insert;

wherein the first removable insert includes a first attachment portion and the second removable insert includes a second attachment portion;

wherein the first attachment portion of the first removable insert and the second attachment portion of the second removable insert are configured to be interchangeably connected to a first connector within the upper of the article of footwear, the first connector having an inward-facing surface facing toward the interior void, the inward facing surface of the first connector being substantially flush with the inward-facing surface of the upper;

changing an original size of the article of footwear to a first altered size by inserting the first removable insert into the first connector; and

changing the first altered size of the article of footwear to a second altered size by inserting the second removable insert into the first connector.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first removable insert is larger than the second removable insert.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein at least one of the first removable insert and the second removable insert is a non-uniformly shaped insert.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first removable insert and the second removable insert are configured to be removably attached to a heel region of the article of footwear;

and

wherein the non-uniformly shaped insert is a removable anatomically shaped insert that is shaped to conform to the anatomical shape of the calcaneus bone.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein an anterior surface contacting region of the anatomically shaped insert has a smaller height than a posterior surface contacting region of the anatomically shaped insert.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the first connector includes a first interference lip configured to engage with a first attachment portion of the first removable insert.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the upper further includes a second connector within the upper of the article of footwear, the second connector having an inward-facing surface facing toward the interior void, the inward facing surface of the second connector being substantially flush with the inward-facing surface of the upper.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first connector is disposed on a medial portion of a heel region of the article of footwear, and the second connector is disposed on a lateral portion of the heel region of the article of footwear;

and

wherein the first removable insert and the second removable insert are interchangeably attachable to the second connector.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the first removable insert and the second removable insert comprise a first set of removable inserts, the method further including:

providing a second set of removable inserts comprised of a third removable insert and a fourth removable insert, the third removable insert and the fourth removable insert each being attachable to the second connector; and

interchangeably attaching the third removable insert and the fourth removable insert to the second connector to alter the size of the article of footwear.