RAPID-ENTRY FOOTWEAR WITH REBOUNDING FIT SYSTEM

• US 20180206588A1
• Filed: 03/23/2018
• Published: 07/26/2018
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,506,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 from beneath the footbed of the rapid-entry shoe, about a rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe, and between the first anchor and the second anchor;

wherein a first end of the deformable element is coupled to the first anchor and a second end of the deformable element is coupled to the second anchor; and

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 a partially compressed state.

2. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1, wherein in the collapsed state, the deformable element comprises a first radius of curvature, and wherein in the uncollapsed state, the deformable element comprises a second radius of curvature.

3. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 2, wherein the first radius of curvature is about 30% to about 60% smaller than the second radius of curvature.

4. A rapid-entry shoe comprising:

a first anchor and a second anchor, 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 from beneath a footbed of the rapid-entry shoe, about a rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe, and between the first anchor and the second anchor;

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

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 angled upward.

5. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 4, wherein in the collapsed state, the deformable element comprises a first radius of curvature, and wherein in the uncollapsed state, the deformable element comprises a second radius of curvature.

6. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 4, wherein the first anchor and the second anchor are disposed at a footbed of the rapid-entry shoe.

7. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 4, wherein the deformable element exhibits a return force toward the uncollapsed configuration of between about 1 pound-force and about 10 pound-force.

8. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 4, wherein the deformable element exhibits a return force toward the uncollapsed configuration of between about 4 pound-force and about 8 pound-force.

9. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 4, wherein the deformable element exhibits a return force toward the uncollapsed configuration of between about 5 pound-force and about 7 pound-force.

10. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 4, wherein the deformable element returns from the collapsed configuration to the uncollapsed configuration in less than about 0.2 seconds.

11. A rapid-entry shoe comprising:

a first anchor and a second anchor, 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 from beneath a footbed of the rapid-entry shoe, about a rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe, and between the first anchor and the second anchor;

wherein the deformable element comprises a plurality of materials;

wherein a first end of the deformable element is coupled to the first anchor and a second end of the deformable element is coupled to the second anchor; and

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 angled upward.

12. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 11, wherein in the collapsed state, the deformable element comprises a first radius of curvature, and wherein in the uncollapsed state, the deformable element comprises a second radius of curvature.

13. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 11, wherein the first anchor and the second anchor are disposed at a footbed of the rapid-entry shoe.

14. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 11, wherein the plurality of materials comprises a metal and a polymer.

15. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 14, wherein the metal comprises titanium and the polymer comprises at least one of a wrap, sleeve, overmold, and heat shrink tube.

16. The rapid entry-shoe of claim 15, wherein the at least one of the wrap, sleeve, overmold, and heat shrink tube affects the flexure of the deformable element.

17. The rapid entry-shoe of claim 15, wherein the at least one of the wrap, sleeve, overmold, and heat shrink tube is configured to transfer mechanical stress from the titanium to the at least one of the wrap, sleeve, overmold, and heat shrink tube.

18. 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 from beneath the footbed of the rapid-entry shoe, about a rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe, and between the first anchor and the second anchor;

wherein the deformable element comprises variable flexibility along a longitudinal axis of the deformable element;

wherein a first end of the deformable element is coupled to the first anchor and a second end of the deformable element is coupled to the second anchor; and

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 angled upward.

19. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 18, wherein a directional bias of the deformable element is provided by twisting of the deformable element and is configured to generate the variable flexibility.

20. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 18, wherein in the collapsed state, the deformable element comprises a first radius of curvature, and wherein in the uncollapsed state, the deformable element comprises a second radius of curvature.