Rapid-entry shoe

• US 9,877,542 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fast IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fast IP, LLC
• Inventors: Pratt, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Prange, Sharon M
• Application Number:
  US13/509,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20120317839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,636 Days
• Field of Search: 36 501, 36 585, 36 586, 36105
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 11/00 Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing, e.g. with straps
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/42 Heels with replaceable or adjustable parts , e.g. top lift
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/248 Collapsible, e.g. foldable for travelling
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/008 Combined fastenings, e.g. to accelerate undoing or fastening

Abstract

A rapid-entry shoe allows the shoe to be rapidly entered and readied for wearing by the user. The shoe may be any of a wide variety of shoe types, including shoes of a wide variety of styles and functions. The rapid entry features of the shoes utilize various movable elements that are attached to a sole portion or other portion of the shoe and allow movement of a portion of the shoe under pressure to allow rapid entry of the user'"'"'s foot into the shoe. The moveable elements may include flexible elements, elements having constructed to have a memory of a native position, magnetic elements, and/or elastic elements.

Claims

1. A rapid-entry shoe comprising:

a sole having an upper surface configured to support a user'"'"'s foot, an inner layer positioned below the upper surface, and two connection points, each connection point dispersed around a periphery of the sole;

an upper defining an opening adapted to receive entry of the user'"'"'s foot into the shoe, the opening defining a top edge of the upper surrounding the opening;

a rear portion of the upper configured to secure the user'"'"'s foot in the shoe, the rear portion being located on the upper surface of the sole; and

a rear flexible loop comprising two separate deformable elements, each extending into the inner layer of the sole and directly coupled to and terminating at its respective connection point in the sole and operatively attached to the rear portion, wherein the rear flexible loop is configured to have a native position in which the rear flexible loop holds the rear portion of the shoe in a closed position securing the user'"'"'s foot in the shoe and wherein the rear flexible loop may be deformed by an opening force to open the shoe to permit rapid entry of the user'"'"'s foot into the shoe, the rear flexible loop further comprising a rear bending portion extending between the respective ends of the two deformable elements.

2. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 1, wherein the rear bending portion flexes independent of the two or more deformable elements.

3. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 2, wherein flexing of the rear bending portion expands the opening to provide additional clearance for the user'"'"'s foot to permit rapid entry of the user'"'"'s foot into the shoe.

4. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 1, the upper further comprising a slit having a piece of flexible material, wherein the slit opens to permit rapid entry of the user'"'"'s foot into the shoe.

5. A rapid-entry shoe comprising:

a sole having an upper surface and a pair of connection points, each connection point comprising a structure extending into an inner layer of the sole;

an upper defining an opening adapted to receive entry of a user'"'"'s foot into the shoe, the opening defining a top edge of the upper surrounding the opening;

a rear portion of the upper configured to secure the user'"'"'s foot in the shoe, the rear portion being located on the upper surface of the sole;

a pair of deformable elements, each having a first end terminating at, and directly connected to, its respective connection point in the sole and operatively attached to the rear portion, wherein the pair of deformable elements is configured to have a native position in which the pair of deformable elements holds the rear portion of the shoe in a closed position securing the user'"'"'s foot in the shoe and wherein the pair of deformable elements may be deformed by an opening force to open the shoe to permit rapid entry of the user'"'"'s foot into the shoe; and

a rear bending portion extending around a rear of the shoe and between second ends opposite the first ends of the pair of deformable elements.

6. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 5, wherein the rear bending portion is configured to rotate about the pair of deformable wires.

7. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 6, wherein rotation of the rear bending portion expands the opening to provide additional clearance for the user'"'"'s foot to permit rapid entry of the user'"'"'s foot into the shoe.

8. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 5, the upper further comprising a slit, wherein the slit opens to permit rapid entry of the user'"'"'s foot into the shoe.

9. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 8, wherein the slit comprises a piece of flexible material.