Rapid-entry shoe
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.
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; and
a rear flexible loop, each end thereof 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 comprising at least one deformable element,
the rear flexible loop further comprising a rear bending portion extending around the rear portion of the upper, and
wherein, in response to the opening force, the rear bending portion is configured to flex independent of the at least one deformable element; wherein the at least one deformable element extends continuously from its respective connection point to the rear bending portion, the rear bending portion being positioned both rearward of the connection points and proximal the top edge of the upper of the rear portion.
2. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 1 , wherein the rear flexible loop is stressed in the native position.
3. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 1 , the upper further comprising a slit, wherein the slit opens to permit rapid entry of the user's foot into the shoe.
4. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 3 , wherein the slit comprises a piece of flexible material.
5. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 1 , wherein the shoe is a sandal and the rear portion is a rear strap of the sandal.
6. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 1 , wherein the shoe is a closed shoe.
7. 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 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; and
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
further comprising 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, wherein, in response to the opening force, the rear bending portion is configured to flex independent of each of the deformable elements; wherein each of the pair of deformable elements extends continuously from its respective connection point to the rear bending portion, the rear bending portion being positioned both rearward of the connection points and proximal the top edge of the upper of the rear portion.
8. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 7 , wherein the pair of deformable elements is stressed in the native position.
9. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 7 , the upper further comprising a slit, wherein the slit opens to permit rapid entry of the user's foot into the shoe.
10. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 9 , wherein the slit comprises a piece of flexible material.
11. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 7 , wherein the shoe is a sandal and the rear portion is a rear strap of the sandal.
12. A rapid-entry shoe as recited in claim 7 , wherein the shoe is a closed shoe.