IP Library Granted Patent US 11,464,291
Granted Patent B2
US 11,464,291 · App. 16/798,234 · Granted Oct 11, 2022

Footwear article with wear guard

Inventor: Rory W. Fuerst (Atherton, CA)
Assignee: Fuerst Group, Inc.
A43B23/227A43B23/081A43B23/088
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,464,291
App. No.
16/798,234
Granted
Oct 11, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A footwear article is provided comprising an upper and a wear guard. In at least one example, the wear guard may include an overlay formed with bellows positioned along a lacing structure of the footwear article, wherein the wear guard is a different material than the upper of the footwear article.

Claims (20)

1. A footwear article, comprising:

an upper; and

a wear guard, the wear guard including bellows positioned at a metatarsal phalangeal joint region of the footwear article, wherein a material of the wear guard is a different material than the upper of the footwear article,

wherein a first edge of the wear guard faces a toe cap of the footwear article,

wherein a second edge of the wear guard is opposite the first edge, and wherein the second edge is coupled to a panel, a material of the panel being different than the material of the wear guard, and

wherein the panel extends upward from the second edge of the wear guard, wherein the second edge is positioned at a vamp of the footwear article, proximal the metatarsal phalangeal joint region.

2. The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the bellows extend over the vamp of the footwear article.

3. The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the bellows extend across the metatarsal phalangeal joint region from an outsole at a first side of the footwear article to the outsole at a second side of the footwear article, and wherein the bellows form part of an exterior of the footwear article.

4. The footwear article of claim 3 , wherein the bellows curve back towards a heel of the footwear article.

5. The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the upper is exposed between a toe cap and the wear guard.

6. The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the wear guard is a single-piece molded structure.

7. The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the wear guard is coupled to the panel via stitching.

8. A footwear article, comprising:

an upper; and

a wear guard comprising bellows, wherein the wear guard is coupled to the upper and the bellows are positioned adjacent to a tongue of the footwear article,

wherein the wear guard comprises a medial portion, a first wing, and a second wing,

wherein the medial portion terminates at an edge of the tongue at a first substantially lateral position,

wherein the first wing and the second wing extend from either side of the medial portion, and

wherein the first wing and the second wing bend back away from a toe of the footwear article to a second substantially lateral position that is farther back along a horizontal axis of the footwear article than the first substantially lateral position at which the medial portion terminates.

9. The footwear article of claim 8 , wherein the first wing, the second wing, and the medial portion are substantially shaped as a series of stacked trapezoids.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2025
From: FUERST GROUP, INC.
To: KEEN, INC.
Reel/Frame 072273/0406 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2020
From: FUERST, RORY W.
To: FUERST GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 051965/0791 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62809491 · Feb 22, 2019
Related Publication 20200268107A1 · Aug 27, 2020
Cited By (2)
US 1,074,166 US 12,611,002