Rapid-entry footwear having a stabilizer and an elastic element
A rapid-entry shoe having an elastic element to enlarge a foot opening of the rapid-entry shoe and also having a stabilizer to prevent a rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe from collapsing downward.
1 . A rapid-entry shoe comprising:
a sole portion;
an upper coupled to the sole portion and including a rear portion, a side portion, and a forward portion, the upper defining a foot opening, the upper including an elastic element configured to enlarge the foot opening when expanded and operable to reduce the foot opening when contracted;
a stabilizer defining a unitary structure extending from the sole portion toward a rear portion of the foot opening, the stabilizer configured to support a rear portion of the upper during insertion of a foot through the foot opening and into the foot cavity; and
a foam liner coupled to the stabilizer between a medial portion of the stabilizer and a lateral portion of the stabilizer, at least a portion of the foam liner extending beyond at least one of the medial portion and the lateral portion of the stabilizer and oriented downward toward the sole portion such that the foam liner acts to retain a heel within a heel portion of the rapid-entry shoe.
2 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is a single, unitary structure.
3 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , further comprising a resiliently deformable element, wherein the stabilizer defines a window, and wherein the resiliently deformable element is positioned within the window of the stabilizer.
4 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 3 , wherein the resiliently deformable element is coupled at an upper edge of the window.
5 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer defines a window and wherein the stabilizer and the window are configured to retain their shapes during insertion of a foot into the foot opening.
6 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes a base portion and an elevated portion, the base portion coupled to the sole portion and including a concave profile adjacent to the rear portion of the upper, the concave profile facing toward the forward portion of the upper and extending from the sole portion toward the elevated portion, wherein the stabilizer includes an inflection point between the base portion and the elevated portion.
7 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 6 , wherein the inflection point defines a position at which the stabilizer transitions between the stabilizer having the concave profile and a convex profile, wherein the concave profile is defined within a vertical plane, the vertical plane extending longitudinally between the forward portion and the rear portion of the upper, the concave profile extending along at least a portion of the base portion of the stabilizer, the convex profile of the stabilizer defined within the vertical plane along at least a portion of the elevated portion, the convex profile being adjacent to the rear portion of the upper and facing toward the forward portion of the upper.
8 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer has a rear profile having a serpentine shape along at least a portion of a base portion and at least a portion of an elevated portion.
9 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 8 , wherein the base portion includes a concave shape toward the front of the rapid-entry shoe along the serpentine shape, and the elevated portion includes a convex shape toward the front of the rapid-entry shoe toward the front of the rapid-entry shoe.
10 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes a base portion and an elevated portion, wherein elevated portion includes a flat surface at an upper end of the elevated portion.
11 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes a liner configured to provide for either one of retention of a user's heel and comfort for the user's heel.
12 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes a base portion and an elevated portion, wherein the base portion extends into the sole portion such that an uppermost portion of the sole portion is vertically higher than a lowermost portion of the base portion.
13 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein a rearward most portion of the stabilizer is positioned longitudinally forward of a rearward most portion of the sole portion.
14 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes a flare extending rearward from an elevated portion of the stabilizer, the flare configured to direct a foot into the foot opening during entry.
15 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stiff material of stabilizer is configured to impede movement of the stabilizer during insertion of a foot into the rapid-entry shoe.
16 . A rapid-entry shoe comprising:
a sole portion;
an upper coupled to the sole portion and including a rear portion, a side portion, and a forward portion, the upper defining a foot opening;
a stabilizer embedded within the rear portion of the upper and defining a unitary structure extending from the sole portion toward a rear portion of the foot opening, the stabilizer being configured to support a rear portion of the upper, the stabilizer defining a base portion and an elevated portion having an inflection point therebetween, the base portion extending from the inflection point toward the sole portion and the elevated portion extending from the inflection point toward a top of the stabilizer, wherein, when viewing a cross-section of the rapid-entry shoe from a side of the rapid-entry shoe, the base portion of the stabilizer has a concave profile facing toward the front portion of the upper and the elevated portion has a convex profile facing toward the front portion of the upper; and
a foam liner positioned adjacent to the stabilizer, the foam liner extending from the stabilizer forward along at least a portion of the side portion of the upper, the foam liner extending forward and downward at an angle greater than zero and less than 90 degrees relative to the sole portion.
17 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 16 , wherein the stabilizer includes a flare proximal the elevated portion configured to direct a foot into the foot opening.
18 . A rapid-entry shoe comprising:
a sole portion;
an upper coupled to the sole portion and including a rear portion, a side portion, and a forward portion, the upper defining a foot opening;
a means for stabilizing a rear portion of the upper and including a base portion and an elevated portion and defining a unitary structure coupled to the sole portion toward a rear portion of the foot opening, the means for stabilizing configured to support a rear portion of the upper, wherein the means for stabilizing is configured to prevent downward collapse of the rear portion of the upper such that a heel of a user slides downward toward the sole portion relative to the means for stabilizing as the foot is inserted into the rapid-entry shoe, wherein the means for stabilizing includes a concave profile adjacent to the rear portion of the upper, the concave profile facing toward the forward portion of the upper and extending from the sole portion toward the elevated portion, wherein the means for stabilizing includes an inflection point between the base portion and the elevated portion, wherein the inflection point defines a position at which the means for stabilizing transitions between the means for stabilizing having the concave profile and a convex profile, wherein the concave profile is defined within a vertical plane, the vertical plane extending longitudinally between the forward portion and the rear portion of the upper, the concave profile extending along at least a portion of the base portion of the means for stabilizing, the convex profile of the means for stabilizing defined within the vertical plane along at least a portion of the elevated portion, the convex profile being adjacent to the rear portion of the upper and facing toward the forward portion of the upper;
a means for enlarging the foot opening by expansion and for reducing the foot opening by contraction; and
a foam liner coupled to the means for stabilizing between a medial portion and a lateral portion of the means for stabilizing along a concave profile, at least a portion of the foam liner extending beyond at least one of the medial portion and the lateral portion of the means for stabilizing and oriented downward toward the sole portion such that the foam liner acts to retain a heel within a heel portion of the rapid-entry shoe.
19 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 16 , wherein the foam liner is positioned against the stabilizer at a position vertically higher than the inflection point.