Granted Patent B2

US 12,702,189 · App. 18/615,145 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Inventors: Seth Munger (Springville, UT); Craig Cheney (Lindon, UT)

Assignee: FAST IP, LLC

A43B11/00A43B3/248A43B23/08

Abstract

Claims (38)

1 . A rapid-entry shoe comprising a multi-action counter, wherein the multi-action counter comprises:

a sole portion;

an upper coupled to the sole portion and defining an inner dimension;

a first component configured to pivot rearward, and

a second component configured to collapse downward,

wherein the rearward pivot of the first component expands or opens a topline or throat of the rapid-entry shoe,

wherein, in a collapsed configuration, the second component expands the inner dimension of the rapid-entry shoe,

wherein, in an uncollapsed configuration, the second component is positioned to locks or otherwise secures a heel of a user within the rapid-entry shoe,

wherein the first and second components are positioned relative to each other such that, during donning of the rapid-entry shoe, the rearward pivot of the first component occurs before the downward collapse of the second component,

wherein a rearwardmost portion of the second component is positioned rearward of a rearwardmost portion of the first component when in an uncollapsed configuration, and

wherein the second component is configured to be at least partially nested within the first component during actuation of the multi-action counter.

2 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the first component comprises an arm and a resilient member.

3 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 2 , wherein the resilient member is one of a distinct band and a portion of an upper of the rapid-entry shoe.

4 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 2 , wherein the second component comprises a deformable element.

5 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 4 , wherein the first component and the second component are coupled to a common flange portion at a living hinge.

6 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 5 , wherein the first component is nested against a lip or recess formed within the second component.

7 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the first component and the second component are spaced from each other at a rearwardmost portion of the muti-action counter.

8 . A rapid-entry shoe comprising a multi-action counter, wherein the multi-action counter comprises:

a first component including a first action configured to cause a first transformation of an upper of the rapid-entry shoe, the first component including an arm and an elastic element coupled to the arm, the elastic element positioned to bias the arm toward a closed position, and

a second component including a second action configured to cause a second transformation of the upper the second component being resilient or otherwise self-rebounding to bias the second component toward a closed position,

wherein the first component and the second component are coupled to a common flange portion at a living hinge,

wherein the multi-action counter includes a first configuration in which the first component of the multi-action counter is in the closed position and the second component of the multi-action counter is in the closed position,

wherein the multi-action counter includes a second configuration in which the first component is in an open position and the second component is in the closed position, and

wherein the multi-action counter includes a third configuration in which the first component is in the open position and the second component is in an open position to facilitate hands-free donning of the rapid-entry shoe.

9 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 8 , wherein the first action of the first component is different from and independent of the second action of the second component, and wherein the first transformation of the first component is different from and independent of the second transformation of the second component.

10 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 9 , wherein the first action of the first component comprises a pivot of the first component that results in motion of an upper extremity of the first component that is more rearward than downward and wherein the second action of the second component comprises a collapse of the second component that results in motion of an upper extremity of the second component that is more downward than rearward.

11 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 9 , wherein the second component is configured to be at least partially nested within the first component during actuation of the multi-action counter.

12 . A rapid-entry shoe comprising a multi-action counter, wherein the multi-action counter comprises:

a sole portion;

an upper coupled to the sole portion;

a first component coupled to the upper and configured to cause a first transformation of the upper of the rapid-entry shoe in which a first portion of the upper is rearranged from a first position to a second position, the first component includes a first elastic element and an arm, the elastic element extending from the arm to a position forward the arm, and

a second component coupled to the upper and configured to cause a second transformation of the upper in which a second portion of the upper is rearranged from a first position to a second position, the second component includes a second elastic element extending to the position forward of the arm,

wherein the first component and the second component are coupled to a common flange portion at a living hinge,

wherein, the multi-action counter has a first configuration in which neither the first transformation nor the second transformation is complete,

wherein, the multi-action counter has a second configuration in which the first transformation is complete, but the second transformation is not complete, and

wherein, the multi-action counter has a third configuration in which both the first transformation and the second transformation are complete to facilitate hands-free donning of the rapid-entry shoe.

13 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 12 , wherein the first portion of the upper includes a topline or throat of the rapid-entry shoe and the first transformation comprises expansion or opening of the topline or throat of the rapid-entry shoe.

14 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 13 , wherein the second portion of the upper defines an inner dimension of the rapid-entry shoe and the second transformation comprises expansion of the inner dimension of the rapid-entry shoe.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (394)