IP Library Granted Patent US 12,677,912
Granted Patent B2
US 12,677,912 · App. 18/651,538 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Footwear article with wear guard

Inventors: Rory W. Fuerst (Atherton, CA); Rory Fuerst, Jr. (Tahoe City, CA); Gregory Musachia (Los Altos, CA)
Assignee: KEEN, INC.
A43B23/227A43B23/081A43B23/088
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,677,912
App. No.
18/651,538
Filed
Apr 30, 2024
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3732
USPC
36/148
Abstract

A footwear article is provided comprising a wear guard coupled to a lining of the footwear article. In at least one example, the wear guard may include bellows. The wear guard may be coupled to the footwear article via one or more of stitching and an injected connection.

Claims (26)

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 the wear guard is coupled to a lining of the footwear article, and wherein the wear guard is at least partially positioned between the lining of the footwear article and the upper of the footwear article.

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

3 . The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the wear guard is coupled to the lining of the footwear article via injection molding.

4 . The footwear article of claim 3 , wherein a material of the injection molding fuses the wear guard to the lining of the footwear article.

5 . The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the bellows curve back towards a heel of the footwear article.

6 . The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the rubber material.

7 . The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the wear guard comprises a flange without bellows formed therein, the flange extending around a perimeter of the wear guard.

8 . The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein a perimeter of the wear guard is surrounded by the upper of the footwear article.

9 . A footwear article, comprising:

an upper; and

a wear guard structured with bellows, the wear guard integrated into a lining of the footwear article and the wear guard forming part of an exterior of the footwear article, wherein the wear guard is localized at the metatarsal phalangeal joint region.

10 . The footwear article of claim 9 , wherein one or more transverse grooves of the bellows curve towards a tongue of the footwear article at a region between a toe of the footwear article and the tongue of the footwear article.

11 . The footwear article of claim 9 , wherein the wear guard is coupled to the lining via stitching and injection molding.

12 . The footwear article of claim 9 , wherein the bellows form ridgelines which curve around quarter panels of the footwear article.

13 . The footwear article of claim 9 , wherein the wear guard comprises a different material than the upper of the footwear article, and wherein the wear guard being localized at the metatarsal phalangeal region includes a positioning of the wear guard being limited to the metatarsal phalangeal region.

14 . The footwear article of claim 9 , wherein the wear guard is positioned such that a majority of a length of the footwear article extending along a horizontal axis of the footwear article is free of the wear guard.

15 . The footwear article of claim 9 , wherein an entire perimeter of the wear guard is spaced away from an outsole of the footwear article.

16 . A footwear article, comprising:

an upper; and

a wear guard comprising bellows, wherein the wear guard is coupled to a lining of the footwear article and the upper of the footwear article, wherein the wear guard is at least partially positioned between the lining of the footwear article and the upper of the footwear article, and wherein the wear guard is localized at a metatarsal phalangeal joint region of the footwear article.

17 . The footwear article of claim 16 , wherein the bellows have a triangular cross-section.

18 . The footwear article of claim 16 , wherein the wear guard is coupled to the footwear article via both an injected connection and stitching.

19 . The footwear article of claim 16 , further comprising a heel guard, the heel guard including a plurality of ribs.

20 . The footwear article of claim 16 , wherein the wear guard is adjacent to a midsole of the footwear article.

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 May 9, 2024
From: FUERST, RORY W.; FUERST, RORY, JR.; MUSACHIA, GREGORY
To: FUERST GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 067360/0299 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 17930039 · Sep 6, 2022
Division 16798234 · Feb 21, 2020
Provisional Application 62809491 · Feb 22, 2019
Related Publication 20240277115A1 · Aug 22, 2024
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