Granted Patent B2

US 12,622,488 · App. 18/733,795 · Granted May 12, 2026

Inventors: John Maxwell Weeks (Los Angeles, CA); Scott Kelley (Redondo Beach, CA); Frank F Chuang (Cypress, CA); Pei-Chun Liao (Torrance, CA); Johnson Tja (Foshan City, CN); Hui Xie (Dongguan City, CN); Kurt Stockbridge (Palos Verdes Estates, CA)

Assignee: Skechers U.S.A., Inc. II

A43B23/08A43B11/00A43B21/24A43B23/088

Abstract

Claims (51)

1 . A shoe comprising:

an upper and sole structure, the upper defining a foot receiving shoe opening;

a heel counter comprising a heel cup attached to the upper and extending from the sole structure to at least a portion of the rear heel collar of upper, the heel cup with a rearmost portion having an overall vertical S wave cross-sectional shape,

wherein the heel cup is uniformly molded with an upper portion, midportion, and lower portion,

the upper portion having a smaller mediolateral length than the midportion;

a heel region of the upper having a rearward facing upper concavity and a forward facing lower concavity,

the upper concavity having a first depth,

the lower concavity having a second depth,

the second depth being greater than the first depth;

an interior compressible foam layer attached to the heel cup, wherein the foam layer protrudes into a shoe opening, the foam layer configured to compress under a load during the donning or removal of the shoe, and

wherein the interior compressible foam layer is configured, after the foot is inserted into the shoe, to expand fully or partially to its uncompressed state.

2 . The shoe of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least two layers of textile material, wherein the interior compressible foam layer is affixed between the at least two layers of textile material.

3 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein an upper amplitude of the upper concavity is approximately ⅓ of a lower amplitude of the lower concavity.

4 . The shoe of claim 3 , wherein the upper amplitude of the upper concavity is approximately 3 millimeters, and a lower amplitude of the lower concavity is approximately 9 millimeters.

5 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein an upper portion arc width of the vertical S wave cross-sectional shape is approximately 0.44 times a lower portion arc width of the vertical S wave cross-sectional shape.

6 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein an upper portion arc width of the vertical S wave cross-sectional shape is approximately 2 centimeters, and a lower portion arc width of the vertical S wave cross-sectional shape is approximately 4.5 centimeters.

7 . The shoe of claim 1 ,

the upper portion having a first configuration;

the upper portion capable of distorting into a second configuration under a load of a user's foot;

the upper portion capable of returning to the first configuration after the load of the user's foot is removed; and wherein

the upper portion in the first configuration has a downward incline with a first angle relative to a vertical line that is normal to a horizontal surface of the floor;

the upper portion in the second configuration has an incline with a second angle; and the second angle is greater than the first angle; and

a lower region of a central portion extends outwardly in the second configuration in a direction that causes the shoe opening to widen along the mediolateral direction.

8 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the shoe opening is configured to widen along the mediolateral direction by approximately 50%.

9 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the heel cup is constructed of a rigid material that does not substantially compress under the load of the user's foot.

10 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the interior compressible foam layer is at least adjacent to the upper portion and midportion of the heel cup.

11 . The shoe of claim 10 , wherein the compressible foam layer is thicker than the lower portion.

12 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the interior compressible foam layer that is at least adjacent to the upper portion and midportion of the heel cup is thicker than other areas of the interior compressible foam layer.

13 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the interior compressible foam layer is configured, after the foot is inserted into the shoe, to be located above the calcaneus bone region of the foot and extend around at least portions of the ankle region of the foot.

14 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the interior compressible foam layer is rearwardly inclined.

15 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein, in a vertical cross-section,

the upper portion has a first thickness in a first location,

the midportion has a second thickness in a second location, and

the lower portion has a third thickness in a third location;

wherein the second thickness is smaller than at least one of the first thickness and the third thickness.

16 . The shoe of claim 15 , wherein the second thickness is smaller than both of the first thickness and the third thickness.

17 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the interior compressible foam layer may extend at least a portion along the mediolateral length and configured to curve around at least a portion of the ankle above the heel.

18 . The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the interior compressible foam layer has a uniform thickness.

19 . A shoe comprising:

an upper and sole structure, the upper defining a foot receiving shoe opening;

a heel counter comprising a heel cup attached to the upper and extending from the sole structure to at least a portion of the rear heel collar of upper, the heel cup with a rearmost portion having an overall vertical S wave cross-sectional shape,

wherein the heel cup is uniformly molded with an upper portion, midportion, and lower portion,

the upper portion having a smaller mediolateral length than the midportion;

a heel region of the upper having a rearward facing upper concavity and a forward facing lower concavity,

the upper concavity having a first depth,

the lower concavity having a second depth,

the second depth being greater than the first depth;

wherein an upper amplitude of the upper concavity is approximately 3 millimeters, and a lower amplitude of the lower concavity is approximately 9 millimeters;

an interior compressible foam layer attached to the heel cup, wherein the foam layer protrudes into a shoe opening, the foam layer configured to compress under a load during the donning or removal of the shoe, and

wherein the interior compressible foam layer is configured, after the foot is inserted into the shoe, to expand fully or partially to its uncompressed state.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (332)